Page 3 of Fame & Rhythm

I bite my lip, trying not to think about how much they might have missed. They knew how important this was.

“You okay, Lennox?” Aston asks, using the nickname only he gets away with.

“Mum and Dad missed it,” I say, my voice tighter than I want it to be.

“Yeah… I saw them leave just after we started,” he admits, pulling his bass off.

The words hit harder than I expect.

I pull my guitar free and place it into the stand a little too forcefully. “So they missed the whole thing?”

“Hey… I’m sorry. I know you wanted them here,” he says, stepping in and wrapping his arms around me.

He’s solid, stronger than he used to be, and it still catches me off guard sometimes. One minute, he was the kid I played with in the sandpit, and now he’s… this.

All muscles, broad shoulders, and that face!

But he’s still Aston.

Still the one who knows exactly when I’m about to lose it.

“Lennox, don’t let it get to you,” he murmurs. “You know what they’re like.”

I let out a slow breath, but it doesn’t take the edge off. “Don’t get upset?” I repeat quietly. “It was our first performance, Aston. They should’ve been here.” A tear slips free before I can stop it. He brushes it away with his thumb, the simple gesture grounding me for a second…

Until I see them.

Mum and Dad walk back in, smiling like they haven’t missed a thing.

Something inside me snaps.

“Lennox… just breathe,” Aston says, his hand settling on my shoulder.

“No.” I walk straight toward them.

“Hey, Annie, you sounded great,” Dad says, reaching out to ruffle my brown hair with purple tips.

I knock his hand away and step back. “How would you know?” I ask, my voice sharp. “You weren’t even here!”

Mum glances at Dad, her expression tightening. “Annie, honey—”

“Don’t,” I cut in. “Everyone else had their families here watching them. Supporting them. And we had no one.”

Dad exhales slowly. “We heard you. We just needed to step away for a minute. We were discussing something important.”

I let out a short, disbelieving laugh, my chest tight with frustration. “Discussing what?”

I shift my weight, folding my arms as I hold his gaze.

Ella moves to stand beside me. She doesn’t say anything, but she doesn’t need to.

“Adult stuff, Annie,” Dad says.

Mum looks at me, her expression tight, at least she has the decency to look sorry.

“Well? What was so fucking important you couldn’t be here to watch your daughters play for the first time?” I ask, my voice raised but no longer out of control.

“Annie, don’t swear,” Mum says softly.