Page 88 of Fame & Chaos

That woman throwing her top at him should probably annoy me more than it does. The rock star charm, the flirtation, the performance… it’s all part of the image.

And God help me, Caleb was born for this life.

This is the first time anyone has ever seen Staked perform live, and women are already fainting over him before they even know the songs. Caleb is going to become huge. I can feel it as strongly as I can feel the bass vibrating through the floor beneath my feet.

And that realization unsettles me more than I want to admit.

How am I supposed to fit into his life now?

Even if we became friends again, how long would that realistically last before he’s touring the world and surrounded by beautiful women throwing themselves at him every night?

Maybe coming here was a mistake.

Maybe seeing him again at all was a mistake.

The problem is that Caleb has always been my weakness. My addiction. And now that I’ve seen him again, it feels impossible to force him back out of my system.

“Anyway…” Caleb says into the microphone, pulling me from my thoughts, “… this song’s about someone special to me. Hopefully, she knows who she is. This is called “Saving Grace.” ”

My stomach tightens instantly.

Please don’t let this be about me.

The music starts slowly, heavy with bass and emotion. Before he even reaches the chorus, I already know this song is going to become massive.

Then Caleb starts singing.

And every word destroys me.

The lyrics spill through the venue, telling our story. Of our childhood, of our love, of me leaving him behind.

I stop breathing somewhere around the second verse.

By the time he reaches the chorus, my eyes are overflowing with tears. I press my hand over my mouth, trying desperately to hide the sob threatening to escape me while Caleb sings about loving me from the start.

About needing me.

About me breaking him when I left.

My chest physically hurts as I listen to him pour all of this into the song.

And the worst part is… I believe every word.

When the song finally ends, the entire venue erupts into cheers, but I can barely hear any of it over the pounding of my own heartbeat.

Caleb lifts his head and scans the crowd like he’s searching for someone.

Searching for me.

I sway slightly on the spot, overwhelmed and struggling to steady myself. The woman beside me gives me a strange look like she thinks I’m about to faint.

Honestly, maybe I am.

I feel sick with guilt.

I had no idea he’d been carrying this around for six years. No idea he’d written a song about us.

About me.