Page 28 of A Tragic Melody

“Destroying each other?”

“To not talking.”

“We’ve never not talked,” I counter. “We just choose to say mean things, which you can’t seem to stop doing.” I roll my eyes, trying to push back the tears that threaten to spill out.

He doesn’t get to make me cry ever again. I don’t know what kind of game he is playing, but I’m not going to lose just because I don’t understand the rules yet.

“So let’s start not talking. We can pretend the other person doesn’t exist or whatever.”

“That’s going to be very hard for you to do, Wyatt.”

“Yeah?” He tilts his head to the side, studying me. “And why is that?”

“Because when I’m done with you, you’ll never be able to forget me.”

“Is that a threat?”

“No. It’s a fucking promise.” I slide out of the booth. “You’re going to regret playing this game with me. You’ll be begging to join your family. I’m going to destroy you.”

As soon as the words leave my mouth, it hits me.

I’m exactly like my mother.

That hurts more than watching his lips curve up into a smile.

“I’d like to see you try.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Okay, I fucked up. Panicked. Made a bad decision. Call it what you want. I can try to brush it off as self-preservation, but really, I got scared by how much I wanted to save her.

Her story moved me, and I knew if I stuck by her side, I’d be there until she was done with me. I’d be like Quinn, forced to watch her self-destruct yet unable to get her to stop.

She clearly has no plans on getting sober. She could’ve done so at any point, but decided getting high is better. It’s sad, but understandable. She doesn’t come from the best situation, but still, she should at least try to get better. She should want to be better.

I don’t think she wants to, though. I’d love to know why, but I can’t afford to get close enough for her to explain.

I’m not surprised when my history with heroin starts making rounds on the internet. I should’ve known she would leak that information. She said she was out to destroy me, now I realize just how much she meant it.

Now the whole world knows I used to spend my time high. An old picture of me, where I look fucked up, is plastered on magazine covers. Stories about my past, with half-truth statements from people who I used to know are printed in tabloids.

This might be the only time I’m glad my parents are dead. They don’t have to see my downfall all over music news outlets. Though I probably wouldn’t have done heroin had they not died. And if I had even dared to try, my mother would’ve strangled the very life from my body.

I know it isn’t ideal for this information to be leaked, but I’m slightly relieved. People know I’m sober now. They are comparing pictures. Showing the change from previous shows to this tour. So, it adds a much-needed layer of pressure for me to stay sober. Everyone will be watching closely to see if I’m using. Now I have to prove I can stay sober to the whole world, not just myself.

It’s been three days since the diner. We spent part of the three days on the road to New York and the other two parked outside the next venue in New York City, but the news of my addiction didn’t start popping up until last night.

My band is in full panic mode. They have no idea who could’ve leaked it. I don’t tell them that it’s Tuesday. There is no need for anyone else to know we are at war. Better there aren’t outside players in this game.

The fact of the matter is, we decided as a band to keep my recovery a secret. I mean, we didn’t talk about it, but it was an unspoken rule. No one brings it up. No one tells anyone outside the group. A few other people knew, obviously people on the label, the producer, and the few people I got drugs from probably had an idea, but we didn’t want anyone else knowing.

It’s too recent. I haven’t proven I can stay sober for a long period of time, either. The band doesn’t think it’s good that the spotlight is on me now. They worry if I backslide, the fans won’t want anything to do with me. The fear that the fans might start dropping off because I once did drugs is another reason for them. One that might now happen.

The label isn’t happy, either. They are concerned the fans might stop enjoying my guitar work. Worried the fans might not want to get on board with a band whose main talent could suddenly die of a drug overdose. It’s happened before, and a lot of fans don’t want to invest interest in someone who could drop dead at any point.

Can’t say they are wrong, either. It wasn’t like I did baby drugs. Heroin is kind of the lowest a person can go. I wasn’t just smoking it, either. I was cooking it up and injecting it into my veins.

Everyone is scared this is going to be our downfall. They are fearing the worst. Can’t say I blame them for being scared. If Veritas drops us, it’s game over. I’m trying not to let it bother me. I knew one day it would come out, I was just hoping I’d be a bigger name by them. That I would have been sober longer so no one would care.