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“Did his father really beat him?” Andrej asked.

Surprised, José looked up at him. “Yes,” he answered after a moment of reflection. “And much more.”

“Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“You never asked.”

“When did he first start using drugs?”

“At fifteen,” José replied, taking a drag and exhaling the smoke. “We had the rehearsal room in my parents’ garage. One day when we were seventeen, he showed up totally high. I hadn’t seen him for a week before that; the bandaged hand explained why. He took the guitar and played like nothing had happened. Maybe a bit slower than usual, but … good.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

A nostalgic smile spread across José’s face. “He’s tough. He’s shown plenty of times that he can handle life.”

“For God’s sake, Martinez. Are you kidding me? He’s got you wrapped around his finger. Ever heard of codependency?”

“That’s nonsense,” José disagreed, taking another drag. “I’m not codependent, and it has nothing to do with hope. I simply have trust. If you knew Leaf like I do, you’d understand what I mean.”

“You act like everything Leaf does is normal. But it’s not.”

“Maybe he’s a better person when he’s on drugs.” José had only thought it, but somehow the words came out loud.

Andrej burst out laughing. “Bullshit! You can’t be serious?”

José grunted and continued smoking.

“I’m just surprised how much you like the guy,” Andrej said after calming down. “What does he have that I don’t?”

José didn’t have to think long. “Loyalty. He would never just kick someone out of the band. So, back off. Got it?”

“I don’t want to spend the whole tour worrying about whether he’ll even show up. What’s wrong with you? We start tomorrow!”

“Yay!” Iggy suddenly shouted, letting the door slam behind him. “Tomorrow it starts! Are you guys as excited as I am?” He strolled over to the corner of the couch in high spirits and set down his heavy backpack. “I thought I'd make myself known, considering how engrossed you were in your conversation.”

“How long have you been standing there?” Andrej asked, taken aback.

“Long enough. Is it about Leaf?” Iggy plopped down next to José on the couch. “Man, today was absolute torture. The professors are making things hard for us. It’s like we have nothing else to do.”

José studied his little brother intently. Instead of trying to read him, he asked directly, “What else do you have to do? Did Andrej ask you to practice our songs so you can replace Leaf?”

“Pfff … As if anyone could replace Leaf.” Iggy laughed, amused.

Andrej rolled his eyes. “What we need is a reliable guitarist.”

“I am reliable,” Iggy murmured and tied back his shoulder-length black hair.

“That’s what I said.”

“But I’m not Leaf.”

José suppressed a grin. Iggy had always looked up to Leaf. Leaf was his hero, his role model. It was no surprise that Iggy’s guitar playing was heavily influenced by Leaf’s. If anyone could replace Leaf, it was Iggy.

“No one is asking you to be Leaf,” Andrej reassured him.

“Did you kick him out?” Iggy asked bluntly.

“No!” José snapped.