Chapter 10 #2
Below it were several confused comments asking if Reno and Luka actually knew each other and had somehow kept their friendship or relationship secret over the years. Under that screenshot, there was another.
Reno frowned at his screen. It felt weird looking at tweets from so long ago, stolen and shared without Luka’s permission.
And he really didn’t like the direction conversations were going.
He hated it too, thinking that Luka of all people couldn’t get a VIP ticket when he deserved it more than anyone.
Also, how did Reno not see him? They could have connected two whole years ago, and Reno had missed him.
He logged off his main account and got onto his private account, where only his bandmates and a few non-industry friends followed him.
Reno switched to WhatsApp.
Sage
Wait, he drew me?
Oh, lol. Yup. [image attachment], [image attachment], [image attachment]
If Reno hadn’t already been falling for Luka, he would be now.
The drawings were from his performances, and so tenderly rendered, Reno could hardly believe it. It felt unreal, like he was looking at someone other than himself; the person he was seeing in Luka’s hand was far too beautiful to be him.
He immediately saved them to his phone.
Sage
Whoah
I know. He's really talented to make ur dumbass look so good. U dont even look like that in ur photoshoots for magazines
idk how to take it sage i rly might be going insane
thats nothing new
no, no. this is a level never seen before. I am physically vibrating.
Will you please get me from the airport? We land in 1.5 hr. I dont wanna see anyone from the label when I'm this unstable.
I got u bestie. u can cry in my car
I owe u
no u dont. :) I'll get ready to go now
Reno clicked his phone off and put it away before he lost control and started sniffling on the plane right next to Cane. He could blame it on the third drink, but then Cane would be even more stingy in the future.
He set his cup down after a long drink and closed his eyes, then felt it start to run through him—the tug in his chest he always got whenever something deeply moved him—and the patterns of internal music started to follow.
He tapped out the rhythm, humming under his breath until they announced overhead that they were beginning their final descent into London.
Reno pulled his phone out and jotted down some notes so he wouldn’t forget anything he’d been mentally composing, then drained the rest of his drink and handed it to the flight attendant making her last rounds.
Once he had his face mask in place and was off the plane, through customs, and had his bags with him, he hugged a sleepy-looking Arnaud goodbye and let Cane know Sage was there for him.
He waved to everyone else, promising to text later, then left the airport as quickly as he could without running.
He set his guitar case down on the sidewalk to look around until he spotted Sage’s little blue car down the way.
He lugged the case back up, shifted his duffel bag higher onto his shoulder, and took off towards it, the suitcase bouncing behind him as it rolled over the cracks in the sidewalk.
“Hey!" Sage was leaning against the car, her brilliant curly, red hair piled high on her head, and she looked so soft and inviting that Reno couldn’t help but fold himself into her arms. She hissed, and Reno peeled back and saw she was grimacing. She pointed to her inner bicep where one of the bright, tropical flowers tattooed on her arm was peeling. “Fresh, don’t rub against it.”
“Sorry." Reno beamed at her from under his mask, taking a moment to remind himself of the location of every freckle on her face, even though there were hundreds. He took her arm by the elbow so he could lift it away from her full-figured body and admired the new tattoo. “Um, Hibiscus?”
“You got it!” She grabbed her own arm, squishing it in her hand so the flower warped. “Near five days colored in now, I think? Smarts something fierce. Come on, get your bags in the back.”
She popped the trunk and helped haul Reno’s bags in, then he put his guitar in the backseat, carefully laying it down to make sure it wouldn’t go flying. Sage had the habit of giving in to road rage and could be a bit touchy on the brakes sometimes.
He settled into the passenger seat, and as she pulled away, he tore his mask off and threw it on the ground. Then he leaned over and kissed her bare shoulder.
“Aww," Sage cooed at him. “Did you miss me?”
“I missed your rabbits more. Can I see them soon?”
“Brat, of course. I'm sure Fac and Mellow didn’t miss you at all. Bloody things don’t have any sense. Bring over some strawberries and they might remember you.”
Reno hummed, feeling some small part of himself settle. His hands still trembled, but not enough to be seen. He could feel it, though. He stared out the window at the gray sky and pulled his jacket around him tighter.
“Quiet today." Sage stole a glance at him. “Usually you chat my ear off.”
“I don’t know what to do,” Reno admitted. “I usually never question anything; this is new for me. I’m sorry, I should ask how you are.”
“Nah, I’m good. What are you questioning, love?”
“Well," Reno sighed, “how to get him in my life. And, how to do it without being demanding or unreasonable about it.”
“You are demanding and unreasonable by nature. It’s sweet you are considering how not to be, but it probably will set you up for failure if you don’t just act like you.
” Sage ignored Reno’s affronted noise. “I think it means something that you’re questioning how to get him into your life instead of if he should be in your life. ”
“Sure,” Reno said, feeling too many things at once. “He wants to see me again.”
Sage swore then honked at another car that cut her off. “Asshole! Not you. Or Luka. Of course he wants to see you again. There’s no way you got worse in bed since you dated you know who.”
“I hate how much she told you.”
Sage cackled, the skin around her hazel eyes creasing with mischief. “Did you do that thing to him?’
“I will not ask you to specify, and I will not answer you.” Reno crossed his arms in front of his chest. “How am I supposed to handle this? I’m not a very delicate person.
It’s been working so far to just bombard him as I tend to do, but what if it gets too much for him?
What if my life scares him off? What if he thinks all of this is too complicated, and then he’ll be gone? ”
“Girl, he’s not even here yet. You need to relax a little.
” Sage tapped her fingers against the steering wheel, the light blue polish on her nails sparkling in the overcast light.
“And, if you get to be too much for him, that’s his loss.
You know the right people will stick around even when you’re being the world’s most annoying man. ”
“I don’t want to annoy him though.”
“Too bad. You will. All couples annoy each other. It’s life.” Sage shrugged then took a turn towards Bishopsgate. “If he likes you and thinks you’re worth it, he’ll figure out how to handle that. Look, you like him, so you must think he's a pretty smart guy, right?”
“Yes.” Reno nodded.
“Exactly. You surround yourself with brilliant, talented, soulful, good people even if they’re little shits sometimes.
I can’t see you getting this worked up over someone at this point of your life that isn’t someone you trust to be good and smart.
Have some faith in him, also in your own choices. You make good ones.”
“That’s really nice of you.” Reno felt his eyes welling up and tried not to let tears spill out. “I forget sometimes.”
“Yeah, well. I know you better than anyone except maybe Arnaud. So, ask him too. After you both get some rest tonight, though. Knowing him, he’s falling asleep in the car right now.”
Reno snorted. “He looked ready to pass out at the airport. He pushes himself too hard.”
“You both do.” Sage was pulling into their neighborhood. “Sterling overworks you. How many tour dates do you have this year alone?”
Reno shrugged. “Eighty-something I think? We did over thirty in the States alone. Before that, we were in Asia. I miss my mom.”
“I know.” Sage gave him a soft look. “When can you go back?”
“I don’t know.” Reno frowned. “What if Luka and me end up like that?”
“What, like your mom?”
“Yeah, not like relationship style, but distance. What if he doesn’t want to leave home, how could I ask someone to leave their home for me?”
“Good Lord, I'd hope you wouldn’t make a younger man your mother.”
“An older man, though?” Reno tried to joke but Sage just scowled at him.
“You can’t know what he wants unless you ask. Do you know if he even likes it there? Where does he even live?”
“Missouri.”
“Where the fuck is that?”
Reno shrugged. “Somewhere in the middle. It’s very green, the houses are all flat and brown. Lots of open land.”
“Sounds… fine?” Sage pulled into the parking spot reserved for Reno in front of his building, even though he didn’t own a car. She used it more than he did. “You know as well as I do that London is an amazing place to live.”
Reno agreed; both of them had moved there from their respective homes when they were eighteen. It was one of the things they’d bonded over, even though Sage had only moved a few hours from the countryside and Reno from across the world.
“You have got to just start asking this man what he thinks and feels. No more assuming.”
“No more assuming,” Reno promised, then bent down to grab his mask off the floor. “You coming in?”
“Nah," Sage said, the car still idling. “Can you handle your bags?”
“Yes.” Reno unclicked his seatbelt and reached over to pull Sage into an awkward side hug. “Thank you.”
“I’ll always come get you from the airport. Unless I’m working. You got lucky this time.” She pulled away, a big smile on her face. “Oh! Speaking of work. There’s a bag of coffee for you in the back, don’t forget it.”
“I love you.”