Chapter 12
Alara
W aking up this morning, I'm feeling conflicted about the events that took place last night. Not that it went badly, I just wasn't expecting things to end with my tongue down a stranger's throat.
My fingers mindlessly trace the outside of my lips as I recall the way his own felt against them, so soft and welcoming. I don't remember the last time I let someone kiss me like that, but there are absolutely zero regrets.
Is it crazy that I hope to hear from Nix soon?
The way he brought my body to life was like nothing I’ve ever experienced.
I don’t want to come on too strong, but I wouldn’t be opposed to grabbing lunch.
I don’t work until later in the evening, so most of the day is up for grabs.
It would be nice to see him in the daylight.
With a sigh, I roll out of bed to make quick work of showering and dressing in something comfortable. Once my leggings and Rolling Stones tee are on, I make my way to the kitchen for the most important part of the day, caffeine .
One brewed pot of coffee later, I flop down on the couch with a cup in hand and pull out my phone. It's time to text Rayne and fill her in on last night’s events.
Me: I kissed someone.
Rayne: YOU DID NOT. Don't lie to me.
Me: I did. Right outside the bar.
Me: And then I left him standing in the middle of the street afterward.
Rayne: Tell me everything right now!!
Me: His name is Nix.
Rayne: He sounds hot.
A realization crosses my mind. I was so tired when I got home last night, I didn't bother to look up his band. I quickly swipe out of my texts to pull up my browser. One letter at a time, I type their name in the search bar, 'Nowhere Forever'.
Within seconds, a slew of articles and pictures pop up, leaving me stunned. He wasn’t joking when he said his band was famous.
Rayne: That's it? You're giving me scraps. Tell me more!
I swipe her text away, knowing it's going to annoy her, but she can wait. From the looks of it, Nix undersold who he was. He said he was famous and well-known, but this is so much more. I can understand his extreme reaction to feeling used. With popularity like this, I’m in awe at the fact that he went unnoticed at the bar.
Mindlessly, I click on one of the articles with pictures of the whole band and scroll through.
Something about them seems so familiar, but I can't place it. When I get to the last picture, four men are standing with their instruments of choice. I know Nix is the drummer, and after reading a bit of the article, I’m able to surmise the rest. Ender is the lead singer.
River is the guitarist, and Lane plays the bass.
My eyes linger on the photo of Ender. He's taller and a little skinnier than the rest with short, slicked black hair. A butterfly tattoo covers his neck, and his brown eyes demand attention. He looks like a picture-perfect rock god, covered in black leather and skinny jeans. Based on the article, he’s known for being the rowdy playboy of the group.
There's not much information on Nix. What I find describes him as the glue that holds the band together. There aren’t any scandals like it seems Ender has, though.
Lastly, I find speculation that Lane and River are in a relationship.
There are links to photos of them on stage, kissing and rubbing up on each other. I won't lie, it's hot as fuck.
Rayne: BITCH.
I laugh, dismissing her message again. This is more important.
Article after article, I read up on them as this strange feeling plagues the back of my mind. Maybe I have heard of them before, and I just forgot. With how well I remember things, it's entirely possible.
I try my best to look into Nix as little as possible.
I decide not to read any more about Nix.
So much of his life is readily available, and it doesn't seem fair to learn about him online rather than in person.
As if the man himself knew I was thinking about him, a notification of him calling pops up on my phone.
"Hello?"
"Hi, beautiful," he replies.
"You know, you haven't even given me a chance to miss you," I joke, taking a sip of my coffee.
"You don't miss me?" He gasps. "Are you telling me you haven’t thought about me at all since last night?"
"Oh, there were thoughts." I allude to something a little more sultry than my actual thoughts. "And I might have Googled your band. "
"I thought that might happen. Is it enough to scare you away?"
"You guys aren’t that good," I tease, grinning even though he can't see me. "I could give you lessons if you want."
That makes him laugh. With any luck, it will combat the doubts he has about my interest in him due to his fame. If anything, the fame kind of turns me off. It seems like it might be a lot to handle. He’s genuine enough for me to give it a try.
"You can teach me whatever you want, little sparrow," he tosses back.
"I think we may have skipped a few steps. You’re already calling me by a nickname, and we’ve only been on one bad date." I love our natural, playful banter.
"I thought it was common knowledge that after a car date, a nickname must be assigned. And it wasn't THAT bad of a date."
"If you say so,” I concede. “Why a sparrow?"
"They're songbirds, just like you. They’re strong and powerful despite their many layers.” He pauses. “You definitely have layers."
How is he able to pick up on these little pieces about me in such a short amount of time?
I stare blankly across the room. I have more layers than he realizes.
Part of me wonders how he will react to my memory loss.
It's something I try not to let define my future, but it is important. There’s a chance those missing years will never fully come back.
Maybe I should’ve told him about it last night.
I don't know the rules on when something like this is supposed to be discussed. With Rayne, she realized something was off early on in our friendship. She kind of demanded I tell her what was going on when we were hanging out one night.
Oh, shit. I never texted her back.
"Did I freak you out?" Nix's voice interrupts my spiral.
"Sorry, I got lost in thought."
"Would you want to meet up for lunch? I know it’s quick, but you deserve a proper date, in the daylight."
He would say the exact thing I was already thinking today. I glance down at my comfortable attire, not sure what someone going on a date with a rockstar is supposed to wear. This was so much easier before I knew we could be potentially photographed everywhere we go.
"Are you reading my mind?" I pause for a minute. "If we go out, will people take pictures of us?"
"It's a possibility. Does that make you uncomfortable?"
"Yeah, a little,” I confess.
"I know a place that's discreet if you're willing to take the risk," he offers.
I think about it for a minute. He said it's discreet, and this is the only way to see if I like him.
I mean, I do like him. I just don't know him enough to be able to tell if this could be something worth pursuing or not.
The only alternative would be to have him come to my house, and I'd rather not do that for our first time together in the daylight. It might seem slutty.
"I'm in," I finally agree .
"Great. I'll text you the address if you want to meet there. Would two hours be enough time for you to get ready?"
"That sounds perfect." I glance down and hope that’s enough time to make myself look more presentable.
"I'll see you soon, little sparrow," he says, and I can practically hear the smile on his face.
"See you soon."
I click the end button on the call and get right to the task at hand, making myself look worthy of a rockstar.