Chapter 36 Solana
SOLANA
My stomach drops.
I forget about the play as my gaze zeros in on the phone in Yvette’s hand and the image stills of that horrible night.
All the confidence I built up seeing Silver in the audience evaporates in an instant.
This is it. This is the moment everything falls apart.
I should’ve known better than to hope things would go right for me.
“Places, everyone! Curtain in five minutes!” the stage manager calls.
Shay’s smile widens, cruel and triumphant. “What’s the matter, Lana? You look like you’re about to puke.”
Yvette snickers beside her.
I stare at the phone. At the photos on the screen—photos I never consented to. Photos taken on the worst night of my life, when I was drugged and violated and too out of it to even know what was happening.
For a few seconds, it’s as if it’s happening all over again. I’ve been transported back to that night. I’m stuck again, trapped under Kel as he used me.
The girl who let people walk all over her. The girl who didn’t fight back. She simply tried to pretend it hadn’t happened.
But then I remember how far I’ve come. How I’ve changed and learned I don’t have to be that girl ever again.
A spark ignites in my chest, small at first, then burning bright.
I killed the man who tried to hurt me. I stood up to my family and went through the public scandal of what it meant to date Silver, a man twice my age. Most of all, I rebuilt myself from the ashes of who I used to be.
I’m not about to be intimidated by these two petty bitches.
My eyes narrow, and I step toward Shay, steeling myself like I really am the old lady to a dangerous biker. I get so close, we’re almost nose to nose.
She blinks, clearly not expecting me to move toward her instead of away.
“You really want to do this?” I ask calmly. “Go ahead. But let me tell you what happens next.”
Yvette’s smirk falters a fraction as she glances at Shay.
“I have proof that I was drugged with ketamine that night,” I explain.
“It’s in my medical records. Which means I couldn’t legally consent to anything—including those date-stamped photos.
You know what that makes them? Illegally obtained.
And you know what it’s called when you threaten to distribute intimate images of someone without their consent? ”
Shay huffs out a breath while Yvette’s throat bobs as she struggles to swallow.
“Revenge porn,” I answer for them, adding a smile without warmth. “That’s a felony, Shay. For both of you.”
Yvette shifts uncomfortably, lowering the phone slightly. “Shay, maybe we should—”
“Shut up,” Shay hisses, though even she’s lost some edge. She’s rattled. I can tell by the way she offers no other rebuttal. For someone as mouthy as she is, it’s a rare occurrence. Instead, her eyes dart to the side like she’s looking for an escape route.
I press my advantage.
“Oh, and one more thing.” I gesture casually toward the curtain. “My boyfriend is sitting in the front row tonight. Along with his MC brothers. You remember the Steel Kings, right? I’m sure they’d love to meet the girls who’ve been harassing me for months.”
Yvette loses any color to her tan complexion then tugs at Shay’s sleeve. “We should go. Shay, let’s just go.”
But I’m not done yet.
I hold out my hand, palm up. “Give me the phone.”
Shay stares at me, jaw tight, eyes blazing with impotent fury. She’s trying to hold her ground when Yvette buckles under the pressure. She slaps the phone into my palm as requested.
I pull up the photos, select all, and delete every single one. Then I clear the recently deleted folder too, just to be sure. My heart is pounding, but my hands are steady.
When I’m done, I look up at them with the cold smile still on my face.
The phone slips from my hand and thuds onto the floor, where I crush it under the heel of my shoe.
The screen cracks, sending tiny little shards of glass across the backstage floor. I grind my heel into it once more for good measure, feeling the dark pulse of triumph surge through me.
Yvette shrieks. “That was a new iPhone! I spent my whole check from the student union to buy it!”
I shrug, completely indifferent. “Oops.”
Shay’s face contorts into rage and she takes half a step toward me. “Lana—”
“Now get the fuck out of my theater. Both of you,” I interrupt. “And don’t ever come near me again. Or else you’re not going to like what I break next.”
I turn on my heel and walk toward the stage, my costume swishing around my legs, my head held high.
Behind me, Shay and Yvette retreat, their footsteps quick and frantic. They’re bickering with each other as they go, trading barbs.
“This is your fault! You’re the one who wanted to come here!”
“My fault? You’re the one who was obsessed with Kel! Don’t think I didn’t notice how you looked at him—”
“Me? You were practically throwing yourself at him every chance you got! He told me how you went down on him on New Year’s Eve!”
Their bickering fades as they disappear through the back exit. My lips spread in a small smile to myself.
The stage manager catches my eye and nods. “You’re up, Solana.”
I take a deep breath, smooth down the front of my Magnolia dress, and step into the spotlight…
“And maybe loving you is the only thing I’ve ever done right, Moonshine.”
The final line leaves my lips, every ounce of emotion I’ve poured into Magnolia for weeks threaded in every word.
For a heartbeat, there’s silence. Then the theater erupts.
Thunderous applause crashes over me like a wave, filling every corner of the room. People are rising to their feet—a standing ovation—and the realization is so overwhelming my eyes start to sting with tears. I blink them back, a smile breaking across my face so wide it almost hurts.
I join hands with the rest of the cast as we line up for our bow. Derek squeezes my fingers, grinning like an idiot, and even Mr. Davies is clapping from the wings like a proud father.
But my gaze focuses on Silver in the front row.
He’s on his feet, clapping harder than anyone, his face shining with pride. He sticks his fingers in his mouth and lets out a sharp whistle that rings louder than the applause.
I burst out in laughter because of course he would do something like that.
Something extra that highlights how proud and fond of me he is.
Tabby’s clapping beside him, bouncing on her toes. Jack is shoving popcorn into his mouth with one hand and clapping his thigh with the other, managing to look both impressed and like the stereotypical ten-year-old boy at the same time.
I take in all of it. Every last detail as I bask in the moment and release a breath.
I’ve finally done something I’ve always dreamed of, and I’m never going to forget it.
Twenty minutes later, the cast is backstage trading hugs and congratulations. I’m barely done hugging the woman who played my mother in the play when I spot Silver making his way through the crowd, Jack and Tabby in tow.
He’s carrying a huge bouquet of flowers, a beautiful arrangement of roses, lilies, and baby’s breath, wrapped in pink paper.
“There’s my star,” he says fondly. He cups my face and drops a quick, sweet kiss on my lips, his thumb brushing my cheek. “You were incredible, baby.”
My face flushes hot, and I murmur a thank you.
“Oh my god, Solana, you were amazing!” Tabby gushes, practically vibrating with excitement. “Like, actually amazing. When you did that scene where you were crying as Moonshine left for war? I literally got chills. You’re going to be famous someday, I just know it!”
I laugh, warmth flooding my chest. “Thank you, Tabby. That means a lot.”
Jack tugs at Silver’s sleeve, then looks up at me with a shrug. “Yeah, it was pretty cool, I guess. You didn’t mess up or anything. And you made some of the old ladies in the audience cry, so... good job.”
I snort, ruffling his hair. “High praise from a tough critic.”
He ducks away, scowling, but I catch the hint of a grin on his face. Which is his version of approval.
“Who’s hungry?” Silver asks. “Let’s get out of here.”
Tony’s Pizza and Arcade is exactly like I remember it. It’s been a while since I’ve been, but it’s one of Jack’s favorites, so we all conceded and decided it was the spot for dinner.
The place is the exact opposite of a hushed library, with music blaring from speakers and kids screaming and running everywhere.
There’s the constant ding and buzz of arcade games competing for attention.
Bright lights flash from every direction, the smell of parmesan cheese and pepperoni fragrant in the air.
It’s… perfect.
After what I’ve been through tonight, it’s exactly what I need to let loose.
We pile into a booth near the back, Silver sliding in beside me while Tabby and Jack take the opposite side. Within minutes, we’ve got two large pizzas on the table—pepperoni and a supreme veggie lovers—and we’re digging in like we haven’t eaten in days.
Jack is on his third slice when he looks up at me, cheese stretching from his mouth to the pizza in his hand. “So, are you gonna win an Oscar now?”
I nearly choke on my Cherry Coke. “Not anytime soon, buddy.”
“But you should,” he insists, completely serious. “You were pretty good. I’d vote for you if I could.”
Tabby rolls her eyes. “Don’t be dumb, Jack. You can’t vote for an Oscar. That’s not how it works.”
“I know that!” Jack protests, his ears turning red. “I just meant—”
“You don’t know anything—”
“I know you’re crushing on some dude named Maxton. I heard you telling Britney about him—”
“You’ve been eavesdropping on our conversations again? How could you? Dad!”
“Hey,” Silver says firmly, though there’s a hint of amusement behind it. “Enough. We’re having a nice night. Get along or no arcade games.”
Both kids fall silent immediately, though they shoot each other one last begrudging glare before returning to their pizza. I hide my smile behind my napkin, catching Silver’s eye. He winks at me as if he’s aware how amusing they can be.
After we’ve demolished the pizzas, we hit the arcade floor.
Jack immediately drags Silver to the basketball hoop game, and he goes along with it despite his limited mobility from his thigh injury. Thankfully it doesn’t deter him, and within seconds the two are in a heated competition.
As he eventually gains a lead, Silver purposely misses a couple shots just to let Jack catch up before sinking three in a row and ruffling his hair.
“No fair! You hustled me!” Jack protests.
“Life lesson, kid,” Silver says with a smirk. “Never underestimate your opponent.”
Tabby and I laugh from the sidelines before she grabs my arm and tugs me toward the dance machine. It’s the one with the light-up arrows you have to step on in time with the music.
“Come on, let’s show them how it’s done!”
We pick a song, and suddenly I’m stomping on flashing arrows, trying to keep up with the beat while Tabby easily bests the high score from beside me.
By the end, I’m breathless and laughing and pretty sure I’ve pulled a muscle, but it’s worth it for the way Tabby high-fives me like we’ve just won the Olympics.
“Okay, rematch!” Jack appears beside me, pointing at the racing game across the aisle. “Me and you. Right now.”
I narrow my eyes. “You’re on.”
We slide into the seats with the fake steering wheels, and the countdown begins. Jack is ruthless, cutting me off on turns and bumping my car into walls, but I manage to pull ahead in the final stretch and cross the finish line half a second before him.
“YES!” I throw my hands up in victory.
He slumps in his seat, defeated. “Best two out of three?”
By the end of the night, we’ve accumulated a mountain of tickets. Jack cashes his in for an action figure of some superhero I don’t recognize, clutching the toy as if it’s made of gold.
Silver and I pool our tickets together and get Tabby a lava lamp, which she declares “the coolest thing ever” and immediately starts planning where to put it in her room.
We pile into Silver’s truck, tired and happy, smelling like pizza and sugar from the cotton candy we noshed on.
Jack’s already half asleep against the window, his action figure in his lap. Tabby’s in the back beside him, scrolling through social media on her phone.
“Alright,” Silver says, starting the engine. “I suppose we should get you home, Solana.”
“Dad,” Tabby groans from the backseat, sighing in exasperation. “Don’t be ridiculous. Let her stay the night at your place.”
I blink, caught off guard. “Oh… no. That’s okay, this is your weekend with your dad.”
“So what?” Tabby asks. “You’d spend the night any other night, right? Why should it be different when we’re there? We’re okay with it.”
Silver glances at me, a slow grin spreading across his face. “Well? What do you say? Want to join us?”
I notice the warmth in his dark blue eyes, and my heart flutters inside my chest. He’s already reached over to squeeze my hand.
Glancing back at Tabby, who’s watching me expectantly, and Jack, who’s sleepily mumbling something about wanting pancakes for breakfast, I give a nod.
As silly as it might sound, I haven’t felt this integrated into a family unit in a very long time. Probably since before my own parents passed away, back when the Youngblood household was still full of life.
Even if this is just a small moment, it still means so much to me.
“Okay,” I say. “Yeah, I’d like to stay over.”
Silver kisses my knuckles, then focuses on pulling out of the parking lot and hitting the road. It takes me another few seconds to realize I’m smiling so hard my cheeks hurt. I’m finally remembering what it feels like to belong again.