Chapter 4
Hadley
The roar of the crowd still echoed in my ears even after we slipped through the side door into the backstage hallway. My legs felt shaky, not from fear, just from standing too long pressed against that barricade, screaming lyrics I didn't even know I knew.
The energy from the concert clung to me like sweat, my heart still racing from the lights, the bass, the way the whole place had pulsed like one giant heartbeat.
Zariah was vibrating next to me, cheeks flushed, eyes bright like she'd swallowed lightning.
She kept squeezing my arm, whispering things like "That was insane" and "Did you see Cal's solo?
" but I could barely nod, my mind still replaying the show in fragments.
The door to the green room swung open before we even reached it, spilling out laughter and the faint hum of voices.
"Z!" Holland's voice boomed first. He barreled out, arms wide, scooped her up like she weighed nothing. She squealed an actual squeal, and wrapped around him like a koala, her legs kicking a little in the air.
"You made it, you little menace," he laughed into her hair, his voice warm and teasing, like they'd picked up right where they left off from whatever childhood memory had bonded them.
"Wouldn't miss it, asshole." She pulled back, smacked his chest lightly but with enough force to show she meant it playfully. "You still hit like a truck on those drums. I swear, I felt every beat in my chest."
"Learned from the best." He set her down gently, his hands lingering on her shoulders for a second before he finally noticed me standing there awkward with my arms crossed, feeling like an intruder in their reunion. "Who's this?"
Zariah grabbed my wrist, yanked me forward with that infectious energy of hers. "This is Hadley. My best friend. She's the one who finally said yes after three years of begging. Without her, I'd have come alone and probably gotten lost in the crowd."
Holland's grin softened, his eyes crinkling at the corners in a way that made him look less like a rockstar and more like the boy next door. "Hey, Hadley. Thanks for coming. Means a lot to her, and to me, honestly. Z's been hyping this up for weeks."
I managed a small smile, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. "The show was... really good. Like, better than I expected."
"High praise from someone who doesn't scream her lungs out," he chuckled. He jerked his thumb over his shoulder toward the open door. "Come meet the idiots. They don't bite...much."
Inside the green room smelled like sweat, Red Bull, and expensive cologne, the kind that lingers on your clothes long after you've left.
The space was cluttered with half-empty water bottles, guitar cases propped against walls, and a mini-fridge humming in the corner. Jake was sprawled on a couch, phone in hand, scrolling lazily with one thumb.
Kei leaned against the wall, arms folded, watching everything quiet, his expression calm and observant, like he was taking mental notes. Cal sat on the arm of an armchair, legs spread wide, staring at the floor like it owed him money, his posture all tension and disinterest.
And then there was another girl sitting on the coffee table in front of Cal, legs crossed neatly, laughing at something no one else had said.
Dark hair perfect, falling in soft waves over her shoulders, smile perfect and wide, energy dialed to eleven.
She looked put-together in a way I never could, jeans that fit like they were made for her, a simple top that screamed effortless style.
The second we walked in, her eyes flicked to Zariah, friendly enough, with a quick flash of recognition, then to me. Lingered. Narrowed just a fraction, like she was sizing me up, deciding where I fit. It made my stomach twist a little, but I brushed it off as nerves.
Holland clapped his hands together, the sound sharp in the room.
"Guys. This is Zariah, my childhood terror, and Hadley, her plus-one who actually has taste in music.
" He gestured toward the girl on the table with a casual wave.
"And this is Sydney. She's... been around forever.
Basically family. Keeps us out of trouble. ..or tries to."
Sydney hopped off the table with a graceful little bounce, walked straight over to us.
She extended a hand to Zariah first, her smile bright but sharp at the edges.
"Zariah, right? Holland talks about you all the time.
Like, all the time. Stories from the old neighborhood, right?
Sounds like you two were trouble together. "
Zariah grinned back, shaking her hand firmly. "Only good things, I hope. Or at least the fun ones."
"Mostly." Sydney's smile didn't quite reach her eyes, a quick flicker there that I caught but couldn't place. She turned to me next, hand out again. "And Hadley. Cute name. You two been friends long? How'd you meet?"
I shook her hand, cool, firm grip, and shrugged. "A couple years. We work together at the club. She's the one who drags me out of my shell."
"Since I started at the club," Zariah jumped in, looping her arm through mine. "She's the only one who doesn't drive me insane. Real ride-or-die."
Sydney laughed, too bright, almost performative. "Love that. Girls supporting girls. We need more of that in this world." Her eyes lingered on me again, just a beat too long, before she stepped back.
She turned to the boys, her voice shifting to that persuasive lilt. "We should celebrate. Properly. That new club downtown, Eclipse. VIP section's already reserved. My treat. Come on, you all deserve it after that killer set."
Jake groaned from the couch, not looking up from his phone. "Syd, we're wiped. Soundcheck ran long, show was brutal, my fingers are killing me. Can't we just chill here?"
"Come onnn." She pouted, tilting her head at Cal with big eyes, her hand brushing his arm lightly. "Cal? You in? You were on fire tonight. One drink won't hurt."
Cal finally lifted his eyes, his expression blank and uninterested. "Whatever."
Holland rubbed his neck, glancing at Zariah with a small smile. "I could use a drink. But not a late one. Early flight tomorrow, right?"
Kei shrugged from his spot against the wall. "I'm good either way. As long as there's no drama."
Sydney clapped once, triumphant. "See? Majority rules. Let's go, limo's probably already outside. I texted the driver."
Zariah nudged me hard in the ribs. "We're going, right? This is once-in-a-lifetime stuff."
I opened my mouth to say no, my mind flashing to Eli at home, probably watching his train videos with Mara. "I should probably head back. It's getting late...."
"Please." Zariah's eyes went big, pleading in that way she knew worked on me. "One drink. Then home. I'll get you back before midnight, Cinderella. Come on, when's the last time you did something fun like this? You deserve it."
I glanced at my phone, thumbing through to check texts. No new messages from Eli or Mara. If something was wrong, she'd have blown up my phone by now. One drink. I could handle one drink without the world falling apart. "Okay. Fine. But seriously, one drink."
Sydney beamed, clapping her hands again. "Perfect. Limo's already outside. Let's move, people!"
The limo was black, sleek, stupidly long, parked right at the curb like it owned the street. We piled in, me sandwiched between Zariah and the window, trying not to feel out of place among the leather seats and mini-bar stocked with bottles that probably cost more than my rent.
Sydney somehow ending up pressed against Cal on the opposite bench, her body angled toward him. Holland and Jake took the middle seats, sprawling out comfortably, while Kei sat across from me, legs stretched.
The second the doors shut and the engine purred to life, Sydney started talking, her voice cutting through the hum like she was hosting a show.
"Remember that summer we all snuck into the old quarry?" she said, voice loud over the engine hum, her hand gesturing animatedly. "Holland tried to cannonball and hit the shallow end. Thought he broke his ass for sure. We had to drag him out, and he whined the whole way home."
Holland laughed, deep and genuine. "Still hurts when it rains. Scar tissue or some shit. You remember how we iced it with stolen popsicles from the corner store?"
"And Jake…God, Jake tried to impress that girl from the next block by jumping off the high ledge. Missed the water completely. Face-planted in mud like a cartoon character."
Jake smirked, shaking his head. "Worth it. She kissed me later that night. Mud and all. What was her name? Sarah? No, Sammy."
Sydney kept going, her laugh ringing out. "Cal was the only one smart enough to stay on the rocks. Always the careful one, watching us idiots like a lifeguard."
Cal didn't react. Just stared out the tinted window, his jaw tight, fingers drumming on his knee.
She touched his knee then. Casual. Familiar. Like it was her right. "You were always looking out for us. Remember? You pulled me out when I slipped on the moss. My hero."
He shifted his leg away. Barely noticeable, but I caught it. She didn't seem to.
Zariah leaned into me, her voice a whisper under the chatter. "She's laying it on thick. Like she's marking territory or something."
I nodded once, whispering back. "Yeah. It's... a lot."
The stories kept coming...elementary school pranks where they TP'd the principal's house, high school parties in abandoned lots, the time they all got matching tattoos in someone's basement with a sketchy kit.
Every memory felt like a wall I wasn't invited behind, each one laced with "we" and "us" that didn't include anyone new. Sydney told them like she was the keeper of their history, her voice rising and falling dramatically, pulling laughs from the guys even when Cal stayed silent.