Chapter 37
Chapter thirty-seven
Hendrix · Now
Remembering Sunday – All Time Low
Any chance I have to talk to Cole about that not-quite-a-kiss is gone the second he pulls into the garage of their building and I spot Axel leaning against the door, arms folded, a smirk on his lips.
Cole kills the engine, his fist white-knuckling the gear stick. I open my mouth, only to snap it shut when the passenger door swings open.
“Well, hello you two,” Axel sing-songs. He leans over me and punches his thumb into the seat belt releaser, before tugging me free from the car and throwing an arm over my shoulder. “It’s movie night, Rix!”
“Movie night?” A muscle tics in my jaw.
Movie night is a tradition we started when Cole and I first started dating. It was just the two of us at first. Then, Saint barged his way in, with Carter and Axel joining the following week.
No matter where we were in the world or how much distance was between us, every Friday we watched a film together. In person, over Skype, or through text. Didn't matter how, it was just our thing.
Until it wasn’t.
I peer over my shoulder as Cole lingers behind me, his feet unmoving.
He drops his gaze to the floor when I try to read it.
My stomach twists and I bite down on my tongue.
A dull pain shoots across my shoulder.
I spear Axel with a glare as he pulls his pinching fingers away from me. “What the fuck was that for?”
“You weren’t listening to me,” he says, shoving the door open and nudging me in front of him. “I said it’s your pick for movie night.”
“Oh.” I shake my head, my grip tightening on the railing. “I’m just gonna head to bed.”
He stops mid-step, his lips tugging into a frown. “You can’t do that.”
“Why?”
“It’s tradition, Rix. And since the gi—” He swipes a hand over his mouth and ducks his head, kicking the toe of his Nike trainers. “Since you’re here, you have to come watch with us.”
I clench my teeth as a dry laugh catches in my throat.
Axel has always been a dreadful liar. The man can’t keep secrets to save his life. And this isn’t the first time one of them has started to say something only to stop themselves and change course. Because I really need the regular reminder that I’m no longer an integral part of their lives.
“Ax, I appreciate the invite,” I tell him, forcing a smile. “I’m just beat. We’ll do something another day, yeah?”
“But—”
“I’ll see you later.” I squeeze his bicep before stepping away.
“Rix…”
I spin when he reaches for my wrist and take the stairs two at a time in my haste to get the hell away.
Axel calls after me but I ignore him. I exit the staircase and practically fly to the door of the flat Theo and Saint put me up in. I hear boots slapping against the steel stairs.
My hand trembles as I struggle to push the key into the lock.
The stairway door creaks open and I shove hard, twisting the second the key slips into the jagged grooves. I shove the door open, slip inside, and slam it shut behind sliding down to the floor.
My head smacks against the wood as I exhale a slow shaky breath.
The door vibrates with three sharp knocks.
I close my eyes and drop my chin onto my knee, staring out over the expansive flat.
Coming here was never going to be easy, but I didn’t grasp just how wide the gap between my past and present would really be.