Chapter Nine
Annie
It’s Monday morning after the party from hell, and today I’m seeing Aston for the first time since the… incident.
I’m a little nervous, if I’m being honest. I have no idea how I’m supposed to act when I see him.
Do I hug him like normal?
Pretend nothing happened?
Or keep my distance completely?
After our phone call last night, I’m feeling a bit more settled. I know he won’t try anything again. Our friendship means too much to both of us for him to risk messing it up over catching feelings.
Even so… I can’t stop thinking about him.
Which is annoying.
And confusing.
And completely unhelpful.
I’m already sitting in the school room, waiting, while Ella chats to Mum about some dress she wants to buy online. I tune them out almost instantly. Shopping is painful enough without having to listen to it in detail.
The doorbell rings.
I stiffen.
It’ll be either Aston or Susan, and right now I’m not entirely sure which one I’d prefer.
My heart picks up as I watch the doorway, waiting.
Then I hear his voice.
Low and familiar.
And just like that, my whole body reacts. The tiny hairs on my arms lift, a soft tingle spreading through me as I push back from my desk and stand up without even thinking about it.
I tell myself to calm down.
I absolutely do not calm down.
I hover awkwardly, fidgeting, trying to act normal while every part of me is suddenly hyper-aware of the fact that he’s here. I can hear Ella laughing at something, but I ignore her. I must look ridiculous, standing here like I’m waiting for something important.
“Annie,” Ella says, amused. “You’ve got it bad.”
I frown at her. “What?”
But before she can answer, Aston walks through the door, and just like that, everything else disappears.
My body moves before my brain can catch up. I cross the room in seconds and throw my arms around Aston’s neck, pulling him into a tight hug, and for a split second, he freezes.
Then he relaxes.
His arms slide around my waist, holding me just as tightly, and I bury my face against him without thinking. His familiar scent hits me, and something inside me settles in a way it hasn’t for days.
Relief.
Warm and immediate.
He leans in slightly, his face brushing against my hair, and I hear Ella laughing again somewhere in the background, but I don’t care.
For a moment, everything else fades.
It’s just this.
His arms around me.
Safe.
Steady.
Home.
My breathing quickens without my permission, my heart pounding so hard I can feel it everywhere. That same strange buzz builds again, rushing through me, lighting up every nerve like I’ve been plugged into something I don’t understand.
It doesn’t hurt.
If anything… it feels incredible.
Too incredible.
I cling to him for a second longer than I probably should, caught in it, before—
“Geez, Annie,” Mum says dryly. “Let the poor kid breathe.”
Reality crashes back in.
“Oh, shit, sorry,” I mutter, pulling away quickly.
Aston looks down at me, and I meet his eyes.
Big mistake.
The air leaves my lungs in a rush.
He smirks slightly. “You can greet me like that any time you want.”
And just like that, I realize exactly what I’ve done.
I take a step back, my stomach twisting. “Sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Something flickers across his face—disappointment, maybe—but it’s gone almost instantly, replaced with an easy smile.
“It’s fine,” he says. “I missed you too. We haven’t really talked for a couple of days.
It’s nice to have my friend back.” He emphasizes the word friend just enough for me to catch it.
“Yeah,” I say quickly. “Exactly.”
Mum watches us both, raising her brows slightly, clearly trying to figure out what just happened, before shaking her head. “Right,” she says, clapping her hands lightly. “How about you two stop hovering and get ready for class? Susan will be here any minute.”
She glances at Ella and gives her a small, knowing wink.
Ella barely holds back another laugh.
I tear my eyes away from Aston and walk back to my desk, sitting down and opening my laptop, trying to act like everything is completely normal.
But my heart is still racing.
That… wasn’t normal.
It felt like my body took over and decided that being near him was the only thing that mattered. I’ve felt that pull before, but never this strong.
And that’s a problem.
Because if this keeps getting stronger, I don’t know how I’m supposed to handle it.
So for today, I’m keeping my guard up.
I can’t let him think I want anything more.
Because I don’t.
I can’t.
***
I’ve done a pretty good job of keeping Aston at a distance today, but I know it’s only going to get harder once we head into the music room for rehearsal.
Dinner is… busy.
Aston’s parents are here. Chad and his parents are here. It feels like the entire extended family has decided to show up, and I can’t quite figure out why.
“What time is Caleb getting here?” I ask, shoving a forkful of pasta into my mouth.
“Don’t talk with your mouth full, Annie,” Dad says automatically. “Caleb, Hux, and Mace should be here soon.”
I raise an eyebrow.
“Why are all the parents here?” Ella asks around a mouthful of food. “No offense, parentals. Just curious.”
“I’ll tell you when Caleb gets here,” Dad replies, exchanging a look with Mum, who’s smiling like she knows something we don’t.
I glance at Ella. She shrugs and keeps eating.
Something is definitely going on.
Across the table, Aston is deliberately not looking at me.
And yeah… I deserve that.
I went from practically launching myself at him this morning to barely saying two words to him all day—no wonder he’s pulling back. I need to sort myself out before I push him away completely.
I can’t lose my best friend.
We finish dinner, and the parents drift into conversation about the upcoming tour for 12GAUGE-Slayed. It’s not for a while yet, which is probably a good thing.
The front door opens not long after, and Caleb arrives with Uncle Hux and Macy. We all move into the music room, the space filling quickly. The mums settle onto the white couch, while the dads spread out, talking with their kids.
Dad chats with Ella.
Johnny leans in toward Aston.
Hux pulls Caleb aside.
Dingo is… well, being Dingo, messing around with Chad instead of actually talking to him.
I glance over at Aston.
He looks off.
Not himself.
And I know that’s because of me.
The tension sitting between us is exactly what I’m feeling too, and it’s written all over his face. But for rehearsal, we’re going to have to push through it. Aston and I rely on each other when we play. We always have, and we don’t get to fall apart now.
A hand brushes my shoulder, and I turn to find Mum watching me closely. “You okay?”
I force a smile. “Yeah. Just… a weird day.”
She studies me for a second, then nods slightly. “Moments like this can be confusing. If you don’t want something to happen, then don’t let it. But if you do…” She pauses, glancing toward Dad before looking back at me. “Stop fighting it.”
I blink at her. “What?”
“If your heart is saying one thing and your head is saying another, listen to your heart,” she says gently. “It might be scary, but trust yourself.”
I frown slightly, trying to process that. “So… you’re saying I should trust my own judgment?”
“Exactly.”
“And the band? Decisions with that, too?”
She laughs softly. “The band, your life… anything. Your heart won’t lead you astray.”
“You’re being weirdly cryptic again.”
“Yes,” she agrees with a smile. “But one day it’ll make sense. Now grab your guitar. Your father wants to talk to all of you.”
“Thanks, Mum… I think.”
She turns me around with a gentle push, and I head toward my guitar.
I have to pass Aston on the way. I feel his eyes on me, but I don’t look at him. Still, my body reacts anyway. That familiar rush hits, sharp and undeniable, sending a shiver straight through me and settling somewhere deep I don’t quite want to acknowledge.
I don’t understand it.
Part of me wants it to stop.
The other part… doesn’t.
God, I’m a mess.
I grab my guitar, slip the strap over my head, and move to my usual spot.
Caleb comes up beside me, giving my shoulder a quick squeeze. “How you feeling?”
“Better,” I say. “And thank you again… for everything. You’re the best cousin ever.”
He snorts. “Considering I’m your only cousin, that’s not exactly a high bar. But I’ll take it.”
I laugh softly, then glance back at Aston before looking at Caleb again.
“Things are weird between you two now, huh?” he murmurs, leaning in slightly.
I nod, exhaling. “I don’t know how to act around him.”
He drapes an arm around my shoulders and pulls me in. “Well, as long as you can fake your way through rehearsals and performances, I’ll be happy. Think you can manage that?”
I nod. “Yeah. I’ve got this.”
“Okay, everyone, listen up! Can I get your attention for a minute?” Dad calls, his voice cutting through the room.
Caleb gives the side of my head a quick kiss before heading to his mic.
“So… obviously there’s a reason everyone’s here tonight,” Dad says, glancing around the room. “And what I haven’t told you…” I feel my stomach tighten, “… is that Rob Luxley will be here in about ten minutes to listen to you guys perform.”
Silence.
Then…
“What?” Ella and I shriek at the same time.
The guys stand there, stunned.
Rob Luxley.
Dad’s agent.
The man who could change everything for us.
“I think you’re all ready for this,” Dad continues proudly. “He’s heard us talking about the band nonstop, and he wants to see your potential for himself.”
“Oh my God, Dad. Are you fucking serious?” I ask, my voice coming out louder than intended.
“Very serious, and don’t swear, Annie,” he replies. “But don’t get ahead of yourselves. Your sound is different. More modern. He might not connect with it. And that’s okay. Rejection is part of this industry.”
I barely hear the rest, rushing forward to hug him.
I don’t want to ride on 12GAUGE-Slayed’s reputation, but if this helps us get heard, I’ll take it.
“Ten minutes?” Ella panics, looking down at her outfit.
“Eight now,” Dad says with a grin.