Chapter Twenty-Three
Annie
Everything is black.
There’s music somewhere, faint and distant, but I don’t know where it’s coming from. A cold cloth presses to my forehead, grounding me just enough to realize what happened.
I think I blacked out.
Crying. Hyperventilating. Everything just… shutting down.
For a moment, it felt like relief. But as awareness slowly creeps back in, so does the pain seeping into my chest, spreading through me like something alive.
“Annie, sweetheart… can you hear me?” Mum’s voice cuts through the darkness, but I can’t open my eyes yet.
I feel myself being lifted, arms tight around me, like I’m floating.
“Take her to the green room, Caleb. Make her comfortable. I’ll get a medic.”
I’m weightless and heavy all at once. My head spins, nausea rolling through me, but my eyes refuse to cooperate. Then I’m lowered.
Softness cushions my back.
The cold cloth returns to my forehead.
“What’s w… wrong with her?” Ella’s voice trembles.
“I think she’s having a panic attack,” Caleb says gently. “She’ll come back to us.”
The pain surges again, sharp and crushing this time, dragging me fully back into my body. I gasp, my chest tightening like it’s being squeezed from the inside out.
“Annie?” Ella’s voice is closer now.
I don’t want to come back.
But I’m already slipping out of that quiet place.
A groan escapes me as my hand moves to my chest, pressing against the ache.
“Come on, Annie. Open your eyes,” Caleb says softly.
I squeeze them tighter for a second, then force them open in quick, shaky blinks.
“That’s it. Good girl. Stay with us.”
The cold cloth brushes across my forehead again.
“It hurts,” I whisper.
“What hurts?”
“My chest.”
He nods, his expression softening. “I know, cuz. I know it does. But it’ll pass. I’ve got you.” He leans in, pressing a kiss to my cheek.
When my eyes finally focus, I see Caleb and Ella beside me, their faces tight with worry. Shapes move in the background as people hover and watch.
Then it hits.
A shift in the air.
A presence.
It travels through me like a spark, straight to my chest.
I close my eyes again.
He’s here.
“Is she okay?” Aston’s voice.
I don’t look. I can’t.
“She’ll be all right,” Caleb replies. “She just needs time… and probably to talk things through.”
“I did this,” Aston says quietly. “This is my fault.”
My chest tightens all over again, tears slipping from beneath my closed lids.
“I think this has been building for a while,” Ella says. “You might’ve triggered it, but it’s not all on you. We just need to be here for her… even if she pushes us away.”
Footsteps echo in the hallway.
“Is she awake?” Mum’s voice is closer now.
I force my eyes open again.
Aston isn’t there. Relief and something far more painful twist together inside me.
“She’s coming around,” Caleb says.
Mum kneels beside me, taking my hand, her thumb brushing gently over my skin. “Are you with me, sweetheart?”
I nod faintly, pulling in a shaky breath.
“The medic’s going to check you over, okay?”
Another small nod.
A blood pressure cuff tightens around my arm, squeezing hard enough to sting, but it’s nothing compared to the ache in my chest. I drift again, hovering somewhere between here and nowhere, listening to voices blur together.
“I believe it was a panic attack,” the medic says. “She’s exhausted. Her stress levels have spiked, and her blood pressure is low… I’d recommend taking her to the hospital for observation. Possibly a psych evaluation as well.”
The words echo, distant and hollow.
And then everything fades again.
***
I wake in a dark room, someone holding my hand.
When I open my eyes, Mum is there, her head resting on my legs, fast asleep.
Hospital.
Of course I am.
I swallow, glancing around, trying to piece together how long I’ve been here and where everyone else is. I shift slightly, trying to get comfortable, and Mum stirs. She lifts her head slowly, blinking up at me, and my chest tightens when I see the tear tracks on her cheeks. “Annie?”
I nod, slipping my hand free from the blanket to take hers. “I’m sorry, Mum. I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
“I know, sweetheart,” she murmurs, brushing her thumb over my hand. “We just want you to be happy. That’s all any of us want.” She leans in and kisses my forehead.
“Where is everyone?”
“Caleb’s with Indi. Ella and Aston went to grab drinks. And your father…” she exhales softly, “… he finished the show and texted about twenty minutes ago. He’s on his way.” I stopped really listening after she said Aston’s name.
He’s here.
I don’t know how I feel about that.
“Where is she?” Dad’s voice booms down the hallway.
Mum and I both turn as he bursts through the door, looking wild with panic.
He freezes the moment he sees me, then crosses the room in two strides.
“Oh God, Annie, are you okay?” he says, grabbing my hand.
“I was so worried when I got the message. Fuck, I can’t believe I was on stage while you were in here like this. Dee, I—”
“I know, Colt,” Mum says gently, rubbing his arm. “She’s okay. Just breathe.”
He leans down, pressing a kiss to my temple. “What happened, honey? Was it too much? The show?”
Relief flickers through me—no one’s told him.
I open my mouth to answer, but the door opens. Ella walks in first, followed by Aston, both carrying drinks.
My breath catches.
The look on his face is one of devastation, and it hits me straight in the chest.
Our eyes meet.
Tears spill instantly.
“Annie?” Mum says softly, following my gaze.
“We brought drinks,” Aston says, his voice tight.
I shake my head.
Everything inside me is screaming.
He hands coffees to Mum and Dad, but his attention never leaves me. “Are you okay?” he asks quietly.
My stomach twists—my skin prickles.
Every instinct tells me to run.
“I was so worried,” he adds, stepping closer.
I raise my hand. “Don’t.”
He stops immediately.
Dad straightens beside me. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t want him here,” I whisper.
Dad’s expression hardens instantly. He turns to Aston. “What did you do?”
“I don’t know, sir,” Aston says, shaking his head. “I swear, I don’t.”
Anger surges through me. “You do know,” I snap. “You lied to me.” The room goes still. “Get out,” I say, my voice shaking. “I never want to see you again.”
“Annie… please,” he says, stepping forward again. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said it if you weren’t ready to hear it. I won’t say it again. Just don’t do this. Don’t make yourself sick over it, please.”
My chest tightens painfully as tears fall again.
“Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?” Dad snaps. “Aston, do I need to kick your arse?”
“No, sir,” Aston says quickly.
“Yes, you do,” I mutter under my breath.
Dad exhales sharply. “Then I suggest you leave before one of us does something we regret.”
“Colt!” Mum starts. “Aston, just go,” she says gently, her eyes soft with sympathy.
“Aston, you’re not my friend. You’re not my boyfriend,” I say, forcing the words out. “You’re just someone I play in a band with. Don’t talk to me. It’s easier that way.”
Silence.
“Annie… I wasn’t lying,” he says quietly. “I love you—”
“Get out!” I scream. “I don’t need your bullshit. I don’t need you. Just go!” My chest aches so badly I can barely breathe.
I need him.
But I can’t be with someone who lies to me.
“Right. Out,” Dad says, his voice final.
I bury my face in my hands as Mum pulls me into her arms.
“I swear, A-Annie,” Aston says, his voice breaking. “I love you. I’ll fix this. I’ll fix us.”
“Out!” Dad roars.
I hear a heavy sniff, then thumping footsteps until they finally vanish.
“He’s gone, sweetheart,” Mum whispers in my ear, holding me as I rock slightly in the bed. “I didn’t tell your father what happened,” she adds quietly. “And we don’t have to, if you don’t want to.”
I nod faintly, understanding exactly what she means.
“Annie,” Dad says, his voice softer now. “Talk to me. Is this about the pressure? Is it all getting too much?”
I shrug, staring down at my hands.
“I think this all goes back to her birth parents, Colt,” Mum says.
Dad’s brows pull together as he folds his arms. “What about those fuckers?”
I shift closer into Mum’s side.
“From what Annie’s told me, she doesn’t feel like she deserves to be loved,” Mum continues gently. “Because her birth parents abandoned her. So when Aston said he loved her… Annie believed it was a lie.”
Dad exhales, dragging a hand through his hair. “Well, fuck, Annie… I had no idea you were carrying all this. Why didn’t you talk to us?”
I shrug, staring down at my hands, even I don’t know why I kept it in for so long. But now that it’s out there, now that everyone knows, it feels… lighter. Like I’m not holding it all on my own anymore.
The door opens, and Caleb walks in, Indi right behind him.
“Hey, Annie… you’re awake,” Indi says, smiling softly. “How are you feeling?”
“Okay… just a bit groggy. And tired.”
“That’s to be expected,” she says, checking my blood pressure. “You went through a pretty intense panic attack, and we gave you a mild sedative to help calm your system. You should feel much better by morning.”
Caleb glances at her. “What we talked about?”
She nods. “I’ve arranged for a mental health nurse to come and have a chat with you, Annie—”
“I don’t need—”
“You might not think you do,” Indi cuts me off gently. “But they can help you manage what you’re feeling. It’s just a conversation. And you can do it alone, if you’d prefer.”
“She’s not being alone. I’ll be here,” Dad cuts in immediately.
Indi smiles politely. “I understand, Mr. Slade. But if Annie wants to speak privately, she should be able to. Sometimes it’s easier to be honest that way.” She tilts her head slightly. “Wouldn’t you rather she receives the help she needs than holds back because you’re in the room?”
There’s a beat of silence.
Not many people push back on Dad.
I press my lips together, trying not to smile. Around the room, I can see the others doing the same.
Dad grunts.
Indi’s smile widens slightly. “Good. I’m glad that’s settled. The nurse should be here shortly.” She turns back to me. “Is there anything you need in the meantime? Something to eat?”
I shake my head. “No thanks… Pixie.”
She smirks.
“Don’t call her that,” Caleb mutters.
Indi smacks his arm lightly. “I like it. You can call me Pixie whenever you want, Annie.” She sticks her tongue out at Caleb.
He leans in slightly, muttering something under his breath, but I catch it anyway. “Careful, or I’ll bite that tongue.”
I giggle, the sound surprising even me.
And I sink back into the bed, finally letting myself relax.