Chapter Thirty
Annie
I stayed in my room from the moment I got there until Dad came to get me this morning.
I didn’t even leave to use the bathroom.
I didn’t want to do anything else to set him off.
He had every right to be angry.
There are photographs of me out there, half-naked, out of it, for all the world to see.
The guy who took them is an absolute asshole… but that doesn’t change the fact I put myself in that position.
I’m in the music room now, waiting.
A ‘crisis meeting,’ Dad called it.
Everyone’s coming, including Rob.
Ella and Dad sit at the desk while I take the couch, my hands clasped tightly in my lap as I try not to think about the inevitable, or the fact that Aston has probably seen them.
Mum walks in with Caleb and Chad.
Chad doesn’t look at me any differently, which somehow makes it worse. Caleb, though, gives me a small nod, a flicker of sympathy in his eyes.
“Hey, guys,” Dad says.
They nod back.
“Hey, Annie,” Caleb says, crossing the room and sitting beside me. He wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me into a quick side hug.
The gesture almost undoes me.
“I’m okay,” I mutter. “Just feel like a complete idiot.”
He lets out a quiet laugh. “Yeah, not your best moment. But I know you didn’t mean for any of this to happen. And I know you wouldn’t have wanted those pictures out there.” His tone softens. “I’m sorry this has happened to you.”
“Thanks,” I say, swallowing hard. “I just wish I’d never gone out. I was stupid.”
“You’re not stupid, Annie,” he says. “You just made a bad call. Big difference. And I’m guessing you’ve learned from it?”
I nod quickly. “Yeah. Definitely. I’m never drinking again.”
He raises a brow. “Or taking anything else?”
“That goes without saying. I’m done with all of it.”
“Good.” He nudges my shoulder. “And next time you’re in trouble, call me. Anytime.”
“I know. I think I was trying to… before I passed out.” I shudder, the memory twisting in my gut. “That’s probably when he took the photos.”
Caleb’s jaw tightens. “Well, hopefully there isn’t a next time. But remember, you’ve got people. You don’t have to handle things on your own.”
“Thanks, cuz. I love you.”
“Love you too.”
Dad clears his throat. “We’re just waiting on Aston and Rob. Then we’ll figure out how we’re handling this.”
Caleb nods, dropping his arm from my shoulders. “How bad do you think this is going to get?” he asks.
Dad doesn’t hesitate. “It could be serious. Drugs, plus a photo scandal? That’s not something people forget quickly.” His gaze flicks to me. “I just hope Annie understands the position she’s put all of you in.”
I exhale slowly. “I know, Dad. You don’t need to keep going on about it.”
That sets him off.
“I do need to go on about it, Annie,” he snaps, standing abruptly. “This attitude is exactly what got you into this mess. I don’t know why your bandmates are so calm about it. It could destroy everything we’ve worked for.”
“We’ve worked for?” I shoot back, something sharp rising in my chest. “We’re the band, Dad. Not you. Yeah, you helped us, but it’s our music that—”
“And who taught you to play?” he cuts in. “Or have you conveniently forgotten where you came from?”
Something twists inside me. “No one knows where I came from,” I fire back. “You don’t. I don’t. So don’t stand there acting like you get to judge my past—”
“Annie, that’s not what I meant—”
“Oh really?” My voice rises. “Then just say it. Say you wish you had never adopted me!”
The room goes dead silent.
Dad stares at me, stunned. “What the hell are you talking about?”
I laugh, but it comes out broken. “See? You can’t even deny it.”
“Annie…” His voice drops, sharper now. “How could you even think that?”
I turn—
And freeze.
Aston and Rob are standing in the doorway, watching everything.
Perfect.
“You know what?” I say, shaking my head.
“Why don’t you all decide what happens without me?
” My chest tightens, but I push through it.
“After all, I am the reason you’re h-here.
” My voice cracks, but I don’t stop. “If throwing me out of the band saves Staked…” I shrug.
“Then do it.” Nobody says anything. “I already hate myself enough!” I move toward the door.
Every step feels heavy, and then I pass Aston.
My arm brushes his.
That familiar jolt hits instantly, sharp and unwanted, sends a shiver down my spine.
“Annie!” Dad calls.
I don’t stop.
I can’t.
I make it to the kitchen and drop into a chair, elbows on the table, my face falling into my hands as the tears finally come.
This is the lowest I’ve felt in a long time.
And that’s saying something.
I’ve managed to ruin everything—my relationships, my place in the band, any sense of control I thought I had.
And I did it all on my own.
I let out a shaky breath, my thoughts turning darker.
No wonder my birth parents didn’t want me.
The thought lands hard, ugly, and uninvited.
I squeeze my eyes shut.
I don’t even want to be me right now.
Footsteps sound in the doorway.
I look up slowly.
Aston.
He stands there, watching me, his expression tight, like he’s carrying something heavy.
I wipe at my cheeks, trying to pull myself together, but it’s useless.
That pull between us… it’s still there. Strong as ever. And for a second, I want to get up. Cross the room. Hold onto him like nothing’s changed.
But I don’t move.
“Are you okay?” he asks quietly.
I let out a hollow breath and shake my head. “Like you care,” I say, the words coming out sharper than I mean them to.
He scoffs, frustration flashing across his face, and throws his hands up before turning to leave.
Panic spikes through me.
I don’t want him to leave.
“Aston, wait,” I call.
He pauses, then turns back, one brow lifting.
“Can you… just sit with me for a bit?” I ask quietly.
Something in his expression softens. His shoulders drop slightly, and after a second, he nods. Each step he takes toward me makes my heart beat faster. Being near him again… it does something to me. Something I haven’t felt in a long time.
He pulls out the chair beside me and sits. I rest my hands on the table, and to my surprise, he reaches over and takes one of them in his. The contact sends a warmth through me I wasn’t expecting.
“It’s no wonder my parents didn’t want me,” I murmur.
His brows knit together immediately. “Why would you say that?”
My throat tightens. “Because I keep screwing everything up.”
He shifts closer, letting go of my hand only to wrap his arm around my shoulders, pulling me in. “You’re not a screw-up,” he says quietly. “You made a mistake. There’s a difference.”
I sniff, looking up at him. He’s close, too close, and for a second, everything else fades. The way he smells, the way he looks at me… it pulls me in without trying.
My gaze drops briefly to his lips before I force myself to look away.
Amber. The reminder hits hard.
“Did you go out and get wasted because of me and Amber?” he asks, his voice softer now.
I don’t answer.
I can’t.
He exhales slowly, pulling me a little closer. “I’m sorry I hurt you, Annie. But you hurt me, too.”
“I know,” I whisper. I glance back up at him, and the look in his eyes… it’s the same one he used to give me before everything fell apart. Memories flicker through my mind, us, before. The way he used to look at me, touch me, make me feel like I mattered.
God, I miss that.
I miss him.
“I think I still love you, Aston,” I blurt, the words slipping out before I can stop them.
His eyes widen slightly, then soften. He leans in, resting his forehead gently against mine.
My breath catches.
“I think I still love you, too,” he murmurs.
My heart stutters.
That shouldn’t feel this good.
Not when he’s with someone else.
“What about Amber?” I ask, my voice barely steady.
He pulls back just enough to look at me. “I ended things with her after your dad’s party,” he says. “It wasn’t fair on her… or me. I was trying to fill the gap you left.” He pauses. “It didn’t work.”
A small, hesitant smile pulls at my lips, even as guilt flickers through me.
His hand comes up, brushing gently along my cheek, and I lean into it before I can stop myself.
“So what does this mean?” I ask.
He exhales, then leans back slightly, creating just enough space to think. “It means… if we do this again, it has to be real,” he says. “I need to know you’re all in. That you won’t push me away when things get hard.”
Emotion swells in my chest. “I won’t,” I say quickly. “I promise. No more running.”
He studies me for a moment, like he’s weighing it, then he nods. “I love you, Annie,” he says quietly.
This time, I don’t hesitate.
I lean in and kiss him.
It’s softer than I remember, slower, but it still feels like everything. Like something inside me is finally settling back into place.
For the first time in what feels like forever… I feel steady.
He eases back, his eyes searching mine. “But we take this slow,” he adds. “We do this properly. Go on a date. Make sure we can handle this… especially with the band.”
I let out a small laugh. “I think we’ve handled worse.”
“Still,” he says, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “I’m not risking losing you again.”
My chest tightens, in a good way this time. “I’m all in,” I say.
“For real?”
“For real.”
He nods, leaning in to press a softer, lingering kiss to my lips before pulling back again. “You do believe me, right?” he asks, a hint of vulnerability slipping through. “About loving you?”
“Yeah… I do.” I smile, this time properly. “I know you love me, Ast. I can see it in the way you look at me. I might not deserve it, but I have it… and I think deep down, I always knew you loved me. I just didn’t understand how… or why.”
“Lennox,” he murmurs. “You’re one of the easiest people in the world to love. Yeah, you can make things complicated, but that’s just you. And even when you drive me crazy… I love you warts and all.”
I scrunch my face, frowning. “I do not have warts.”
He huffs a quiet laugh. “It’s a saying. It means I love you, flaws and all.”
“Oh.” I relax, smiling up at him.
“Oh, indeed,” he says, leaning in to kiss me again, soft and slow. When he pulls back, he brushes his thumb along my cheek, catching a tear I didn’t realize had fallen. “Happy tears?” he asks.
I nod, sniffling as a smile tugs at my lips.
I can’t seem to stop smiling.
It’s strange… how everything can feel so broken one moment, and then, somehow, start to come back together again.
Maybe people really can love me.
Maybe I am worth loving.
Just because my birth parents didn’t want me… doesn’t mean I’m unlovable.
The thought settles deep, steadying something inside me.
I wish the last couple of days had never happened. I wish I could erase them completely. But… if they hadn’t, would we even be here right now?
I don’t know.
All I know is I don’t want to lose this again.
“So…” Aston hesitates, glancing at me. “About that guy—”
I raise a brow. “Did you and Amber?”
He pauses, then lets out a breath, shaking his head slightly. “Maybe some things are better left alone.”
I nod.
Because I don’t want to know.
Not really.
“I just want to focus on us,” I say quietly. “Make new memories. Forget the last two years and just… be with you.”
“Me too, baby. Me too.”
I slide my arms around his neck, threading my fingers through his hair.
God, I’ve missed this.
“I missed you,” I whisper.
“I missed you, too,” he says, pulling me closer. “And I’m not letting you go again. So you better be in this for the long haul.”
“Forever,” I murmur. “I think I was always yours.”
A small smile tugs at his lips. “I knew you were always mine.”
We both let out a soft laugh at the familiar words.
“Come on,” he says after a moment, glancing toward the door. “We should go back in there. See what they’ve come up with.”
My stomach twists instantly. “What if they say I’m out of the band?”
“Lennox,” he says firmly, taking my hand as he stands. “That’s not happening.”
I let him pull me up, holding onto his hand a little tighter than I mean to.
“We go in together, yeah?”
I nod.
Together.
We walk back toward the music room…
Toward whatever comes next.