Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Our fake relationship ended on a Monday, not with a bang but a whimper.
Mine.
The mental whimper came from me when Tolliver broke the unexpected news.
"You're leaving," I repeated, staring at him, feeling like he was already gone. "For a whole week?"
"Yeah," he said, pushing a hand through his hair, "it's for an out-of-state hockey tournament. Invite only. We leave tomorrow and get back late next Tuesday. Honestly, I kind of forgot about it until now."
"So...you're really leaving."
Tolliver nodded.
"Where's the tournament again?" I asked.
"Michigan."
"So far away..."
Tolliver's shrug was a bit stiff. "Too late to back out now. My parents paid a lot of money for me to go. I had to wait until junior year to even be considered. Didn't get it last time, but this year, they called me up. Hudson's going too. It's an honor to be invited."
"Sounds like it," I said, speaking past the lump in my throat. "I told you you were good."
"You did," he said softly.
"Congrats, Tolliver. You should be proud."
"Mmm. Still, part of me wishes I could stay."
His eyes stared into mine, and I shook myself out of it, sent him a smile.
"Well, I hope you have fun," I said. "You should. It's your summer."
"Hockey's always fun, but l was looking forward to serving out the rest of my time." When I gave him a questioning look, he added, "As your maid."
I laughed quietly. "That's right. You had a little more time to go."
Tolliver lifted a brow. "Guess that means I'll have to make it up when I get back. With interest."
"Really?"
"Seems only fair. We made a deal."
"You're right. We did."
I put my hands on my hips.
"So, I'll see you when you get back," I said.
"Yeah."
Tolliver's smile was dimmer than usual.
"I'll miss you," he said.
Not as much as I would miss him.
"Don't hire any other page turners while I'm gone."
Instead of focusing on my true feelings, I narrowed my eyes.
"Save the sappiness," I said. "You better do well up there, Stone."
His smile grew. "Okay, but what if they're all better than me?"
I scoffed. "I highly doubt that. But you know what they say about lemons."
"Make lemonade?"
"No, you've gotta squeeze the juice into the eyes of your enemies," I said. "Until they cry. Show no mercy."
He looked like he was trying not to laugh. "Brutal."
"Show them what you've got, and leave it all on the ice."
"Yes, boss."
I sent him a smile as he turned to go.
"Oh, and Tolliver?"
Looking back, he said, "Yeah?"
"I'll miss you too," I said.
* * *
Even though I meant it, my words ended up being truer than I could've imagined.
It was crazy.
I'd gone almost my whole life without close ties outside my family.
The only other people I was truly tight with were my music teachers.
But we had a complicated relationship. Violin always came easy to me.
My technique was a natural thing, and more than one of my teachers called it a "gift.
" I learned quickly, didn't require much correction, fell so deeply in love with playing, that after a time, they often left, not because I was a bad student but because they simply felt like they had nothing more to teach me.
It wasn't true, of course. I could've learned so much from them.
Their experience of the world was far greater than mine.
Their knowledge of music and the instrument I loved was invaluable.
But they moved on anyway to work with other young musicians. Ones who they said needed them more.
It was fine.
I had always been okay. So long as I had my violin, I was perfectly content.
Reading, my other joy, my escape, usually eased my mind too.
And yet...
I was still reading. I was diligent about PT.
I hadn't missed a day of exercises or an appointment.
Having gotten the okay from my doctor, I was even starting to play again.
Her exact words were "Don't overdo it. Listen to your body, and if it hurts, stop.
" So, I was taking it slowly, starting with scales and simple songs to ease back into it.
But I was able to make music again. I had a violin in my hand which—regardless of the piece or the complexity—always felt like greeting an old, beloved friend.
That feeling was still there.
Playing again felt like breathing after being under water.
My heart was still on fire for the music and instrument that I loved.
But...
Something was missing.
I feared, as the days went on, I knew exactly what that something was.
There was a hole in my chest that hadn't been there before the summer.
And it was shaped like a Stone.
Tolliver.
Tolliver.
Tolliver.
The name was a whisper in my mind when I went to sleep and an ache in my chest when I woke for some early morning reading, and he wasn't there. A thrill of hope when my phone pinged with a text and the burn of disappointment when it wasn't from him.
How could one person's absence make me feel so...much?
Again, it was crazy.
I would not be that girl.
I needed a distraction, and luckily, one came in the form of my cousin.
Scarlett called—which was strange.
Usually, we would text unless it was for our Kent cousin check-in, something we'd only instated recently due to everyone being everywhere but wanting to keep in touch. The frown she wore when I picked up wasn't encouraging.
"Hey," I said. "What—"
"I'm worried about Aurora," she said.
It was enough to snap me out of whatever weird malaise I'd been in since Tolliver left.
"They're really going after her online, and I don't like it."
My scowl was instant. "Who is?"
"Mean people, internet trolls, bots, I don't know, Frey. It's in one of those online groups. You know, for AF or Ferora or whatever people are calling them now."
I did know.
I was a fan of couple names, and those were the ones the world had given my cousin, Aurora, and Felix, the musician who was touring with HERS until the group's bassist got better. Felix was a popular public figure with a large following. Aurora, however...
"I assume they're saying terrible things about Ror but not him," I said.
Scarlett nodded. "I mean, Felix has a lot of fans who have his back. Most people even like them as a couple. But yeah, the haters are very vocal, and the things they're saying..."
"Send me the link to the group."
She did, and my jaw dropped.
Scrolling through, like Scarlett said, there were some good posts and comments, but there was plenty of hate being thrown around as well.
Most of that hate was centered on Aurora.
They made derogatory comments about how she looked, what she wore, her weight, her age, her lack of talent and fame, saying she wasn't good enough for Felix and didn't deserve him.
"Jeez," I hissed. "This is bad."
"I know."
"Aurora would be devastated if she saw this."
"Yeah, that's what I thought too," Scarlett said. "And what if she has?"
"HERS probably has someone in PR to filter out the worst of it, make sure it doesn't get back to them."
"But what if they don't?"
I winced after reading a particularly disgusting comment.
"She's out there by herself, Frey."
"Without us," I added with a nod. "Ror might need help, and she would never tell us if she did. She's too selfless for that."
Scarlett sighed. "True."
"She's seemed okay when we've talked on the phone." I shook my head then looked back at Scarlett. "But she could be faking it."
"Which she would totally do."
"I can't believe anyone would say those things about Aurora," I said. "She's so shy and nice."
The more I thought about it, the angrier I got.
"People suck. Especially people on the internet."
"Hey, no arguments here," Scarlett said.
"Have you talked to the other cousins?"
She nodded. "Viola got so mad when she found out. You know how she feels about bullies."
I did. Viola Kent couldn't stand them. I couldn't either, especially when they went after someone I cared about.
"She created an account, went on there, and started fighting people."
"How did that work out?" I asked.
"They banned her from the group within an hour."
I laughed out loud. "God, I love Vi."
"Me too. "
"I was planning on doing that," I muttered. "I have enough time and the rage to really commit myself."
"Don't bother," Scarlett said. "They'll just ban you too."
"Well, we've gotta do something."
Scarlett shrugged. "Lotte reported it. Complained directly to the administrator, several times, and was even able to get some of the posts taken down.
I loved all the good posts, hoping to boost them, and added pro Ferora comments where I could.
But she and I both wish we could do more. She loves Aurora so much. We all do."
"She needs us," I said, a plan already forming. The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. "And even if she doesn't, I want to make sure she's okay."
Scarlett's brows were raised. "Uh oh, I know that look. What are you planning?"
"Nothing."
"Frey, come on."
"Well, maybe something."
Scarlett smiled. "See, this is why I called you."
"Last," I put in.
"I was saving the best for this very reason."
"Ha ha."
But really, I didn't mind being last. I did have a plan. It was doable if a little half-baked, and Aurora really was one of my favorite people in the whole world. I wasn't going to sit here and do nothing.
A smile bloomed on my lips.
"Seriously, what is it?" Scarlett said.
"Just a little road trip," I said back.
By the time we hung up, I had a mission fully formed. Now, we just had to execute.
Shouldn't be too hard.
Right?
* * *
"Absolutely not," Dad said.
Moments ago, I'd finished explaining it all to him. My plan was sound. Go to HERS's next tour stop. Check in on Ror. Make sure she's okay. Then come back home.
I thought it was a no-brainer.
I didn't anticipate any objections.
That was why I wasn't prepared when my father flat-out said no.
"Why not?" I asked.
"Freya, you can't be serious," he said.
"I am. My plan is beautiful in its simplicity. Scarlett agreed."
"Well, I don't. So, you can't go."
"Dad, come on." When he just shook his head, I huffed and crossed my arms. "Awesome. Now you sound like Mom."