Chapter 22
Ender
I shake my leg restlessly while we wait for Nix and this random chick to show up. The last thing I want to be doing right now is sit here with Lane and River while they give each other googly eyes, yet here I am. For some reason, Nix chose this one time in his life to be late.
I wonder what it is about this girl that makes her so special. She's gone and wrapped him around what I'm sure is a pretty little finger. I knew there was a reason why the little fucker hasn’t been on my ass since our break started. He's been chasing some tail.
I laugh under my breath. And now he wants to bring her on tour so he doesn't have to part ways with her.
Classic Nix. He hasn't said that's the reason, but what else could there be?
The guy has no chill. I hope he realizes that if we all agree to let her be the new opener and they have a falling out, he will still have to see her and play nice.
That could be interesting. From what I've learned about Nix over the last two years, I'm not sure how he would handle that. He would put on a good front, that's his thing, but deep down it would crush him .
I glance over at Lane and River, who aren't paying any attention to me. Lane runs his fingers along the length of River's jaw before giving him a tap on the nose. Part of me hopes they think she's awful. I'm sure I'll have to be the bad guy, though. I'm always the bad guy.
"Did he say why he was running late?" River asks, breaking the silence.
"Hopefully, he'll be here any minute." Lane gives him a soft smile.
I can't help but stare at the two of them. What they’ve found in this industry is rare. Loneliness can eat at even the strongest kind of person, but they don’t have to endure that.
Finally, I hear the apartment door open and close as Nix walks into view. He stops just in front of the couch, alone with a guitar in hand.
"She's taking off her shoes. One sec."
“Great, let's get this show on the road so I can go have a fucking drink,” I grunt under my breath and glance down at my phone.
Sure, why not wait a little bit longer? None of us have anything better to do.
I can already feel this girl getting under my skin before even meeting her.
My vote is going to be no, regardless of how good she is, partially because having her around means Nix will end up all stupid and in love, just like River and Lane.
"Sorry, I guess I wore the wrong shoes. That took forever. "
That voice. It hits me like a freight train, knocking the wind from my lungs as it rings in my ears.
There's no way! My head whips up, and I stare at the same emerald eyes that haunt my dreams. There’s a stabbing sensation that plunges right into my heart like an imaginary knife.
Alara Grey is standing in our apartment, looking around the room like she doesn't have a care in the world. Is this a damn joke?
My whole world begins to spin. She disappeared like we meant nothing, and has the audacity to show her face here? No heads up. No attempt to repair the relationship. She just decided to lead Nix on and find her way into the apartment where we fucking live.
She rubs her arms nervously, glancing between me, River, and Lane. Why the fuck is she just standing there and not saying anything?
I shake my head as I take her in. Her hair has dark purple stripes through it now. She also has a small silver ring through her septum and the most perfect curves I've ever laid my eyes on. Fuck, looking at her is too damn painful. I hate it.
River and Lane look just as dumbfounded over her sudden appearance as I am. Did Alara plan this? Nix couldn't have known. We made sure we never used her name when she was brought up in conversation. Saying her name meant acknowledging the pain she caused, so we all avoided it.
The room stays eerily silent while we all try to collect our thoughts. Nobody has it in them to be the first person to speak. How are we supposed to tell our bandmate that the girl he's got feelings for is the same one who left us high and dry two years ago?
Out of nowhere, she speaks again. The soft yet alluring voice that takes residence in both my dreams and nightmares coaxes me in. "Hi, I'm Alara. Nix mentioned you may need an opening act for your tour." She does a slow wave through the air. "I'm really thankful for this opportunity.”
"Alara?" Lane's voice is pained and shaky. He taps one of his fingers on his thigh over and over while the other grips River's hand tightly.
She just smiles and nods, oblivious to his body language. "If you don't like the way my voice sounds, I completely understand. I know this is a bit unusual."
Lane scoffs under his breath. "Your voice?"
I'm still too stunned to make my mouth form words.
River's hand tightens around Lane's fingers, his eyes still gaping.
Even he's affected by seeing her after so long.
The love of my fucking life. God, I never even got to tell her that because I was too worried about messing everything up back then.
Looking at her now and knowing she's been with one of my bandmates ignites a burning rage within me. She went too far.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" I grit out, dropping my phone on the couch.
She jolts backward, startled by my sudden outburst.
"That's all you have to say for yourself?" Fury radiates from me, my nostrils flaring as I bury my fingernails into the palms of my hands. "Oh, hi. I'm thankful for the opportunity," I mock. " Out of all the things you could have possibly said, that’s what you're going to say to us?"
"You need to chill." Nix comes to her defense. "What the fuck, man?"
That's the last straw. I snarl in disgust before standing and stomping out of the room. I'm not going to listen to another second of this.
"Hey!" River calls out, chasing after me.
I don't hesitate or stop; the need to get away from all of this and calm down is my only priority.
How dare she come in here and act like she doesn't know us?
She didn't need to use Nix like that. All she had to do was pick up the phone and call us.
Send a text. Write a fucking letter. Some kind of communication, but no, she chose to do it this way.
Anger courses through every orifice of my body as I try my hardest not to punch my fist through the wall.
Alara doesn't get to just show up here and expect us to let her tour with us.
The guys and I may not be on the best of terms all the time, but we worked hard over the last two years.
She doesn't get to come and undermine any of that.
A hand lands on my shoulder just as I walk into my room, and I whip around to see River standing there with eyes full of concern. Shaking my head, I shove his hand off, scowling as I march toward the mini fridge.
"What a fucking bitch."
"You need to calm down," he says .
"Calm down?" I rip the door open to grab a beer before popping it open and turning toward him. "She doesn't get to just show up and act like nothing happened. What the fuck is that all about?"
"I have just as many questions as you do, but reacting like this isn't going to help. Maybe we should hear her out," he tries.
"Hear her out? You're talking to the wrong person about that. I'm not hearing out shit. Two years, River. Two years. Ambushing us at our house after manipulating one of our bandmates isn't right."
Lane walks into my room a second later with his arms crossed over his chest. "So, you didn't know about this?"
"Why would I know about this?" I take a deep swig from the bottle.
"What is she trying to accomplish?" Lane asks, making me laugh.
"She's obviously trying to mess with us." I chug the rest of the beer, toss the bottle on the floor, and grab another.
"Maybe this was the only way she knew to go about it. You know how weird things can feel after time goes on. Maybe she wants to apologize or something," River tries to rationalize.
"If she was going to apologize, she should have started out with that. She pretended like she didn't even know us," Lane argues, siding with me for once.
"Now isn't the time to try and see the positive in the situation, River." I roll my eyes as Nix decides to join the little party in my room .
"What the fuck are you idiots doing?" He tosses up his hands.
"What are we doing? Do you know who she is?" I choke out, the mixture of emotions coursing through me threatens to take over. Part of me wants to march out there, press her to the wall, and crush my lips against hers, while the other part wants to cuss her out.
Nix glances around, realizing none of us are happy. "Am I missing something?"
"That girl out there, the one pretending to be your little girlfriend, is Alara," Lane states.
"Yeah, I know what her name is." Nix shrugs.
"We have a history with her," River tries.
"Yeah, history. That's the fucking understatement of the year," I snark. "She’s the girl whose name we don’t mention."
"Wait. She's not the same girl that–"
"She sure is," I cut him off, taking another gulp of my crisp beverage.
"How was I supposed to know? None of you ever said her name. It was always this big no-no topic that everyone avoided, and when I asked questions, it was like pulling teeth."
He lets out a breath, running a hand through his hair while glancing at the floor. I watch him closely, noticing all the different emotions cycling through his face while trying to process. Yeah, sorry, buddy. She played you just to get to the rest of us.
"She needs to go. Her pretending not to know any of us is a slap in the face," I say.
"Wait." Nix holds a hand up. "I don't think she's pretending. "
"Speak." Lane steps toward Nix.
"She told me she has amnesia."
"Of course she did, and you believed her. Oh my god. Amnesia? How original." I shake my head.
River glares at me. "It would make sense."
"It's a lie," I insist, even though part of me holds onto hope that it's true. "And a convenient one at that."
"Would you shut the hell up?" River growls.
Well, I'll be damned. I don't think I've ever heard him swear. Fine. I put my hands up in defeat, deciding to hear out whatever story she expects us to believe. That spark of hope flickers within, though. IF, and a big if, she has amnesia, maybe that's why she wouldn't speak to us.
"This is the short version of what she told me.
She woke up in the hospital two years ago with no memory.
After working with the doctors, she was able to regain most of her memories, but there are a few years she's missing.
" He stops to glance at us, but all I can focus on is him saying she was hurt.
What the hell happened to her? Two years ago? I should have been there to protect her.
"Fuck!" I turn and actually punch my fist through the wall this time.
Pulling my hand out, blood trickles down my knuckles, but I can't feel anything. Someone hurt her. I should have just swallowed my pride and apologized that night. She had to suffer because of my stupid ego.
"Hey," I hear someone say, but I have no idea who .
My world spins as my heart slams in my chest. She was alone.
She doesn't know who we are. In an instant, all of the hurt and anger I've felt over the last two years transforms into shame and disappointment.
What if she does end up remembering who we are?
How will I ever be able to look her in the eyes after knowing I'm part of the reason she had to struggle for so long?
"She doesn't remember us," I whisper, and that familiar knife is slicing into me again.
"She doesn't remember us," Lane breathes out.
Just like that, there's an unspoken moment between the four of us. We have to make things right. I can tell the rest of the guys are thinking the same thing I am, even Nix, who wasn't around back then. Alara will be going on tour with us. We're all about to make it happen.