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“Yeah, well, she kind of can because she has her own band, and when you all come on stage, they have to leave. So, she’s looking at that option. But right now, she’s just playing the hurt bunny card—very well, I might add. Her statement was horrible at first, but I got her to tame it down a bit. She’s now going to say that she’s heartbroken that you cheated on her. That she was looking forward to many happy years together, but that’s not going to happen. She wishes you nothing but the best, but she feels very betrayed and requests time to heal.”
The guys hang their heads. It’s not the worst thing she could have said, but it’s not the best.
“Can you ask her to add something about how dating was never going to work because our schedules were just so different?” Derek asks.
“I tried to get her to work that in, but it’s her statement. Ours will include something like that. It’s going out today,” Dale says.
“Can we see it?” Brent asks.
“Sure, I’ll get my computer and show you. But we did right by you guys. I like you all, and I want to continue working with you. We may have to make some changes, though.”
“What type of changes?” Aiden asks.
“Your record label.” Dale puts it out there and pauses, watching our faces drop. “They’re not thrilled about this considering Serena is also at the same label. I talked to Don over there, and he feels like he might have to drop you. How do you feel about that?”
The guys all let the news sink in. I feel sick. Everything they’ve worked for is about to be torn away from them all because Derek and I got caught kissing him.
“The relationship wasn’t even real,” Brent says with a frown.
“I know that. And they do too.”
“But they don’t give a shit?” Brent asks.
Aiden slams his fist on the table. Derek gets up and begins pacing.
“Isn’t there something we can do?” He pauses his pacing. I can see the hope in his eyes, and it kills me that it’s come to this.
“There is.” Dale pauses, and I see him swallow hard. “They want you to give her up. Break up with her for real and promise to never see her again—romantically. Then they’ll be okay with everything. Which I can see isn’t going to go over very well.”
I look over my shoulder and see that Derek’s seething, nostrils flaring, and hands placed firmly on his hips.
“That’s not happening.” His voice is so low and deadly, it almost scares me.
“Derek,” I start to say, but he cuts me off.
“No, Aud. There has to be another way. I took punches to the face for you,” he says, gesturing toward Aiden. “I refuse to give you up. You mean more to me than this.”
“What about us?” Brent and Aiden say at the same time.
Derek looks over at them. “I’m sorry. I wanna do right by your sister,” he says to Aiden. “And Brent, maybe we can get you into another band or something. Or maybe the two you want to go on without me, but I refuse to end my relationship with her.”
“Really?” Dale asks. “You’ve only been together a few weeks and it’s already a hard no?”
“Yeah,” he tells Dale.
“Let me go make some phone calls,” Dale says, rising.
The boys are talking, but I tune them out. I put my head in my hands, feeling the tension building in my neck. The voices are getting louder and louder. I feel like I could pass out. I get up and walk away from them.
On the wall is a picture of the band. It’s from their first album, three years ago. They look so young, like babies. It wasn’t taken long after they got to LA. Derek and Aiden have a few more tattoos than they used to. Brent used to have a stubble of hair covering his head, but now he shaves it clean. I can’t imagine them not playing together. I can’t imagine there not being a Crave.
I look over at them all arguing. Aiden is yelling at Derek, Derek is yelling back, and Brent is just plain yelling.
“Boys,” I say, hoping someone will hear me. But no one does. “Boys!” I shout.
They all snap their heads in my direction and look at me.
“What’s up, Audrey?” Aiden asks.
