"You made it, you little menace," he laughed into her hair, his voice warm and teasing, like they'd picked up right where they left off from whatever childhood memory had bonded them.
"Wouldn't miss it, asshole." She pulled back, smacked his chest lightly but with enough force to show she meant it playfully."You still hit like a truck on those drums. I swear, I felt every beat in my chest."
"Learned from the best." He set her down gently, his hands lingering on her shoulders for a second before he finally noticed me standing there awkward with my arms crossed, feeling like an intruder in their reunion. "Who's this?"
Zariah grabbed my wrist, yanked me forward with that infectious energy of hers. "This is Hadley. My best friend. She's the one who finally said yes after three years of begging. Without her, I'd have come alone and probably gotten lost in the crowd."
Holland's grin softened, his eyes crinkling at the corners in a way that made him look less like a rockstar and more like the boy next door. "Hey, Hadley. Thanks for coming. Means a lot to her, and to me, honestly. Z's been hyping this up for weeks."
I managed a small smile, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. "The show was... really good. Like, better than I expected."
"High praise from someone who doesn't scream her lungs out," he chuckled. He jerked his thumb over his shoulder toward the open door. "Come meet the idiots. They don't bite...much."
Inside the green room smelled like sweat, Red Bull, and expensive cologne, the kind that lingers on your clothes long after you've left.
The space was cluttered with half-empty water bottles, guitar cases propped against walls, and a mini-fridge humming in the corner. Jake was sprawled on a couch, phone in hand, scrolling lazily with one thumb.
Kei leaned against the wall, arms folded, watching everything quiet, his expression calm and observant, like he was taking mental notes. Cal sat on the arm of an armchair, legs spread wide, staring at the floor like it owed him money, his posture all tension and disinterest.
And then there was another girl sitting on the coffee table in front of Cal, legs crossed neatly, laughing at something no one else had said. Dark hair perfect, falling in soft waves over her shoulders, smile perfect and wide, energy dialed to eleven. She looked put-together in a way I never could, jeans that fit like they were made for her, a simple top that screamed effortless style.
The second we walked in, her eyes flicked to Zariah, friendly enough, with a quick flash of recognition, then to me. Lingered. Narrowed just a fraction, like she was sizing me up, deciding where I fit. It made my stomach twist a little, but I brushed it off as nerves.
Holland clapped his hands together, the sound sharp in the room. "Guys. This is Zariah, my childhood terror, and Hadley, her plus-one who actually has taste in music." He gestured toward the girl on the table with a casual wave. "And this is Sydney. She's... been around forever. Basically family. Keeps us out of trouble...or tries to."
Sydney hopped off the table with a graceful little bounce, walked straight over to us. She extended a hand to Zariah first, her smile bright but sharp at the edges. "Zariah, right? Holland talks about you all the time. Like, all the time. Stories from the old neighborhood, right? Sounds like you two were trouble together."
Zariah grinned back, shaking her hand firmly. "Only good things, I hope. Or at least the fun ones."
"Mostly." Sydney's smile didn't quite reach her eyes, a quick flicker there that I caught but couldn't place. She turned to me next, hand out again. "And Hadley. Cute name. You two been friends long? How'd you meet?"
I shook her hand, cool, firm grip, and shrugged. "A couple years. We work together at the club. She's the one who drags me out of my shell."
"Since I started at the club," Zariah jumped in, looping her arm through mine. "She's the only one who doesn't drive me insane. Real ride-or-die."
Sydney laughed, too bright, almost performative. "Love that. Girls supporting girls. We need more of that in this world." Her eyes lingered on me again, just a beat too long, before she stepped back.
She turned to the boys, her voice shifting to that persuasive lilt. "We should celebrate. Properly. That new club downtown, Eclipse. VIP section's already reserved. My treat. Come on, you all deserve it after that killer set."
Jake groaned from the couch, not looking up from his phone. "Syd, we're wiped. Soundcheck ran long, show was brutal, my fingers are killing me. Can't we just chill here?"
"Come onnn." She pouted, tilting her head at Cal with big eyes, her hand brushing his arm lightly. "Cal? You in? You were on fire tonight. One drink won't hurt."
Cal finally lifted his eyes, his expression blank and uninterested. "Whatever."
Holland rubbed his neck, glancing at Zariah with a small smile. "I could use a drink. But not a late one. Early flight tomorrow, right?"
Kei shrugged from his spot against the wall. "I'm good either way. As long as there's no drama."
Sydney clapped once, triumphant. "See? Majority rules. Let's go, limo's probably already outside. I texted the driver."
Zariah nudged me hard in the ribs. "We're going, right? This is once-in-a-lifetime stuff."
I opened my mouth to say no, my mind flashing to Eli at home, probably watching his train videos with Mara. "I should probably head back. It's getting late...."
"Please." Zariah's eyes went big, pleading in that way she knew worked on me. "One drink. Then home. I'll get you back before midnight, Cinderella. Come on, when's the last time you did something fun like this? You deserve it."
I glanced at my phone, thumbing through to check texts. No new messages from Eli or Mara. If something was wrong, she'd have blown up my phone by now. One drink. I could handle one drink without the world falling apart. "Okay. Fine. But seriously, one drink."
