Page 47 of Play Me

“What?” This can’t be good.

“Sebastian said...”

“Guys, fuck Sebastian... he’s not here. Tell me what’s going on?” The pounding behind my eye is getting worse and I want to hear what they have to say before I take another painkiller and it makes me woozy.

“Look, nothing actually happened, it just looks bad.”

“What looks bad?”

“Tell her. She’ll find out eventually, and she’s getting worked up.” Sarah suggests.

Jez sighs and Brad nods, encouraging him to talk.

“Look, after Sebastian grabbed you and took you out to the car, um, Brad and Marius grabbed that asshole and dragged him outside, um, you know, to teach him a lesson.”

“Oh guys...” I look over at them and they look sheepish.

“So then Sebastian shows up and, um, well, let’s say, he was pissed.”

“What did he do?”

“He didn’t do anything.”

“Guys, come on.”

“Look he didn’t, he, um, he just threatened the guy, er, with his belt, but he didn’t actually do anything. Dennis got there and talked him out of it. Which, frankly, I’m surprised worked. He was really fucking pissed.”

“But, well, the guy’s friends had followed us out there and took photos of Seb with the belt in his hand and um, threatening him.”

“Damn. Idiot!” I did not want this. I hate that I have put the guys in any sort of PR trouble. It’s part of the reason I didn’t want to get involved with Sebastian in the first place.

“He didn’t do anything to the guy, Cadence. He...might’ve, but he didn’t. These claims are bogus. Don’t worry about it. Dennis will take care of it. He knows what he’s doing.”

“Where is Sebastian now?” I ask, wondering if he’s trying to stay away from me, the troublemaker.

“We don’t know.” Brad shrugs.

“He’ll come back. He has loner tendencies, he just needs time to work through shit.” Jez reaches over and squeezes my arm to reassure me.

“Now...YOU guys,” I point to Brad and Marius, ready to lecture them for their part in this.

“Uh oh....nap time!” And they run out of the room.

SEBASTIAN

I hear the guys come back to the rehearsal room from visiting Cadence in my room. I’m dying to ask them how she is, but I don’t want to hear the same lecture they’ve been giving me for the last few hours.

“Hey,” Jez comes to sit down next to me.

“Hey.” I say, not looking up from my phone.

“She’s OK.” He tells me, knowing me well enough to know I’m dying to know but too stubborn to ask.

“Good. Yeah, um, good to hear.”

“She’s asking after you.”

“Yeah, I’ll, um, I’ll go visit her later, she needs her rest. You guys probably got her all riled up.”