Page 20 of Toxic Kiss

I catch it…barely. My hands are shaking again.

His eyes narrow when he notices.

“You alright, man?”

“Peachy. Just wasn’t expecting you to throw a missile at my head.”

He looks me up and down. There is something on his mind, but will he ask?

“You looked really pale earlier on the bus. Thought you were gonna pass out before you disappeared into the back. Was it the booze or something else?”

And there it is.

“It’s not drugs, if that is what you’re thinking.”

“It’s not,” Eren says, and I relax.

“Told you, I wasn’t feeling well. Maybe I’m just tired or picked up a bug from someone at the party. And, it’s not like I sleep great.”

I’m lying to both of us. He knows it, I know it, but he chooses not to call me out on it.

“You said you were gonna call a doctor again if the painkillers didn’t help with the migraines,” he says, taking a stab at what is ailing me.

At least Eren doesn’t automatically think I’m using again. I told all of them the same story…I’m in pain. My head’s a warzone. Doctors are testing. I’m not using, despite what my mother thinks, or what it looks like. Weed—fine, maybe it’s a drug, but it dulls the pain enough to get me through a set. I don’t do it to get high.

“I did.”

He raises an eyebrow.

“I will,” I mutter.

“You mean that, or is that just something you’re saying so I shut up?”

“Can’t it be both?”

Eren sighs and starts counting off my sins.

“You walked off the Jack Malone Show. Millions of viewers. One verse in, and you left them staring at their screens. You looked like you were about to collapse. Do you really think people aren’t going to notice? Then on top of all that, you fucking trashed Haven, man. I get that you two have history and shit, but that was five years ago, and she’s Gaillard’s daughter. What were you thinking?”

“I don’t care what people notice. I know that I’m not using. But…maybe, I went a little too far with the Haven stuff.”

“Maybe? Try did.” He shakes his head. “I don’t know man…Haven has always been nothing but nice. Nicer than you deserve for sure.”

I can’t argue with that.

“I don’t want the insane sexual tension between the two of you to ruin things. Don’t even try to deny it. And I won’t go along with any bullying. We aren’t in high school anymore. You can’t get rid of her that way, if that’s what you are thinking.”

My teeth grind together. Who the fuck is Eren to tell me how to treat Haven?

“I was pissed that Malone brought up Patrick. I’d just found out about Haven, and he tossed it in my face. Like fuck, give a guy a minute. How the hell did they even know?”

Eren crosses his arms.

“See, this is why reading the work emails is a good thing. Gaillard did a fucking press release. It’s big news that Haven, the boss man’s daughter, is working for LG Records. Of course, Malone was going to bring it up.”

Shit. I’m dumb. That much is obvious.

Eren doesn’t push, just sits down on the bench, and drinks his water. He’s good like that. He chooses to act like we’re just two guys in a gym instead of one unraveling rockstar and the only friend still willing to ask questions and believe the answers.