Page 123 of Fame & Rhythm

“No, sir,” Aston says quickly.

“Yes, you do,” I mutter under my breath.

Dad exhales sharply. “Then I suggest you leave before one of us does something we regret.”

“Colt!” Mum starts. “Aston, just go,” she says gently, her eyes soft with sympathy.

“Aston, you’re not my friend. You’re not my boyfriend,” I say, forcing the words out. “You’re just someone I play in a band with. Don’t talk to me. It’s easier that way.”

Silence.

“Annie… I wasn’t lying,” he says quietly. “I love you—”

“Get out!” I scream. “I don’t need your bullshit. I don’t need you. Just go!” My chest aches so badly I can barely breathe.

I need him.

But I can’t be with someone who lies to me.

“Right. Out,” Dad says, his voice final.

I bury my face in my hands as Mum pulls me into her arms.

“I swear, A-Annie,” Aston says, his voice breaking. “I love you. I’ll fix this. I’ll fix us.”

“Out!” Dad roars.

I hear a heavy sniff, then thumping footsteps until they finally vanish.

“He’s gone, sweetheart,” Mum whispers in my ear, holding me as I rock slightly in the bed. “I didn’t tell your father what happened,” she adds quietly. “And we don’t have to, if you don’t want to.”

I nod faintly, understanding exactly what she means.

“Annie,” Dad says, his voice softer now. “Talk to me. Is this about the pressure? Is it all getting too much?”

I shrug, staring down at my hands.

“I think this all goes back to her birth parents, Colt,” Mum says.

Dad’s brows pull together as he folds his arms. “What about those fuckers?”

I shift closer into Mum’s side.

“From what Annie’s told me, she doesn’t feel like she deserves to be loved,” Mum continues gently. “Because her birth parents abandoned her. So when Aston said he loved her… Annie believed it was a lie.”

Dad exhales, dragging a hand through his hair. “Well, fuck, Annie… I had no idea you were carrying all this. Why didn’t you talk to us?”

I shrug, staring down at my hands, even I don’t know why I kept it in for so long. But now that it’s out there, now that everyone knows, it feels… lighter. Like I’m not holding it all on my own anymore.

The door opens, and Caleb walks in, Indi right behind him.

“Hey, Annie… you’re awake,” Indi says, smiling softly. “How are you feeling?”

“Okay… just a bit groggy. And tired.”

“That’s to be expected,” she says, checking my blood pressure. “You went through a pretty intense panic attack, and we gave you a mild sedative to help calm your system. You should feel much better by morning.”

Caleb glances at her. “What we talked about?”