Page 128 of Fame & Chaos

Aston huffs a small laugh. “Well… that part’s obvious.”

“Give me a break, yeah?” I mutter.

He hands me my cell before patting my shoulder. “Caleb, you’re basically a brother to all of us.” His voice softens. “Just because you’re older doesn’t mean you’ve gotta deal with everything alone.”

I stare down at my destroyed knuckles. “Thanks, mate. But I need to sort this one out myself.”

He nods quietly. “Whenever you’re ready, I’m here.”

Then Annie and Ella burst into the room, still hyped from the performance, and Aston heads over to them.

I barely notice.

My eyes stay locked on the bloody holes punched through the drywall while guilt eats straight through me.

I did this.

I ruined this.

And now I’ve probably lost Indi all over again.

Knowing her, she’ll disappear completely now. She always runs when things get too intense, and after tonight, I wouldn’t be surprised if I never saw her again.

The thought makes my chest ache so badly I can barely breathe. I drag my hands through my hair and lean back in the chair.

This is fucking bullshit.

I need to blow off steam before I lose it completely.

I need to kill this tension tearing through me.

My gaze drifts toward my cell, and before I can stop myself, one thought crashes through my head… I need to call Sasha.

***

While waiting impatiently for Sasha to show up, I pace the living room floor. She said she would come right over, so why the hell is she taking so damned long? I drag my hand through my hair as I continue pacing, my mind circling back to Indi and why she’s doing this to me.

She’s shutting me out again.

This is what she does. This is how she works. We get so far, so close, and then bam, she shuts down like none of it meant anything.

Every. Damn. Time.

I should have known this would happen. If I had any balls at all, I’d get in my car and go over to her house, but I don’t want to make things worse by pushing too hard when she’s already running scared. I want to give Indi the time she needs to work through whatever’s going on inside her head, but before I go anywhere near her, I need to let off some steam.

That’s what Sasha is coming over for… if she ever bloody gets here.

A gentle knock finally sounds at the door, and my head snaps up. Relief floods through me as I stride over, desperate for the distraction I think I need. But the second I open the door, Sasha smirks, then immediately frowns as she takes me in.

“You okay?” she asks.

I nod and step back to let her inside, closing the door behind her as she walks through.

“I’m glad you called again,” she says, following me toward the living room. “I was hoping you would.”

We sit down on the couch, and she shrugs out of her jacket. When she leans in to kiss me, I pull back and shake my head.

She frowns, raising an eyebrow.