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Rhys had ignored her, turning his head away and looking anywhere but at Andi or Declan for that matter, but Andi stormed into his line of sight. “Don’t you bloody ignore me. You could have killed yourself and you don’t get to give me attitude right now. Cocaine, Rhys. Cocaine!” Andi’s words had come out hissed, not that he blamed her; he'd been a stupid asshole. Yet, Rhys couldn’t just say he was sorry and let it all go.
“Don’t pretend you care, Andi. Just leave me the hell alone.”
It was then Andi started shouting about going to rehab and sorting himself out and Rhys had told her to go fuck herself, but Declan told Rhys if he didn’t go for a mental health break, then he was out of the band.
It was the only reason Rhys had agreed to their stupid plan, despite arguing that he hadn’t even used coke before, and he wasn’t inclined to do it again. Once he was discharged from the hospital, Rhys hadn't been left alone for a single minute, until Andi and Declan had dropped him off at the super private, middle of nowhere retreat.
He had done his mandatory thirty days and been discharged. Andi had been waiting for him when he was released and had frowned when Rhys had thrown his bag in the back seat, then climbed into the passenger side and not said a word. He knew he was being childish, but, Rhys had spent the last thirty days talking to strangers about himself and he was tired of talking.
Well, to be fair, the first five days he’d said nothing in the mandatory groups but that wasn’t the point.
“Mam and Dad are dying to see you. They wanted to make sure I told you that you could come and stay with them for a while. I think mam really wants to make sure you’ve been looking after yourself while you’ve been away. I told her that you were staying with me and Declan, but we’d drop in tomorrow or the day after, once you’ve settled.”
Rhys wanted to go back and be smothered by his parents like he wanted a lobotomy and he sure as shit didn’t want to become Andi and Declan’s roommate.
“I’m not staying with you, Andi. I’m going home to my own bed.” Rhys said as he looked at her for the first time since they left the retreat in Kildare.
Andi glanced at him, her grip on the steering wheel tightening. “I don’t think you should spend your first few days by yourself, Rhys. Stay with me and Declan, it’s no hassle.”
“I’d rather go through another pane of glass then bunk up with you and Dec. I’ve spent the last thirty days under constant surveillance and I just want to be alone, Andi. Just leave me be alone.”
Rhys tried not to feel bad when Andi flinched when he mentioned falling through the window, but Rhys really didn’t want to see the hurt in her eyes. He was doing that a lot lately, hurting her, and it made him feel terrible because he and Andi used to be so close.
Maybe the therapist was right and his insecurities started when Rhys had made friends with Declan and then Declan and Andi had become friends and Rhys felt that he was the unnecessary one in their little trio.
And it wasn’t like the retreat had been so bad. The having to talk was utter shite. But, they had lots of little recreational rooms, like a gym, a tv room, and a music room, where Rhys had spent a lot of his time. They had a baby grand piano and it was refreshing to be able to sit there alone and play to his heart's content, indulging himself in the secret he’d been hiding for years because he knew he wasn’t as good Andi or Declan.
Not a single person knew that Rhys could actually sing.
Andi had known he could hold a tune before his voice broke, but when it did, Rhys had been so self-conscious that he’d pretended to be bad...even using a fake singing voice so no one would suspect and it was never mentioned again.
Rhys had spent hours in that music room, just playing until his fingers ached and his throat was sore. It had been so bad one night, he’d asked one of the nursing staff if someone could get him some Tanora and honey to soothe his vocal cords. He'd played music that wasn’t Heartache Melody songs, just songs he liked to listen to in his alone time.
It wasn’t long before he started to amass a crowd, mostly in the evenings, when activities were finished for the day and people were looking for other shit to do besides be alone with their thoughts. Rhys didn’t mind the audience, especially since there was little chance of any of the other stars sharing videos of Rhys singing and playing piano when according to their socials' they themselves were on a beach in Bali or swimming with pigs in the Bahamas.
Rhys closed his eyes and sighed, feeling the weight of Andi’s stare on him. He’d learned enough in therapy to know that he missed Andi, missed the bond they had before things got twisted in his head, and he missed having someone he could call and just say he wasn’t feeling great.
It wasn’t her fault that things were strained between them.
Nope...that was all his doing.
“Rhys.”
Prying his eyes open, Rhys turned slightly to look at his sister and blinked when he noticed just how tired she looked. They were stopped at traffic lights as Andi chewed on her bottom lip before she spoke.
“I really do think you should stay with someone for a few days. If you can’t stand to be around me, or the parents, then maybe Luna or Jamie would come stay with you.”
Rhys sighed loudly, shaking his head. “I don’t need a babysitter, Andi. I had enough of that to last me a lifetime. I just want some space. I’m not going to party or go on a bender now that I’m out. I just wanna chill for a few days before I have to deal with everyone watching me. Can you just give me that. Please?”
Andi looked like she wanted to argue, however, she drove her car to his little bungalow, not saying anything as Rhys muttered his thanks, got out, and grabbed his bag from the backseat.
“Rhys?”
Rhys ducked his head into the car when his sister called him.
“You’ll call me, if you need anything?”
“Sure.” Rhys told her as he closed the door and headed up the pathway to his house, stepping inside, closing the door, dropping his bag on the ground, and leaning against the door. The silence was almost deafening.
