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I smell the Jack Daniel’s on his breath as soon as he speaks, and then notice the glass on the counter "You drank" I sound horrified

He rolls his eyes, like it’s thehe’s ever heard "I had one drink" He holds up his finger "And I’ addict Not an alcoholic"

Jesus, can this night get any worse? "Yeah, but you told me once that one can easily lead to the other Remember?"

"I say shit all the ti to face ainst the bar and puts his elbow on it, all casual and relaxed, but definitely not sober "Besides, I only did it because of you"

"Because of me?" I ask, confused "Why? What did I do?"

"It’s not what you did," he says, his gaze flicking to my lips "But what you didn’t do"

God, please don’t let this conversation go where I think it’s going "I’ that he’s sort of acting like an ass, which is his telltale sign that he’s been doing drugs

He lets out a soft laugh, his forehead furrowing "You’re so na&iu my back on him, offended because I’ about I just don’t want to deal with it tonight

He catches"Nova, I’m sorry I didn’t mean it like that" He draws ets even worse Because without warning, he kissesme of our first kiss, only I was trashed then and there was a lot ue, thankfully

When he pulls away, hethat sounds an awful lot like "Wow" Then he lets go of my ar to do that for a few --to salvage this situation, but I just struggle to find e as hi, Lea shows up and interrupts us "We’re on in like twenty, so we need to get your drums out of the car and into the back area" She’s bouncy and buzzing with adrenaline and excitelance at Tristan "Can we talk about this later?"

He shrugs, his expression cold "Is there anything to talk about?"

"Maybe" I scratchthere were an answer there in the words, a solution that would fix this "Just please don’t go anywhere"

He doesn’t answer and I end up walking away, feeling guiltier than I already did tonight I worry about what he’s going to do, especially if he finds out about Delilah, and I’rabsunder her breath, "What the hell was that about?" She pushes the door open and we step out into the cold, where she lets go of me "The tension was so thick, I could seriously cut it with a knife"

"I’ll tell you after we play," Ilot toward ainst the ice "Why can’t you just tellto freak out," I say, sticking et ht now"

After that, Lea and I start unloading the dru, and I can’t help but think of theup at the stars with my dad, Landon, and Quinton At soh, but at the saone and I swear my heart can’t take it anyone yet

As we carry the last of the dru over my shoulder She raises her arm and waves at someone behind me "Hey, we’re over here" Then she whispers tojust died"

I prepare auys walk up to us One of them is taller, with spiky blond hair and colorful tattoos covering both his arood-looking, with brown hair that hangs over his ears and forehead and these really blue eyes thathe’s Brody, the football player/guitarist

Lea introduces us and I find out that I was right Brody is the stockier one and seeet tords out before Lea and he start e

Braxton, the taller one and the bassist, seems a little uncolances around the bar, trying to avoid looking at the heavy a on beside us

"Hey," he finally says, looking at me His eyes scroll up and down my body and he seems a little confused "So you’re the dru about?"

I smile, despite the massive aives me a look of annoyance mixed with disbelief "Yeah, I think I’ll have to see it forit, especially since you’re in a band with that Jaxon dude, who sucks"

I glance over at Lea, who’s still in a lip lock, pressed up against the wall, then give a haughty look to Braxton "Yeah, you will see Trustan ass and tonight I’m about to lose it I can feel it

"A little cocky, aren’t we?" he asks in a snide tone as he arches a brow at " I feel like a terrible person as soon as I say it "I’m sorry"

"Braxton, knock it off," Brody interrupts, still holding on to Lea There’s lipstick all over hisus out here and you don’t need to be an asshole"