12
Iwallowed in self-pity for so long I missed most of the performance. I caught the last song and a half of the encore. From my vantage point on the second floor, I could take in the whole picture. Now that I wasn't focused entirely on Noah, I was able to watch the other band members.
Twin guitarists Damon and Ian Drake were known by fans as the portmanteauDamian. Dressed in identical black jeans, faded AC/DC t-shirts, and soft brown hair tufted up in all directions, they were indistinguishable from each other.
The twins, akaDamian,ran around on stage like maniacs, with enough energy for a dozen children hopped up on candy. I couldn't tell which one was Damon and which one was Ian, but it didn't seem to matter. The two of them switched guitars in mid-song and began wailing on each other's fretboards. Even their positions as lead and rhythm were interchangeable.
Cameron held his bass low, hunching over it with a wicked grin as he played to the crowd. Long, bright red strands fell over his face, half covering his heavily kohl-rimmed eyes. The hair was tousled and unkempt. Not in the sexy just-rolled-out-of-bed way. More in the wildI will break your heart and you'll love me for itkind of way.
August's entire attention was on his drum kit, ice-blue eyes narrowed in concentration, arms moving at a near blur. The pounding force of his drumming must have been tiring, but he never slowed down, never showed a hint of exhaustion. August's performance was as effortless as it was flawless.
The encore came to an end and the band members left the stage. The audience dispersed with excitable chattering. The performance had been a hit.
I sat in the armchair for several long minutes, trying not to mope and failing miserably. I tried to resist, but the urge to take out the letter from my purse was too strong. I held it between my fingers, stroking the seam holding the envelope closed.
I knew eventually I'd have to open it and read the letter. Maybe one day when I was strong enough to hear the words I knew lay inside. But that wasn't today. I shoved it back in my purse and went back to moping.
I didn't know where the band members were going to end up partying. I'd hoped to escape before I ran into them. I didn't want to have the inevitable conversation here.
No such luck. The recognizably messy mop of Noah's dark hair ascended the staircase to the upper floor. I sunk down in my chair, but he saw me immediately. He headed over, scanning the area.
"You didn't bring your friends." Taking a seat on the sofa across from me, he reclined back and propped his feet on the closest table.
"Noah…" I started hesitantly.
"If you're gonna go all fangirl mode on me, save it. I don't need that shit."
"I don't know if I can do this."
He put his feet flat on the floor, leaning toward me. "Do what?"
"Write a song with you," I whispered.
He looked taken aback, before a dark look crossed his face.
"Why the hell not?" he bit out.
I gestured helplessly. "You're Noah Hart. You're the lead singer and lyricist for Darkest Days, one of the biggest, most influential rock groups to come out in years."
"I know who I am. You don't have to tell me."
"I'm just another average music student. There's nothing special about me."
"I thought you weren't a student," he said. "Didn't you tell me you already graduated?"
"That doesn't matter." I clenched my fists in my lap. "This is my first real job in the industry and I'm going to fail."
"No you're not."
"How do you know?"
"I won't let you." His leaned over the table and took my face in his hands, forcing me to look at him. His eyes burned into mine. "I told you. You're talented. You're amazing. We're going to write a song together and it's going to be fucking fantastic. Okay?"
I blinked back tears. "Okay." Our eyes locked for long moments, the same way they had when he'd been on stage. His gaze dropped to my lips. I wet them unconsciously. "Thank you for trying to cheer me up."
He released me, going back to reclining on the sofa, looking deceptively casual. "Wasn't trying to do anything like that. Just don't want a weepy girl crying all over me."
"You can be sweet sometimes, you know that?"
