Grabbing one for Kristy, I hand it over, and she takes it with a smirk. I glance at Alana, raising a brow. She scrunches her nose and shakes her head. Knew it.The thing about Alana is, while she loves this wild, chaotic life, she’s not always wired for it. She’s a good girl deep down and will have a drink or the occasional toke, sure, but she really has to be in the mood.
I grab the lighter, flick it, and spark Kristy’s. Then I slip one between my lips, light up, and inhale deep. That first drag hits like a wave, calm and potent, my lungs expanding as the smoke curls inside me.
This is where the magic starts.
Where my mind spirals off into weird, wonderful places—lyrics, costumes, set ideas, this is how Effervescent was born out of smoke, sweat, and dreams.
I sink back into the pink leather seat with a soft squeak, letting the buzz of the show melt into the buzz in my brain.
The door opens, and Luke climbs in, coughing at the smoke. “God, girls. Doesn’t take long, does it?” His gaze shifts from Kristy and me to Alana, who’s just grabbed a mini bottle of champagne. He groans and flops into the seat beside her, cracking open a beer. Casey and Andi slide in too, grabbing their own drinks—of course, champagne.
“Give them a break, Luke. I started back at the stadium,” Andi mutters, blowing an O-ring that makes me laugh harder than I probably should.
“Yeah, Luke.” Kristy adds, “You’ve been with us for four years. You know how we roll. Hell, you booked this Hummer. Are you really telling me you didn’t stock it with the weed yourself?”
Luke sighs. “I wish you girls would rely on your talent more than…” he gestures vaguely to the cloud of smoke, “… this. You’re all exceptionally gifted. Recoil doesn’t need this crap to be successful.”
Andi snorts and shakes her head as Raoul shuts the door behind us, locking in the haze.
“Well, maybe you should’ve stayed with Recoil if you love them so much,” Andi shoots back, then flicks her joint at him.
Luke jerks as it hits his chest, flailing a little, only to realize it’s already out.
He lets out a huff. “Okay, I deserved that. It came out wrong,” he admits. “I didn’t want to stay with Recoil. I chose to stay in Australia, with you girls, because I saw something special. Something unstoppable. I don’t want to see you ruin it. Not with booze, not with weed, not with burnout. I’ve seen it happen too many times.”
Alana reaches out and gently grabs Luke’s hand. He glances at her, letting out a heavy sigh.
“We know,” she says softly. “We realize how much you do for us. We need you, Luke. We can’t do this without you.”
“Yeah, Luke,” I add, giving him a small smile. “You know we love you. Let’s calm the negative energy in the room—”
“We’re in a car, not a room,” Andi cuts in.
I giggle. “Well, fuck! Calm the energy in whatever enclosed space we’re in. Deep breaths. Relax your chakras. Let’s all center ourselves and focus on what really matters.”
They all tilt their heads at me in perfect unison, which only makes me laugh harder.
“And what’s that… oh, wise one?” Casey asks, deadpan.
“Friendship,” I say, throwing my hands in the air like a stoned guru. “Our friendship is what’s important.”
“Hell yeah. Friends for life, fuckers,” Andi shouts, raising her drink.
“Friends for life,” we all cheer back in a chorus of laughter.
Little unicorns start dancing around Luke’s head.
Okay—not literally.
But in my head? Totally.
This weed is next level.
As the Hummer pulls away from the venue, the city lights blur past outside the tinted windows, and my thoughts drift straight back to Mercs.
I wonder what he’s doing right now.
If he will come to the after-party as I suggested.
