And another.
And another.
"You're popular today," Annabelle said, trying to keep her tone light.
Raven's jaw tightened. "Yeah. Something like that."
"Everything okay?"
There was a pause. A long one.
"They called again," Raven said finally. "The band. Henry, specifically."
Annabelle's stomach dropped. "Oh."
"They're upping the offer. More money, fewer dates, complete creative control." Raven picked up her phone, stared at it, then set it back down. "They're really trying to sweeten the deal."
"And?" Annabelle's voice came out smaller than she'd intended. "What did you say?"
"I said no." But there was something in Raven's voice. A hesitation. A waver.
Annabelle sat up, turning to face her properly. "But you're thinking about it."
"I'm not…"
"Raven." Annabelle's heart was pounding now, fear creeping up her spine. "Are you going to leave?"
The silence stretched between them, heavy and suffocating.
"I don't want to do the tour," Raven said carefully. Too carefully. "But I also… I never intended to stay in Bankton forever, Annabelle."
There it was.
The truth she'd been avoiding, dancing around, refusing to acknowledge.
Raven was never going to stay.
"Right," Annabelle said, her voice tight. "Of course. I knew that. Obviously."
"Annabelle…"
"No, it's fine. You never promised me anything different." She stood up, suddenly desperate for space, for air, for something. "You've been very clear about that from the beginning."
"I'm not saying I'm leaving right now."
"But you will. Eventually." Annabelle wrapped her arms around herself. "You'll finish your album or the press will get tooannoying or you'll just get bored, and then you'll leave. Back to London or LA or wherever rockstars go."
"That's not—"
"It's fine," Annabelle said again, forcing brightness into her voice even as her chest felt like it was caving in. "Really. I understand. This was always temporary. I just… I forgot that for a bit. My mistake."
She moved toward the door, but Raven caught her wrist.
"Don't do that," Raven said quietly. "Don't smile and pretend everything's fine when it's not."
"I'm not pretending. Everythingisfine."
"Annabelle…"
