~CC’s POV~
You know how you’re hanging out with your friend in the mall and some overly charismatic slightly older dude in a suit approaches you, and you’re thinking he’s probably going to ask you where the watch store is but instead he speaks only to your friend and gives him a business card with a code and a website telling you to apply as a Brand Model for their store? Then later when you’re laughing about it you and your friend go to the website and apply for the job but neither of you gets a callback so you just kind of laugh it off?

That’s how I’m going to explain this to Amelia.

Andy applied to study business at Emily’s university and I followed suit without really expecting a response. I gained conditional acceptance into the program pending a higher math grade, but the more I think about going on an educational adventure the more I laugh it off with Andy. Still, part of me really wants to just play drums for a living. Amelia doesn’t really like this city anyway relocating to a prime spot on the tornado belt would work out best for both of us.


~Jinxx’s POV~
I was onstage but the show was going roughly. I wasn’t feeling it after a dark glass beer bottle literally sailed past my head and flew over Scott’s. My curiosity piqued when my phone began pinging notifications and lead me to a dark corner of the stage where I found myself confused. There were a series of comments on Olivia’s recent post, a picture of an ultrasound with a million hashtags, one of them by Andy’s girlfriend who’d tagged me along with the words, ‘so happy for you guys’.

I replied with, ‘Congrats #notmine’ and an eyeroll emoji.

Olivia wrote next, ‘He wishes’ followed by hashtag Not The Father.

An argument of replies ensued which lead to a DM from Emily asking me if I was absolutely sure I wasn’t Olivia’s baby’s father. Not wanting to involve myself in another hashtag war but still having a heart I replied only with my phone number and a time to call.

The rest of the show was a blur and while clear cups of foamy beer flew around backstage I plugged my ear with one hand and pressed the other to my phone. “Hi? I’m sory. Is this Jinxx? I’m sorry to do this to you but I’m freaking out.”

“I understand.” I tried to sound calming. Instead I sounded like I was yelling and I’m pretty sure that’s what made her start crying. “Have you talked to Andy?” I tried.

“Dude!” Scott burst through the door. “If you don’t drink this, you can walk to the next show.”

Beer spilled on my shirt, and I downed half a solo cup before realizing it was straight rye. Now on fire and surrounded by noise, I momentarily forgot I was on the phone.

“I’m going to your show tomorrow with my friend Ashley.” Emily said.

“You’re coming to our show?” I sounded more frightened than I should have.

“I can barely hear you, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” She replied as the call began to break up.

“Why?” I said.

“Okay? Bye.” She replied.

“No, I said why? I don’t want to talk about Olivia.” I tried but she’d already ended the call and I was left speaking to a dark screen.

“Olivia? Drink up! Forget about her!” Scott’s bass playing mitten of a hand landed in the center of my back and made me choke down the rest of the rye.

I could’ve stopped drinking.

I could’ve told myself that this was exactly how it happened with Olivia.

Maybe if you drink fast enough you knock the angel off your shoulder.

The next few hours were a blur, I don’t even remember the road trip. What I do recall vividly is my eyes opening to the darkness of the van, a deafening ringing in my ears and hearing Casey shouting, “Wake him up for us! Punch him in the face!”

I heard a quiet knock on the window and shut my eyes again.

The door opened a minute later and Casey shouted, “A ten with red hair’s been asking for you since we got here.” He punched my shoulder, stuck out his tongue and left as I sat up.

“Not now.” I shook my head, dizzy.

“I’m Emily.” She said from the door of the van. “Is this a bad time?”

“Ha!” I began to laugh but stopped myself. “There’s never a good time when it involves Olivia.” Laughing again, I smirked. “Well. There were some good times.” I felt my face redden.

“Okay.” She said quietly and sighed. We sat in awkward silence.

“I don’t feel good.” Gravity pushed me to lie down on the seat again.

“Do you want me to get you some water?” Emily asked with concern.

“She left me suitcases full of rocks.” I burst out angrily, my face pressed into the seat and the smell of rye beginning to sneak up on me. I remembered I had a bottle stashed in my boot, sat up and opened it.

“Hey.” Emily moved to the seat in front of me and placed her hand over mine. “Why don’t you let me hang onto that?”

I let her take the bottle and rested my head in my hands. “I’m not sure where to start.”

“How much time do you have?” Emily replied.

“We’re here for the night.” I looked at the back of the van to see the trailer open, most of the gear had been moved inside already.

“You can stay at my place.” Emily smiled warmly.

“Thank you.” I said with surprise. “You seem like a nice person, how’d you end up with Andy?”

She laughed for a moment and took a long drink of rye from the bottle. “I’ve been asking myself that for hours.”

“How much time do you have?” I teased.

“I’ll be here all night.” She joked.

Notes