Rellik(21)

“I fucking know that,” I snapped, stepping forward until my chest hit his.

“Then leave her alone. She’s safe. Walk away.”

“She needed me.”

“We need you.” He shook his head, worry in his eyes. “And that girl wouldn’t step anywhere near you if she knew about your past.”

“Good thing no one is going to tell her.”

After I’d lost Katie, something inside of me had snapped and crumbled. My obsession with her was like an addict chasing his next high. But nothing compared to that first time. It would never be enough. No one was able to compare to the girl with sad eyes and dirty hair who stole my heart and took it to her grave. I wanted to claw my way to her and become suffocated by her embrace.

Shoving by Phantom, I climbed the steps leading on to the stage. I adjusted the height of my mic stand in front of the crowd as some danced and mingled, while others sipped drinks from their tables. Hangman took a seat behind his drums. Phantom, our bassist, stood to my right, and Trigger, our main guitarist, was on my left. We decided to start things off with a cover of “Animal I Have Become” by Three Days Grace. It was a fitting song for all the old emotions brought to the forefront tonight. I pulled my bloodstained shirt over my head and tossed it on the ground behind me as I slipped my guitar strap over my head.

As I finished the first song, the lights flashed around us, causing the crowd to cheer. Girls swarmed the stage with plastic cups in hand. It wasn’t a big venue, but it was one of the larger crowds that we had played to recently. My eyes sought out Ella, and I found her behind the bar talking to a few patrons as she filled their drinks. I tried to ignore her, needing to clear my head. Being back in Orlando was hard enough on me. Phantom was right, but it didn’t matter.

How could you disappear? Left swinging so low.

Confirming my darkest fears. Now I’m singing solo.

The song ended, and we played into our next cover by Three Days Grace song, “Pain.” I tapped my foot to the beat and gripped the mic with both hands as I sang, Trigger and Hangman singing backup. I made eye contact with various women, but the only one I had on my mind was Ella, which brought me back to Katie. I closed my eyes and sang through the tightening of my chest.

* *

“My stepdad wants to sue you for medical expenses.”

“Your stepdad is an asshole.” I paced in front of Katie as she stood a few feet away, illuminated by the moon that filtered through the trees. I wanted to rush over to her and pull her against me, but after what I had done to her stepbrother, I didn’t know if she wanted me to. I didn’t know if her feelings for me had changed. The idea of being without her terrified me. She had helped me through the loss of my dad, and if it weren’t for her, I’d lose my mind.

“Has Bryce fucked with you?”

“He barely says a word to me, but I know he knows why you did it.”

“Good. I’m glad he knows. That motherfucker better not put his hands on you again.”

She sighed heavily as she walked slowly toward me, sadness in her eyes. I knew she wanted to say something about my swearing, like she always did, but she said nothing. I wanted her to scold me, to tell me she didn’t like it. At least then I would know she still cared.

“What is it?”

“My stepdad called the principal and talked to Mr. Thomas. He wants to change my classes so I’m not anywhere near you.” She stopped in front of me as she looked at the ground between us.

I pulled her against my chest as I stared up at the moon through the trees. My arms tightened. I hated having to sneak out to meet her. If she got caught, she would get in a lot of trouble, but I couldn’t stay away from her. Katie and I were meant to be together. No one was going to stop that.

“I’ll talk to Mr. Thomas. He won’t let that happen. I’ll fix it for us.”

“Bryce told them he saw you flirting with me, and he told you to leave me alone, and that’s why you attacked him. He said he was going to tell my mom about us if I didn’t stay away from you.” She pulled back from my embrace to look at me, and it killed me to see her so sad.

“Katie, you have to tell them the truth. At least tell your mom. She’ll understand.”

“After what you did to Bryce? They wanted to press charges. They want to send me to live with my dad in Charlotte. I don’t want to go.”

It was selfish of me to be happy she didn’t want to be away from me, but I didn’t trust Bryce to leave her alone. The guy was a first-class asshole. The only reason anyone tolerated him was because he was the best player they had on the football team.

“I won’t let that happen, Katie.”