Page 24 of Sixty Days Of Summer

At first, it felt like a weight off my shoulders—like maybe we could actually pull this off without the constant scrutiny of the press. But if I’m being real, I’m worried as hell. Expecting someone to learn our entire set list and perfect it within two weeks—that’s a fucking big demand. Xander and I are on edge—not because we doubt her talent, but because the tight deadline and the level of commitment required have us questioning everything. Does she possess the determination to make this a reality?

While Theo instructs Scarlet on a few additional beats of one of our latest songs, I set my guitar down and reach for a refreshing bottle of water before making my way towards Xander. Just as I’m about to close the door, I catch a sequence of beats that, if I didn’t know any better, could’ve come straight from Nate.

I shut the door, silencing the noise, and settle into the seat beside Xander, who’s closely observing through the glass window.

“What’s your take on it?” I ask, twisting off the bottle cap and taking a swig.

“She’s pretty solid. There are definitely some similarities between her and Nate. I get what Theo was on about.”

“Yeah, I was thinking the same,” I reply, unable to tear my eyes away from Scarlet as she loses herself in her drumming.

Seeing her like this, fully immersed in her element, strikes a chord deep within me. I notice the intensity on her face, the tight grip she has on the drumsticks, and her long blonde hair twisted messily into a knot on top of her head. Shifting effortlessly from drum to drum, she finds her rhythm and syncs up with Theo.Her tattooed arms are a blur of motion, perfectly synchronizing with the rhythm of our music. It’s clear that she’s giving her all to it.

Xander leans forward, his hand moving as he slides a switch to amplify the sound. Right away, it’s clear she’s nailing it with Theo’s guidance.

“Do you think this could actually work?” I ask, as they come to a stop. Theo eagerly shows her the next part of the music.

"She's got fucking talent, I'll give her that," Xander replies, nodding.

“But you’re still not fully convinced,” I add, my eyes fixed on her and Theo.

“Not quite there yet,” he replies, his eyes still fixed on the scene unfolding outside the window. The tension hangs in the air, a silent reminder of the weight of this decision.

As Scarlet and Theo run through the beat again, I push off my seat and make my way back, grabbing my guitar to join in.

By the third run-through, as she finishes learning the song, a smile spreads across her face. With a rush of excitement, Theo wraps her in a warm, big brother hug, his face glowing with pride. She catches my eye, and I nod approvingly, letting her know she absolutely nailed it.

Just then, Xander enters the room. “Ready to try it with vocals?” he asks Scarlet.

“Yeah,” she replies, nodding as she sets the drumsticks aside. She wipes her hands on her shirt, leaving streaks of sweat. I can see the nerves bubbling under the surface. It’s completely understandable - she has a lot to prove to her brother’s bandmates, and that’s no small feat.

As Xander steps up to the mic, I catch Scarlet taking a few deep breaths, gripping her drumsticks tight. She shoots me a glance, and I count us in. As Xander’s voice fills the room, she hammers out our beat with precision, her energy electric. Theoand I exchange an impressed look, amazed as she flawlessly hits every beat. If I closed my eyes, I’d swear Nate was right here. If Xander still isn’t convinced after this, I’ll be right there with Theo, fully supporting Scarlet to step in for Nate.

Maybe Xander’s worried about her joining the tour because I’ve fucked her. He doesn’t need to stress over that shit; I can just lose myself in groupies when the urge hits. No problem there.

I ignore those thoughts and focus intently on nailing the chords. It’s time to get my head in the game. The next few weeks are going to be a chaotic whirlwind of activity. I’ve got the album to finish editing—it’s due out in just over a week, so I need to get my shit together. Plus, there are extra practice sessions with Scarlet to really fine-tune everything for the tour. The last thing I need right now is a fucking distraction.

As the song reaches its conclusion, I turn around to face Xander. I can tell he’s impressed by the way his smirk stretches across his face.

“Told ya she’d fucking nail it,” Theo states, a proud grin spreading across his face.

"Yeah, she fucking did," Xander remarks, shooting a quick glance my way before turning his attention back to Scarlet. "You killed it, Scarlet." He then looks over at Theo, who's standing there with a big-ass grin. "You were fucking right. She sounds just like Nate."

Scarlet exhales deeply, feeling the tension release from her shoulders as a smile slowly brightens her face.

Xander reaches for his phone, his fingers unlocking the screen. “Let’s do it one more time, and then I gotta go. Poppy and Alex are flying out today to see an old friend who looked after Alex when he was younger, and I want to hang out with them before I drop them off at the airport.”

With a quick nod from him, I start counting us in to kick off the song again.

With the final beats coming to an end, we stand there, genuinely impressed. With only a few hours of practice, Scarlet has managed to perform one of our new songs flawlessly, exceeding all expectations.

The sheer joy on her face, that infectious smile—it’s clear music runs deep in her veins, woven into her DNA, just like it is for all of us. It gives our lives meaning. I can’t help but wonder how she’s dealt with the crap of missing out on so much of her own music career, always overshadowed by Nate’s success. Fuck, I don’t think I could handle that kind of bullshit.

“Nice work, Scarlet,” Xander says, clearly impressed. He shoots me a look. “In the coming days, we’ll have to release a statement confirming that the tour is still going ahead. I’ll have Kit work on it and ask her to set something up.”

“Might be best if I just stay away,” I mutter, slipping the guitar strap over my head.

“Why?” Theo smirks. “Worried you’ll toss another camera?” He laughs. His smart-ass attitude is seriously getting on my fucking nerves. “Seeing the grumpy dickhead make a fool of himself on TV is pure fucking comedy. I love seeing the paparazzi’s reaction when you smashed their camera. It’s fucking priceless. It’s saved on my phone if you wanna see it.”

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