Page 38 of Sixty Days Of Summer

“Yeah, I’d love to, but I need to handle this shit with Jack first,” Walter says, looking annoyed.

“No problem,” Xander replies with a nod, his gaze locked on Walter as he strides off the stage.

Once Walter’s out of sight, Xander turns to us, his brow furrowing. “What the fuck just happened?”

Theo doesn’t miss a beat, shaking his head in disbelief. “That dumbass was hitting on Scarlet.”

Eager to shake off all the bullshit, Scarlet strides through the group toward the drum set. I follow her, making my way to the side of the stage where Kit keeps my guitar. But in the back of my mind, I’m already plotting. Once I get that prick alone, I’m going to lay it all out—make it crystal fucking clear what’ll happen if he pulls that crap with Scarlet again. It’s going to be a long conversation, and I guarantee he won’t enjoy a single damn second of it.

I open my guitar case, the familiar velvet lining brushing against my fingers as I lift out my instrument.

"Alright, watch and learn how a real guitarist plays, old man," Theo quips, flashing his signature cocky grin as he grabs his bass.

“Old man? I’m only three months older than you, dickhead,” I shoot back, slipping the strap over my shoulder.

“Whatever, Grandpa. Let’s see if you can still play without breaking a hip,” Theo teases, plucking a string on his guitar with a smirk.

"Ha," I chuckle, shaking my head. "Keep dreaming, kid. I'll show you how it's really done. But don’t worry, I’ll try not to embarrass you too much," I say, flashing him a smirk as I strum a few notes to warm up.

"You two dickheads finished with your bullshit?" Xander says, effectively ending our conversation.

Theo and I glance over at Xander standing at the mic, while Scarlet sits behind the drums, her drumsticks raised and ready. I catch the same nervous energy lingering around her that I noticed back in the green room—like she's still fighting to steady herself.

The sound crew waits, clearly eager to get things rolling as Theo and I rush to our spots, plugging in our guitars. I give the signal, counting us in. But it doesn’t take long for me to notice Scarlet stumbling over a few drumbeats. Even though she’s clearly focused, the pressure is getting to her. As she misses another beat, I see Theo and Xander share worried glances. She’s not the same relaxed pro she was in the studio yesterday, where she nailed every track without a hitch. Today, tension’s eating at her, and if she doesn’t pull it together, tonight’s performance could be a disaster for all of us.

As the first song wraps up, Theo raises his hand. “Hold on for a sec,” he calls, walking over to Scarlet. Xander and I share a knowing glance—we both know what’s at stake if she can’t pull it together. The media will jump on her like vultures, turning the narrative from Nate’s talented sister to someone who just can’t perform on stage. And that’s bullshit, because I know how damn good she is. I watch Theo give her a quick, supportive hug—like a big brother reassuring her—before heading back to his spot. He shoots me a nod, signaling that he’s ready to dive into the next song.

The next two songs go off without a hitch, the band finding their groove. Meanwhile, I catch Walter’s band lingering on thesidelines, observing us play. They’re casually leaning against the stage wall. But Jack? He’s got his eyes glued to Scarlet, practically salivating like a fucking creep. I grit my teeth, stealing a quick glance at her, wondering if she has noticed my discomfort, but her attention remains fixated on the music, locked into her performance like a pro. I shift my gaze to Theo, and as soon as we make eye contact, he gives me a subtle nod, silently acknowledging that the dickhead is still hovering, biding his time.

By the time we finish playing, Scarlet seems to have chilled out after that shaky start. Xander strolls over to her with a grin. “Nice job, Scarlet,” he says, his tone softer than usual. “It was a bit rough at first, but you pulled through. Just make sure that shit doesn’t happen tonight, alright?”

Then he turns to Theo and me with a smirk. “Good job, assholes,” he adds. “I think we’re good to go.” He shifts back to Scarlet, who’s gulping down her water. “Unless there’s something you want to go over, Scarlet?”

“No, I’m good,” she replies, a bit of relief creeping into her voice. “I’m sorry about the first track. I just need to get these damn nerves under control, that’s all.”

After I’ve stowed my guitar back in its case, I spot Xander lingering nearby, clearly waiting for me. Theo and Scarlet have already made their way off the stage, heading toward the green room. Walter’s band must've headed down there too because they're nowhere to be seen.

Xander gives me a sidelong glance. “You think it’ll go alright tonight? You know what’s at stake, Ace.”

“Yeah, I know. It’ll be fine,” I reply, trying to sound more confident than I feel. I’m sweating bullets inside, worried it might all go to shit. “She’ll get it. It’s just the pressure messing with her head. When the time comes, she’ll nail it.” I’m saying it more for Xander than for myself, trying to ease his worry. I’vealways been the one to help him keep his cool, just like I did back when his old man was causing all that chaos.

He nods, and as we turn to the side of the stage, we catch sight of Kit. She greets us with a warm smile as we approach.

“If you guys want to grab a drink with Walter’s band before you head out, there’s some cold beer in the green room,” she says.

“Thanks, Kit,” I reply, nodding at her. A cold beer sounds perfect right now. I continue toward the green room, while Kit starts chatting with Xander about Alex. I head off on my own, eager to grab that beer and check in with Scarlet. She needs to shake off whatever’s messing with her head. We need her focused tonight—the pressure is on, and this performance has to be flawless.

As soon as I step into the green room, I spot Scarlet sitting with a cold beer in hand, chatting with the other girl from Walter’s band. Theo is off to the side, engrossed in conversation with the other guy from their band. My focus narrows in on the prick who was hitting on Scarlet earlier—he’s sprawled on the couch, deep in discussion with Walter. They look way too relaxed, casually passing the time, just like Xander and I usually do.

With a cold beer in hand, I reach for the last of the M&M’s from the bowl before settling onto an empty couch. I plop down, my eyes scanning the scene while I attempt to rid myself of the tension that’s been gnawing at me.

Jack glances my way. “Hey, man, sorry about earlier,” he says, his voice low as the room falls silent. Then, shifting his gaze to Scarlet, he adds, “I’m really sorry for what happened out there. It won’t happen again, I swear.”

He gets up from the couch and walks over to Theo, extending his hand for a shake. Theo takes it, giving Jack a firm grip that clearly says he’s not taking any bullshit. When Jackmoves over to me, I grab his hand with a solid squeeze, making it crystal fucking clear that if he tries anything with Scarlet again, there’ll be serious consequences.

After a brief pause, I release my grip, and Jack makes his way towards Scarlet. This time, as he shakes her hand, his eyes remain fixed on her face, not daring to glance downwards. Once he’s done, he returns to his spot next to Walter, the room’s tension slightly easing, but not enough to make me lower my guard.

“I just want to thank you guys for this opportunity,” Jack says. “I was out of line, and I want to apologize.”

---