Page 64 of Sixty Days Of Summer

Theo’s eyes flash with anger. “Yeah, right. Until the next chick comes along and wants to suck your fucking cock. You fuck girls to escape the shit in your head, to forget the past. Scar deserves more than that, more than you. And I won't let you treat her like some damn groupie."

I take a deep breath, working to keep my cool. “You think I don’t fucking get that? I’m not here to screw around with her feelings, Theo. Sure, I’ve got a shit track record, but I’m not about to be the asshole who treats her like just another quick fuck. I know she’s got a good heart, and I’m not about to mess with that.”

Theo’s eyes narrow, his gaze sharp. “Then fucking prove it. Scar’s had enough guys mess with her, and this isn’t just about you and me—it’s about what she deserves.” His jaw tightens. “I know you’re no fucking good for her, Ace, but if you’re not gonna keep your distance, then you better fucking deliver. I need to know you’re not just another fuck-up in her life.” He looks at me, his voice low and deadly. “Because if you do, I swear to god you’ll regret it.”

Even though every part of me wants to tell the asshole to fuck off, I have to give him credit. His loyalty, that fire to protectthe people he cares about, is something I can’t just brush off—no matter how much it's pissing me off.

“I fucking warned you Ace this would happen,” Xander says coming towards us.

Theo’s eyes snap from me to Xander, betrayal written all over his face. “Wait… you knew about this? You knew what was going on between him and Scarlet?”

I can see it in Theo’s eyes—the hurt, the betrayal. Xander and Theo are close, and Theo looks like he’s just been stabbed in the back.

“Yeah, I knew,” Xander says, his voice steady despite the tension swirling around us.

Theo stands up from the couch, jaw clenched, and storms to the back of the bus without a word. I knew this was coming, everything Xander said has happened, and now here we are, knee-deep in shit. Dragging Xander into this mess was never part of the plan, and it pisses me off that it's gone this far.

“Well, that’s just fucking great,” Xander says, shooting me a sharp look. “Now everyone’s gotta deal with this shit just because you couldn’t keep your cock in your fucking pants.”

It’s been a few days since the blow-up on the bus, and the guilt’s been eating at me nonstop. I can’t stand the fact that I’ve become the wedge driving this tension within the band. Xander’s still pissed, but he’s been sending the occasional text, checking in like he always does. He knows how quickly my mind can spiral, and even though he’s angry, those small gestures tell me that we’ll find a way through this. Maybe, given enough time, we’ll figure out how to get past it all.

Theo? He’s a whole different story. The usual sarcastic asshole has gone dead silent on me—cold shoulder, side-eye, the whole damn package. And honestly, I get it. Sometimes I think he’s right. Scar deserves someone better than me, better than the mess I bring. Deep down, I know I’ll never be the guy she really needs, the one she deserves.

I can’t help but wonder if Xander went through this same shit with Poppy all those years ago. But I doubt it. He knew what love felt like because of his mother, even if it was just for a short time. Me? I’ve never had that. Never had anyone show me what love is supposed to feel like. So how the fuck am I supposed to recognize it if it’s staring me right in the face? I don’t even know if these feelings I’ve got are love. And if they are, I don’t want it. It’s screwing with my head, making me do things I wouldn’t normally do. It’s making me... soft. And I fucking hate it.

I’ve been holed up in my room for hours, feeling like I’m teetering on a tightrope. One wrong move, and everything could blow up all over again. I’m not ready to face the band, not after all the shit that’s happened. But damn, this boredom is starting to gnaw at me, and I don’t know how much longer I can take it.

Lying on the bed, I scroll through my phone, and it’s the same old shit. Headlines plastered with my mother’s face, each one, dragging me back to all the shit she put me through as a kid. Here I am, twenty-five years old, still feeling like that powerless little kid she hurt time and time again. It infuriates me that she still has that hold on me.

I toss my phone aside and stare up at the ceiling, trying to figure out what to do next. Maybe I’ll head down to the pool for a swim. Fuck, what if Theo’s down there? It already stings that he’s giving me the silent treatment. Who would’ve thought I’d actually miss that annoying dickhead and all his bullshit?

I sit up, frustration boiling over as I swing my legs over the side of the bed, my feet sinking into the plush carpet.Before everything went to shit, Xander gave me a song he was working on. Maybe I should dive into that—at least it’ll give me something to focus on, something to help me pass the time.

I get off the bed and grab a joint from my bag, lighting it up, hoping it’ll help relax me and clear my head. After I grab my guitar and go to sit down, there’s a knock at the door. With guitar in hand, I walk over and glance through the peephole to find Xander standing there.

I open the door and step back to let Xander in. He glances at the instrument in my hand and raises a brow.

"You working on that song I gave you?" he asks, stepping inside.

"Yeah," I reply, wondering why he’s here. If he's come to lecture me about all the shit that’s happened, he can turn his ass around and walk right out of here. Hell, I’ll even hold the door open for the bastard.

I walk over to the bed, toss my guitar down, and then head over to the couch, sitting beside him. His eyes follow my every move, like he’s just waiting for me to break the silence, to say something first.

“What’s up?” I ask, feeling the tension thick in the air.

I pass the joint to him, like old times, sharing it the way we used to when we’d just sit around, shoot the shit, and let all the crap in our heads float away.

He grabs the joint, taking a slow, deliberate drag, before handing it back to me. “Just haven’t seen much of you these past few days. Thought I’d check in.”

“Thought I’d keep my distance,” I reply, running my hand across the back of my neck.

“I wanted to see how you’re holding up with all the shit still going on with your mother,” he says, watching me closely, his gaze piercing through the mask I’m trying to wear.

I take a drag from the joint, exhaling slowly before answering. Despite everything that’s happened, even with him pissed at me, Xander still gives a damn about the shit I’ve been through, the demons I’m stuck fighting. He’s always been my bro, and that’s one thing I know won’t ever change.

“Everywhere I fucking look, she’s there, sprouting her shit,” I say, glancing at him. “I don’t know why she’s doing it.”

“Do you want to set the record straight?” he asks. “I know it’s hard, but it might shut her up.”

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