Page 58 of The Comeback

"Ab, stop making side plans. We're going to clinch it. Untouchable."

"Already the arrogant rock star are you? Come on keep an open mind. Listen."

He sighs. "Of course I'll listen. Go ahead."

Got this. I flex my fingers and sing a brief warm up that he joins in on, always happy to use his vocal chords."

I finish and hold up a hand to quiet him, grabbing his guitar, since I didn't bring mine. The piano may be my best instrument, but I love writing music, strumming the strings."

He starts bobbing his head as I launch into the song. We both know the melody by heart after all the work we've put into it. The words are powerful, traveling through me as if they're writing me not the other way around.

He's into it, excitement painted all over his face when I get to the change up. The song softens, there's a haunting tone behind the new words and the song goes from optimistic to tragic in a heartbeat. Love shattering like glass, crumbling in its delicacy. Unable to withstand the forces of the real world. Heartbreak bleeds from them, and the burning is back behind my eyes. I can't cry in front of Dax though. I got my tears out last night in front of my sleepy drunken audience. This is the trial run to make sure I can handle singing it without absolutely losing myself. Or whatever will be left of myself after this year.

I hold it together until the end, until that last note reverberates through the small room.

"Oh, Abby." Sorrow darkens his bright blue eyes and there's a hitn of an unshed tear glistening in the depths. "What did he do?"

What. Reality comes crashing back. "What are you talking about?"

"This is about him. Sebastian." He spits the name out through gritted teeth. "I'm going to find him and I'm going to kill him. Idiot jock or not."

"Dax, stop. It wasn't him. I did it. I broke it off." I broke my heart is what I mean but would never say to him.

"You did? But why? What did he do?"

"Nothing. it's just not going to work out, so I tethered ties now. Class is over. I'm pretty sure I can handle this exhibition, so that's it we're down." The tear I managed to keep in through the song seeps out and i give it an angry swipe.

"Oh, Ab. I'm sorry." He pulls me into a hug burying his face in my head, and my shoulders shake. I can't control it now that I'm in his comforting arms."

"It's fine." I'm trying to reassure him between silent sobs, because he seems upset too.

"It's not fine, but I'm here for you. I'm always here for you. You know that, right? And if you’re ever ready to…"

"What about the song?" I jump in. Maybe I’m a coward, but I don’t want to hear the words. I love Dax so much. As a friend. And if he wants more than that, and I can’t give it to him. I can’t. I just can’t break his heart the way I’ve broken my own.

"It's beautiful. I have a tweak or two to suggest, but it's great. We can sing that one. Why don't we have a break. you can sing the rest to me later."

I nod against his chest. "Ok."

There's pain radiating from both of us, but that's good, right? Pain is the mother of creativity. It helps you grow and expand and make better art. I guess I'll embrace it and appreciate it for what it is. Inspiration. Bastian is my dark muse.

Chapter 44

Sebastian

Theremoteslipsfrommy finger as Ari snatches it out of my hands and I lunge for her. She jumps up laughing and running off. “Lot of good that's going to do you in the kitchen!" I yell after my sister, settling back onto the couch and opening up the remote for the smart tv on my phone. I switch it back from whatever terrible Christmas movie she was forcing me to watch to The Hobbit.

The screen goes black, and I groan as she comes back wielding the controller. "I'm your guest. I get to watch what I want or nothing at all. Plus you can't say no to your little sis. You're the one who begged me to come here."

She's right. I did. I couldn't handle how empty the house felt over the Christmas holidays with all the guys gone. My family lives close, but I'd rather be lonely here than lonely and uncomfortable in that mausoleum. The only thing that dragged me there for an awkward dinner where Larry told me how shitty I played in my last game. Spoiler alert. One goal and an assist isn't good enough for that prick. I couldn't leave Ari to suffer there by herself though.

"Fine. We can watch the rich investment banker fall for the dog walker, or balloon artist even though she refuses to move to the city."

"He's an architect, and she brings happiness to his life like he's never experienced."

"Yes but what kind of relationship is that? He has to go move to that rinky dink town and abandon his job, because she refuses to leave that shitty place?

"You have no sense of romance. He's not passionate about the job. He actually wants to be a carpenter. Besides what do you know about romance." Her eyes widen and she stops laughing when she sees my face. "Sebastian Jonas Fleet, are you in love?" She bounces in her seat and drops the remote to clap her hands with a squeal. "Tell me about her."

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