Page 29 of Heart Break Her

Megan smiles at Merry, and I realize she isn’t all cold. Just toward me.

“And finally,” Merry drops into a seat beside a woman with neon pink hair and tattoos that appear to cover her whole body, “this is Quinn. She handles social media.”

I’m scared to know the things Quinn has seen in the past twenty-four hours. I spent five minutes on Instagram before deleting every social media app off my phone. But I’m thankful she seems to reserve judgment, at least outwardly, offering me a nod of understanding.

Merry shows me to my bunk, directly above hers, and I get my things settled as we hit the road. I should probably socialize and get to know the girls, but I’ve been awake for a full day now, and with the motion of the road, I can barely keep my eyes open.

Lying down, I check my phone one last time before closing my eyes.

Mom:Be safe.

Two words carrying the weight of the world in them. After everything my parents went through losing Myth, the last thing they need is me causing more stress. And the last place they probably want me is on tour, worried I’ll never come back.

Just like he did.

But I’ve made my bed, now it’s time I lie in it. So I close my eyes and beg for some rest.

I’m not sure how long I sleep, but it’s light when I close my eyes and dark when I open them. Time doesn’t seem to exist on the road. Our driver gives us a heads up that we’re almost in Tampa, where we’ll be spending the next few days.

Most of the girls are in their bunks, but Quinn has her laptop, tablet, and phone spread out on the table when I make my way to the front of the bus. She’s cutting videos for TikTok and working on social media posts.

“May I?” I point to the other bench seat. She gives me a nod, so I sit down with my coffee, watching the road fly by out the window.

“How are you doing?” Quinn asks, not looking up from her laptop. Her pink hair is in a ponytail, showing off her dark roots that draw a halo around her forehead.

“Been better.” I could lie, but she doesn’t strike me as someone I need to bullshit with. “I’m staying offline.”

“Good.” Her cat eyes flick up to me and pinch ever so slightly, making me wonder what terrible things she’s seen that I’m missing.

Don’t ask, you don’t want to know.

“I like the hair,” she says with a smile that settles me down a bit.

I twirl the tip around my finger. “Pink ladies.” I smile, looking at her ponytail, and she nods.

“So, you’re Merry’s friend then,” Quinn says. “That’s how you…”

She stops herself, but there are a number of ways I could finish her sentence.

Met Sebastian.

Screwed around with Sebastian.

Stepped in this pile of shit.

“Yeah, we met in college before she dropped out to tour with the band. She got me a ticket to their show as a graduation present. And, well, you know how that went. Everyone knows…” I take a sip of coffee and wish I could drown myself in it, so I change the subject. “How long have you worked for the band?”

“A couple years now,” she says with a brightness in her eyes that tells me she enjoys her job.

“Years, wow, I don’t know if I could survive this life that long.”

Quinn laughs with a knowing nod.

“I’m not sure how Merry does it,” I say. “Or my brother—well, how hedidit, anyway.”

“Who’s your brother?”

“Myth. Maybe you knew him? He was a roadie for the band from the early days, but it’s been a year…” I stop and take a sip of coffee, unable to finish my sentence. And when I look back up at her, I realize the color has rushed from her cheeks.

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