Page 18 of Forever and Ever

I bring the water into the bathroom and dig into the bottom of my purse for my meds, pulling out the handful for today. As I swallow them down, I stare at myself in the mirror and let the morning sink in. The buzzing from the tattoo needle still vibrates through my skin. Eyes heavy from lack of sleep.

If I’m going to make it through tonight’s show, I’m going to need to start chugging some caffeine.

Cassie, one of my best girlfriends, is flying in, so skipping it is not an option. Sebastian is surprising her with a song he wrote about her, so it’s my job to keep her distracted. I need to be on my game.

Who would have thought when I started working with the band that Sebastian would be the first of them to settle down. Apparently, all it took was one pink-haired friend of mine.

When I leave the bathroom to rejoin Noah and Blaze, they’re sitting on the couches in the hotel room with the new Enemy Muse album blaring.

“Aww, listening to your own music. Cute.” I sit on the couch beside Noah. “Your ego knows no bounds.”

Noah tips his head back and laughs. “It was all Blaze, I swear.”

“I’m sure it was.” I pat him on the thigh.

“Here.” He reaches over and grabs a baggie from the coffee table and hands it to me. “Eat something so you don’t pass out from low blood sugar.”

“Yes, dad,” I tell him with a salute, taking the baggie from his hand. “How much longer do you think we’ve got? Don’t you have to head to sound check soon?”

“I’ll be done in the next hour,” Noah says. “Sound check isn’t until four.”

I grab a handful of Froot Loops and sort them in my palm by color, eating them in the order of the rainbow just like I did when I was a kid.

“Is that dry cereal?” Blaze asks, lighting up a cigarette and bringing it to his lips.

Noah pokes me in the side. “Yes, she’s insane. She doesn’t drink milk.”

It catches me off guard how Noah remembers that. How he seems to pick up everything about me, even at times when I don’t realize he’s paying attention.

“Because it’s gross,” I frown.

“Whatever you say.” Blaze shakes his head, letting the smoke curl out from his lips with a laugh. “So Merry, when are you gonna let me take you out?”

“Out? As in, a date?”

“Can’t turn me down forever.”

I don’t miss that Noah laughs under his breath at the comment, taking another big drink of water.

“We’re out right now.” I pop a Froot Loop into my mouth and try to avoid the question.

“This is far from me wining and dining you, honey,” Blaze says, leaning his elbows on his knees. “I want a real date.”

Blaze smiles as I shake my head. He’s an objectively attractive guy. Wavy, thick hair and killer emerald eyes. He’s tall, built, and his dark skin is covered in ink. If he weren’t so close with Noah, I wouldn’t mind working out some of my sexual tension with him. But even if I’m horny as fuck and haven’t screwed anyone in a couple of weeks, Blaze is really close with Noah, and I don’t like messing around with friends of friends.

It gets messy. And I don’t do messy.

“Sorry babe, I don’t date.” I pop another Froot Loop in my mouth.

Blaze’s eyes skim me up and down, and I almost think he’s going to proposition for a lot less, but his gaze moves to Noah, and whatever expression he gets in response makes him shut his mouth.

“Got it.” Blaze leans back and takes a long drag of his cigarette.

Noah stands up and his eyes slide in my direction. “You ready to get back to it, or do you need a few more minutes?”

Blaze’s gaze moves between us with a look I know too well because I see it all the time. People wondering what’s going on with Noah and me. Not believing when I say it’s just friends being friends. Heaven forbid a man and woman hang out and not fuck each other.

“Ready.” I hop up.

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