Page 133 of Starstruck
Lennon stares at the ring in awe, full on sobbing now. “You don’t even have to ask,” she says with a nod, a smile forming wide across her face.
My smile mirrors hers as I stand, slipping the ring out of the box and onto her finger. As soon as it’s secure, she reaches up on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around my neck, pulling my face down to meet her lips. Our tongues tangle together in a dance as I move toward the couch, pulling her to my lap as I sit.
“Do you like the ring?” I ask, breaking the kiss.
She moves to sit next to me, her head resting against my chest as she holds it up again, the red stone glimmering when it catches the light. “Are you kidding? I’ve always dreamed of wearing this ring. Are you sure Paige is okay with me having it?”
I nod. “It was her idea.”
She grins up at me before looking back at it. We sit in comfortable silence for a moment, our fingers tangled together, and I realizethis, right here, is all I could ask for in life.
If this album flops, if I never sell another concert ticket, if none of my dreams ever come true again—I know I’ll be okay.
Because Lennon is everything I’ve always needed but didn’t know I wanted. The dream I never even knew I had.
And as long as I have her, I will always be okay.
“It’s you and me against the world, Lenny girl,” I whisper, pressing a soft kiss to her head. “Always.”
She glances at me with a soft look in her eyes, smiling. Reaching up, she places her hand on my cheek, and presses a gentle kiss to my lips.
“And forever.”
PEACE OF MIND
EPILOGUE
Ten Months Later
August
“I DON’T WANT TO BE” BY GAVIN DEGRAW
“Are you ready, Lenny girl?” Baxter asks from where we wait at the side of the stage.
It’s the second annual No Strings Attached benefit concert for MADD in honour of my parents, and this year is already shaping up to be more successful than last. I secured a venue with a bigger capacity due to how in-demand the tickets were this year, and I upped the prices by about fifty dollars a piece. Meaning that from ticket sales alone, we’ve already beat my five-million-dollar goal from last year.
Which is insane. And amazing. And terrifying.
Because this year, I’m performing too.
But not just one or two songs. It was one thing to spontaneously go on for those two songs last year, because I had no time to be scared. This year though, I’m doing a full, hour-and-a-half-long set and I’ve had months of build-up, knowing that I could very well make a complete fool of myself tonight. Baxter’s performing with me, but even knowing he’ll be out there, too, doesn’t alleviate any of the current fear coursing through me.
Nerves wrack my body as I continue to fiddle with my mom’s locket around my neck. I pull my lower lip between my teeth as I shake my head.
“I think I’m going to be sick,” I confess, unable to tear my eyes from where Isa is wrapping up her set.
That means we’re next.
“Why did I let you talk me into this?” I mutter, more to myself than to him.
Baxter chuckles softly and wraps his arms around me, pressing a kiss to my temple.
“You’re going to be incredible, Trouble. And I’ll be with you every step of the way.”
I exhale shakily, nodding along as he speaks. It was his idea for me to join him onstage, and in the moment, I was all for it.
Now, I’m having serious second thoughts.
