Page 95 of His Sound
“Back up!” Dario roars at the people in front of us. “Special and unique girl coming through!”
Somehow, they get me all the way up to the front row. It’s a more than surreal moment as the members of my favourite band step aside so I can be lifted up onto the stage. Despite how totally out of it I feel right now, I still have enough self awareness to be a bit embarrassed. I feel my cheeks burn as I think about how many people are looking at me.
The insecurity fades the second JP takes my hand to pull me up out of Patrick and Dario’s arms. In fact, the rest of the room fades away. All the noise and the lights and the faces are gone. There is only us. He pulls me close enough to bring his lips to my ear.
“Molly.”
He says my name the same as ever:Moe-LEE. I feel goose bumps form at the base of my spine.
“I have a lot to say to you, but I can’t say it here.” His breath moves the curls of hair tucked behind my ear, making them tickle my neck. “I meant everything in that speech, though. I’m ready. If you still want this, of course.”
I can’t find the air to answer him. I just bury my face in the crook between his shoulder and neck, nodding against him.
“Is that a yes?”
“Very,” I manage to murmur. “It’s very much a yes.”
We stay like that for a few seconds, until the noise of the room rushes to fill my ears again. JP wraps his fingers around my wrist and spins me around, lifting our joined hands up in front of the crowd.
“Everyone,” he says into the mic, “this is Molly.”
They shout my name back at us, the room a writhing sea of clapping hands. I hear Ace call out, “You’re sexy!” again, and I don’t think this moment could get any more unbelievable, or any more perfect.
“She made the cover for my EP,” JP continues. “She’s also, uh, hopefully going to agree to be my girlfriend very soon.”
The audience cheers again, and Matt leans forward onto the stage to shout, “Kiss her already!”
I look at JP. He looks at me.
Then he does the sassiest mic drop ever and pulls me into his arms. His lips find mine, and it feels like coming home.
We don’t even make it until eleven at the bar. After finishing one of the most impressive sets I’ve ever witnessed, JP makes the obligatory rounds through the room as the place turns into a massive dance party. Everyone makes it their mission to slap him on the back or offer to buy him a drink.
I get my fair share of back slaps and drink offers, too.
We’re quiet, though. JP bypasses his usual dance floor antics and stays near the edge of the room, with me tucked under his arm the whole time. We don’t need shots or crazy break dancing to celebrate; just being near each other is a quiet kind of triumph, the sort that doesn’t need to be proclaimed or commemorated—just felt deep inside you, a sharp heat in your chest like swallowing a star.
After we say goodbye to the few necessary people and slip outside the bar, we walk for blocks and blocks in the snow-covered city. The cold can’t touch us. I don’t even take out my gloves.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I blurt, when we’ve been trudging along in silence for a few moments.
He pauses under a streetlight, hands tapping against his thighs before he clenches his fists and holds them still.
“I should have done it sooner.” He sucks in a breath, like the admission pains him. “I could have saved us so much trouble. I could have stopped myself from hurting you, and Molly, Ineverwanted to hurt you, but...but is it weird to say I’m glad it took me this long?”
He shakes his head as I wait for him to continue.
“I needed to sort my shit out. I needed to realize how much I had to lose. I talked to my dad, you know? I wouldn’t have been brave enough to do that if I didn’t think I was losing you. Things aren’t...perfect with him, but they’re better.I’mbetter. I feel so fucking light, Molly. I didn’t know how heavy this was. I told the guys about i—about my ADHD, and you know what? They didn’t care. All they did was ask me if there was any way they could help, and I realized how stupid I had been about the whole thing. Somehow, I thought my best friends were going to look at me different. I thoughtyouwere—”
“JP!” I can’t stop myself from interrupting when I see his eyes start to get shiny. My own tears are already sliding down my cheeks.
I step forwards and throw my arms around his neck.
“I was scared.” His voice is a hoarse whisper. “I was scared I wasn’t enough. That’s why I didn’t talk to you before tonight. I wanted to prove I was ready.”
“You’re enough.” I press my lips to the corner of his mouth. “You’re more than enough. You always have been. You believe that, right?”
He hesitates, but eventually his hands find my waist as he nods.
