Page 61 of Dark Room Junkie

“No, I don’t have reception there.”

This time, Tom laughed out loud. “Well, this is new. You’re usually not nervous.”

“There’s nothing wrong with playing bass. No one pays attention to the bassist. Everyone’s eyes are on the singer. How do you manage?”

“No idea. I just do it.”

I nervously nibbled on my fingernails, something I never did before.

“You’ll be fine, Noé. Just try to have fun.”

“It would be much easier if you were here.”

He laughed again. “Where’s that coming from all of a sudden?”

“No idea,” I said, although I knew very well. We had been playing together for two years now. I had never played a concert without Tom before. And just now, at my first one, he wasn’t there. Plus, what happened with Alex last night still hung over me like a snarling monster, and it was impossible to ignore the heavy feeling pressing on me from all sides. It squeezed my lungs and made even breathing a struggle.

Unfortunately, Tom had a knack for these things and sensed through the phone that something was up. “We didn’t have a chance to speak yesterday evening at rehearsal ... Did you talk to Alex?”

I grimaced and anxiously paced in circles. “There’s nothing to talk about,” I said as monotone as I could. “It’s in the past. Done.”

“Oh ... and why?”

I shook my head. “Just because.”

“Okay.” In the background, I heard a door open and Mia’s voice. “I’ll be right there,” Tom said, followed by another door closing. “Is he using?” he whispered.

“Mhmm,” I managed. The weight on my chest became even heavier. A pain stirred inside me that somehow felt foreign.

“I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to be,” I said, swallowing the lump in my throat. “There was nothing there.”

“Hmm,” he said thoughtfully, sounding far from convinced.

I rolled my eyes. “Forget it. What are you guys doing tonight?”

“We’re going out to eat. To her favorite restaurant.”

“Nice, then give her my congratulations.”

“I will.” I spotted Marco at the entrance, and as soon as he saw me, he headed toward my direction. “I have to go,” I said, turning my back to Marco.

“Have fun!”

“Thanks, you too.” I hung up and took a deep breath.

“What are you doing here?” Marco asked, rubbing his muscular arms against the cold.

I held up my phone in response.

“Don’t tell me you have stage fright. I thought you were on stage every Friday.”

“Not helpful,” I grumbled, pushing my hair back.

“We’re about to start in about fifteen minutes. Is that okay?”

I nodded, noticing a heavy lump in my stomach this time.Was it there earlier too?I barely ate anything today. “I’ll be there,” I managed to say. “Just need to find a place to warm up my voice.”

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