Page 27 of Omega Rock

“Fuck that.” I stand up. “I’m not going to let you worry what they think while we’re creatingthisband. Besides.” I whip out my phone and open up a streaming app. “I can fill the venue.”

Noah shoots me a look. “Can you now?”

I look at him over the top of my phone. “Three million views. How many can Sound House hold?”

“Four thousand eight hundred,” Noah replies, then shakes his head. “On with it, then.”

“What? Thirty-three year old rock stars afraid of a little social media?” I ask in a sing-song voice.

Aiden’s gaze rakes me over from head to toe. “Can youhandlea crowd that size?”

I don’t think he means it to come across as cold as it does, but I still think,touché.

I hit “Go Live” and stuff down my momentary irritation. “Guess we’ll find out.”

It doesn’t take long for my followers to flood into the live stream. I greet them and gloss over all the questions about Exit Fate as they pour in. Someone really let the cat out of the bag, didn’t they?

When I’ve hit about twenty-thousand viewers, I start walking toward my new bandmates. “Well, since so many of you are asking about Exit Fate, how about meeting them?”

I head to Noah first who’s looking at me a little more dryly than he really should be for someone with twenty-thousand eyes on him. “This is Noah, our bassist. He’s truly talented. Say hi, Noah.”

“Hi,” he offers in an adorably grumpy way.

I flit over to where Leo still sits at the drum set. After how long we’ve been here today he’s been massaging his shoulders best he can. “And Leo, he might be a familiar face to many. Just wait until you hear what he’s cooked up.”

Leo’s face instantly lights up with a smile fit for any PR questioning. “I think you’re really going to like it, and our lead singer, Mia, here.”

I blush a little but keep moving until I’m standing shoulder to shoulder with Aiden. I raise up the camera so he’s in view, but most of my face isn’t. “And Aiden. Iknowyou know him. Mastermind of Exit Fate, he’s leading us into a new future.”

“Hey there.” His smile is easy-going and smooth, and turns to relief as he falls out of frame.

I settle the camera back on me. “We’re really excited for what we’re doing here with Exit Fate. It’s a little too early to talk albums and singles, but we are playing tomorrow night at the Sound House. If you’re nearby, be sure to grab tickets. Okay, gotta go!”

I end the stream while chat throws money signs and hearts and ticket emojis. “Easy.”

Noah is the least convinced. “Ten minutes live on social media doesn’t equal ticket sales.”

Leo stands and sets his drumsticks on the seat he vacated. “Maybe not, but it’s something. At the end of the day this is just our first live gig. All we need to do is show up.”

“And not suck,” Noah points out.

I gesture to our setup. “We won’t. It’s not like we’re entirely fresh musicians who have never done any of this before. Half the songs we’re playing tomorrow are songs we’ve all known for years.”

“Yeah,” Noah says, “because they’re notours.”

Aiden pulls in a loud, frustrated breath. “Wes is pushing us on purpose. He believes this is possible. And Leo’s right, it’s just one show. It won’t make or break us whether we’ve been a band for four days or four years.” He glances at me. “So if your followers come fill Sound House and spread the word, then all the better.”

I point to where Aiden’s own phone has been sitting for hours, intermittently lighting up with messages and calls he’s been purposely ignoring. “Repost the live or make your own posts. You’ll get plenty involved, too. I’m more than confident there are thousands of your fans wanting to know what you’re doing next.”

Aiden winces. Those messages from Darius must have been awful. But he relents. “Everyone post as Mia directs. She’s now our social media manager along with our lead singer.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Do you want me to make us a band account, too?” Honestly, Wes should have done that day one. Or me. Granted, Iwasa little occupied at the time.

Aiden nods. “Might as well. You’re really great at it. Was never something Designation Outsider fully embraced.”

Noah starts putting his bass away. “It can be a time suck which is why I usually don’t either. But I can’t deny Mia’s got talent for it, yeah.” He doesn’t say it, but I hear,that’s how she went viral after all, somewhere in his words.

Leo checks his phone then heads to his bag and pulls out a pill case. He finds whatever he’s looking for and pops it into his mouth and swallows. “So what’s the plan? Stay here all night and practice?”

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