Page 11 of Contrition

“Estrella Flores. Casual drinker, intense fighter, your photographer for the weekend, his wife, and his sister-in-law. It’s a pleasure to meet you three. We’ll need to talk soon about your set list, any specific requests for your social media, and more. Is Sophie around? Do you three have time in the next few hours or so? Before the chaos of the festival really begins?”

“Uh…yeah, sure,” Tyler spoke. It looked like he nearly wanted to scratch his head in confusion. “You don’t seem spooked out in the slightest, ya know. I’d be shitting bricks if I were in your place right now.”

“What do you mean?”

“Working with us. Ya know. Given all your personal history and whatnot. You seem like this is just another typical Thursday. And you’re very organized.”

Estrella looked me directly in the eyes first before they landed on Zack’s heavy gaze. Regardless of the cool tone she held, I saw the hidden emotions floating around—and they contained utmost agony and livid anger. My heart nearly broke at the sight. “Ah, well…when someone you calledthe love of your lifewalks out on you with no warning—it definitely turns you into a different person. But I’ve learned and accepted that I don’t owe theseburrosanything. I’m here to work, and you all deserve the best.”

Alex spoke next. “So…you are on the table then?”

Estrella snorted as I nearly saw red. My head whipped in his direction. I was going to catch murder charges soon. “Nah. You’re very cute, but I’m running away from this band the second this tour is over. I do appreciate the compliment, though.”

Zack finally fucking spoke to her as words clawed at my throat, too. “Estrella, can we talk? Please?”

Another male’s voice sounded over the chaos, and my eyebrows bunched together in confusion. Was she dating someone? Did she bring a boyfriend of sorts with her? And theirdog?

Was that the supposed…Daddy of Mildred?

“Estrella! Mildred!”

“Over here!” Estrella responded as she turned away and waved her hand at a man who wore a full-beat face of makeup, complete with a set of false lashes and pink lipstick. He huffed out a sigh of relief.

Okay, what the fuck?

“Oh, come to Daddy,” the man said as he took the wiener dog—Mildred—away from her. “Thanks for watching her, girl. There are so many gothic weirdos around her. I was terrified someone would step on her with studded boots or something.”

“Oh, it’s no problem. She’s goofy. I’ll babysit your baby anytime.”

“Estrella!” Zack cut in, his voice deep and hard as stone. Estrella jumped and faced him, and I nearly flinched from the sound of it myself. “I need to talk to you.”

I watched as her eyes rolled and she propped out a hip in annoyance. “No. You, of all people, do not get to demand anything from me. Are we clear? We will talk when I want to fucking talk to you.IfI ever want to talk to you again. Got it?”

Zack only stared at her.

My eyes bounced between the two of them.

She shook her head at his silence and scoffed before walking away.

Elijah spoke next. “Oh, you guys arefuuuuucked.”

And then Tyler made eye contact with the man in front of us all who held the sausage-roll-animal. “Who brings a wiener dog to a music festival, bro?”

The man sniffed as he followed Estrella. I could have sworn he even walked in a preppy style. He threw words over his shoulder. “I will have you know, Mildred is more of a badass than you fuckers will ever be.”

And as I met Zack’s face—I, too, realized we were fucked indeed.

five

ESTRELLA

“What a fucking dick!” Derek said as he threw back his own shot of tequila. I handed him a lime slice to suckle on with a giggle as he continued with a pinched brow. “You know, I’ve met some cowards in my life, but that’s a whole new level. Not only did he abandon you, but now he thinks that he can talk to you like that, too? That’s crazy.”

“Isn’t it?” I exclaimed. I was intensely buzzed as I rambled Derek’s ear off—yet again. And while this would generally be a dangerous combination considering I had liked this man enough to have sex with him in the same setting mere days ago…I didn’t even care.

Fucking Zack thinking I would drop everything to talk to him the second I saw him.

Fucking Theo thinking he could compliment me and I would bat my eyelashes like a love-sick school girl.

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