Page 47 of Unbound

“I know that, Nick,” I snap back, my temper rising. Blowing out a breath, I hunch forward, resting my elbows on my thighs and run my right hand down my face. “I’ll talk to them this week. We’ll be there for that show though.”

“Okay, well, take care and think about what I said about the contract. You never know, maybe the boys are burnt out from the last year and they’ll want a break. It’ll give you some time to think about where you want to go with your career.”

To be honest, and I’m not going to tell Nick this, I have no idea where I want my career to go. I want to perform. I love everything that comes with it, aside from the emptiness.

I hang up with Nick and reach for my guitar at the end of my bed. I haven’t touched it in three days and that’s not like me. Usually I pick it up at least once a day. The moment my fingers touch the wood grain, I remember why I played every day. I find solace in music and now isn’t any different. It’s a way for me to forget and live inside something other than a life I’ve essentially fucked up with one bad decision after another.

“WHAT’S GOING ON with you?”

I groan and want to push my sister off the edge of my bed where I’ve been lying all day with a notebook in hand and my guitar beside me. “Get out of here.”

“No.” She lies down on my bed next to me, her hands above her head as if she’s completely comfortable in here. The problem is, she is. Raven’s never been shy about coming in my room, and never knocks. Mom would never let me put a lock on the door for obvious reason, so yeah, it resulted in some rather uncomfortable times when Raven saw me completely naked or worse, having sex with a girl.

She never seemed fazed by it though. She’d laugh it off.

“Linc said you guys got in a fight?

“How do you know that?”

Raven shrugs and picks up my notebook beside us, the one scribbled with hundreds of thoughts I barely understand, let alone want anyone to read.

I rip the notebook from her hands and toss it between my bed and the wall where she can’t reach it. “So you’re talking to them now?”

“No, not really, but Linc asked if you were okay and said you guys got into an argument after the show on Friday night.”

“Whatever.”

Raven sits up. “Dude, what’s your deal? You leave town after throwing a huge fit and no one sees you for a year and a half, and now you come back and you’re acting like a dick because no one told you about Lyric? Who cares. You acted like an asshole and you know what, yeah, no one told you because we knew how you’d react. Like this. Feel bad for me shit.”

I stare at her blankly for a moment, unsurprised my sister just put me in my place again because if there is anyone who will straight up tell me I’m an idiot, it’s her. “You’re not telling me anything I haven’t heard from everyone else. I know I’m a fuck up. I know that, you know. Red knows, Sophie knows, Mom’s oblivious, my kid will eventually know and everyone else does too, so save your fuckin’ breath.” I go to stand, wanting space, when Raven grabs me roughly by the hand and forces me to sit.

“I’m going to send Red up here next if you go down there and cause a scene tonight.”

I glare. “Don’t you fucking dare, Raven.”

“I will if you don’t knock it off. I know there’s a shred of decency left in you and if there is, show some fucking respect for everyone. Don’t be an asshole.”

I’m about to tell her off when the door flies open again and this time it’s Nova. She stops, eyes the two of us and puts her hands on her hips. “Grammy says you two better get downstairs.”

“I’m going first.” I push Raven’s shoulder and she falls back dramatically on the bed like I shoved her.

“The fuck you are.”

It’s always been a competition with Raven and me to get anywhere in the house first. Maybe it’s because we’re twins or maybe because I’m just fucking competitive and have to win.

We rush down the stairs, our thudded steps echoing throughout the house with Nova’s laughter behind us as she tries to beat us down. She’s smaller and jumps through my legs on the third step and basically barrel rolls down the last four steps.

Both Raven and I stop immediately thinking she’s hurt, but Nova jumps up off the floor with her arms raised above her head. “I win!”

Shaking my head, I fall onto the floor at her feet when Raven trips me on the steps.

“You jerk.” I kick my foot out and tangle it with hers so she falls too.

“You two are being childish,” Nova notes as she’s walking by us, gloating in her victory.

Raven looks to me and then the kitchen where Nova disappears to.

“Knock it off you two,” Mom yells, and Raven senses her opening.

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