Page 6 of Never To Suffer

“Noah, you're keeping the socials active and keeping up with updates from NotOkay Records. And I’ll work on getting some new merch designs and printing. Rory can do what she always does, let us handle everything and throw money at it when we complain she’s not pulling her weight.” Relief washes over me, my need to over-plan and my anxiety finally taking a step back to let me breathe. I stop and look around the table at my friends, my bandmates, the people who are on this wild ride with me. “We’re fucking doing this!”

Noah snaps a few photos of us around the table, even getting Bobby and the bar’s logo in a few because we can’t forget where we came from when we’re famous. She’s looking forward to documenting the whole crazy experience, and I can’t blame her. This contest, this day, they’ll change all our lives so much. Win or lose. Except we can’t fucking lose.

After I finish my beer, I head for the bathrooms, texting Xander with an update and asking if Megan has come homeinstead of heading to the bar. Before I reach out to push the door to the restroom, it flies open and I’m staring at Rory, who’s tucking her shirt in as she holds the door open for none other than my fucking girlfriend, who’s straightening out her skirt.

“The. Fuck?”

“Wait! I can explain!” Megan spits out as she holds her hands out.

“Oh, I fucking doubt that. Go back to the table and fucking wait, because I gotta pee before I rage. Excuse me.”

I push past them both and into the room, giving them a little shoo gesture as they both stare at me, eyes wide and faces paler than normal. Once they leave, I lock the door and press my back to it, too much going through my mind all at once. I wanted to break up with her, but this isn’t how I wanted to do it.

I take a few deep breaths, do my business, and think about splashing water on my face, but fuck that. I won’t ruin a perfect makeup day over those two jerks. Connor and Noah keep exchanging looks as I walk up to the table. Bobby gawks at Rory and Megan as they make out. I clear my throat loud enough to break them up and slam my phone down on the table, making them both jump. I’m sure I’m supposed to be the bigger person in this situation, but I’d rather stab them both with those little toothpicks fancy bars put olives on. Who am I kidding? This bar doesn’t even have toothpicks. Or olives.

“Given the circumstances that have come to light in the last few minutes?—”

“Fuck, are we canceling the concert?” Connor asks.

“Nope. Rory, you’re fucking fired. Connor and Noah, we’ll start rehearsing bassists as soon as we can.”

“Wait, what?” Rory screams as she pushes Megan off her lap. “You can fuck Xander but you’re firing me for kissing Megan? You don’t own her, you know.”

“Yeah, no shit. Megan, you have a week to be out of the apartment. If you had only talked to us, this could have ended much cleaner.” I grab my things and glare at Rory. “And Rory, I can fuck Xander because we’re in a relationship, which included Megan. Cheating is not how a polycule works. Look it the fuck up.”

“This isn’t fair!” Megan yells.

“You’re right, Meg. I should have dropped your ass the minute you tried to pull me away from Xander. I’d never leave him for you. He eats pussy better than you do.”

Megan lunges, but Connor steps between us, curling his arm around me. “We’ll walk you out,” Connor offers, Noah nodding beside him.

We get out to the parking lot and I’m a raging mess. Sure, I planned to break up with her anyhow, but I wanted to do it my way, not finding them fucking around in the bathroom.

“Do you think we can find a bassist in time?” Connor asks, his jovial tone extinguished.

“If we don’t, we get knocked out the first week. We’ve already paid the entry fee. Why not go for it, right?” I struggle to keep a positive demeanor while I’m falling apart inside.

CHAPTER 3

OCEAN AVENUE

YELLOWCARD

“Didyou speak to my assistant about the employment opportunity?”

“Yeah, I called her last week. Not gonna work out.”

“What about the?—”

“I’ve got a thing right now, mom. I picked up another app dev job and I don’t have time. It’s fine. And my free time is all helping Dani and the band get ready for the competition I told you about earlier.” I laugh when she nods and goes back to her book. She hasn’t got a clue what an app dev job is, which means it’s perfect for me to hide behind. If I told her what I’ve been doing, she’d drop dead right here on the authentic Persian rug from the late 1800s. Who am I kidding? She’d at least have the common decency to move to the Italian marble since it’s easier for someone to clean.

As someone destined for titles and abbreviations after my name, there’s something refreshing when I’m given the opportunity to tell people I’m a Cam Boi for a subscription-based website making more money than they do. Or, I would make more money than they do if I posted more frequently. So far, I only bother to post when we’re desperate, because I’m also working on an app that will outpace the most popular sites inunder a year. I’m not lazy. In fact, I’m the opposite. But why work a 9-5 job when whipping my dick out for twenty minutes earns me more than a full week's pay at some of those places?

“Your adaptive whatever you called it isn’t an honest job, Alex.”

“App Dev, Mom. And yeah, it is.”

For years I’ve wanted to go on these interviews my mom sets up for ‘real jobs,’ look the interviewer in the eye, and laugh when they ask why a rich kid like me didn’t go to some prestigious college with polo shirts and embroidered blazers. Knowing my charming ways, I’d end the interview by giving them my link and by the end of the week, they’d book a date for some quality one-on-one time. It’s an easy and effective way to show them why I opted out of college and into the adult scene. Besides, in-person hookups are always more interesting. And expensive.

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