Page 16 of Not Another Rockstar
“Thank you,” Phoebe said, settling under her blanket. Nick had bought her a soft pink blanket, but the hospital got so hot in the evenings she only used it for comfort.
“I can get you a new notebook.” August suddenly got up from his chair.
Sometimes it was tricky to gauge his emotions, but she’d known him long enough to notice when he wouldn’t meet her eye. He wanted to talk but was overwhelmed.
“Do you want to talk before the others get back?” Phoebe prompted.
She sensed he didn’t want to say it first. He was never a big talker; his music did most of his talking.
“You knew Cillian was cheating on me,” she said for him, and he dropped his head to study the grey floor.
He walked to her side and held her good hand, confirming what she already suspected.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked.
He’d never been able to lie, so she guessed that was why he chose silence.
“Because we love you,” he said gruffly, like it was obvious.
“Then why let me continue believing everything was alright?”
The betrayal cut her deep. Those she’d considered family had kept their mouths shut.
“Because we love him, and we couldn’t lose either of you.” August kept it simple, which was all she wanted. Cillian had putthem in an impossible position, but she wished they’d told her and let her make her own decision.
“We hated him for hurting you, but he was ours,” August admitted. It was the closest she’d ever seen him to tears.
“In future, even if you’re scared that it’ll hurt me, please tell me the truth. Promise me.”
He nodded slowly.
“I found the charger.” The nurse interrupted them, and Phoebe wiped the tears from her eyes.
“Thank you.” Phoebe took the charger.
“Purple or blue?” August asked, abruptly returning to his notebook-hunting mission.
The nurse looked at him, puzzled by his sudden question, before hurrying off to her next patient.
Phoebe was about to say purple, but her last notebook had been purple. She didn’t want the reminder.
“Blue.”
August smiled as he left, happy to have a task. Phoebe plugged in her phone, and the charge symbol brightened up. At least it wasn’t broken.
“Where’d you get a phone?” Axel barked.
Phoebe startled, and the pain radiating up her arm nearly caused her to drop her phone. She looked up, and found him standing in the doorway.
“You scared the hell out of me.”
“Sorry.” He grimaced. “But you shouldn’t be looking at screens right now. Not until your headaches stop.”
“The doc said nothing about screens, and the nurse brought me a charger. She wouldn’t have if it was against doc’s orders.”
“I can’t leave you two alone without you bickering,” Nick said, appearing behind him with the burgers she’d requested. She couldn’t handle any more hospital food.
He exchanged a worried look with Axel.
