Page 83 of Not Another Rockstar
“Don’t make it sound so bad,” she snapped.
“How do you want me to make it sound? How do you think the media will react when they find out?”
“I don’t care about the media, I only care about all of you.” Phoebe’s words came out in a frenzy. “I never wanted to do anything to hurt you, but I love him. I don’t know how he feels, but please don’t ruin the one thing in my life that’s going right.”
She loved him.Axel’s eyes widened as she said it. He couldn’t remove the grin from his face. They hadn’t even said that to each other. He wanted to burst through the door and wrap his arms around her, but knew he should let Nick adjust before he tackled his sister with kisses.
“You love him? This is serious?” Nick’s tone softened.
“I do, and I really didn’t see this coming. You have to believe the last thing I wanted was to fall for another rockstar, but he is so much more than that. I know you’re worried about how the world will react and you want to protect me, but no one is going to find out until we all want them too,” she explained.
“You’re both going to be the death of me, but I can’t do anything about who you love,” Nick grumbled. “I suppose you could have picked worse, and I’ve suspected his feelings for you had been going on for a while, so I know he genuinely cares for you. This is probably my fault for insisting you move in with us—but still, promise me no more secrets.”
Axel felt his shoulders drop for the first time. He wanted his friend’s acceptance.
“No more secrets,” Phoebe promised.
“Are you sure you have to be in love with Axel? There isn’t anyone else?” Nick asked.
“Sorry,” Phoebe chuckled.
Axel opened the basement door and found Phoebe hugging her brother. Nick tensed when he first saw him, but then his expression softened, silently telling him it was okay.
“I hate to interrupt this bonding moment, but keep your paws off my girlfriend,” Axel said, and Phoebe looked aroundher brother to stare at him. He winked, and she blushed as she realised he’d heard everything.
“Fine, but remember that older brother trumps boyfriend,” Nick said, releasing her.
“She’s your what?” August asked Axel, returning from his run with a box of donuts.
“My girlfriend,” Axel answered plainly.
“Finally! I was beginning to wonder how long it’d take you to come clean,” August said, putting the box on the kitchen table.
“You knew?” Nick asked August, who shrugged.
“You didn’t? Phoebe’s been going down to the basement for weeks. Axel holds her hand any chance he gets, and he follows her around worse than Bart.” August took a glazed donut. “I just wanted to see how long it would take them to admit it. Now that’s out of the way, I got jam and sprinkle donuts. Sorry Phoebe, they were out of Oreo.”
The others just stared at him. Axel had been worried about August’s reaction most of all, but he seemed the least bothered.
“Why are you staring at me? Did you not want donuts?”
“Donuts are great, thank you.” Phoebe walked over to him and kissed his cheek.
“We’re good?” Axel asked Nick as Phoebe grabbed a donut.
“Break her heart, and I break your legs,” Nick said sternly, wrapping his arm around Axel’s shoulders.
“I’ll even give you the baseball bat to do it,” Axel said, sure that day wouldn’t come.
“But I should probably be thanking you, for loving her. It’s good to see her happy about something, and I’m glad she has you to protect her,” Nick sighed, looking at Phoebe smiling as she sat with August.
“She has all of us in her corner. We aren’t going to let anything happen to her,” Axel assured him.
“I know, but I wish Sheen had shown up this morning. Isaiah said he’s going to go by his place and see if he can find him, try and get him to open up without any of us around to intimidate him,” Nick said, revealing more to him than he had Phoebe. “He’ll be by when he knows why he didn’t show up. I don’t know how much more bad news she can take.”
“She’s tougher than all of us. You should have seen her go after Sheen at the gallery—she’s a fighter, and once we find out who’s doing this, I’m more afraid of what she’ll do to them,” Axel said, trying to ease his worries.
Nick let out a long exhale, but didn’t look convinced.
