Page 18 of Electric Wounds
TWELVE
BOTTLE-LESS SPIN THE BOTTLE
Dylan
As the high from the show starts to fade, I can tell we’re all wiped. The performance was killer—crowd going wild, energy through the roof—but now we need to chill. Normally, this would mean hitting up an after-party, but tonight I’ve got a different plan in mind.
“Hey, guys,” I say, gathering everyone backstage. “How about we skip the after-party and just hang on the bus? Just us and Lily.”
Marcus raises an eyebrow, curious, and Enzo looks, well he looks annoyed, but that is just his face. Jax seems indifferent, but I catch a hint of relief in his eyes. He’s been dealing with a lot lately, and I know the after-parties aren’t really helping.
Lily, though, looks a bit unsure. “Are you sure? I mean, if you guys want to go to the party, I can handle things here.”
“Nah, we want you with us,” I say, flashing her a grin. “Let’s just relax and have a good time together.”
She hesitates for a moment, then nods. “Okay, sure. Let’s do it.”
We head back to the bus, and the atmosphere instantly feels more relaxed. Marcus and Enzo grab some beers from the fridge, and I hand one to Lily.
“Come on, Lily, have a drink with us,” I encourage, nudging her playfully.
She hesitates again but then takes the beer. “Alright, why not? It’s been a long day.”
Jax, true to form, skips the drink. He leans back in his seat, watching us with that quiet intensity of his. Something’s definitely on his mind, but I’m not about to push it right now.
A terse quiet falls over the bus and I sip on my beer, mulling over the direction of our night. If I don’t do something soon, this will likely end in a fight, and I’m too worn out to deal with that.
Enzo shocks me by being the first one to break the silent spell, in a non-asshole way for once. “Remember that time in Detroit?” He says, leaning back with a grin. “When Marcus got locked in the bathroom at that dive bar?”
Marcus groans, rolling his eyes. “I told you! It wasn’t my fault. The door jammed!”
Lily laughs, eyes sparkling, her cheeks turning a rosy, pink as she sips on her beer. “How did you get out?”
“We had to take the door off the hinges,” I say, grinning at the memory. “And Marcus was so drunk, he thought he was being kidnapped.”
Marcus shrugs, a sheepish smile on his face. “It was a confusing night.”
“I bet,” Lily agrees, giggling like a maniac.
I decide then that this bus needs more giggling Lily. Like at all times really, it’s adorable.
Jax heads to the fridge and I raise my eyebrow as I watch him grab a beer. He pops it open, then moves towards Lily, offering it to her in exchange for her old can. She blushes, accepting the can and barely making eye contact with him. Interesting.
As Jax returns to his seat, slumping down in a defeated way, Enzo fiddles with his phone and pulls up some pop rock station on his spotify.
Lily squeals immediately. “Oh, I love this song, turn it up.”
Enzo complies and Lily begins singing, loudly and surprisingly on key. Her voice is full-bodied, and powerful for someone so tiny. I watch mesmerized, my attention only breaking when Marcus accidentally drops his empty can. I flick my eyes between my bandmates and realize that they are all watching Lily with the same intensity. She seems completely oblivious, her eyes closed while she sings, using the natural music breaks to sip on her drink.
I move from my seat, inching closer to her until we are basically touching, the heat from her body seeping into mine. She finishes singing, then her artic blue eyes pop open, attaching to me with hazy focus. “Hey, Dylan,” she says softly, her voice almost drowned out by the music playing in the background. She leans back resting her head against my shoulder. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
“Sure, what’s up?” I ask, angling my face towards hers. We are so close, our breath is intermingling and I am a hairbreadth away from closing the slight distance and sealing our mouths together.
She takes a deep breath, her eyes flicking over to Jax before she speaks. “I... I need to confess something. Jax and I kissed.”
The room goes quiet, and I feel a protective instinct flare up, along with something a bit more... possessive. “Is that so?” I ask, trying to keep my tone light. “What’s the problem with a kiss?” Lily seems completely oblivious to the rest of the band. She is way more drunk than I would expect from two beers, but she must not drink often.
Lily looks down, her cheeks flushing deeper. “I saw him with someone else at the party. He had sex with her, then the nextmorning he kissed me. I... I can’t trust him. I think he’s just a player.”
