Page 99 of Replay
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When Ronnie got ushered backstage, Alle sagged limply, unsure where to go or what to do.Normally in such a situation she’d take herself home, or off to talk to a friend—not that she had vast experience of cheating lovers—but she was at a festival in a foreign country, and the only people she knew were associated with Black Halo.The thunderous roar of the crowd announced the start of their set.
Her brothers were here, but there was a part of her that held them at least partially responsible for this.If Marshall hadn’t been such a git, then there never would have been a reason to pull the cab over last night.Spook wouldn’t have got upset, and she wouldn’t have gone to fetch Xane.The two men would never have spent the night together, and they wouldn’t have done whatever it was they’d done together.
She didn’t want to think too hard on the details of that.
Too upsetting.
Too disturbing.
Altogether too damned confusing.
Up ahead, she spotted Dani.Maybe they could talk?They were both in the same boat.She started after her, only for Ginny to appear in her polka-dot wellies.She swaddled Dani in a huge hug and fussed like a mother hen, patting her friend’s back, rubbing circles over it, and smoothing down her dark hair.A sharp band tightened around Alle’s chest.There was no place for her in that huddle.She barely knew either woman, and their situations weren’t the same.Dani and Xane’s relationship was well-established.
What would she even say to Dani?“I’m sorry my boyfriend got off with your boyfriend.What are we going to do with them, eh?”
The fact was; she wasn’t responsible for Spook’s actions.Most likely, nothing she could have done would have changed them.Whatever was going on between him and Xane, it was way more than friendship burning away between them.It was deeper.So much deeper.She’d felt the vibrations of it, and like everyone else, had dismissed it because Spook was celibate and Xane was a sex addict.
They weren’t an obvious fit.
Except that they were.And maybe they couldn’t even see that for themselves.
A tear leaked from her eye, and rolled down her cheek.Irritably, she brushed it away and turned away from the festival field and the main stage.She’d get a cup of tea.That’d help.Everyone knew tea solved everything.
A few minutes moving against the flow of people descending on the main stage brought her to the tea tent.It was all closed up, the proprietors presumably having joined everyone else in watching the headlining act.The rumble of drums and the familiar shredding of guitars was already blasting through the airwaves.The stage was too distant to see from her current position, but numerous enormous screens made up for that: Xane bent into the mic; Spook’s blond hair around his shoulders, eyes on the ground as his fingers flew across the frets; and Ronnie… dear Ronnie, grinning like Christmas had come.He’d fashioned himself some goth jewellery from strawberry laces and skull shaped sweets, and a couple of Haribo bats attached to some earring fixings.
God, she was so proud of him.Their combined sounds powered over her, got under her skin, and made her insides thrum.
It was hard to turn away.Part of her wanted to watch, get lost in the crowd and the music, but her pride had a gash right through it.That was what hurt most of all.Not that he’d fucked someone else, but that he’d done so having repeatedly refused to have sex with her.
“Are you all right?”a guy with a straggly beard asked.His jester’s hat jingled as he leaned towards her.
“Fine.Thanks.Just emotional.They’re my favourite band.”She turned away from him, shutting down the conversation, and headed back to the VIP enclosure.It was quiet within its wire walls; seemingly the other bands were also watching, or else were hidden away out of sight.
She passed the Black Halo bus and turned towards Ronnie’s campervan.Hopefully, it’d be open and she could slide out of view.Hideout for a while and think.She wasn’t going to cry.If there was a bank of tears building, they were formed of frustration.They ought to be talking.Instead, he was playing rock guitar.
Gah, she choked on her own mad laughter.Listen to her, complaining because her rock star boyfriend was busy doing what he did best.The crowd absolutely loved it.They were drumming out the rhythm with hands and feet, while their voices backed Xane’s vocal gymnastics.She could identify Spook’s playing threaded through the main melody.He was on fire.There was an edge to what they were playing, or rather in how they were playing that was particularly confrontational and contagious.Watch out world, the crowd might be in thrall right now, but if the lights went down there’d be a full scale riot.
Ronnie’s base wasn’t as deserted as she’d hoped.Lyra sat in the doorway, with a laptop precariously balanced on one knee.She flicked her gaze up as Alle approached, and stared, seemingly puzzled.
“I thought you’d be watching.”
That had been the original plan.
“I thought you’d be right at the side of the stage.”
“Chauncey doesn’t require my help.”Lyra scoffed, and broke into a smile.“Truthfully, I can work better from here.At least I can hear myself think.The side of the stage is head-fuck central, even with ear defenders in place.Also, someone has to monitor social media.”
They did?All these things she never really thought about.Music, for her, was confined within a few cramped rooms.
“Ronnie’s accounts have gone mental since yesterday.It’s a challenge keeping on top of it, and now this…” She gave a nod in the direction of the stage.“Wouldn’t surprise me if his website crashes again.”
“Again?”
“It’s been down twice already.Lots of interest.”
“That’s good.The interest, not the crashes.”Too agitated to remain still, Alle paced, and Lyra’s beady gaze followed.
