Page 73 of Loving Lauren
Sierra smiled through her own tears. “You created something true. That’s exactly the point.”
They looked at her then, eyes shining. “You always know how to make space for people.”
She shook her head softly. “You made space for me first. You showed me it was safe to be seen.”
They sat until the sky turned from gold to lavender to the deep purple of night. Sierra held on to their hand, her heart aching with equal parts grief and hope.
Chapter 47
The next morning, Sierra pulled out her phone and typed into the Chaos Coven group chat:
Sierra:Lauren invited all of us to see Razor Braids this Saturday night. Is anyone interested?
Raven:Wait, WHAT?! I did not know they were coming to town!
Sierra:Lauren said it was a last-minute addition to their tour.
Calliope:More importantly... do youwantto go? And do you want us there, or are you just being polite?
Sierra:I’m a little nervous about how the whole evening will play out, but I’m going. You’re all welcome to join us. I’d love to have you there, but I understand if it feels too weird or complicated.
Jett:I’m in. I’m always there for you, plus it’s freaking Razor Braids. Obviously, I’ll bring Ellis so you can all finally meet him.
Sierra’s heart swelled reading their responses. Her friends were her anchor, her safety net, her chosen family in every way that mattered.
But as she set her phone down, a quiet pang twisted through her chest. Lauren didn’t have this kind of support system. No family to call when things got hard. No parents who were awkwardly, stubbornly trying to understand them anyway. Sierra knew her own parents had only softened because of time, persistence, and maybe some behind-the-scenes nudging from Thalia and Tobias.
She looked down at her hands, still able to feel the warmth of Lauren’s fingers intertwined with hers from the night before, and whispered into the empty apartment, “I just wanted them to be my person. I still want them to be my person.”
A few tears slipped down her cheeks — for everything they’d lost, for everything they might still rebuild, for the beautiful, complicated mess of loving someone who’d been through so much pain.
Hope bloomed in her chest anyway, fragile but undeniable.
The Chaos Coven descended on Sierra’s apartment for pre-concert prep, turning her living room into a glitter-streaked war zone of glam sessions, clinking glasses, and Razor Braids music blasting at a volume that probably violated her lease. Raven declared herself head makeup artist, smudging dramatic eyeliner on anyone who got within arm’s reach. Calliope had already started dancing like she was in the pit, spinning so hard she nearly collided with the coffee table.
Thalia, somehow inducted as an honorary Coven member, had crammed lyrics in only three days but belted them with such conviction you’d think she’d been following the band for a decade.
By the time the doorbell rang, the energy was peaking. Jett bounded over to answer and returned with a man who made everyone blink twice.
Ellis was tall and broad-shouldered, with the kind of easy charm that seemed unfair. His smile was so confident it bordered on cinematic.
“Everyone, this is Ellis.” Jett was practically glowing. “Ellis, this is my chosen family of magnificent weirdos.”
Ellis laughed, and of course even his laugh was perfect. “Nice to finally meet you all. Jett’s told me so much.”
Introductions went around, warm and polite, but Sierra caught the silent reactions: Calliope’s eyes bugging out, Raven freezing mid-eyeliner stroke, Thalia leaning close to whisper, “Holy crap! He’s like a Greek statue come to life.”
When Ellis stepped away to grab a drink, Calliope cornered Jett. “Okay, first... wow. Second, if he doesn’t treat you the way you deserve, we’re going to have issues.”
Raven chimed in, deadpan but deadly serious. “He’s gorgeous. Fine. But does he make you laugh? Because if he breaks your heart, we’re ending him.”
Jett grinned so wide it looked painful. “He’s perfect. And yes, he thinks I’m hilarious.”
“Good.” Sierra hugged him tight. “You deserve someone who gets how amazing you are.”
Jett grabbed her hands and spun her in the middle of the room until they collapsed on the couch, wheezing with laughter, faces dusted in glitter Raven had dumped everywhere.
By the time they left for the venue, they were glowing — literally and emotionally — every cheekbone catching the light, the air buzzing with anticipation.
