Page 111 of Next to Everything We Wanted

My insides twisted. Raina’s mom used to battle a drinking addiction before going to rehab. Raina and Arielle had struggled to maintain a good relationship with her in the midst of it. Was that how Forrest/Everett and Gavin had fallen apart? How did they become friends again?

Compared to Charm Street, I’d never heard of Forrest Tansel. Maybe I’d heard a song or two of his on the radio and hadn’t realized it, but no memories resurfaced as I scrolled through the discography section of his page.

I looked up more pictures of Forrest to see if I could connect his face with Everett’s. If they were the same person, puberty must’ve done him well, because I could barely see the resemblance. While Gavin looked like the same person, Forrest and Everett didn’t even look related.

Had fame changed him that much?

Everett wasn’t my favorite person, though if he was this Forrest guy, my heart went out to him. This would explain the whole situation with him not wanting Gavin to talk to me. He didn’t deserve to have so much of his life shaken up when all he’d wanted was to protect his best friend.

Maybe breaking up with Gavin had happened for the best. In the heat of the moment, before he got sick, that was what I’d wanted. I didn’t want to be in a relationship with someone who wasn’t honest with me.

Despite not wanting to step foot in What Do You Bean again, my friends wanted me to join our usual Friday nights. We’d originally been asked to fill in for Somewhere in the Sky, but we didn’t have time to clear our schedules and rehearse a set. My friends had no idea about the roller-coaster I’d been through, so I showed up.

For the first Friday night in a long time, the twins didn’t come. Aunt May and Uncle Reed were both home, a rarity, and the twins weren’t in the mood to leave the house. They didn’t need to explain why.

We tried to enjoy our drinks, yet even the rich flavor of my White Chocolate Mocha made me sick to my stomach. I sighed and pushed my drink back. “I can’t even enjoy this.”

“Me neither.” Dallas frowned at his milkshake. “This isn’t right. Somewhere in the Sky should be here.”

Hayden fiddled with his straw. “I almost cried when I saw their post. I hope Ivan will be alright.”

“Me too.” Raina looked at me. “Was he feeling sick when he went to your family game night?”

I resisted the urge to avert my gaze, not wanting to give myself away. “He said that he’d been having headaches.” It ate me up inside each time I had to lie. How could Gavin handle hiding so many things?

“Have you heard anything from him?” Hayden asked.

I shook my head, a pain wedging its way beneath my ribs. “Nothing, but I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“Willyoubefine?” Raina tangled her fingers with mine. “Your hands are shaking.”

“I know. They’re my hands.”

She giggled. “That’s my Sea.”

“Did you reach out to him?” Dallas asked.

Everett had given me an update saying Gavin was doing better besides a few headaches, but that was it. None of his other bandmates had reached out, and Gavin, well, we already establishedthat. “Yeah.”

Hayden’s brows met. “And he hasn’t answered you?”

“He probably needs time away from his screen.” I tried to keep my voice steady, but it came out defensive. “His headache made him throw up a lot.” Our poor bushes were already dying from it.

Hayden and Dallas exchanged confused looks before Dallas asked, “Did something happen between you two?”

“What?” I nearly choked on my own spit. “What do you mean?”

He shrugged. “You look upset, and Ivan hasn’t said anything to you.”

“I told you.” I twisted my bracelets around. “He just needs time away from his screen. I’m as sad as the rest of you are.”

Raina bit her lip. “Are you sure?”

“What, do you guys think I’m hiding stuff again?” I hadn’t realized I’d snapped until their faces fell. I swallowed the lump in my throat. “B-Because I’m not.”

Yeah, Gavin would not be proud of how bad of a liar I was.

“Sienna.” Raina put a hand on my shoulder, a heaviness in her eyes that made my insides crumble. “Did something bad happen between you and Ivan?”