Page 155 of Next to Everything We Wanted

Actually, did I have an extra bag somewhere?

“Are you seriously going to drive away in the middle of the night?” Phoenix asked. “Won’t your parents think someone is breaking into the house when you arrive at four in the morning?”

“I’ll text my parents that I’m coming.” It was a few minutes after midnight, and Dad usually stayed up until one on the weekends. “I’m not staying here.”

“You’re not leaving.” Phoenix folded his arms over his chest. “I’ll lock you in here if I have to.”

I hauled my suitcases off the bed. “And where would I use the bathroom?”

He shook his head. “If I get a call that you died in an accident?—”

“Phoenix!” My voice echoed through the room, bouncing off the walls. It caused him to flinch, and I hated myself for hurting him, but I didn’t apologize. “I’m done, okay? Just let me go.”

He only shook his head again. “There you go, running away from your problems.”

“I’m not running away.” I pulled my luggage out of the door before heading down the hallway. “I’m leaving.”

I expected him to follow me, to protest and call me a coward, but he didn’t move. Forrest was in his room fuming, and Celeste and Ellis had gone home, leaving me in the entryway by myself. I grabbed my meds from the kitchen and put them in my backpack.

Maybe they would work better at home.

Without looking back, I took my luggage and opened the door, the hot air hitting me in the face. I hauled my bags down the stairs before loading them in my car and hopping inside. For what I wanted to be the last time, I backed out of my reserved parking space.

I held myself together while I drove, trying to drown out the thoughts that ravaged my mind. But when theWELCOME TO CALIFORNIAsign appeared, a tear spilled onto my cheek.

And once they started flowing, I couldn’t get them to stop.

CHAPTER 38

Sienna

My eyes fluttered open as sunlight peeked into my room. My vision was blurry, and my eyes felt puffy. According to my clock, it was almost ten in the morning. My mind was numb from sobbing, though I couldn’t remember what I’d been so upset about the night before. The sun was out. The birds were chirping. Bailey snored peacefully on my carpet. It was just another Sunday morning.

Until last night hit me like a truck.

I collapsed back onto my bed, not wanting to face the day, but my brain wouldn’t shut off. Sighing, I reached for my phone. I had a few notifications, mainly texts from my friends checking in on me, but one that stood out was a social media post from Somewhere in the Sky.

I clicked on the notification to read the post, only for my mouth to drop in horror.

Hey, Sky Gazers!

It’s been a while since we sat down and reflected on our time in the band, so that’s exactly whatwe’re doing right now. Only it’s going to be a little different, and it's very hard for us to post.

Playing at Moonlight Lounge last night was one of our best moments as a band. Thank you to everyone who came and showed your support. You guys have been the best fanbase since our first performance at What Do You Bean, and we couldn’t ask for anything more.

But we’ve questioned if it was the right dream for us.

Throughout the summer, we were tested in ways that we couldn’t imagine. Not just as a band, but the friendship that brought us together in the first place. This morning, we came to a difficult decision, though we believe it’s for the best.

As much as it pains us to say it, we’ll be going our separate ways for a while.

We don’t know how long this will be. It could be just a few weeks or permanently.

We’re sure you guys are as shocked as we are, but we hope this will just be a break and not the end. However, we can’t make any promises. The time has come for us to face the music and figure our own things out.

Thank you for all your love and encouragement over the year we’ve been together. We really hope that our future involves performing for you guys again.

Keep flying high,