Page 191 of Next to Everything We Wanted

GAVIN

“Do we really have to do this?” Sienna asked as we waited for our turn to perform at Sunset Melodies.

It was the night after her eighteenth birthday, and we were getting ready to go on stage at Sunset Melodies. The karaoke bar was having its first original song night, and I’d managed to get Sienna to come here to perform the first song we’d written together. “You’ll do fine.” I rubbed the sun tattoo on her wrist, one that went with the cloud tattoo on my neck. I’d gone with her to get it, and though she was nervous about the needle, she pushed through.

The past two months with her had been the best of my life. Somewhere in the Sky had gotten back together at the end of August, and we were now making plans for our first album. We still performed at What Do You Bean, but we’d received opportunities to perform at other places.

Like Airplanes was also doing well without Caleb, though Sienna and her friends still weren’t used to him not being there. Hayden had done a great job at teaching Arielle how to play the keyboard, and each performance at What Do You Bean had gonewell for them. They now had the permanent spot of performing there every Tuesday, and they were growing a steady fanbase. They would be at our level in no time.

Sienna knew all of my bandmate’s identities by now, though she never made a big deal out of it. A few more rumors had swirled about me, but no one had concrete proof that Ivan Hicks and Gavin Hanville were the same person. Ruby Estrella hadn’t told a soul.

I felt stupid for all the times I’d worried about being figured out, because it turned out that most people didn’t care. At least not right now. Even if I did get figured out one day, I knew it wouldn’t be the end of my career. As long as no one figured out where I lived, I’d be safe. Forrest even brought up hiring a bodyguard and upping our security.

As long as we stayed safe and continued making our music, everything would be okay. We’d proved ourselves with Somewhere in the Sky, and if people wanted to judge us for who we were before, that was on them.

“Are you sure?” Sienna asked, eyes wide with worry. “We’ve only rehearsed it on stage once.”

“Sienna.” I held both of her hands. “We’re going to do great, okay?”

She nodded, her red lips lifting in a smile. “Okay.”

We went on the stage and strapped our guitars over ourselves. I gave her a reassuring smile before speaking into the microphone. “How are you doing, Meet You at Sunset?”

The audience cheered for us.

“I’m Ivan, and this is my talented and gorgeous girlfriend, Sienna.” I beamed at Sienna, whose cheeks flushed.

“Hey,” she said shyly with a wave. “We’ll be performing a song we wrote together. This is called ‘What I’ve Been Missing.’”

We started strumming on our guitars, and I sang the first verse, warmth spreading through my chest as I looked at Sienna.She smiled, stars shining in her eyes. She was completely starstruck with me, and it was the best feeling.

By the time we sang the chorus together, the entire restaurant faded away. It was just Sienna and I on the stage, singing the words we’d written together. It was my favorite thing about performing with her, and I couldn’t wait to keep doing this in the future.

“I never knew what I’d been missing

Until I saw you on the stage.

I never knew what I’ve been wanting

Isn’t it so strange?

How love can change the way you see the world

How you changed the way I see the world

And I never want to go back

Because I never knew what I’d been missing

Until I saw you.”

As soon as we ended the song, Sienna smiled and pulled her lips to mine as the audience applauded us. It amazed me how her lips could still wave a spell over my mind, filling my entire body with heat.

When we broke out of the kiss and thanked everyone, we returned to the dancefloor.

“That was amazing,” Sienna breathed, wrapping her arms around my neck. “I want to do that again.”

“See, I told you it’d be fine.” I pressed my hands to her waist and swayed with her. “Now do you believe in yourself?”