Page 54 of Next to Everything We Wanted

“Don’t ask questions you know the answer to.” Celeste wiped her nose with her arm. “Sienna—that’s her name, right?—wouldn’t have come backstage on Monday if you hadn’t already spent time alone with her.Somethinghappened between you two that you’re hiding.”

“Nothing happened!” I rubbed my forehead, my temples aching. “Celeste, I don’t have time for this right now. This was supposed to be a healthy breakup, but if you’re going to act like this?—”

“How is this healthy? We haven’t even talked about it since it happened, Gavin.”

“Are we supposed to?” From my knowledge, once a couple broke up, they went their separate ways and talked to other people about it. That was what I’d done with all my other girlfriends. But I’d never had a serious breakup before. One with someone who I’d said “I love you” to a thousand times.

From the way Celeste’s face fell, I knew I’d said the wrong thing.

I waited for her to shoot something back at me. To tell me I was a heartless jerk and a horrible best friend for even asking that. Whatever she had to say, I was ready for it.

Instead, she let out a heavy breath as streams of tears fell down her cheeks.

Regret washed over me as I reached for her arm. “Celeste, please?—”

She shrugged away from me. “Don’t touch me.”

“I wasn’t trying to hurt you.”

The back door opened, and we turned to see Ellis. “How’s it going?” he asked as he strolled in. His face fell when he saw how hard Celeste was sobbing. “Um, do you guys need more time alone?”

Celeste got up from the couch, grabbing her purse. “I have to go.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, even though I knew my words meant nothing.Thiswas why I never wanted to talk about the breakup. No matter how hard I tried, it’d end with Celeste in tears.

Neither one of us could take it.

Celeste didn’t respond as she opened the front door and slammed it shut.

I sighed, facing Ellis. “Am I a jerk?”

He shrugged. “Only when Forrest is.”

“I heard that,” Forrest said as he opened the back door, Phoenix following him. “What’s going on? Where’s Celeste?”

I got up from the couch. “She . . . needed to leave.”

Phoenix frowned. “Did you talk to her?”

“Yes, and now she hates me even more,” I said, trying to hide the annoyance in my voice.

“She doesn’t hate you.”

“I wish she didn’t.” I moved past the guys, storming to the bathroom. “I’m taking a shower and going to bed early tonight.”

My bandmates and I were able to get our act together for Friday night. Tension floated around me and Celeste, but I did my bestto channel my focus on making the crowd happy. A stupid fight wouldn’t stop me from giving my all. Especially when there was a red-lipped girl in the crowd who looked forward to this every week.

When our performance was over, I approached Sienna’s booth and chatted with her friends for a bit. I wanted to ask her out on the date, but the fear of rejection held me back.

After going backstage, I gathered the courage to shoot her a quick text.

Gavin

Hey, sorry I didn’t ask face-to-face, but are you free tomorrow night? I have an extra ticket for a concert in Las Vegas and no one to go with. Do you listen to Whiteout?

I bit my lip, hoping my message didn’t send mixed signals.

Sienna