Page 78 of Next to Everything We Wanted

With my pulse pounding in my ears, I stormed back into the café, where my friends were still at the table with the twins.

“We’re leaving,” I told the twins, strapping my purse over my shoulder. “Now.”

“What happened?” Emma asked, her eyes widening with concern. “We saw you and Everett walk outside.”

“Everett is a douchebag.” My voice wobbled. “No one has ever treated me that way before.”

“I always thought he was a jerk,” Hayden said, rising from his seat. “Did he lay hands on you? Do I need to kick his ass?”

“I’ll help, too,” Dallas said, pounding his fist in his hand.

“And me,” Raina said. “I’ll knee him right in the balls.”

“I want to help too.” Adam got out of the booth. “Maybe we can throw dodgeballs at him the next time he performs.”

I snorted, despite the tears that started to fall. “I was trying to get Somewhere in the Sky to network with us to start our band off. I thought it’d make you guys happy. Everyone else is on board with it, but Everett . . .” I sniffled. “He hates me.”

“Really?” Hayden’s eyes grew wide. “Sienna.”

I let out a sob before covering my face. Most of the café was empty, but I didn’t want Everett to walk back in and see me break down.

“Don’t cry, Sienna,” Emma said as she hugged me. “You’re going to make me cry.”

“I just don’t get it. I thought things were finally looking up for me.”

“Aw, Sea,” Raina said as she and Adam joined the hug. “You don’t deserve this.”

Before I knew it, Dallas and Hayden joined the hug while I cried in the middle of the circle. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d broken down like this, yet here I was, sobbing my eyes out in public because the best friend of the guy I was slowly falling for hated my guts.

And I had no idea what they were hiding from me.

CHAPTER 19

Gavin

While I hadn’t been sure what happened between Forrest and Sienna, I knew from the way Forrest stormed backstage that their conversation hadn’t gone well. The texts Sienna sent me while I showered only confirmed it.

Sienna

Are we still meeting at What Do You Bean on Sunday? Your bandmate was a bit of a male body part to me earlier about it, so let me know if you’ve changed your mind.

I’m sorry if that sounded rude, he just really pissed me off.

Please don’t tell him I said that.

Have a good night.

My fists clenched as I held onto my phone. Whatever Forrest had done, Sienna’s sad tone made me want to punch him in the face.

Gavin

Don’t worry, tomorrow is still on! Now excuse me as I kick Forrest’s ass.

It took me a moment to realize the huge mistake I made. Sweat running down my armpits, I replaced Forrest’s name with “Everett” before hitting send.

It didn’t even take Sienna a minute to respond.

Sienna