Chapter 1

Stevie McGabe

He hasn’t even left yet, and I already miss Darryl like crazy. The last week is filled with preparations for the band’s first tour, so we barely have any time to hang out, just the two of us.

If it isn’t band stuff taking up his time, it’s family stuff. I get it. Letting your nearly nineteen-year-old go galivanting around the States must be scary, but I would like to have ~some~ alone time with him.

Since that night we spent together, we haven’t been…~together.~ And I really, ~really~ want to be together again. If you catch my drift. Especially as I’m not going to see him for a few months.

Even when he finishes his tour, I will be at school in New York, and he…well, actually, he hasn’t talked about what he plans to do after the tour. “How’s the post-graduation planning going, kid?” Carrie plops down next to me on the sofa.

I huff out a sigh and drop my head onto my sister’s shoulder. “I can’t even think about it, to be honest. I feel all…twisted up inside.”

“Ahh, young love,” she smiles. “Look, you guys have shown you can survive without seeing each other every day. I mean, you go four years without talking! These few months will feel like a breeze.”

“But that’s the big difference, isn’t it!” I grumble, sitting up. “We thought we hated each other. Now we’re properly together, and we won’t be able to see each other every day, and Darryl will probably meet some hot rocker chick and fall in love with her and leave me all alone again!”

“What?” Darryl’s deep chuckle makes my cheeks burn with embarrassment. I’ve been trying so hard not to let him know my inner downward spiral on the few times we have actually managed to hang out and talk.

“How long have you been there?” I cringe as his grin widens, indicating he’s definitely heard everything I’ve said.

“I’ll let you take this one, pipsqueak,” Carrie pushes off the sofa and reaches up to ruffle Darryl’s hair as she walks past him. He runs his hand through his hair with a roll of his eyes and drops down into her vacated seat.

“So, tell me more about this hot rock chick I’m gonna meet.” Darryl laughs as I hit his arm. “Stevie, I promise you, being apart isn’t gonna change anything between us. I’ll call you every single day; we won’t miss out on anything that’s happening in either of our lives.”

“The sensible, reasonable side of me knows this, knows we’ll be alright,” I sigh, snuggling up against him, breathing in his soothing scent. “But the irrational side is screaming terrible, awful things at me.”

He kisses my temple gently. “Well, I’ll just have to kick your irrational side’s ass because we’ll be as good as ever, even with a few miles between us.”

***

“I can’t believe Smit and Darryl get to miss this load of shit,” Rhea grumbles, trying to free her hands from the large graduation gown that envelops her, covering the dress that I have picked out for her to wear today—I decide she needs to look somewhat normal on at least one day of her high school career. “Where are the screamy boys now anyway?”

“They’re on their way to Kansas City for the first concert tonight.” I try not to let the tears that always spring to my eyes when I talk about Darryl not being here actually escape.

“I just can’t believe they get a special mention at the graduation they blow off for fame and money.” Rhea gives up and tears the gown off her shoulders, the cap following onto the floor. Seeing my bemused look, she shrugs. “What! My folks have got the obligatory photo, I’ve walked across the stage without falling on my ass…now I’m ready to go home and pig out in front of a movie.”

“You promised you’d come to a party with me!” I pout.

“I hate everybody here except you. And I guess Darryl. Why would I want to go and get drunk with a bunch of morons that I’m never going to think about, let alone see again?”

“It’s like a right of passage or something,” I pick her cap and gown up off the dusty ground, slipping my own off and handing them back to the little old lady standing behind the fold-out table with a polite smile. “Just for a little bit, please, please, please!”

Rhea rolls her eyes. “Half an hour, tops. And you drive. If I’m being dragged there against my will, I’m at least going to take advantage of the free alcohol.”

***

I’m vaguely aware of my butt cheek buzzing. I’ve been dancing with Rhea for hours. Her threat of me being the designated driver has fallen, by the way, when Greyson volunteered his services if we could get him into the party. The kudos of being the only sophomore at the graduation seniors’ party would set him up for the entire year.

I can’t believe my baby brother is going to be a sophomore already! It only feels like yesterday that he was starting high school. I spin my best friend around, laughing. Rhea’s eyes are glazed over with alcohol. “Still think this was a bad idea?” I shout over the loud music.

“No!!” Rhea screams back. “This was a fan-fuckin’-tastic idea!”

Grabbing onto each other, we jump around in time to the beat, yelling along with the lyrics. I feel amazing—the least heavy that I’ve felt in the last few weeks.

~Shitshitshit!~ I scrabble to pull my cell phone out of the tight back pocket of my jeans and see several missed calls from Darryl. I waggle the phone in front of Rhea and point outside. She nods, not missing a beat of the song.

The loud music is muffled once I sink down onto the front stoop, clicking on Darryl’s name. It goes straight to voicemail, and I curse. Hanging up and redialing just to get the same. I look at the time and realize it is well into the time that he’d be on stage. ~I can’t believe I missed his call. I wanted to wish him good luck before his first professional gig.~

Dropping my head into my hands, the tears I’ve been fighting on and off all day finally win the battle and course down my cheeks. A comforting hand strokes my hair. “Oh, Stevie,” Rhea breathes.

“I—I missed his call. I’m a terrible girlfriend,” I sob. Rhea wraps her arms around me and holds me while I cry. “He’s going to hate me now.”

“Shut up! That boy loves you. He’ll understand that you needed to let off some steam after the snooze-fest we had to endure today.” She pulls back, holding me by my shoulders, holding my gaze with a stern one of her own. “Look, Stevie, we’ll be moving to New York in the next few days and starting the next step in our lives. This only seems so bad because you feel like he’s left you behind to go on some grand adventure. When we embark on our own adventure, you’ll feel better.”

Sniffing wetly, I nod sadly. “I guess you’re right.”

“Of course I am! I’m always right,” she grins her drunken, lopsided grin.