see a tiny spot on his forearm from far away that I knew was my snowflake, but the longer I stood there, the more I realized that what I was trying to do was impossible. I should’ve been smart and came earlier. I should’ve braved the hot Florida sun for Zeke. At least that way I would’ve been guaranteed a front spot and could’ve got his attention.
Their last song was playing about the time I felt myself start to tear up. I’d failed and it was so hard to see him so close yet so far away. He was right there, yet I couldn’t touch him.
When their set was over, they said their goodnights and left the stage. Watching him walk away was so hard. Knowing I’d lost my chance was even harder. I turned to leave in hopes of getting out before the swarms of people headed to the parking lot.
This whole thing was a bad idea. If anything, I was leaving feeling worse than I did before, but I had to at least try. Zeke had been responsible for putting me back together and now I was more broken than I was when I first met him. I didn’t need him to live, but he sure as hell made me feel alive.
It was pitch black outside once I was far enough away from the show. People sprinkled the parking lot. A girl was throwing up next to her car and it made my stomach turn.
I passed by a bunch of buses and I thought maybe I could catch him on the way back to his bus, but there were so many people already lined up there, so I didn’t even bother. I was exhausted and ready to just go home.
I was walking back to my car when suddenly someone stepped out of the shadows and pulled me into the darkness between two buses. They shoved their hand over my mouth and pressed me up against the back of a bus. It was so dark I couldn’t see anything.
The person holding me pressed their large body against mine and softly pushed a lock of hair out of my face before running a hot finger down my cheek. Warm, minty breath struck my lips as he moved his face close to mine and nuzzled my chin.
Great, I was being raped by a romantic. Then I heard a familiar deep chuckle and I felt happiness bloom throughout my entire body.
“Damn, snowflake, if you get any hotter you’ll melt.”
And then his hand was gone and his lips were on mine.
Twenty-Seven
Zeke
My dreams were coming true. The guys and I were getting everything we wanted. A damn good record contract was signed with LA Records and we had to move to California. We were in the middle of recording our first record. It should’ve been the happiest time in my life, but everything felt wrong.
Leaving the East Coast without being able to say good-bye to my snowflake was by far the hardest thing I’d ever done. I called and texted until I couldn’t call and text anymore and then finally her phone was disconnected. I searched for her and even asked Megan what the deal was, but nothing. It was as if she’d disappeared off the face of the earth and I felt like I’d disappeared with her.
When I was packing to leave for California, I found her happy meal Optimus Prime toy and I cried a little. I wasn’t much for crying. To me, crying was for weak assholes, but sometimes something would send me over the edge. A cheap McDonald’s toy did the trick that day.
Another thing that killed me was my guitar. I used to love my guitar, but now every time I played it I thought about Patience. I could’ve bought a new one, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. As much as it hurt to play it, it hurt more when I thought about sticking it in a closet.
The first time I heard one of our songs on the radio, it should’ve been a beautiful moment, but all I could think about was whether or not Patience would hear it.
“Dude, you played the wrong chord again.” Finn complained. “Snap the hell out of it, man.”
The guys were constantly complaining since I kept screwing up. It was so unlike me and I couldn’t let it continue any longer, so I pushed back all of my memories of Patience and swallowed down my emotions. I delved deep into the