Bitter Notes (Second Sets, #1)

by Aly Beck

Kieran and I grew up together in the trenches of Central City. Once neighbors, now—he stares at me like we weren't friends hiding under the stars, talking about our tiny lives.

If there’s one thing my ma taught me, it was to stay away from rock stars. They bring you nothing but heartache.

Is that girl wearing pearls?" She gapes, pointing to the mean girl from earlier. “By God, it's fucking Tessa, and she's wearing pearls,” she murmurs, looking at me with wide eyes. "You think she clutches them when her boyfriend suggests booty sex?" I snort when she cackles, drawing the attention of the devil herself.

The beauty behind music never ceases to send goosebumps down my flesh and shivers up my spine. It takes me to another world, letting me leave the one I'm in.

There's something about music that lifts us and connects us—whether we're making it or listening to it.

“Every day,” Ode adds. “He tells me every damn day that you need a little dick to knock the stick out of your ass.” My jaw falls open at the same time Leon curses back at his sister. “Ode! What the hell? Throw your brother under the bus like that? I never said nothing like that,” he says, shaking his head with a grin. Letting me know he has, in fact, said it multiple times.

Fun fact, Van never got over the girl they forced him to leave. But you don’t belong to Van Drake anymore. The truth is you never did.

“Damnit, Rivey, you’re too stubborn,” he mutters, cursing under his breath. “I’m serious. Whatever they’re hanging around for, they’re going to use you. That’s all they do is use people for what they want.”

Like you are one to talk Van 🤬

My calculating eyes drift across the room toward the object of our newfound obsession—our ticket out of here. And the only reason I even agreed to come to this utter shithole tonight. Her. The girl with the perfect last name. The girl with our way out of this town and into the arms of a record deal

I can't wait until you eat those words

I note all the times he had his earbuds in, seeming to ignore the world around him. But it wasn’t because he was rude. It was to drown out the ghosts trying to haunt him.

“You-you did the dishes? And-and organized the nurse?” Callum asks through bewilderment. Rad scoffs. “You act like I don’t do anything domestic! How do you think our dishes get done? The laundry? Who picks up your rock sock and makes sure it’s clean for your next round of taming the snake? I mean, come on, dude! I’m not incapable.” “I’m ignoring the rock sock comment,” Callum says, giving Rad a scathing look. “And the tame the snake comment.”

Tears stream down my cheeks when the first cut snips off ten inches of hair, landing in a spiral on the bathroom floor. They used my hair as a weapon to hold me down and inflict pain. Now, I'm ridding myself of the weakness that caused me so much harm.

A sliver of darkness filled with unresolved trauma rests behind the spark in her eyes, hidden from the world but not hidden from me. I see behind the tough mask she presents to the world, and one day, I'll pull it off.

“Don't you dare,” he hisses, pushing his fingers through my hair and bringing his face to mine. Stormy gray eyes blaze into mine, and he shakes his head, lightly pressing his lips into mine. “Don't ever be sorry, Little Star. Not now. Not ever.”

I'll push forward with all my might and get what we need. It's for the better of the band… my family.

I want to strangle you right now, Asher 🤬