“When you called me a mistake? Yeah, I heard it.” I’d wiped away my tears, but my eyes watered all over again. No, I would not cry in front of him. I refused.

He sighed. “I didn’t mean it like that. And what I said to Ray in there, that was all part of the act, you know that. We both agreed we had to do this.”

“But when will the act end?” I asked. “When the show is over? What about the tour? What if we win? When will I be good enough to not be a secret anymore?”

“It’s not like that! The show—”

“It’s always the show or the band or some other excuse! How am I supposed to believe anything you say? You had no problem lying to your brother and your best friend for weeks. As far as I know, everything you told me is a lie, too, and you just don’t want to give up your infamous player lifestyle!”

He stepped back, like I’d punched him in the chest. “Wow. I thought you saw the real me, but I guess I was wrong. I’ve been with no one else since I met you. No one!”

“So tell everyone right now that you lied, that you do care about me, that we do have something between us. Tell the whole world we’re together, and I’ll believe you.”

He was quiet for a moment and then said, “You know I can’t do that.”

“Then I have nothing else to say to you.” I started to walk away, but he moved to block my path, pleading with his eyes for me to listen.

“Maddie, you don’t understand. This band is my entire life. It’s all I have. If we fail, you and Kyle will go back to school and on to other things, and Hector has his graphic novels and his art. Me? I’m a fucking bartender. Oh, wait, I’m not even that anymore because I quit my job to come on the show. I put everything I have, everything I am, into this band. We have to win, or all of that is for nothing.”

“How can you say the band is all you have? Even if we lose the show, you’re talented, and you have money and connections. You have a brother who would do anything for you, you have a best friend who sticks beside you no matter what…and you have me. Isn’t that enough?”