We launched into “Behind the Mask,” the same song we’d performed for our audition, but it sounded different now. Jared’s bass playing had gotten much better, thanks to Dan’s help, and I was no longer the terrified, awkward girl on stage. We’d all improved so much in the last few weeks—not just individually, but as a group. We’d learned how to work together as one cohesive unit.

I moved across the stage, letting the song pour out of me and into the guitar, feeling every note and every word deep inside me. And when Jared sang, his face twisting with the emotion behind the words he’d written, the audience sang along, too. I could even see some of the fans, the ones near the stage, swaying and shouting out the lyrics, holding their “Jared + Maddie” signs. The song took on new life, becoming a collaboration between us and the fans, an experience we all shared together. When we hit the bridge and the music went quiet to focus on Jared, the way the fans’ voices echoed through the theater sent shivers down my spine. I joined in again with my guitar, and the rest of the guys rushed back in, and we finished the song even stronger, bolstered by the love from the crowd.

As soon as the stage turned around, Jared grabbed me and lifted me up, kissing me hard, sending flashes of heat throughout my entire body.

He set me back down, and I smiled up at him. “I can’t believe you did that. I thought you would do anything to win, anything to make sure the band succeeds.”

“I changed my mind.” He ran his fingers through my hair, staring into my eyes like he hadn’t seen me in years. “Don’t get me wrong—I still want to win. But after you left, I realized winning the show wasn’t worth losing you. Besides, you were right. I don’t have to be the villain anymore for the band to succeed.”

“You two are disgusting,” Hector said, making gagging noises.

“Seriously, get a room,” Kyle said.

“Oh, I plan on it.” Jared kissed my neck in the spot he knew made me crazy.

Kyle opened his mouth to say something else, but his words died when we heard Fairy Lights start playing. Because they weren’t doing the song they’d been scheduled to perform—they were doing a country version of “Radioactive.”

Lacey had stolen our song.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

At first, we all stood there and listened, like we weren’t sure what we were hearing. Maybe this was a joke. Maybe they were messing with us, and they would switch to their own song any second now. But when they got to the chorus, we knew this was really happening.

“What’s going on?” I asked. “Is she… Are they….” I couldn’t even finish the sentence. It was too big, too horrible, too unbelievable.