#Lily Mayflower x OC

[sunnyrealist]

Chapter 12: Panic

The Sun, the Moon, and All Our Stars

Summary and Details…

Chapter Background and Summary: Weeks have passed. Sebastian finally broke down and wrote a letter to Kate, begging for forgiveness, telling her he still desperately wants to be with her, and asking if they can meet. Kate agrees, longing to see him again but knowing she must tread carefully - Sebastian may disappoint her again. In this chapter, they meet up at the Three Broomsticks for the first time in quite a while. Sebastian, eager for a fresh start, is prepared to woo Kate with everything he has. However, the dinner is not going well. Sebastian panics.

Pairing: Aged-up, post-Azkaban Sebastian Sallow x female OC (Kate Mayflower)

Trigger warnings: Racing thoughts, anxiety, fear of rejection, self-loathing. Please note that this is not the confident Sebastian we know in Hogwarts Legacy. This is post-Azkaban Sebastian, who has seen and done things most could not imagine, who hates himself and believes he'll never be happy again.

The full chapter is available below the cut, along with the AO3 link. Any kind of constructive feedback would be greatly appreciated. A comment, like, or Kudos would make my day.

Chapter 12: Panic

It’s not going well.

It’s not going well, and I don’t know why.

I dressed up. Merlin, I dressed up just for her. 

I gave her lily of the valley to express how happy I am that she agreed to meet me. 

I picked up a muggle book because of her and brought it along. I did start reading it - it isn’t just for show. It’s not half bad.

I spoke about her future bookshop. I praised the idea.

But she’s not giving me the responses I want. The ones I need.

How do I turn this around?

Fuck.

Why meet me just to give mixed signals? Why? Why? 

Is she setting me up for a letdown?

Fuck.

She would be kind enough to meet me just to tell me she isn’t interested. That it’s over.

Shit.

Shit, shit, shit.

I… fuck… I can’t stand it…

If she says no, I will have nothing at all to live for.

Absolutely nothing.

No family.

No friends. No real friends.

My job - I shouldn’t even have it. 

I should be in prison…

I should be dead.

No, no, I can’t think like that… 

New strategy. I have to try. She has to be mine.

She has to.

Gods above, look at her. 

Gods.

She’s a vision.

Bloody fucking gorgeous, that’s what she is.

She looks like Spring itself in pastel yellow and white.

Does she know what she looks like to me? To other men?

How could one see her and not fall in love?

How is she not married?

How is she single?

Oh, gods. Maybe she isn’t single.

Shit…

Maybe this is why she’s here. To tell me she has moved on.

Maybe she found a real man. One she doesn’t have to be ashamed of. One who has money. Security. A good reputation. 

Someone who doesn’t keep the truth about his life from her.

What if she’s going home to see him right after this?

Shit.

Shit.

Shit. 

I can’t think.

I can’t breathe.

Fuck, relax!

Fucking relax!

Don’t fuck this up.

You fuck everything up.

She’s not saying anything.

It’s silent.

Say something.

Ask her. Just ask her. You want to know.

Should I take her hand first?

Oh, fuck.

I’m going to ask. I have to ask.

I need to ask.

[writtenkitten18]

The New Band in Town Cast

Halsey as Nic

Megan Thee Stallion as River

Machine Gun Kelly as Ez Ostergaard

Dove Cameron as Elie Ostergaard

Andy Biersack as Johnny Faust

Olivia Culpo as Gretchen Ruth

Bella Thorne as Lily Mayflower

Booboo Stewart as Vic Lakota

Amanda Steele as Vivien Thomas

[writtenkitten18]

The New Band in Town: Testimony

My name is Nicoletta Harkness and I am a recovering drug addict.

My name is Raven Addams and I am a stripper.

My name is Elieanna Ostergaard and I will protect my brother, no matter what.

My name is Ezekiel Ostergaard and I'm selling tickets to my downfall.

[writtenkitten18]

The New Band in Town: E L I E

My name is Elieanna Ostergaard and I will protect my brother, no matter what.

We share the same DNA. We share the blood that runs through our veins. We share the same mother and, reluctantly, the same father. He's my soulmate and he is the one person on planet Earth that will have my back until the day I die.

Through we shared the same womb and the same physical features, we have completely different personalities.

I am bisexual while my brother is as straight as an arrow. I like to jam on the guitar while he likes to play on the drums. I like to wake up early in the morning to teach yoga classes while he is an night owl at heart.

Even though the pros are better than any high on Earth, the only con is as dangerous than any weapon on Earth.

The only thing that bothers me about my twin brother is that I always have to worry about his health and wellbeing nonstop. I was born 8 minutes before him, so I guess earning that title comes with its own list of responsibilities. But it doesn't mean that it still doesn't bother me from time to time. It's not his fault for being emotional and reserved. Mom died when we were 3 and our father kicked us out for going against him in a business deal gone wrong.

Who is he you may ask? Well, it is no one other than Oliver Ostergaard, the owner of Pantheon Records and our father.

He was a good father in the beginning. He put us in private schools, made sure we wanted for nothing. But in return, he expected so much from us that it was exhausting to keep face and play a role. So when we rebelled against him during the fallout between him and Uncle Elias, he disowned us and told us to never come back home again. Uncle Elias took us in and made sure we had food in our bellies . He let us express ourselves creatively and we helped him start Akkadian Records into the trailblazer it is today. We built that company from the ground up when we were left to die in the shadows.

But while Uncle Elias and I were living our best lives with fame, Ez's mental health was declining with no end in sight.

He may have told me that he was fine but, in reality, his mind felt like it was stuck under water and he had an anchor wrapped around his shoulders, preventing him from rising to the surface. There was nothing he could do to numb the pain that was inside of him. So, he turned to things that he thought would work: drugs.

The only thing I like to dabble with is weed. Ez used any available drug known to man. Coke, ecstasy, molly, MDMA, oxy. And those are just the ones that I know of. It wasn't until he tried heroin that he became irritable and paranoid. We had to walk on eggshells around him because anything could set him off.

The day that we turned 24 is the day that I found out how much pain my best friend was going through.

-Flashback begins-

Today is Ez and I's 24th birthday and I have never been more excited in my life.

This morning, Uncle Elias got me a customized guitar and he got Ez drumsticks that have the signature of his favorite band, Mötley Crüe. He should've been through the roof, but he just stared at the tickets with this blank stare on his face. The Ez I know would have been on his knees and thanking God for this sacred gift.

He may not look like an imposter, but this man is not my brother.

Worried about his wellbeing, I drive over to his apartment in La Jolla and I knock on his front door. A few minutes passed and he didn't answer the front door. I knew something was wrong because Ez always answers the front door before the second knock. Looking in the planter next to the welcome mat, I grabbed the spare key and opened the door manually. I push the door open and the first thing that I see is Ez laying on the ground with rubber tubbing around his right arm and vomit in front of his mouth.

I screamed at the top of my lungs. "Oh my god! Ez!" I run over to his limp body on the ground as I take my phone out to dial 911. As I knelt on the ground next to him to check his pulse, I could feel a faint heartbeat. I told the operator my location and the situation at hand so the ambulance knew what to handle.

I saved my brother's life and I regret not helping him sooner.

-Flashback ends-

The doctor said that he has so much heroin and fentanyl in his system that he was lucky to be alive. The narcan got all of the drugs out of his system, but he died on the operating table for 6 minutes. They managed to bring him back to life and he was in a coma for 4 days. I was there when he woke up and he told me about all of his demons and the darkness that had been plaguing him for weeks now.

I'm not gonna lie. I was in a complete state of shock when he told about all of the pain that he was going through every day. I'm his twin sister. I'm supposed to protect him and keep him safe.

I failed to protect him and I will never forgive myself for leaving him in his time of need.

*****

Ez and I haven't spoken since Uncle Elias sent him to rehab. The rehab facility said that Ez has to cut off all contact with family members and friends so he can fully recover during the 30 days. And the last conversation we had together before he left, well, let's just say that we both said very hurtful things to each other.  I have already forgiven him for my side of the argument, but I don't know how he feels about the situation.

I guess I will find out as I pull into the parking lot of the Malibu Treatment Center to pick up my brother from rehab.

I park my Dodge Charger in the parking spot in front of the facility, exit the car and I lean against the hood of my car as I wait for staff to release Ez. As excited as I am to see my brother again, I am anxious about how our reunion could go. There was a fair chance that he could walk away from me and never speak to me again. That would be my worst nightmare. I won't be able to live with myself if-

"Hey Sleeping Beauty! Are you just gonna stand there or are you gonna come give me a hug?"

Breaking out of my daydream, I focus my eyes to the source of the voice and I see EZ with his backpack in one hand and his signature drumsticks in the other. Not wasting anymore time fucking around, I run over to where Ez was standing and I hug him with all of the strength that I could muster. He welcomes my embrace as he buries his head into my hair.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Ez Ostergaard is back and ready to rumble.

[writtenkitten18]

The New Band in Town: E Z

My name is Ezekiel Ostergaard and I'm selling tickets to my downfall.

Ever since I was a young boy, I've had this darkness weighing on my shoulders. Whenever I would go, it would follow me. There was nothing I could do to stop it.

The only thing that could stop the voices in my head is Elie.

She's technically my older sister by 7 1/2 minutes, but we shared a womb for 9 months. She has always been there to protect me from bullies and anyone that threatened my safety. All I had to do was think of her name and all my demons would fall silent.

But when the demons took over and wouldn't go away, that was when I decided to turn to drugs.

I took my first pill when I was 16. At first, I would only mess around with molly and ecstasy. It wasn't legal per se but it helped calm the darkness inside of me. When I turned 18, I got tattoos as a way to express myself creatively.

Shortly after that, I stuck a needle in my arm for the first time.

The heroin didn't affect me that much. All it did was take the edge off. 6 years pass and I couldn't get out of bed unless I did a hit.

The day that me and my sister turned 24 was also the day I overdosed.

My dealer claimed he got a new shipment in and he didn't charge me as much as I usually did. I had so much drugs in my system that I died in the OR for a few minutes. The doctors were going to give up when my heart started beating again. They put me in a medically induced coma for 4 days until I woke up. Elie was there and I felt horrible about putting her through this horror show.

I let her down and I will never forgive myself for doing that to her.

I willingly chose to do 30 days so I could get my shit together and fight my demons. It wasn't easy, but I kept my hopes up and I pushed through all of the withdrawals for Elie.

I needed to stay strong. For her.

After the 30 days, it took awhile to get back into the swing of things. That was before Elie saw a flyer that was posted outside the Roxy about starting a band. I was skeptical because you can't trust people nowadays. But after she got off the phone with person yesterday, she was hopeful and she said the person sounded pretty cool, so theres only one thing left to fo.

It's time to make a demo.

[writtenkitten18]

The New Band in Town: N I C

TW: forced drug use, sexual assault, depression, talks about death.

My name is Nicoletta Harkness, and I am a recovering drug addict.

All my life, all I wanted was an escape. When reality became too much of a struggle, I would close my eyes and try to imagine myself in another life. I would imagine that i was singing onstage with my band, performing and showing the world what I have to offer. I could show the world that I have more to offer than the sins of my past. I could change the narrative and pave my own destiny.

However, life had other plans for me.

My mother died during childbirth and my father was a junkie who would trade anything for crack. So, the day I turned 14, he traded me to a stranger named Charlie who offered him a few bags of crack in exchange for me. In the beginning, he was nice to me. He gave me all the dolls that I wanted. He let me have all the candy that I wanted for breakfast.

Until he started to take things to the next level.

One night, Charlie came into my room late at night. He had a glass of milk that he said was going to help me sleep easy. Something in the back of my mind told me not to drink the milk, but I did it anyways because I was stupid enough to believe that I could trust him. I remembered getting very sleepy and feeling like I couldn't control my body. My vision was very blurry and the last thing I can remember was seeing Charlie's face before everything goes black. When I woke up the next morning, I was feeling very sore around my genital area and my jaw was hurting very bad.

It didn't take long for me to realize that I was sexually assaulted.

I trusted him. I never thought that he could do something like that to me. He was like a father to me. What made everything worse was that next morning, he greeted me and he had a different energy than I had seen him before. He had this smile that brought chills down my spine and he was so close to me that I could feel his breath against my face. I had a feeling that he wasn't going to talk with all the best intentions in mind.

My suspicions were confirmed when he told me to call him Master for then forth.

For the first couple months, I resisted against anything he tried to make me do. After I realized that he drugged the milk, I would refuse to eat or drink anything that he would give me. He got frustrated over time and he would get so angry that he would beat me until I submitted reluctantly. When he would break a few of my ribs or any of my limbs, I would have to either wait for it to heal or pop it back into place myself. My recovery time would complicate my time with Master, so that was when he decided that he would try something new to help me "relax".

I would say that I was 16 when I was forcibly addicted to heroin and cocaine.

At first, I didn't want to take the drugs. I wanted to live my life free from these chains and I wanted to be free from this life that I was forced to live. But after he gave me that first speedball, my whole body went numb and it felt like I was released from my guilt. I didn't feel pain and my emotions were put on hold.

I was bound, but I could escape from my body for just a moment.

Days turned into months, months turned into years, and years faded away as I willed myself to die.

That is until He came for me.

-Flashback begins-

Master visited me today and he told me that it was my lucky day.

Today is the day that I turn 21. And Master said it's time to go away forever.

After he gave me the biggest speedball I've ever seen in my life, he used me as much as he wanted. Unlike other sessions with Master, he went on for several hours. When he was finished, he pushed me to the side, and he left me.

That was over 6 hours ago.

I wanted to go to sleep and be free of the pain that this world has given me. All of a sudden, the door to the room that was closed when Master left opened, and a young black man walked in and he focused on where I was laying.

I don't know what came over me, but my mouth spoke, "Are you God?"

The man shakes his head and walks over to where I was laying and covered me with a blanket as he picks me up in his arms and carries me to the closest bathroom. "No, my child. I'm here to help you break your chains and get you back to yourself again." He puts me down on the edge of the bathtub as he takes out a bottle with brown liquid in it from inside his jacket and he takes the cap off the bottle, trying to put the bottle into my hands. "But first, you must drink this."

I push it away and shake my head furiously. "I don't want to drink anything. Why can't you just let me die in peace?"

The man once again shakes his head as he puts his hand on the small of my back covered by the blanket. "You may feel like you have hit rock bottom and there is no way to raise your head above the water but know this my child. You were made for more than what you were put on this Earth for. You were made for a greater purpose. But we can't get started on your path for redemption until we get this poison from within your body and we get your mind in a better place. So, you must take this," he puts the brown bottle back in my hands "so you can get on your path for greatness. There is a light at the end of the tunnel my dear."

Before I drink the contents of the bottle, I asked one final question. "Who are you? And why are you helping me?"

The man smiles and shakes his head in reassurance. "My name is Gabriel and I'm here to help you out of the darkness."

-Flashback Ends-

Gabriel was there for me when I needed him the most. When I was going through intense withdrawals and I felt like absolute shit, he nursed me through every wave of nausea and the shaking spells. There were several moments where I wanted to fall asleep and never wake up again. But then, Gabriel would appear and reassure me that I was making the right decision of sobering up from the drugs. It has been 3 months since Gabriel found me and I'd be lying if I say that I didn't have urges for a needle in my arm. So, Gabriel introduced weed to help with my urges and I am pleased to say that it has helped me immensely to take my mind off the shakes. After I fully recovered from my near-death experience, Gabriel decided to give me my second chance at life.

Which leads me to my new residency in the City of Angels. A place where I would find first loves, rock and roll, and the presence of the devil.

[writtenkitten18]

The New Band in Town Masterlist

Cast

Testimony

Before Hellfire

N I C

R A V E N

E L I E

E Z

When They Meet for the first time

[writtenkitten18]

The New Band in Town: Before Hellfire

She wanted to break away from her dark past.

She wanted the respect that she rightfully deserved.

She wanted to stay strong for her brother.

He wanted someone to listen to him.

[writtenkitten18]

Whore

Nic's POV

If you would have told me three days ago that I would be at Akkadian Records recording a demo for a rock band, I would've told you that you were fucking insane.

After Gabriel told me that he had arranged a recording session in California, at first I was like, "You're fucking with me right?" The few minutes of shock went by and I realized that he was serious. Suddenly for the first time in 10 years, I was hopeful for the future.

I was given a second chance.

Gabriel drove all the way from Utah to Los Angeles, California to stay with a friend of his until I get back on my feet. I didn't know much about this friend other than they were female and she's been through trauma like I have. It's nice to know that there are people who understand what I've been through.

It took me a few hours for me to get settled in Raven's apartment and then we got ready for the recording session at Akkadian Records. This was my first time being out in the public since I was 14 years old and I can already see the changes in the architecture and everyone's clothing.

The world has changed in the 10 years that I was held captive.

We walk into Akkadian Records and the first thing that I notice is the golden record for The Relentless. The picture showed 4 guys and a half naked girl with her tongue stuck out and her fingers in a V.

Raven noticed that I was staring at the record and she walks up behind me, wrapping her arms around my shoulders. "This is one of Akkadian Records' success stories. The Relentless. People think that they were involved with devil worship and that's what gave them their success, but I'd say it was their fucking talent that gave them their crown." She points her index finger at the half-naked girl. "That hot piece of ass is Lily Mayflower. She's the bassist and she is drop-dead gorgeous. She and Johnny, second guy from the right, dated for awhile, but broke up after he got acquitted for murdering a man onstage. When his lawyer died mysteriously after the trial, he dropped off the face of the earth and no one has heard from him since. It's a shame. He had a really good voice."

My cheeks start getting red as I keep my eyes focused on the black haired gentlemen. "He's very handsome."

Raven shakes her head no. "He's a little cute but he's not my type."

I roll my eyes and joke. "And what is your type Ms. Thang?"

Raven rebuts. "The ones with boobs and a clit." I nod my head as we start walking away from the record and up to the receptionist desk.

When she sees us coming, she grabs her iPad and walks over to greet us. "Welcome to Akkadian Records. my name is Meg. How may I assist you today?"

Not knowing what to say, Raven speaks for me. "Yes we are here for a 4 PM demo recording with Elie. I'm Raven Addams."

Meg scrolls on her iPad for a few seconds before pressing something on her screen. "Yes I see you guys right here. If you guys will just follow me, I will take you to studio A where Elie and Elias are waiting for you."

The two of us follow Meg as she leads us past the aisle of desks, down a hallway and up to two large doors where she knock on it three times. When she receives the confirmation to enter, she opens the doors to reveal a recording booth where we see a blonde girl in a all black pantsuit, a middle aged man with a dress shirt with a vest on top and blue jeans, and a blonde punk rocker with drumsticks in his hands.

They see us walking in and the blonde girl walks over to us, putting her hands forward for a handshake. "It's a pleasure to meet the both of you. I'm Elie and I believe I spoke on the phone with Raven?"

Raven shakes her hand first and responds to her question. "I'm Raven Addams. It's a pleasure to meet you as well." She points next to her where I'm standing. "This is my songwriter Nicoletta."

I shake her hand after Raven. "Call me Nic. Nicoletta is too formal."

The blond rocker walks over to us and shakes our hands as well. "You can call me Ez. I'm a drummer and I will be the drummer for the band. Potentially."

Elie adds on. "And I will be the guitarist for the band."

I ask. "So how does this typically work? This is my first time doing this sort of thing."

Elie answers. "Well, we arranged for a small test to test your songwriting skills. We have a track set up that already has guitar, bass and drums provided. "She points over to the microphone in the booth. "Show us what you got Nic."

Looking at Elias for approval, I grabbed Raven's hand and I drag her into the booth with me. Grabbing my songbook from out of my bag, I flip through my pages until I found my destination and I whisper into her ear. "It doesn't look like how it sounds. Just sing the parts that are underlined."

Raven nods her head as the two of us put the headphones over our ears. After we made sure that the headphones were secure on our heads, we signal to Elias that we're ready and he starts the playback, which starts with with a guitar riff. Closing my eyes, I put my hands on the mic and sing the lyrics I know too well.

(Bold: Nic, Bold and indented: Nic and Raven)

I'm the girl you're thinking about

The one thing you can't live without

Yeah, I'm the girl you've been waiting for

I'll have you down on your knees, I'll have you begging for more

You probably thought I wouldn't get this far

You thought I'd end up in the back of a car

You probably thought that I'd never escape

I'd be a rat in a cage, I'd be a slave to this place

You don't know how hard I fought to survive, waking up alone when I was left to die

And you don't know about this life I've lived, all these roads I've walked, all these tears I've bled

Raven joins in after she recovers from shock.

So how can this be, you're praying to me

There's a look in your eyes, I know just what that means

I can be, I can be your everything

I can be your whore!

I am the dirt you created

I am your sinner, I am your whore

But let me tell you something baby

You love me for everything you hate me for

We take a quick second to breathe until the drum announces the next section of music.

I'm the one that you need and fear

Now that you're hooked, it's all becoming clear

That all your judgements that you placed on me was a reflection of discovery

So maybe next time when you cast your stones

From the shadows of the great unknown

You will crawl up from your hiding place

And take a look in the mirror, see the truth in your face

So how can this be, you're praying to me

There's a look in your eyes, I know just what that means

I can be, I can be your everything

I can be your whore!

I am the dirt you created

I am your sinner, I am your whore

But let me tell you something baby

You love me for everything you hate me for

After we finished the second round of the chorus, Raven starts vocalizing while I embrace the tears that are falling down my face. Using the sleeves of my sweater, I wipe the tears off of my face and I wrap my hands around the mic stand as I belt out the bridge.

I am the dirt you created

I am your sinner, I am your whore

But let me tell you something baby

You love me, you want me, you need me

I can be your whore!

I am the dirt you created

I am your sinner, I am your whore

But let me tell you something baby

You love me for everything you hate me for

I can be your whore

I can be your whore

I can be your whore

But let me tell you something baby

You love me for everything you hate me for

You love me for everything... you hate me for.

As I sing the final lyrics in my songbook, I open my eyes and look over at the surprised group of people sitting behind the glass. Elie and Ez had their mouths open in shock and Elias was sitting in the chair in front of the soundboard, a smirk resting on his face.

Only actions can speak the truth

[writtenkitten18]

When they meet for the first time

She makes her presence known.

She finds out more about her roommate's past.

She finds the sisterhood she never thought she needed.

He finds his family.

[writtenkitten18]

The New Band in Town: R A V E N

My name is Raven Addams and I am a stripper.

I wish that I could say that becoming a stripper was a choice more like I needed a job with good tips and let me work at night when I didn't have class. After I graduated college, I was able to dedicate more time to my job and make better tips.

Now before you shame me for admitting that I strip for money, you must know one thing: I never said that I was ashamed of being a stripper. In a weird way, stripping has boosted my self-esteem for the better. When I walk in that stage, everyone knows who the fuck I am. I have men begging on their hands and knees for even 5 second of my attention.

I will admit, it brings me great pleasure seeing their disappointment when they find out that I lick pussy.

Being gay has greatly affected my relationship with my parents. They wanted me to marry a boy I had no chemistry with and would beat me every time I asked to bring another woman into our bed. My parents didn't care that he was abusive, as long as I wasn't committing a sin with a woman. Whenever I wanted to leave him, my parents would beat me with a bible until I repent for my sins.

It wasn't until I was 18 that Gabriel saved me.

He came to my door one day to rescue me and he helped me escape from my parents and make a new life for myself away from Georgia. He let me stay at one of his properties in Los Angeles as long as I check in with him and let him know I was safe.

So it comes as a surprise that he called me, asking for a favor.

****

I've been on my own for 7 years now and I have made a name for myself in this town. Turns out, being a beautiful, plus sized black lesbian is a rare commodity in Hollywood. I make so many tips every night that I needed two purses to carry the cash home.

Today was a short day because the power went out halfway through my set, so my boss sent everyone home early which gave me enough time to grab takeout and go bass shopping before I got home around 2 AM. I was in the middle of stringing and tuning it when my phone started ringing. At first, I ignored the ringing because I wasn't expecting anyone to call me this late. But when I saw Gabriel's name on the caller ID, I ran over to my charging phone and answered the call, putting the phone to my ear.

I started the dialogue. "What up Gabriel the Angel? It's good to know that you're still alive and kicking."

He chuckles and I can almost feel his positive energy radiate through the receiver. "It's good to hear the sound of your voice Raven. How have you been since we've last spoken."

I respond. "Can't complain. I got a job as a stripper at the Unicorn, so it gave me enough leeway to get my degree. Graduation passed a few months ago, but the aftershock from getting that diploma on that stage hasn't gone away and I don't want it to."

Gabriel approves. "I'm proud of you kid. If there's anyone I know that deserves it, it's you. That's not the reason why I'm calling though."

I joke. "I would expect nothing less Honest Gabe. What's up?"

Gabriel responds seriously. "So, I have rescued a young woman who was sold and sexually abused as a child. Her captor forced her to get addicted to speedballs, but I helped her get clean and she's been sober for 6 months now. Now I must help someone in Vegas, but I don't want to leave her alone during this crucial moment of her recovery. Could it be possible if I could leave her with you for a couple months until I can find a suitable living condition? You're the only person that I trust to do this and I can send you money every month to cover her expenses."

I question. "Do I have to worry about coming home to find her with a needle in her arm?"

Gabriel responds. "Absolutely not. She swore to me that she never wants to feel that kind of high ever again. I also gave her some weed to help with her urges and she knows not to push her limits. You wouldn't have to worry about her and alcohol. She swears away from that stuff. Keeps talking about trying Jager when she was 9."

I chuckle. "I don't blame her for swearing off of alcohol. The people who make Jager swear that it tastes like the best candy you'll ever eat in your life, but it literally tastes like they put death and cough syrup in a bottle and shook it consistently  for 5 hours." The two of us shared a laugh before I continued with my questions. "Does she have any talent that could be of any use?"

Gabriel responds instantly. " She's a great singer. Awhile back, I bought her a journal for her thoughts and she shared her work with me. She has some genuine talent. Could be useful if you're looking for, I don't know, a singer/songwriter to form a rock band and work with the Relentless." I froze for a moment before Gabriel continues with his train of thought. "I know you Raven more than you'll ever know. You've been talking about working with the Relentless for as long as I've known you. In fact, if my memory serves me right, you told me that you're in love with Lily Mayflower and have wanted to meet her since-"

I stop him before my cheeks turn bright red. "Okay that's enough about Lily Mayflower before I burst into a puddle." I think for a few seconds before I speak into my phone. "Give me an hour to think it over and I'll call you back with an answer." Gabriel agrees to wait for my call and we exchanged our goodbyes before I hung up the call. Not even a minute passes before my phone rings again. Except this time, it wasn't Gabriel on the other line. It was a unknown number.

Hesitant on who was on the other line, I press the answer button and put the phone to my ear and speak. "Hello?"

A female voice speaks from the receiver. "Hi. Is this Raven Addams?"

I respond. "This is she."

The female voice sighs before she continues. "Thank goodness. I thought I dialed the wrong number. I also didn't expect for you to be awake at this time of hour. But anyways, I'm calling about the band recruitment flyer that was posted near the Roxy."

I let out a breath of relief before I speak with sincerity. "Yes I posted that flyer. To be honest with you, it's been so long since I posted that flyer and I full well expected someone to have thrown it into the trash."

The girl chuckles. "Yeah someone ripped it to pieces a few months back. But I managed to the number off the flyer and save it into my phone. I've been meaning to call you, but I had a family emergency to take care of and I lost track of time. Furthermore, I have good news for you. My uncle owns Akkadian Records and he has allowed me to find a singer/songwriter and a bassist for a band he's starting. I know that this sounds very sudden and possibly scam-like, but I promise that I'm not fucking with you. To prove it to you, we want to arrange a demo recording where we can see if any sparks fly. What do you say?"

Without hesitation, I respond. "Yes. Hell yes. We would be so down. Thank you for the opportunity. I promise that we won't let you down."

The female voice responds cheerfully. "Amazeballs. So, we have an availability this Friday at 4 PM. Are you available then?"

I think for a moment before I answer. "Yes we are available then. Again, thank you for the opportunity Miss."

The female voice replies sweetly. "Please call me Elie. Miss is reserved for my mother and she would kill anyone who challenges her supremacy."

I joke. "Trust me when I say this girl. My mother is the only woman that I call miss and she will defend that title with her life.

The two of us share a laugh as we exchanged information and end the call. Realizing what my choice was going to be, I redialed the previous number in my call logs and after I heard the voice speak first, I respond.

"How soon can you get her here?"