Everleigh probably shouldn't have been surprised—nor screamed out loud—when she saw herself in the mirror the next morning.

Actually, she shouldn't have really said morning.

Because when she checked her phone it was definitely 2:30 in the afternoon when she finally woke up. (Yes, she ignored her circadian rhythm and its needs because she was still sad and waking up had her feeling like she'd been hit by a truck.) (So there.)

"Jesus Christ," Everleigh muttered.

It was something to say that hotel bathroom lighting wasn't good in the first place. It was another thing to say that Everleigh looked like actual ass in spite of the bad lighting. Under her eyes were swollen in a way that she'd be stuck with it for the rest of the day. Granted, it wasn't long, but it was frightening. Her eyes were still tearing up even though her near twelve hours of sleep had gotten her over her initial sadness about the call from her professor.

Everleigh forced herself to brush her teeth and finger-comb her hair; washing her face would have to be a post-some-kind-of-food feat. If she even managed food in the first place. God almighty, she felt like shit. She was sure if she phoned for room service her voice would be hoarser than a six-pack-a-day smoker.

When she looked at her phone again, she saw she'd missed texts from an unknown number. She was really out of it, huh? Three whole texts she missed while looking at the time.

hey, stevie is currently being forced to try on a bunch of ugly dresses but she wanted me to ask if you're free to hang out tonight. The second text: preferably something greasy. And the last one: sorry, this is jun btw. stevie gave me your number.

Everleigh managed a small laugh as she wrote a response back. here i was, honoured to be texted about greasy food from scammers. In another message, she wrote: i'm down! And then, because her curiosity was piqued: how ugly are they?

Jun replied quickly. Like Everleigh hadn't been asleep before she replied to his texts that came in at the very normal being awake hour of two. they gave her 3 gucci dresses to try on so *very*.

don't tell anyone i said that. Everleigh laughed. Poor guy.

brand name wannabes will come after me.

keeping all your secrets here, aren't i?

kidding. you got it. mum's the word.

client confidentiality from our therapist ofc.

how offended are you by non-authentic mexican food?

i'm british, we eat beans on toast. Everleigh snorted. non-authentic mexican food is everything.

i forgot y'all did that...

stevie is now craving baja blast.

if you're so inclined to enjoy the culinary excellence of taco bell.

Everleigh looked at herself in the mirror again. Hopefully she hoped she didn't live to regret her reply. sounds perfect. Another look at herself made her send another text, hoping the answer was not soon. what time are you guys done?

should be done by... 6. maybe. if seira stops interjecting every 5 sec w/ her opinion.

Everleigh could work with six. That gave her a couple hours to

see you at 7 then???

Everleigh's eyes widened; ached a little when they did. I'M KIDDING PLEASE DON'T REPEAT THAT.

are you being forced into gucci as well?

thankfully no, Jun wrote. rami is tho. Another text came in: sucker.

you get to sit there and silently judge? incredible, really.

yes, exactly. such hard work.

Another text came before Everleigh could reply. my services are actually needed. we'll text you later when we're done!

Everleigh put her phone on the bathroom counter. Letting out a deep breath before she took to trying to make herself feel a little better. First thing was first: getting rid of her swollen eyes as best she could.

That meant she had to trek to the ice machine. Which meant she had to summon the energy to put on something. Once Everleigh saw her suitcase, she elected for a bigger sweater and clean pyjama shorts with fuzzy socks to go get ice. Really, the best look she could've gone for. As shit as she felt, putting new clothes on was an accomplishment. That's how she was going to see it for the time being. And that worked for her. Everleigh tucked her phone into the waistband of her shorts.

Part of her considered calling Troy to apologize. She didn't for a couple reasons. One, it was nearly eleven and Troy usually went to bed at the stirring hour of nine. And two, apologizing was embarrassing and he likely wouldn't accept her apology anyway. Saving her breath was the best idea.

Everleigh grabbed the ice bucket and her room key before wandering down the hall to find the ice machine. She didn't need much, but she figured getting a bucket full would give her something to chew on while she waited for six o'clock to roll around.

The hotel she was at had charcoal grey carpets and beige walls that tied in well with wooden accents throughout. She wasn't sure why she'd booked a stay there purely because she didn't fit in with any of the motif. It was very business casual while Everleigh was definitely wearing cow-print pyjama shorts. If only no one had seen her.

Then at least she wouldn't have been forced to make eye contact with the man behind her waiting for the ice machine in a three piece suit who raised a questioning eyebrow at her. Everleigh gave him one of her best glares in return.

When she was back in her hotel room, Everleigh grabbed a towel and put on the deluxe edition of Nuclear Fusion. As she laid back in bed, she placed the enough ice cubes into the towel that she could feel it well on the other side. Laying her head in the pillow, Everleigh closed her eyes and placed the towel of ice on her eyes.

Everleigh knew the times of each song that played, so she took the ice off after it had been twenty minutes. When she opened her eyes again, they stung a little less but she'd likely go back for another round of icing before she left. Maybe two more rounds.

For the fifteen minutes in between, Everleigh showered—a little too long, a little too hot, a little too much pressure to put on a shower—dried her hair, and iced her eyes a little more. She gave up after the second round of trying to make them any less swollen than they already were, but at least her shower made her feel a little better. It's not like she expected Jun and Stevie to be rude enough to point it out to her that she looked like ass.

The songs kept playing as Everleigh got ready. She chewed a couple ice cubes as she got dressed; a simple black t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Singing along quietly to make sure she didn't sound as disgusting as she felt when she got to dinner.

When she made her way back to the bathroom, Everleigh applied enough makeup that she looked semi-normal, if not still a little swollen. It was the best she could do and she tried to convince herself that was enough. Tried being the operative word. Everleigh spent the rest of the afternoon ignoring her homework and, instead, watching The Princess Diaries. A fantastic choice, if she said so herself. It made times past and made her smile and laugh. Exactly what the doctor ordered.

It didn't take long for Jun to text Everleigh again, letting her know which Taco Bell they were going to. Everleigh grabbed her room key, her wallet, and her phone before walking out of the hotel. She flagged a cab down relatively quickly—relative being supersonic in terms of Los Angeles and the cab industry. Streetlights, people, whizzed by. Los Angeles was the west coast city that never slept and any night Everleigh stayed there was a new way to experience life, she found.

They got to the restaurant quicker than she thought she would. Everleigh left a nice tip and got out. To her surprise, and likely dumb luck, Stevie and Jun got out of their car at the same time.

"Hey, queen!" Stevie said.

"Hiya!" Everleigh said, turning and walking over. "How was the fitting?"

"I... survived," Stevie said. "Fittings are never fun. How was your... waking up?"

Stevie laughed in a way that didn't make Everleigh feel judged. Which she appreciated. It made her feel a lot better about sleeping the day away.

"It was... something," Everleigh said. "I'm thankful for the invitation to go outside."

"Going outside is very important," Jun said. "Or so I've been told."

"Also thanks for coming here," Stevie said. "Shocker but we usually don't have to worry about being stalked going to Taco Bell."

Everleigh hadn't considered that. No paparazzi for a dinner would be nice.

"This is holy ground after all," Jun said.

"I didn't study religion but the story goes that Jesus turned water into Baja Blast, right?" Everleigh asked.

"I think that's precisely what happened, yes," Stevie said.

"Who knew we would be the ones to fulfill the quest of the Holy Grail," Jun said.

"That alone deserves dinner."

Stevie fanned her arms out like King Arthur. "Lead the way, my fellow knight of the round table."

Everleigh took the door and held it for Stevie and Jun to step through before her. As soon as they entered the line, Stevie began slapping Jun's arm frantically. There was a standee that had her practically bouncing off the walls with excitement.

"Bro," Stevie said, "no way!"

"What?" Jun asked.

Stevie pointed at a poster that Everleigh leaned forward a little to look at. It was an advertisement for—"They brought back the Mexican pizza!" Stevie said. She looked at Everleigh. "Please tell me you've tried that before."

"I..." Everleigh stumbled. "Mexican pizza?"

Stevie gasped at her. "Girl—"

"We really said let's teach Everleigh the cultural significance of Mexican pizza," Jun said.

"We only got Taco Bell in, like, 2018, guys—" Everleigh started.

"This is why they threw y'all's tea overboard," Stevie said.

Everleigh laughed. "Suppose that makes my decision on what I want to eat..."

Really, though, Everleigh was annoyingly thankful of Stevie's excitement. The less she had to look at the menu, the less she'd panic about too many things regarding food, and the more she could sit and breathe and try not to let her brain wander. Everleigh could've hugged her for the insistence, but kept her hands to herself.

Stevie gently nudged Everleigh along. Which Everleigh didn't mind. "Jun, can you order the usual? And three Mexican pizzas, obviously. We'll grab a table in the back."

"Are you trying to make me carry everything over by myself—" Jun started.

Stevie waved him off as she started walking toward the back. Clearly not paying attention to his protest. "Okay thanks, see you in a bit!"

Everleigh and Stevie walked over to a table. There was a group of older teens at a table nearby that Everleigh caught Stevie moving a little faster to get past. She tried her best to block Stevie from their gaze while they sat down.

"Is this okay," Everleigh started as they sat down, "or do you want to try somewhere else?"

"I think this is fine. Just... don't lean too far to the side, please." Stevie let out a small laugh that made Everleigh want to stand like the Venus De Milo and block her from their gaze for the rest of the night and onward.

"Got it." Everleigh laughed with her before giving her a segway from the present problem Everleigh was blocking her from. Not quite an escape, but away from the building. "How've you been? Know it's been very go, go, go and you haven't had much time to breathe."

"Just some recording here and there," Stevie said. "And brand stuff which gets kind of boring sometimes but kind of a necessary evil. We'll have to start promo soon for the album since we're thinking about releasing the first single in April."

Everleigh tried not to sound too eager. But that was music to her ears... literally? "That soon?"

"Yup!" Stevie said. "We're almost done and the Grammys deadline for this year is the end of August so we're aiming to release the album by May or June."

Oh, hell yeah. Maybe Everleigh wouldn't jump off the plane on her way to clinical—MARS was a reason to stay above ground.

"You guys deserved it the first time," Everleigh said. "Hope you get it this time."

Stevie laughed. "Thanks. Honestly, just being nominated the first time was super cool. It's weird seeing your name up there next to artists you've admired your entire life."

"Sounds amazing."

"How's school going though?" Stevie asked. Everleigh's stomach shot into her throat. There's no way Stevie would've known, so she didn't blame her. She was almost thankful she'd made herself look that passable that she couldn't tell something was wrong. "Way more impressive what you're doing if you ask me."

Bless Stevie. Practically the sole reason Everleigh hadn't dropped out of school.

"It's... um. It's going." Everleigh couldn't lie when Stevie looked genuinely interested. The call from last night still stung as much as she'd done the last couple hours to work past her breakdown the night before. "I have to go back to London for clinical if I can get my flights covered... It's a whole... thing..."

"Oh wow. That's... a lot. I'm sorry. I need a trigger warning on my conversations apparently." The nervous laugh that escaped Stevie's lips made Everleigh wanted to take the truth back. She didn't need to unload all of that on Stevie in one go. Jesus. It wouldn't have killed her to say it was going well and leave it at that. "I hope it all works out."

"Oh, no. You're fine, it's fine," Everleigh assured. It wasn't Stevie's fault her professor was a twat. "It was just a long night. I'm over it. And we're friends, you're allowed to ask."

"I promise, the Mexican pizza will make up for it. Solve all your problems," Stevie said. "At least for the ten minutes it takes to eat it."

Everleigh laughed. "I'll have to recommend it to the London branch if this is as phenomenal as you've made it out to be."

"If you don't like it then please blame Mav," Stevie said. "It was all his idea."

"Naturally."

"Also... um... since you mentioned the whole going back to London thing—" Stevie laughed. "How likely are you to be able to take some time off in February. Say... the 18th?"

Everleigh laughed. A little bit of relief. "Believe it or not, that's reading week. I wasn't planning on doing any work then, anyway. What did you have in mind?"

"You might remember our little friend sparing me a few tickets to his New York show," Stevie said. "Brendon and I would love some company."

"I don't want to intrude—"

"Well, technically I'm asking you first," Stevie said. "I still need to check with him. So, if anything, he's intruding. But I got us three tickets anyway."

"I'd be in if there's a promise of no judgement that, you know, magically, I now know the words." Everleigh felt like a child admitting they broke a plate. A confession of her sins.

"Promise," Stevie said. "We'll pretend to not hear each other when we sing along."

"Sounds like fun," Everleigh said, smiling. "I can definitely fly in for it."

"New York is so much better than Vegas," Stevie said. "We'll have a good time."

"I love New York so much."

"Same! Honestly, it's one of those cities where most people don't give a shit about celebrities." Stevie laughed. Also a little relieved. She could be a person in New York and not be Stevie, lead singer of MARS. "So I don't really have to worry when I'm walking around. And the food is so good."

"Oh, it's amazing," Everleigh said. "I remember the first time I was there, I put a bid in for as many more flights as I could so I could see all of it."

That was still true. Everleigh flew into New York at least threw times a year. Only Edinburgh had it beat with four times a year. Everleigh was a nutter.

"If you like dim sum, they're opening up a new Din Tai Fung the week before," Stevie said. Everleigh was in, her mouth practically watering the moment she heard dim sum. "Jenny can probably book us a table. Hang out the night before the show. It's life-changing."

"Oh man," Everleigh said, "I had that once and it was phenomenal. I'm in."

"Great!" Stevie said. "Jun will be jealous."

Jun walked up to their table, balancing two trays of food on his hands. Everleigh recognized some of it as he placed it down and took a seat. There were three boxes that Everleigh assumed was the Mexican pizza, drinks for each of them, a crunchwrap, a taco, and a couple trays of what looked like potatoes, cheese, and sour cream. Everleigh was not up to date on an American Taco Bell menu, evidently.

"Jealous of what?" Jun asked.

Stevie grabbed food. "Din Tai Fung."

"Oh, you asked her out on your date already?"

"The besties are gonna have so much fun crashing Mav's show, it's true."

"At least he won't be late this time," Everleigh said, taking one of the boxes from the tray.

"Don't count him out on that," Jun said. "Told Stevie he would purposely start late if she showed up."

"That sounds like a scapegoat for another alarm incident," Everleigh teased.

"Even without the rest of MARS, he's still outnumbered so we will definitely call him out." Stevie handed Everleigh napkins. "Eating with your hands is a must, by the way. Hope you enjoy the feast. Help yourself to anything else."

"What do I owe you for it?"

"Nothing," Stevie said. "Dinner is on Jun."

Jun looked at Stevie. "You definitely owe me." He looked at Everleigh. "You're fine. Don't worry about it."

"You're sure?" Everleigh fought the urge to grab her wallet immediately. "I think I have some American bills left."

"It's fine," Jun said. "You can get the next one."

"Deal."

Stevie started eating the taco and looked at Everleigh. Motioned with her head to the Mexican pizza. Stared at her. Very stealthy.

"No rush but she takes Mexican pizza ratings very seriously," Jun said.

Everleigh looked down at the open box. "And you actually want me to eat this with my hands?"

"Do you eat Italian pizza with your hands?"

"I feel like this isn't a safe space to say I use a knife and fork—"

Stevie gaped at her. "I—I don't even know what to say to that. This is definitely not a safe space for that, Everleigh."

In the middle of a bite, Jun helpfully added, "She eats beans on toast too—"

"I thought that was between us," Everleigh said.

Stevie looked about ready to check herself into a psych ward or ask for asylum after killing Everleigh. "That is the whitest thing I've ever heard in my life."

"So sorry to be that disappointing."

"This is almost as disappointing as it'll be when Mav shows up to his own concert twenty minutes late," Stevie said.

"Bet it's an hour and he blames the lights," Everleigh said.

"What's your excuse for liking beans on toast—" Stevie looked like Everleigh had said she beat a dog to death with a club once.

"The excuse is that we don't know what seasoning is and apparently subbed it for beans." Everleigh was only half-joking. It was one of the reasons she didn't want to go back to London. One of less than a hand's worth of fingers.

"Clearly."

"Play nice," Jun said.

"I feel like I've been betrayed, Jun."

"She's from London. Are we really surprised by this?"

"Feel like you'll lose your shit at bangers and mash." Everleigh was a little too aware she hadn't taken a bite yet. It wasn't that she was trying to be a pain, it was that the pizza was intimidating and making a mess wasn't on her table. Usually she settled in when other people started eating, but Stevie wasn't either. Jun was the only one actively doing what the three of them had set out to do.

"At what—" Stevie asked. Literally like Everleigh had set a child on fire and not simply mentioned a British dish.

"It's mashed potatoes and sausage, usually with peas and gravy."

"Okay, aside from the peas," Jun said, "that actually sounds good."

"If you eat that, you should try a loco moco," Stevie said. "It's rice with a hamburger patty, fried egg, and gravy drizzled on top."

"She says drizzled but she means drenched."

"Engulfed."

"The entire pot, yes."

"Sounds fantastic," Everleigh said.

"I love how you two have barely touched your food," Jun said. "More for me."

"I'm waiting on her verdict," Stevie said. Pointedly adding, "Eaten with her hands."

"No pressure or anything," Jun said.

"Of course."

Everleigh did her best to pick up one of the quarters of the pizza. It was a little soggier than it probably was when it was first handed to her. Oops.

"Glad I'm not wearing white," Everleigh muttered under her breath.

She took a bite, trying to ignore the single piece of tomato that fell onto the table in front of her. While it made her eyes widen a little, she accepted that that was likely the least messy casualty she could've experienced eating the pizza. She took it as a win.

It tasted like a burrito would, but something about it being in pizza form somehow made it taste a thousand times better than anything she'd had at Taco Bell before. The beef, beans, and cheese blended together perfectly.

After swallowing her bite, Everleigh said, "This is really good."

"Out of five, please," Stevie said.

"Out of five it's—" Everleigh's brain froze and lost every direction it was going when she saw Jun pull a Capri Sun from his pocket and stab the straw in. Everleigh was fully convinced he was sponsored by the company at that point. "Is that a tetra pack—"

"They're travel friendly," Jun said.

"You were saying?" Stevie asked.

"Definite five. Wonderful."

Stevie's face glowed. "I'm glad you approve. You're forgiven for the beans on toast."

Everleigh laughed. "I'm glad."

"Okay, but do you rate the pizza or the toast more?" Jun asked.

"Oh, the toast is better." Everleigh looked at Stevie's face—about ready to throw her off the roof. "I'm kidding. Beans are like a three on a good day."

"I was about ready to leave this restaurant," Stevie said.

"Sorry to even pretend." Everleigh laughed.

"How long are you in LA for? Feel like it's been a while," Jun asked.

"She can stay as long as she wants," Stevie said.

Everleigh laughed again. "Appreciate it, but I head out in a couple days. Hopefully to London. Might be Borneo."

"Sounds nice," Jun said, "Never been."

"It's gorgeous the day after the sixteen-hour flight," Everleigh conceded, laughing.

Stevie physically cringed. "I barely survived the fifteen-hour flight to Melbourne. And that was with the layover in Hawaii."

"Does it really count as a layover if we were there for like four days?" Jun asked.

Stevie glared at him. "Fine. The ten hour flight from Honolulu to Melbourne. Still bad."

"Ten hours is a brutal flight, always. No matter what," Everleigh said.

"Not so bad if you've got something nice waiting for you on the other end," Jun said.

Everleigh elected not to mention Brendon, who she was pretty sure she remembered being Australian from the one time she'd met him.

"And by that," Stevie said, "you obviously mean good food."

"Or Toni Collette," Everleigh supplied.

"If there was ever a reason to stay," Stevie said, "it's Toni Collette."

"Feel like I might get judged but I don't know what you're talking about," Jun said.

Everleigh didn't mean to gape at him. "Sixth Sense? Hereditary? Knives Out? Little Miss Sunshine?!"

"Little. Miss. Fucking. Sunshine," Stevie said.

"Is this going on the—"

"These are all going on the watchlist, you fool."

Jun looked between Stevie and Everleigh with narrowed eyes. "Remember when I bought y'all dinner—"

"I'll take the judgement back but not the sentiment that you need to watch Little Miss Sunshine," Everleigh said.

"Don't worry," Stevie said, "I'll make sure he does."

"You both realize I've finished my food already, right?" Jun asked.

"I'm so sorry." Everleigh took another small bite of the pizza.

"Time flies when you're enjoying each other's company, Jun," Stevie said. "Are you done with your juice pouch yet?"

"Maybe."

Stevie looked at him for a moment. "Do you have another one on you?"

"Maybe," Jun said. "Maybe not."

Stevie looked at Everleigh. "Maybe we should finish before he whips out another one."

Everleigh and Stevie ate in silence as Jun pulled out his phone, typing quickly before he scrolled. Trying not to make a mess was an impossible task and Everleigh simply gave in to using her napkin after each bite. It worked.

"Oh, wait! Toni Collette!" Jun said. "Duh, I know who that is. From About a Boy."

Everleigh and Stevie looked at him, heads turning in sync. "That's what you remember her from? Really?"

"Yeah, and I remember that Rachel chick..." Jun trailed off.

"Rachel chick?" Stevie said. "You mean Rachel Weisz?"

"Oh, her actual name is Rachel too?" Jun asked. "I just remembered her character's name—"

"Jun, are you serious?" Stevie asked. "She literally won an Oscar."

"For what?"

"The Constant Gardener. I made you watch that with me."

"Oh. My bad."

The table stayed quiet as Stevie and Everleigh ate the rest of their food. Washing the last of her Mexican pizza down with the last of her Baja Blast was the perfect final taste of her dinner. Everleigh wiped her mouth as Stevie finished, taking a last sip of her drink as well.

"Ready to go?" Jun asked.

Stevie wiped her mouth with her napkin. "Sure. You want a ride, Everleigh? We can drop you off."

"I can flag a cab or something," Everleigh said. "It's okay."

"We're not gonna let you catch a cab," Stevie said, "Would've picked you up too if we knew."

"I'd love a ride, sure," Everleigh said. "Thank you. I'm at the Freehand."

The three of them walked out of the restaurant and piled into the car. Jun driving, Stevie in the passenger seat, and Everleigh in the back.

As she buckled her seatbelt, Stevie asked, "Any requests from the DJ?"

"I'm really good with anything you want to listen to," Everleigh said.

"Spotify roulette it is then."

Stevie pressed her phone onto a random Spotify radio station. The song that played was one Everleigh half recognized. It was a sibling duo she couldn't quite think of the name. The song had her bopping her head, though. She'd have to see if she could hunt it down. Everleigh watched Jun shoot Stevie a quick glance, but she continued nodding along to the song and staring out the window.

Everleigh wished she didn't recognize the next song as quickly as she did. Anti-Breakup Song. Maverick. Naturally.

Stevie laughed loudly. "Of course it would."

"Doesn't he have a show tonight?" Jun asked.

Everleigh checked the time. "He's probably on stage right now." She hid a small smile behind her fist. God, she was gone. Undeniably.

"Do you—" Stevie started. "Do you know the words to this one?"

"Will not confirm nor deny," Everleigh said. "But I, maybe, potentially, have listened to it."

"One of his finest," Stevie said. "Nothing but respect for my kings, Captain Jack and Captain Barbossa."

"Don't know why he even tried with Iron Man when this was his best reference," Everleigh said.

Stevie started singing along when the lyrics started. The perfect compliment to Maverick's voice. It was one of his pop songs, but the entire thing was an ode to who Everleigh assumed was Rhylan. The whole album was. A love letter in lyrics.

"Thank you for the days when we'd watch Cheers in bed / Stay in late and toast the fact we weren't quite dead / Throw on a movie, Captain Jack and BARBOSSA!" Stevie screamed that one. Fair. "Wanted to be Will and Liz as we cheered mimosas!"

Stevie looked at Jun and Everleigh expectantly before the second verse started.

Who were they to deny her?

"Thank you for the nights we didn't sleep / When we'd stay up and drive 'round in your Jeep / Holding hands over the dash, lost in dreams / Riding high on back roads, we were fuckin' supreme," the three of them sang along in sync with Maverick. It really was one of his best.

Everleigh watched Stevie take her phone out and move it around to, likely, capture all three of them singing to Maverick's song. Guilty as charged.

"Thank you for the bad days, when we fought / Argued like teenagers after prom, distraught / Make-up sex, lighting round, we're electric / Don't kiss and tell but for my next trick...

"Thank you for the days when I miss you / Still remember what it felt like to kiss, too / Our old room's like wandering a graveyard / Fond memories, you were my safeguard..."

They continued singing for the duration of the song. Laughter occasionally interrupting, but the singing stayed strong throughout. Maverick had a long instrumental at the end of Anti-Breakup Song like a chorus of words unsaid.

The lyrics ended and Stevie said, "MARS who?"

"Who's gonna tell Rami, Lauren, and Seira they've been traded for Everleigh?" Jun asked.

Stevie looked back at Everleigh. "One night with us in LA and we've already given you a new career path."

"Another reason to drop out of school." Everleigh laughed genuinely.

"I'm sending this to him," Stevie said. "Hopefully he gets too distracted by his jealousy to finish his show."

"Stevie—" Jun said.

"What?" Stevie said. "He's obviously going to be envious that Everleigh gets to hang out with me while he's stuck singing. I'm so fun to be around."

Everleigh smiled to herself. Maverick loved the stage too much to even be slightly jealous people were doing things without him. Something told her he was grinning like an idiot at people singing his lyrics back to him right that moment. "Might only catch him afterwards, unfortunately."

"His loss," Stevie said, "You're the better singer."

"Do you think he senses us messing with him—" Jun asked.

"Probably," Everleigh said. "Like a spidey sense."

Stevie tapped the car as the music faded out. "Sorry, Mav. We still love you."

"Yeah, something like that." Everleigh laughed. Then nearly flung herself out of the car. God damn, she'd said that out loud, didn't she? She scrambled for poor cover; a holey umbrella on a rainy day. "Nobody heard that, I didn't say that. Nope."

"Mum's the word," Jun said. Everleigh was eternally grateful they were each other's weird secret keepers. He was much appreciated.

Everleigh's face felt like it was on fire. Likely all the way up to her ears. "Thank you."

Stevie waited a moment before changing the subject. "So... who here likes Adele?"

Everleigh let out a breath. "Adele's great."

"Okay," Stevie said. "Adele it is."

They listened to music for the rest of the ride to Everleigh's hotel. She enjoyed that. It didn't give her another chance to blurt something stupid out without thinking. Again.

"Thanks for keeping us company again, Everleigh," Stevie said. "Hope everything works out in London. I'll text you the info when Jenny finishes booking everything!"

"And I'll let you know what I think about Little Miss Sunshine," Jun said.

"I'll watch About a Boy just for you," Everleigh said with a small laugh. "Thank you for dinner. And today. I needed that."

"Anytime!" Stevie said.

Everleigh got out of the car and walked into the hotel, taking a look over her shoulder to make sure the door closed behind her and seeing Jun and Stevie just pulling away when they were sure she got inside. Literally the best.

Walking up the stairs to her floor, Everleigh felt a little better about the world around her. Not that she would ever legitimately join a band, but knowing she had friends to keep her head above water made her feel less alone than she had the night before. Her phone rang as she opened the door to her room.

"Hello?"

"Doing okay, Leigh?"

"Pa?" Everleigh looked at the clock in her room. 7:30. Which was, like, 3:30 London time. Crikey. "It's late, why are you up?"

"You never called me this morning."

"I'm sorry," Everleigh said.

"It's okay," Troy said. He was being gentle with her. Everleigh would rather he call her pisswizard again. "Was today better?"

"I've only been awake for like five hours," Everleigh said. "But, yes."

"Have you eaten?"

"Yes."

"Drank some water?"

"I... will."

"Did you brush your teeth?"

"Pa, I am twenty-seven years old."

"Did you?"

"Yes."

"Good," Troy said. "Eat a little more and go to bed soon. Okay?"

"You go to bed."

"I will. Once you tell me you will."

"Sure."

"Okay. Good night."

"Good night."

"Love you."

"Love you, too."

Everleigh hung up and collapsed back into bed. She shouldn't have felt as tired as she was, so she put a show while she washed her face again. Ridding herself of the early morning one last time. As she wandered back into the room, she changed into a pair of joggers that were a lot more comfortable than her jeans. Threw on a pair of new socks before getting back to work.

She spent the rest of the night texting her co-workers trying to find coverage for her flights so she could do her clinical. And, by God, she loved women. Within a few hours, and between studying, she had her flights covered by more than willing co-workers who had put bids on those flights when they were offered. Everleigh was in awe. The weight fell off her shoulders and melted away on the floor. All she had to do was book a flight home. Everleigh owed some of them bottles of good wine as a thank you present, but she was good for that. She even offered some of them her bed for the next time they were in London.

But they covered her ass and she couldn't have been more grateful. The amount of good lucks and be amazing!s she got from her co-workers was enough to bring her to tears again, if she had any left. At least those would've been happy. Everleigh sent out so many thank you and i love you texts and heart emojis her fingers were aching by the end of it.

A knock on her door made her drop her textbook. An uneasy feeling crept up her neck. What time was it? Clock check: 11:30. Who the hell was at her door?

Everleigh got up from her bed and was slightly more assured that at least she'd double locked her door. She ducked her head a little to look through the peephole.

"What the fuck..." Everleigh breathed. Pulled the bar off the door guard and unlocked the door. When she opened the door, even though she'd already looked, shock overtook her. "Kingston?"

"Oh my God, Everleigh," Maverick said. "Are you okay?"

"I'm... I'm fine. Mostly." Stevie and Jun hadn't told him anything, had they? No, she was shitty for even considering it. They wouldn't do that to her.

Everleigh might've been a bit too forward by grabbing Maverick by the shirt and yanking him into the room. But standing in the hallway wasn't going to do them any good, was it?

She closed the door behind him. "What are you doing here?"

"You... um... called me?"

Everleigh's eyes widened.

*

[a.n.] It's no surprise at this point but I love Steph so much. Thank her for letting me write these bozos time and time again. <3