On footage:

CAMILA: (gasps) Look, Jules, it's Daddy. That's so exciting! "Coming to a city near you this winter."

In interview:

KAREN: Except it wasn't true.

GRAHAM: I mean, there was still no trace of her anywhere.

KAREN: Didn't show up for mixing, rehearsals...

STELLA: I was really worried, given her, uh, drug issue and all that.

WARREN: Some of us couldn't help but wonder if she was gone for good.

EDDIE: And I think one of us was...probably hoping for that.

✯✯✯

The band sat in the recording studio chatting and laughing with Daisy since she had finally returned. They were all pretty much happy to see her since everyone knew she was the reason why they were even here in the first place.

Well, maybe not all of them were.

Billy walked into the recording studio, his eyes narrowed slightly which caused everyone to settle down. Daisy crossed her arms and popped her hip out while Warren gestured toward her awkwardly.

✯✯✯

BILLY: I was just trying to hold this thing together.

STELLA: I remember thinking, "This should be good."

✯✯✯

"Let's run 'Aurora' with that new intro we were kicking around," Billy instructed as everyone got ready.

"So you wanna start the set with 'Aurora'?" Daisy asked as she looked down at the paper that had their set written on it.

"That's what we decided, yeah," Billy replied.

"Interesting," Daisy said as she chewed her gum, which made Stella and Eddie share a knowing glance.

The two had been spending a lot of time together whenever no one had been around, developing their own little looks and tells so other would know how the other was feeling. Their friendship was the same, but their relationship strengthened their intuitive understanding of each other.

"Warren, when you're ready," Billy directed, ignoring the redhead.

"One—"

"And these are the songs that you wanna sing?" Daisy interrupted the drummer, holding the paper up.

"That's right."

"So, no 'Regret Me'? No 'Look at Us Now'?"

"Well, if you wanted to weigh in, the time for that was weeks ago when we first started rehearsing," Billy pointed out and Daisy gave him a sarcastic smile.

"Do you guys need a minute?" Karen cut in, growing impatient just like everyone else was. They couldn't afford losing rehearsal time due to Daisy and Billy's nonsensical bickering.

"No. Warren, count us in."

"Yes, actually, we do," Daisy contradicted him before spitting her gum into the paper and crumpling it up. She then stormed out of the booth followed by an angry Billy, making the rest of them sigh.

"I actually can't anymore," Stella groaned, voicing everyone's thoughts as she placed her guitar down. "It was funny to watch them argue at first and then they, like, became best friends or something but now it's just unbearable. I mean, it wasn't like this whenever I'd argue with him, right?"

"No, 'cause we would at least get stuff done," Warren assured her and everyone nodded at that.

"Look, I think it's just like this because Daisy disappeared without telling anyone and Billy got pissed, that's all," Graham defended his brother.

"You don't need to defend him, Graham," Stella told him and Karen gave her a quick look since the both of knew that Graham just always looked up to Billy since they never had a present father. The blonde cleared her throat, "And I get why you do since he's your brother but...how many more times are they gonna disagree over something to the point where we can't even have a damn tour?"

"Yeah. I agree. We have to do something about it," Eddie supported his girlfriend even though no one knew the two had been together yet except for Karen.

"That's the thing. We can't even say anything about it or else the both of them, especially Billy, will get all defensive over it. At this point, I really just think that he and Daisy had something going on—"

"Stell," Eddie tried to stop her from continuing since Billy had just walked back into the room.

"No, no, let me say this. Everyone needs to hear this," she held up her hand before she continued from before. "One of them probably decided to end it for the sake of Billy's family but now everything is just tension-filled and they can't even say anything to one another without them getting angry."

"What the fuck did you just say?" Billy interrogated furiously from behind her, making her spin around with wide eyes. "What did you just say?" He repeated, his jaw clenching.

Stella crossed her arms, standing up to him since she was getting tired of his unprofessionalism. "You heard me, Billy. So, are you gonna confirm or deny it?"

Billy stared at her angrily. "Deny," he forced out, walking over to his microphone. "And never fucking say that ever again."

"Well, then it better not be true because if it does end up to be true and I find out about it, you know I won't hesitate to call Camila right up and tell her," she threatened before she walked back over to her guitar and picked it back up. She made eye contact with Eddie when she did so, seeing the proud look in his eyes.

Billy sucked in a breath, not wanting to continue the fight with Stella since that wasn't where his anger was at and he knew she definitely wasn't bluffing. Instead, he got ready to start recording. "It's gonna be a long tour so if you'd prefer to sit this one out, please be my guest," Billy said to Daisy once he noticed her walk back inside.

"There's no tour without me, you dumb son of a bitch," she responded as she stood next to her microphone. "We're playing 'Regret Me.'"

"Fine," Billy let up.

"And 'Look at Us Now,'" she added cheekily.

"No."

"Yes."

"I said no, Daisy!" Billy shouted, making Daisy raise her brows and for everyone to look around awkwardly. "Warren, count us in, for the love of fucking God."

"What'd I miss?" Someone asked and they all turned their heads toward the direction of a door, seeing a random man standing there there.

"Who the fuck is this guy?" Eddie questioned after a moment.

"Everybody, this is Nicky. My husband," Daisy introduced with a smile.

"Hi," Nicky greeted and all of them began to share very confused glances.

✯✯✯

It was December, 1976, and the band was getting ready to start their tour. Camila had come to say goodbye to them all since she wasn't able to spend the whole tour with them.

"I'm gonna miss you, Cami," Stella hugged the brunette woman.

"I'll miss you too, Stell Bell," Camila replied as she hugged the girl back. "Don't let Billy give you any trouble on tour, please," she added once they pulled away. Camila knew that the two would never ever become fond of one another so she sort of just embraced it.

"Oh, don't worry, I won't," Stella shook her head. She wanted so desperately to tell Camila about her speculations, but she knew that it wouldn't be a good idea to do so without any proof.  So, she decided to tell her something else. "Okay, look, don't tell anyone this because I wanna keep it a secret but...Eddie and I are officially a couple."

Camila couldn't stop her mouth from parting in shock, not expecting those words to ever come out of Stella's mouth. Especially after the night she had with Eddie that she wanted to forget.

When Camila didn't say anything, Stella asked, "What? Are you okay?"

"What? Oh, oh, yeah. O-Obviously. I'm just shocked since you told Karen and I that you two were just friends," Camila told her, not exactly lying but she also wasn't saying the truth.

"Well, I kinda lied. See, Eddie and I actually kissed before we had that little hangout but I was in denial about my feelings," Stella brushed off before looking over Eddie, who was standing with Warren, Billy, and Graham since they were playing with Julia. Stella smiled fondly and Camila glanced over at her, feeling guilty since the girl seemed in love.

✯✯✯

INTERVIEWER: Why didn't you tell her?

CAMILA: (looks down) I didn't want to ruin a relationship because of a stupid mistake. I realize now that it was a mistake not telling her.

STELLA: (frowns)

EDDIE: (sighs)

✯✯✯

"I'm happy for you two. I can tell you really like him and...I think he really likes you," Camila forced out, putting a small smile onto her face.

"You think so?" Stella eagerly asked, looking back at her friend with hope in her eyes. She had never been so head over heels for a man before she didn't think any man deserved that from her but here she was, praying that Eddie liked her in the same way she liked him.

Camila nodded before she looked past her to see Karen getting ready to get on the bus. "Um, I'm gonna go say bye to Karen but it was nice talking to you, Stell. Definitely call me whenever you're free," she said, wanting to leave the situation.

"Of course," Stella said before she made her way over to where the boys were. "Howdy," she greeted a little too giddily only because of what Camila had just said to her.

"You seem happy," Warren pointed out, putting Julia down so Graham could play with her.

Stella glanced over at Eddie, who was wearing a small smile on his face due to seeing his girlfriend be happy. "Oh, you know, I'm just excited to go on tour with all of you," she lied, even though that was also exciting. "Well, maybe not all of you," she added, sending Billy a look.

Eddie snorted as the other guys laughed while Billy looked at with pursed lips. "Ha ha. You're just so funny, Stella. Maybe you should quit the band and become a comedian," she spoke sarcastically, although he thought the last thing he said wouldn't be a bad thing.

"Oh, you wish, don't you?" She tilted her head at him and he rolled his eyes. "You know, I'd love to leave but I just don't think this band survive without me. Don't you all agree?"

"Oh, I definitely agree," Eddie voiced, a hint of flirtation in his voice before Stella sent him a subtle look to tone it down. He cleared his throat. "Because everyone just wants to hear the backup singer, don't they?" He tried to tease in a friendly manner.

Stella scoffed at him. "Fuck you," she shoved his arm playfully. However, Billy narrowed his eyes a bit at the two of them but didn't say anything.

"Ooh, Camila!" Warren noticed the girl before he jogged over to her, wanting to say goodbye.

"Wanna go sit inside and wait?" Stella asked Eddie, gesturing to the bus.

Eddie shrugged. "Yeah, sure." The two began walking toward the entrance of the bus, seeing Warren blow a kiss in Camila's direction in a friendly manner. Eddie then made eye contact with Camila through his sunglasses, expecting her to say something to him but she just smiled and kept on walking. He turned his head to back at her, which didn't go unnoticed by Stella.

"Hey, is everything okay between you and Camila? Did something happen?" She queried.

Eddie looked back at her. "It's supposed to be. I'm guessing Billy told her some bullshit about me or something. It's fine," he came up with nonchalantly and Stella nodded slowly before the two walked onto the bus.

authors note
omg im so sorry for
the wait. i had ap testing
the past two weeks so i
was busy studying for those
and for other assignments so
i had no inspo to update. but
i finally did so i hope u all
enjoyed this chapter even
tho it's kinda short!!!!