On October 4, 1977 Daisy Jones & The Six performed to a sold out crowd at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois.

"Ladies and gentlemen...Daisy Jones and The Six!" The announcer announced over the loudspeaker.

The band made their way up to the stage, trying not to display the negative energy they all had to the crowd. Stella grabbed her rhythm guitar with her mouth in a thin line, avoiding everyone's gaze apart from the audience's.

It would be their final performance.

They then began playing for the crowd, trying to push aside the million feelings they were all experiencing in order to put on a good show for their loyal fans.

✯✯✯

GRAHAM: If you had told me that morning that it would be our last show (shakes head slowly)...I mean, I would have laughed.

EDDIE: (slowly nods as he looks into the camera).

WARREN: I was just out having such a good time, man. I-I...I didn't want to see it.

KAREN: (licks lips and glances away from the camera).

STELLA: It's crazy how something so great can be ruined just like that (snaps her fingers).

DAISY: (pretends to think).

BILLY: There's still a lot you don't know.

✯✯✯

11:54 AM. 10 HOURS EARLIER

The band had been waiting in the lobby of the hotel they were staying at in Chicago, waiting for Rod to grab the keys to their rooms.

Stella was standing on her own all the way in the back, examining her nails. She and Eddie still hadn't spoken about their argument only because Stella wanted to wait to do talk about it somewhere private, but she could still hear the man complain to Warren about their previous show.

"I saw your fucking grandma, dude. She was having a great time, all right?" Warren told him, which didn't please Eddie whatsoever, as they both walked over and grabbed their keys from Rod.

"Four o'clock, sound check. Four o'clock," Rod said to them both before Karen and Graham walked up to him. "Sound check is at 4:00. Not 4:05, not 4:15. 4:00. Got it?"

"Yes, sir," Graham replied.

Daisy then walked up to Rod and before she could take the key, Rod pulled it away. "What do you think? Is today the day where you don't lose your key?" He asked sarcastically.

"I want you to think about how boring your life would be without me, Rod," Daisy responded, raising her brows.

Rod nodded slowly. "Sound check's at 3:00," he lied, knowing she would get there late and then actually be on time.

Daisy walked past him, rolling her eyes. "I know about Daily Standard Time," she called out from over her shoulder before Simone came running over to, surprising her.

Stella smiled at the two of them reuniting before she stepped up to Rod. He then handed her the key without saying anything. "Nothing to say to me?" She questioned him teasingly.

"Nope. I know you take this seriously enough not to be late," he voiced and she gave him a look. "However, you didn't seem to listen to me when I said look after Roundtree," he added.

She let out a sigh. "I know. We just...got into a little argument so I decided to sleep in the hotel, that's all."

"And you say there's nothing going on there?" Rod teased.

She playfully rolled her eyes at him. "No! Why do you keep insinuating that?"

He shrugged. "'Cause I don't want something as stupid as relationships to get in the way of this band," he answered and she furrowed her brows at him. "Look, I usually don't say this to all the bands I've managed in the past, but this band has the potential to become one of the greats. Maybe not like The Beatles or The Rolling Stones, but like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Doors. You guys can reach that."

"You think so?" Stella queried, growing excited due to Rod's honest words.

He hummed and nodded. "But only if your stupid on-the-side dramas don't get in the way. It's either you're all fully committed or you're not. It's up to you."

"I mean, I'm definitely fully committed, I can tell you that," Stella spoke genuinely, even though in the past she had been having second thoughts. But after seeing their popularity skyrocket for the last few months and what Rod had just said...she was looking forward to the future.

"I know you are. I just don't know if everyone else is," he admitted before sucking a breath. "Well, rest up before sound check, all right?"

She smiled. "You got it."

✯✯✯

As Stella strummed her guitar on stage and sang some background vocals, she couldn't help but glance over Eddie who had already been looking over at her with a desperate look in his eye.

She turned her gaze away from him, a sneer creeping up on her face as she began to play more aggressively which didn't go unnoticed by the guilty Roundtree boy.

✯✯✯

12:12 PM.

Stella unpacked her bags in her room, organizing her things in the drawers so she'd be able to easily find what to wear when it came down to it.

A knock them came at her door and she hoped it was Eddie coming to apologize about their argument but when she opened it, she was met with a sobbing Karen.

"Oh, Karen," Stella immediately took the girl into her arms, bringing her into the room and shutting the door. Karen cried and cried as Stella moved her over to the bed, rubbing her back to try and soothe her even though she didn't what happened. "What happened? Did you tell Graham?"

Karen sniffed violently, trying to breathe through her now clogged nose. Stella reached over and grabbed the tissue box that was on the bedside table, offering it to her. Karen took one right away, blowing her nose and trying to dry her tears that were still falling.

"We were in-in the elevator, and I-I told him that I — that I took care of it and he just..." She trailed off, shaking her head and crying even more. "He just walked out."

"Oh, babe," Stella whispered, pulling Karen into a hug so she could cry into her shoulder. "Shhh, shh, it's okay, it's okay. I'm sure he's just...shocked, that's all. He just needs time to adjust."

Karen softly pushed away from her, shaking her head. "But he looked really upset. I've n-never seen him like that before, not even with-with what happened with T-Teddy."

"Karen, I know this is hard to hear, but he might need some time to think about it. It's big news to unload on someone and you can't expect him to be okay with it just like that, especially when he was much more in favor of the other option," she gave her some tough love, but only because she loved the girl. "But I know, Karen, I know that he loves you and he'll come back and listen to you. He has to. And if he doesn't..."

"It's not meant to be," Karen finished for her and Stella nodded slowly, although she wasn't sure that'd be the case. She could always tell that Graham loved Karen, even before they got together. It was only a matter of time before Karen fell for him.

"But I know he'll understand, Karen. He has to understand," Stella added once Karen started to calm down a bit, blowing her nose once more. "You're the love of his life."

Karen smiled sadly, shutting her eyes to stop the rest of the tears from falling. "I know. Which is why it makes this so much harder."

"Come here," Stella whispered before she pulled Karen into another hug. "Everything's going to work out, all right? You just have to stay positive."

"Oh, God, Stell...what would I do without you?" Karen asked gratefully, feeling a lot better — even though she was still pretty melancholy — in Stella's comforting arms.

Stella grinned. "I don't know. But let's not find out, okay?" She replied as rubbed her back up and down soothingly.

✯✯✯

Stella looked over at Karen playing the piano on stage, noticing the sorrowful expression on her face that she kept on trying to mask but it hadn't been working.

Stella had frowned herself, knowing she had given Karen false hope with her relationship with Graham by the looks of it but there was nothing that could be down until after the show.

✯✯✯

1:44 PM.

After Stella had fully calmed down Karen, who wanted to search for Graham so she could try to talk it out with him before any decisions were made, she wanted to find Eddie and talk with him herself.

Right as she opened the door, however, Eddie had already been standing there with his hand held up like he was about to knock on the door. "Eddie?" She said, a bit startled since she wasn't expecting to see him there. "What are you doing here?"

Eddie dropped his hand, clearing his throat. "I, uh, I wanted to talk with you. About what happened."

Thank the Lord. I thought I was going to have to coax an apology out of him, she thought before she stepped out of the way, letting him enter the room.

He walked into the room, watching as she shut the door and made her way over to the bed. She then patted the place next to her, allowing him to sit.

"So..." He began, trying to think of the right words to say. "I wanted to start off by saying I'm sorry. I should have never said those things to you. I don't wanna make excuses for myself, but I was just drunk and angry. I took it out on you and I shouldn't have," he apologized throughly, wanting to make everything clear to her.

Stella took in his apology before she replied, "Thank you, Eddie. I accept your apology." Eddie let out a sigh of relief before he realized what he just did, making his eyes widened. Stella giggled cutely at him. "What? You were worried I wouldn't?"

"Well, the things I said were pretty harsh," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

"They were. But I understand that whenever Billy is involved, you kinda don't seem to think," she told him and he nodded in agreement, glancing down.

"Look, Eddie, I know how important playing in Pittsburgh was for you. I wasn't trying to make your feelings invalid if that's what it seemed like, I was just trying to reason with you. Billy will always be an asshole, there's no denying that. And yes, we may have set aside our differences but that doesn't mean I like the guy. I meant it when I said I tolerate him. At this point, in order for this band to work, that's what you're going to have to do as well," she explained calmly, wanting Eddie to know that she was on his side.

Eddie sucked in a breath when she had mentioned the band, having another reason why he had decided to come to her room. "Yeah, Stell, about the band..." He trailed off, watching as her head tilted to the side. "I think I'm gonna quit."

She blinked multiple times at him, not sure if she had heard that correctly. "What?"

He let out a sigh. "I'm going to quit the band once the tour is over," he clarified. "I know you just told me that I need to tolerate Billy, but I just can't do it, Stell. I can't do it. He's fucked me over too many times for me to just push my feelings aside. And I know you're probably about to scream at me to try to get me to change my mind, but I'm not changing my mind." Stella stared at him in shock before releasing a huff, nodding to herself as she slowly got up from the bed. "Stell?"

Stella thought back to what Rod had told her prior to getting to her room, about how they had the potential to become one of the greatest bands alive. And she knew that wouldn't be able to happen if there were internal within the group.

"Okay," she was able to say, continuing to nod her head. "Okay."

"Okay...?" He slowly repeated, getting up just like she had done.

"You should quit the band," she told him, which greatly surprised since he thought she would talk him out of it. "If you think you can't put your feelings aside and be able to stay, then you should leave."

"Wait, hold on, are you really agreeing with me?" He questioned in shock, not sure if this was some sort of mind bending trick she was playing on him to get him to change his mind.

"Yes. I am," she confirmed. "I think that you're a great guitarist slash bassist, Eddie, and no one would ever amount to you in this band, so you will be greatly missed but if you think this is what's right for you then you got to do that. And as your girlfriend, I can do nothing but support you."

Eddie's mouth had dropped in shock at her words, staring at her with such admiration since she really was being the best girlfriend anyone could ask for you. "I love you," he breathed out before realizing what he had said.

She scoffed in surprise at him. "Was...that the first time you've ever said you loved me?" She queried, raising her brows.

"I-I think it is," he said, taken aback at himself. "It's just...I can't thank you enough for being the only person who understands me. You're the only reason why I've stayed as long as I have. Without you...I'd be long gone."

Stella began to smile earnestly at him. "Well, then I guess all I have to say is I love you, too," she responded before going over to him and placing her arms around him.

Eddie immediately wrapped his arms around her and placed a kiss on top of her head, prompting her to look up and give his lips a quick peck. He grinned down at her before they began to start really kissing, causing Stella to lay down onto the bed and pull him down on top of her.

✯✯✯

Stella looked over at Eddie once more as she sang her literal heart out, fighting back tears before she looked at Billy and Daisy singing extremely close to one another very intimately. She resisted the urge to glare at them, partially blaming them on ruining her relationship.

Billy then turned to look at Eddie, who wasn't even focused on playing at all before he looked at a fuming Stella, confirming his suspicions that the two had been together the whole time.

✯✯✯

2:09 PM.

Eddie put his belt back on around his pants while Stella put her shirt back on, smiling from ear to ear after their little...fun.

"I think I should tell Billy now," Eddie voice, feeling a surge of confidence after the deed.

"Really? Before the show, are you sure?" Stella asked as she scooted off of the bed.

He nodded. "Yeah. He probably won't give a fuck and if I don't say anything, I'll be the one playing like shit tonight."

"Okay, well, I'll come with you for support. I can wait outside just in case you come storming out and you need me to hold your hand," she teased and he playfully rolled his eyes at her before the two walked out, heading for Billy's room.

Once they made it to his room, Eddie knocked on the door as Stella stood a little bit down the hallway. After only about a few seconds, Billy harshly pulled the door open and didn't say anything as he stepped back into the room.

Eddie glanced over at Stella and she nodded at him before the former followed Billy into the room, shutting the door behind him. Stella immediately went over to the door, placing her ear over it to see if she could hear anything but she couldn't really make anything out apart from some louder shouts.

After a few moments, she heard a punching sound followed by conflicting notes being played on the piano. Her eyes widened as she opened the door, which had been left unlocked, and saw Billy staring at Eddie angrily while the latter held a hand up to his face near the piano.

"What the fuck just happened?" Stella demanded to know, glancing in between the both of them.

Neither of them answered her before Eddie retaliated and shoved Billy back onto the couch, yelling, "This is your fault, man! You did this!"

"Eddie?!" She shouted at him, but he didn't answer as he started to walk toward the door. "Edd — What the fuck is going on?!"

"He slept with my goddamn wife, that's what the fuck is going on!" Billy screamed furiously from the couch. "He slept with my fucking wife!" He repeated as he got up and stomped on the glass table, shattering it.

Stella's mouth parted in shock as she stared at the now pacing Billy, processing what he had just said to her. Eddie slept with Camila? Camila slept with Eddie. No...no, there's no way, she thought over and over as she slowly backed out of the room, looking down the hallway to see Eddie storming down it.

It then all finally seemed to click in her brain for her what that all actually meant for their relationship, so she shrieked down the hallway, "Eddie fucking Roundtree!"

Eddie immediately stopped at the end of the hallway at the sound of her voice, his heart dropping immediately. He was hoping that what he heard Billy yell right after he left the room was something he had just imagined, but by Stella's tone...it definitely wasn't a ruse.

He slowly turned around to face her as she walked closer to her, staring at him with an expression he had never actually seen before. She then breathed out, "Is that true?"

"Is what true?" He tried to play dumb, which probably wasn't a good idea.

"You know what I'm talking about," she immediately said, standing up straighter to look more intimidating.

Eddie rubbed his face, trying to figure out how he was going to word this so his whole relationship didn't just go down the drain. "Okay, look, Stella, please just hear me out," he began to say which is everything she needed to hear before she nodded and walked away. "No, please, Stella, just listen to me!"

She spun around, tilting her head at him with a burning fire blazing in her eyes. "Listen to you? You want me to listen to you after you cheated on me? With one of my best friends?" She questioned, but she hadn't been yelling, or screaming, or shouting. Her voice was steady and calm, but there was something else laced within it that seemed to scare Eddie more than if she actually had been yelling at him.

"No, no, I didn't cheat on you, Stella, I swear. I-I slept with her before we got together," he admitted, which was the truth. "I love you and I would never, ever cheat on you."

She shut her eyes, trying to understand the timeline of all of this since Billy and Camila had gotten married pretty early in their relationship. "How long before we got together?" She asked, ignoring his 'I love you.'

"Okay, this is going to sound bad, but—"

"Eddie," she cut him off, wanting him to stop with the bullshit and just get to it. "How...long...before?"

Eddie looked down, not being able to see her face when he revealed, "The night before."

Stella stared at him with no hint of expression on her face when he said that, not believing that this was actually happening to her. Just minutes before this, they were having the time of their lives in her bed and now he was telling that he slept with another woman, that was also one of her closest friends, right before he asked her to be his girlfriend.

Eddie finally looked at her, seeing her expressionless face. He was scared out of his mind to see the girl he loved just look at him without feeling anything. He would rather have her scream at him, which was something she always did whenever mad at someone, instead of whatever this was. Because now...he couldn't tell what she had been thinking or feeling and that frightened him.

Warren then came walking down the hallway, unbeknownst to anything that had been happening between the two. "Hey, guys! What's up?" He queried with a chill smile.

Stella used that as her cue to leave, walking past Warren which was when he saw her expression change from one of nothing to one of extreme sadness.

"Whoa, hey, what's going—"

"Stella, wait!" Eddie called out after her, trying to follow her.

"We're done," she said from over her shoulder, trying to stop her voice from cracking so Eddie wouldn't be able to see her mask fall.

"No, Stella, please!"

"I said, we're done!" She repeated in a louder tone before she disappeared around the corner, finally breaking down as she walked since she was holding in all of her emotions.

"Fuck!" Eddie screamed out as he tried to follow her, but Warren stepped into his way. "Bro, move!"

Warren shook his head. "No, not before you tell me what's going on and why Stella seems to be breaking up with you even though you two aren't even dating." Eddie gave him a wide-eyed look before he turned in the other direction, muttering a string of curse words to himself. "Oh...wait..." Warren whispered to himself, realizing what was happening for the first time.

authors note
im so sorry! 😁😁😁
(sorry if there r spelling
mistakes)