DRASTIC (Book 4 of the Soundcrush Series)

Chapter 42: Prodigies Walk It Off

New POV...because we HAVE to hear from Darius right now!

I think this song, Father of Mine...it's not exclusively about Darius. It's about Trace and Bodie and Darius...all their perspectives on how important a father is.

Darius

I can't even.

It's like...everybody in my life is crazy.

And liars.

I only really have one thing on my mind right now.

I should have gone out the basement door. I need to get out of this house to make the call.

But I messed up and went up the stairs out of habit and I run smack into Adam in the foyer. He has the baby and he freaks a little bit, stiff-arming me so I don't squish her.

"Whoa, slow down bud. Lennon spit up all over me, I had to change my shirt but I'm ready now. We can go pick up Gwennie—"

"Sorry, can't," I gasp and change directions, darting through the house.

"Darius!" he calls after me. "What's wrong? Darius!" When I don't answer he starts cussing and bellowing, "Fuck! Mac! Mac! Code Red! Darius!"

Boomers are so fucking weird. And yes...anybody old enough to be a parent is a Boomer. I don't even know what that Code Red was supposed to mean, but apparently Mac does.

Mac, hearing him yelling, comes running and jukes in front of me, grabbing me by the shoulders.

I tried to shirk her, but that Shorty has a grip. She hangs on, grabbing my chin, forcing her to look at me.

"Dammit." Her voice is all soft, like when she talks to the baby. "What did you overhear, Sweetheart?"

"You all...know?" My voice sounds weird, even to me.

"We all love you," she says firmly. "Now, you just need to stay right here a minute, until your mom and Bodie—"

"They are a little naked right now. I'm out. Been great knowing ya!" I say, jerking free from her.

"Darius, you get your ass back here right now!" she yells, following me out the door. Ah...there's the chic that yells at Adam.

She chases me out the door. I'm a little bit scared for a second that she might tackle me because she's got a stride on her, too, and she's keeping up.

When I hit the woods, she stops, cussing up a blue streak. She's not wearing shoes and she stepped on something, I guess.

Serves her right. I can not believe this bullshit. What is it? Like some kind of frickin' conspiracy? Keep the dumb little kid in the dark about who is father is?

It all makes sense now. The famous rock star's sudden interest in me. How he's been blowing sunshine up my butt, telling me how talented I am. How good my YouTube videos are.

He has to say that. He's my father.

And I bet he didn't even know. They think I'm so stupid, but I'm not. Marley only told him because Daemon got out of jail. Otherwise she would have let us all go on believing the lie.

God. She is such a liar. She's been lying to me my whole life.

I don't even really have a plan for where I'm going, but when the woods give way to a plowed hay field, I bust into a flat out run, streaking across it toward the trees on the other side.

I don't make it. I stand in the middle of the field gasping, holding my side where it hurts.

When I can breathe, I pull out my phone. This is really my only play. I call the one person I have always been able to count on.