In the Absence of Light

12

2k reads already 🥺 you angels ❤️ i love ya'll so much. your comments always make my day. please continue to share. i truly appreciate it so much ❤️

side note: i just noticed there's some australian slang in this chapter... oops 😂

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Isaacs POV

I roll up the paper between my fingertips, licking the end to make a nice, tight joint. I place it between my lips but don't light it just yet. I pull my cigarette box out of my pocket.

"You're not going to perform stoned, are you?" Aaron asks, eyeing me carefully.

"Nah," I shake my head, putting the joint away. "I'm saving it for after the show."

I fucking love playing live. It gives me a natural high—a euphoric one. And getting stoned beforehand just ruins that.

"Good. There's a fuck-tonne of people here, so we can't fuck anything up."

"We're not gonna fuck anything up," I tell him. "Have we ever played a bad set?"

"Nah, but you also haven't played in a year," he points out.

"We've practiced heaps since I got out," I defend. "We'll be fine."

"We can't just be fine! We've gotta be great!"

"Dude, I swear to fucking God..." I shake my head at him, placing my arm on his shoulder to calm him down. "We're going to fucking kill it, okay? We smashed it at soundcheck, and there's no fucking reason for us to fuck up."

Aaron always gets anxious before we play a show. He's been that way since high school. He runs every possible scenario through his head and is convinced he worst one will become reality, but it never does. We know what we're doing. We've been playing together since freshman year. We know how each person operates, and how we function together.

If we sucked, we wouldn't have been offered that record deal last year. We never got to sign it, though. I got arrested that same day.

"You better not be selling tonight, dude," Jace warns, joining the conversation from behind the soundboard. "If you get caught again, you know you're out of the band for good, right?"

"Shut the fuck up, man," I snicker. "Do you think I'm a fucking idiot? Of course, I'm not fucking selling tonight!"

"Hey, I'm just saying... we offered you a job and you declined. How else would you be making money?"

Man, fuck this guy. What the fuck does he know? Why does he have to bring that up now? I never fucking told him where I'm getting cash from. For all he knows, I'm living off my dad's money. Fucking dick.

"I declined your offer because I don't need your fucking handouts, dude," I scold.

"Hand-outs?" he snickers. "It's not a fucking handout, man. We've been bro's since high school!"

"Well, it sure sounds like a handout to me."

"Alright, give it a rest, boys," Aaron steps between us. "I know we're all nervous for the show, but both of you are being too fucking sensitive now."

"Dude–," Jace trues.

"We have a show to play," Aaron says. "Both of you, kiss and make up."

"What?" I scowl.

"Go on, give him a smooch."

"It's fine, man," Jace says. "I'm not pissed, just trying to look out for my buddy."