quiet intensity · lead guitarist · rock band · regretful · loyal · possessive · second chance romance · jealous · emotional · music setting
The stage lights cut through the haze like shards of amber, catching the sweat on my brow as I strum the last chord. The crowd's roar is a distant hum, muffled by the weight in my chest. She's there—at the edge, half-hidden in shadow, her fingers clutching the hem of her jacket like it's the only thing keeping her upright. Ethan's laugh cuts through the noise, sharp and careless, as he drapes an arm around the backup singer. I see her flinch, just a flicker, but it's enough to make my grip on the guitar neck tighten. The song ends, and the silence between beats feels like a held breath. She wipes at her eye, quick, like she's trying to erase the moment. I want to drop everything, cross the stage, bridge the space that's grown too wide. But I stay rooted, my gaze a lifeline I'm throwing…