Adrian didn't reply. Not that night. Not the next. And somehow that didn't make things quieter. It made everything louder.
The messages stayed there. Unread after a while. Not because he didn't see them but because he refused to open them again. Like ignoring them would undo it. Undo him.
It didn't.
By the third day, reality hit. Hard. His gig.
Adrian stared at his laptop, jaw tight.
"I don't have time for this," he muttered.
But even he didn't believe it. Because this was the problem.
He had a performance at a nightclub. A real crowd. A real opportunity. And nothing to play.
The blank page blinked back at him. Unforgiving.
"Focus." His fingers hovered.
Then finally he started typing. At first, it was wrong. Disconnected. Words that didn't belong to him. He stopped. Deleted everything.
Silence.
Then he exhaled slowly, closing his eyes. And let it come. Not the safe version.
Not the version that made sense. The truth.
"You didn't stop me." His fingers moved faster now. No hesitation. No filter. Lines formed. Messy. Raw. Too honest. About hesitation. About wanting something he didn't understand. About standing at the edge of something and not stepping back.
By the time he stopped his chest felt tight. But lighter. In a way that scared him.
He stared at the lyrics. Swallowed.
"…shit." Because it wasn't just a song anymore. It was a confession. And he was about to perform it.
The night came faster than he expected.
The club was already alive when he arrived. Low lights. Loud music. Bodies moving like nothing mattered.
Adrian paused at the entrance, taking it in. Grounding himself. Trying to. Backstage wasn't better. Just darker. Closer. Too quiet compared to outside.
"Five minutes," someone called.
He nodded. Ran a hand through his hair.
His phone buzzed. He stilled.
For a second, he considered ignoring it. Again. It buzzed again. Persistent.
"…fuck," he muttered, pulling it out. The screen lit up. Rion.
Rion: I'm done guessing what you're thinking.
If you're ignoring me on purpose, just say it.
I won't chase someone who won't even answer me.
But don't act like what happened meant nothing.
Because I know it didn't.
I saw you.
The way you looked at me after.
So either I read it wrong…
Or you're lying to yourself.
Adrian's jaw tightened. His grip on the phone hardened.
"I'm not lying," he muttered. But it didn't sound convincing.
Another message came in.
Rion: I'm at your show tonight.
So don't hide behind silence.
Not when I'm right in front of you.
Adrian froze.
Slowly he lifted his head. The noise of the club sharpened. Everything felt closer. Tighter.
"Adrian, you're up."
He locked his phone. Slipped it into his pocket. But this time, it didn't feel like running. It felt like something was about to break.
He stepped onto the stage. The lights hit him instantly. Blinding. Hot.
For a second, he forgot everything. Then the music started. And it all came rushing back.
The lyrics. The tension. That moment. Him.
Adrian gripped the mic tighter, his voice lower as he began. Raw. Unfiltered.
The crowd quieted slightly. Not completely.
But enough. And then he felt it. That shift. Like someone was watching him. Not casually. Not randomly. Intentionally.
His gaze moved across the crowd. Slow. Careful.
Then it stopped.
Rion. Leaning against the bar like he had nowhere else to be. Like he belonged there. Watching him. No smile. No movement. Just watching.
Adrian's voice almost broke. Almost. But he didn't stop. Because now Rion was hearing everything. Every word. Every line. Every truth Adrian refused to say out loud.
And the worst part?
Rion looked like he understood.
Adrian swallowed hard, his grip tightening around the mic. His heartbeat was louder now. Faster.
Because this wasn't just a performance anymore. It was a confession.
And the one person he was trying to avoid was standing right there to hear it.
And there was nowhere left to hide.