Riffs That Ruin (Survival Records #2)

26. Tristan

“ S torm Chasers! I’m sure we’re all excited for the Boston show, I know I am. Currently, I’m filming from the line to get in. It might be surprising to you that I wasn’t the first one here.”

I turn the phone toward the few fans who made it here before me. “Say hi everyone!” The six girls and one guy all wave to the camera, holding up their signs and cheer. I can’t help but smile at the #TeamTristan one. It’s nice that I’m gaining some support, but ultimately the only one I need is Raina.

Turning the camera back on me, I smile and run a hand through my hair. “Security will be tight once I get in there, but I’m hoping I can find a way to get to Raina. In the meantime, this is day six of my groveling tour. I’m so sorry, Lexi. I love you.

“I’ve never been more thankful than the day I met Raina. I’m sure you’re all wondering why I didn’t start from the very beginning with my stories, and to be honest, I don’t have a good answer for you. It’s not like I planned these out ahead of time.” I grimace. “I probably should have, though.”

Shifting my weight, I give the camera a new view behind me of all the fans waiting who came after me. “The first time I met my best friend, she was holding a wild daisy like it was a microphone, singing her heart out into the flower.

“If you asked me today, I wouldn’t be able to remember what song it was, knowing her upbringing, it was probably some church hymn, but you’d never think that with the amount of passion she put into it. You might call me crazy for saying the world dropped out of view, but it did. I got lost in the beauty of her voice.”

Glancing at the ground, I let out a small laugh and shake my head at the memory. “She drew me in like a bee to honey until I was standing right in front of her. It didn’t phase her for a second either. She held her flower out for me to join her, but I was struck too dumb to do anything more than stare at her.”

I bring the phone closer to my face and lower my voice like I’m telling everyone a secret. “Here’s the part where you won’t believe me. We were five when she had that big of an impact on me. My family had just moved into the house next door and I didn’t have a single friend in the world. Yet, without me even sharing a single word with her, she invited me in. Gave me a part in the show she was performing for the line of stuffed animals sitting in the grass.”

My hand covers my mouth for a second, trying to sell it. “I really hope she doesn’t kill me for telling you about Purple the hippo, Floppy the rabbit, and Bear the bear, but they were our first fans. Sorry to break it to you, Storm Chasers, you weren’t here first.”

A sudden realization hits me, and I stare into the distance for a second. “Shit. I wasn’t her first fan, either. Damn, that hits hard, my one bragging right.” Blowing out a long breath, I flash the camera a dramatic, rueful grin. “Looks like it’s time to admit I didn’t just lose Lexi; I also lost my status as Raina’s first fan. Well, that stings.”

The chill of the New England air bites at my cheeks, but I barely stop to notice. The line behind me stretches further now, snaking out of sight as more fans join the wait.

“Anyway,” I continue, recovering from my revelation and forcing a smile back onto my face. “That day was the start of something really special. My voice was high-pitched and whiny, but that didn’t matter to Raina. She took my hand, led me up to our makeshift stage and right there, in front of Purple, Floppy, and Bear... we shared our first duet. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star never sounded so off key.”

My chest tightens with the memory, the innocence of it all a stark contrast to the darkness that has since woven throughout our lives. The buzz of anticipation from the crowd is a distracting hum in my ears, but I push ahead, determined to finish my story.

“I won’t lie and say it was magical—hell, I think I scared away a couple of neighborhood dogs with how bad I sounded before my voice dropped—but Raina… she made it feel like it was just us. Even then, she had this ability to block out everything else and focus on the moment. And in that moment… I was her bandmate.

“I went home and asked my parents for a guitar that day. If it wasn’t for Raina’s passion, I wouldn’t have found mine.”

I chuckle to myself and run my hand through my hair again. “We continued to have these concerts in her backyard. Just the two of us and our stuffed animal audience, it slowly became our thing.” A soft smile tugs at my lips as I recall those simpler days, the music we made under the endless sky.

Closing my eyes momentarily, I can hear the echo of her laughter, the warmth of the sunshine on my skin, and the melody of our youthful dreams.

“I didn’t realize it back then… but Raina was my entire universe. She was this fiery ball of spirit, talent and beauty that shone so brightly in an otherwise dull world. Those early years molded our bond. It was about more than the music we created together; it was about two kids finding solace in each other’s company.”

“The thing is, even then, even at age five, Raina had this magnetic energy about her. You know what I mean if you’ve seen her perform live.” I pause for dramatic effect before continuing. “She was born for the spotlight. But the limelight she craves isn’t always kind.” My gaze wanders over the throng of fans waiting for Raina to light up their world tonight.

“There’s a price to pay for fame. And trust me when I say Raina has paid her dues. I think you can all agree with that if you’ve followed any of the rumors the media has reported about her.

“That’s why I’m risking limb and life out here to share our stories. I want you to fall in love with her all over again through my eyes. To see Raina for the amazing woman she is.”

A group of new fans join the line behind me and cheer as they spot my phone. I spin around to catch their excitement. “The line is growing, and so is the anticipation. Don’t worry, Storm Chasers, we’re all in this together. Wish me luck tonight!”

I turn off the video and quickly add subtitles to it before posting. I’ve started gaining a following, new people pushing that little plus button on the daily. I can only hope that eventually something will lead me to my goal, maybe it’ll even take everything added together.

I’ve got this.