// CHAPTER THIRTY TWO //

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Tapping my fingers on the steering wheel as I drove in silence, I could only think of two things. One, the possible future that the boys were meeting with right this second, and the terrible secret that seemed to keep reappearing, as much as the boys had tried to repress it. I had always been a nosey child, and that hadn't left me in my ascent to adulthood. I wanted to know what they were hiding so much it was painful. I glanced into the rearview mirror seeing my stern green eyes staring back at me, my bold brown eyebrows hunched over and a large red bump just above my left one forming.

"Still not as painful," I thought to myself, mildly amused as I pulled into a parking space a few minutes walk from the building. I turned the engine off and waited for the faint rattle of the engine before it plunged into silence. I mean, what did I really know about the boys in all honesty? I knew that they were in a band. I knew that Matty had something seriously wrong with him as I'd caught him twice in the relapse of drugs. I knew that Adam was a quiet little cassanova that could work his magic on girls. I knew that Ross was a simple guy, but entertaining and a good friend nonetheless. I knew that George was one of my closest friends, a close friend that fucked my best friend and pretty much discarded her to the side after use. I sighed, resting my head against the wheel before wincing and pulling back, rubbing the bump on my head tenderly.

"I'm gonna kill him when he comes out." I grumbled to myself, relaxing back into the headrest. I checked the time on my phone, 10:09AM, before deciding to take a quick walk around. I hadn't been to this side of the city before, and I thought it was high time I did something on my own initative. Locking the car behind me, I stepped out under the rays of the sun, warming my back as I walked. There were a few shops here and there, a couple of resteraunts and a massive building that looked like an egg. Modern architecture was so ugly, I much prefered the old victorian buildings - simple and effective. As I walked, I couldn't help Matty's secret popping into my head. What was it? It was practically eating me up inside, consuming my thoughts as I tried to enjoy this alone time that I had managed to salvage. Spying a small little cafe, I wandered in and ordered an iced smoothie before sitting in a booth and trying to gather these scattered thoughts. Maybe if I tried to piece together the things I'd noticed, I'd have a clearer insight?

So what was first? The night of that party, when I caught him in the bathroom. He said that was because he felt guilty about leaving his brother, maybe that was it? No, if it was it wouldn't still be treated like a secret. Maybe when we had that tiff about the stupid wording of his song about me? What was it he said?

"There are reasons, I-I mean I... I can't-" Matty's voice replayed through my head, and I could see him sat on my bed fumbling for the right words.

"He should have told you sooner Avery, I-" George's voice.

"George." Matty had snapped, silencing him on the subject. I could picture George's mouth twitching, fighting the urge to tell me this huge secret before looking at Matty with pleading eyes. George had wanted him to tell me.

Then I thought back to last night, imagining Matty's frail body as I coaxed him from his corner before helping him into the bath. Just thinking about it sent shivers down my spine. I thought hard, trying to figure out whether or not Matty had told me a reason behind his returning junkie habit before I realised I hadn't asked for one. I was too preoccupied on making sure he was okay, making sure he was safe. I smiled to myself, looking down at my twiddling thumbs as I remembered the way he'd made me feel as I stripped off in my underwear, his eyes bulging as they took in every crease and crevasse of my body.

"Excuse me love, iced strawberry and cream smoothie?" A broad American accent interrupted my thoughts as I looked up at the stranger and struggled to form a coherent sentence. Standing in front of me was possibly the most beautiful human being I'd ever seen, and without the nametag that read 'Ethan' and the signature green apron tied loosely around his waist I'd have sworn he was a model. A pair of bold dark eyebrows framed the piercing blue eyes which stared back at me, and a set of white dazzling teeth emerging from his crooked side smile almost had me at my knees. His chiseled jawline and the laughter lines that caused minor creases at the sides of his eyes and mouth had me mesmerised, to the point where he had to repeat his previous sentence, a look of humour and confusion spread across his face.

"Oh er-erm yeah. That's me." I coughed, nodding my head furociously as I felt the familiar heat of a blush creep up my neck and onto my cheeks. As I reached to grab my drink from him, I managed to knock my phone to the floor and I winced as I heard a slight cracking noise.

"Oh god," He exclaimed, immediately bending down to pick up my phone. I froze in place, trying to avert my eyes from his amazing plump behind as he snapped himself back into an upright position, twirling my phone over in his callused hands. "Seems you have a small crack."

"Oh great," I moaned, taking my phone from his hands. "Just what I needed."

"Yeah you don't look like you're having a great day..." He shuffled, a small awkward laugh coming from his mouth before he pointed to the bump on my head. "What happened?"

"It''s a long story." I sighed, pushing my phone back into my pocket. I began twirling the straw around my glass, gaining pleasure from hearing the 'clink' of the shredded icecubes hitting the sides. Before I knew it, this 'Ethan' guy had slipped into the seat opposite me and leant across the table, his blue eyes peering at me.

"Tell me about it?" He offered with a smile.

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Matty's P.O.V

"Duuuuuude!" George exclaimed the minute the door to the conference room shut behind us, hooking his arm around my neck and jumping up, wrapping his legs around my waist. Hann and Ross looked ecstatic, hugging each other and doing victory fist bumps as we made away down the corridor. George unclasped himself from me and ran off after them, putting his arm around their shoulders and sauntering down the hallway. I smiled, watching my best friends reactions to the news we just got. I thought I'd be more excited myself to be honest, seeing as we just got offered a 5 year contract and a 2 year tour around the world which was to commence in a couple of months time. However, instead I just found myself thinking about Aves and how I was gonna break this to her.

As the boys drifted out of sight, I couldn't help but think about last night. How she'd managed to put up with me in my drugged up state, how she'd stayed with me the whole night, heck, how she even managed to turn such a shitty night into one I was going to remember for a while. I still wasn't convinced that was the first time she'd ever gave head, the rhythm of her tongue was perfect and she had me cumming in minutes. Fuck her tongue, she was perfect. Maybe it was time I stopped fucking about and told her? Maybe it was time to let go of the past, let go of her.

"Dude will you crack a smile? We just got the deal of a lifetime." Ross nudged me, making me exit my entranced-like state. I smiled goofily, but only because I was imagining Ave's reaction when I tell her. Her eyes are gonna light up to that favourite shade of green I love, and she's gonna wrap her arms around me and tell me how proud she was of me, of the band. That girl was so full of love and kindness and I sure as hell wasn't letting that go anytime soon.

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(A/N: I wrote like 500 words more than I usually do purely because of the tension in this chapter, it was so much fun to write. I'm such a drama queen haha!

I'd just like to thank every single one of you as my story has now reached over 11K reads and that feels amazingggggg! I love reading your comments so please drop a few of what you're thinking about the storyline and where it's going, they always make me smile. :)

This chapter is dedicated to @IrisDerato for voting for pretty much all of my chapters. You're rad!

P.S Please vote guys, it helps so much more than I can say!)

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