Chapter 13

Vy

STAYING AWAY FROM ANDREW turned out to be easier than she thought. Between classes, studio time with TC and gigs, she barely managed to carve time for a movie night with Alice in their apartment. She didn't talk about Carter, and Alice didn't mention King. Whether she had guessed something after that Summer Festival duet, or because she didn't want to mix things up at Sing, it didn't matter. She was better off not hearing more "Andrew is amazing" stories.

Unlike her parents, who didn't miss the chance to talk about him every bloody time they met. They seemed happy to visit her in Salona, which helped her avoid looking for reasons not to visit home more often. Especially when they always mentioned that Andrew had attended various events they organized. She tried to book shows around those dates anyway, and no one needed any other reason for her not to show up.

Her life seemed to have find a balance until she got a text from Carter in the middle of one of her classes. He never texted her during the day. Not even to share something he thought should interest her. He respected her day time in Salona. He still sent her late night texts to arrange studio time and teased her about not doing anyone if she texted back promptly.

"Come to the studio tonight."

She replied immediately "When?"

His own prompt reply worried her. "When you finish classes. Time not important. I'll be here."

That didn't sound ominous at all. She was already making her way out of the class while she texted him back.

"R u ok?"

The lack of reply made her speed all the way to Orsino.

#

Carter's personal issues surprised her, but nowhere near as much as learning from Alice that she was the cause.

All the questions buzzing in her mind kept her awake. She went to her car and drove to the south coast, thinking about the current mess in her life.

Her decision to go on Sing the year before meant that she had cut herself from her friends.

Even so, Alice had always been there. As a voice on the phone when she was lonely. As someone who tagged along on the rare occasions when she went shoe shopping. Alice had helped her choose her stage attire because she had fashion in her blood. Alice had been there even when they were an ocean apart.

Then why had she stepped further and further away from her?

She disapproved of Alice attending those annoying social events, but they never talked about it. Alice never brought it up. She found out that Alice had attended some gala from a comment in a glossy magazine she happened to read wondering if it was one of her mother's or Leonie's benefits.

When Alice had mentioned Christian Sinclair, Vy had been happy for her friend to get some romance in her life. And there it was. Before Christian, the only romance in Alice's life were Carter's songs

She had been too busy becoming a star to pay attention to her friend. Redeeming herself to Carter for losing Sing. Burying her unresolved feelings for Andrew.

Andrew.

Damn him. He understood Alice in a few months better than she could after years.

She drove through the night, deep in her thoughts. She was in Viaverde without realizing how time had passed. She parked her car near the beach in time to see the sunrise sitting on the cold sand.