Sweetheart [On Hold - Resuming 2023]

6. Thrills

If the 2007 emo scene were a person, it would be my identical twin. I peer at myself in the mirror above Asher's sink, barely recognizing the reflection. Excitement gleams in my eyes beneath thick layers of dusty eyeshadow, pencil liner, and volumizing mascara. Combined with my all-black outfit, I look the part of an angsty For the Thrills fan.

I couldn't say no when Asher invited me to their concert tonight. I mean, FTT is one of my favorite bands. Plus, Asher sent me flowers, and not just any flowers. He gifted me a Mango-friendly bouquet.

Even before that, I couldn't stay away from him. Writer's block and irritation pulled me from my seat in Dad's trailer. I found myself walking like a zombie to the studio where Asher and Dad were filming a scene, and because I'm a deranged groupie now, I snuck inside to stare at Asher Vega get knocked down over and over.

This weird Asher craving doesn't make sense. I grew up surrounded by celebrities. I don't swoon over them. I don't fangirl. I certainly don't visit my father on set to catch a glimpse. And yet, here I am, in Asher's trailer, dressed like a crazy scene kid so I can watch For the Thrills play a couple new songs I didn't even know were coming out.

"Does everything from Cassie fit?" Asher calls to me.

"Yeah. The shirt's great. I'm just touching up my makeup," I call back.

His assistant swung by the local Hot Topic, which apparently still exists, and bought goth costumes. I'm in the black jeans and combat boots I chose this morning, but my maroon sweater wasn't suitable for our insane plan to attend For the Thrills' show undercover, so Cassie chose a fitted tee featuring the American Idiot album grenade.

"Awesome. Whenever you're ready, I thought of them," he replies.

He's been thinking about his top five favorite bands for the past hour.

"Let's hear 'em," I request, stepping out of the bathroom.

He's jaw-droppingly beautiful, even in the type of garb goths wore to the mall in the early aughts. I've never drooled over a man in a knit beanie and a studded belt before, but I am today. Wisps of auburn hair stick out from beneath his hat. When he stands up straight, his Nirvana tee molds against his pecs, while his arm muscles bulge from the sleeves.

"Whoa," he breathes. "You look great."

I feel my cheeks heating up. "Thanks. You don't look so bad as a punk kid yourself."

He grins, the left side of his lips curling up slightly higher than the right. "Is it the belt or the intentional rips in my jeans that does it for you?" he asks teasingly.

"Both." I wink.

He shakes his head. "Alright. You distracted me. Favorite bands. You ready?"

"Born ready."

"For the Thrills is first, of course. Xander's been a brother to me for almost ten years, and besides that, he's crazy talented. After FTT, A Day to Remember, then Breaking Benjamin, We Came as Romans, and Disturbed." He reclines on the bed built into the trailer wall. "Your turn."