Arriving ten minutes before the show began, I found a seat in the back of the bar in a dark corner where I wouldn’t be seen. While I waited, I ordered a vanilla dr. Pepper and set up my drawing stuff to wait. About three minutes before the show began, a man came over and asked “are you a friend of the band? Lafayette wanted me to find his friend and confirm he was here. He told me to look for a dark haired teen wearing sweat pants and a hoodie who’d most likely be hiding in the back. Are you Theo?”

“Yeah, I’m Theo but please don’t tell him where I’m sitting. Just confirm I’m here as requested” I asked hoping he wouldn’t tell him.

“Okay, but he wanted me to give you this. It’s a copy of the set list for tonights’ show. They changed one of the songs and he said to tell you he did it for you” the man said handing me a sheet of paper as I realized it was their manager.

“Okay, thanks” I said before the man walked away. Waiting a few more seconds, I unfolded the paper and read through the list of songs to see that he’d added my favorite song to the set list.

[*Set List for Red Moon Rising*]

[Cover- Man of Steel- Brantley Gilbert]

[Original- Resistance]

[Cover- Without Me- Flame on Fire]

[Original- My Demons]

[Cover- No Matter What- Calum Scott]

[Original- I’m Not Dead]

[Cover- One Thing Right- Kane Brown & Marshmello]

[Original- Still Alive]

[Cover- One Mississippi- Kane Brown]

[Original- Sillhouette]

[Cover- Still Believe- Survive said the Prophet]

As the first tear rolled down my cheek, the band came out and started the first song. Looking towards the stage, I saw that Fay was the lead singer for tonights’ show as I heard the first line of the song fall from his lips. Glancing between the crowd and his metallic blue electric guitar, I realized he’d chosen to play the one I’d given him for Christmas freshman year. Smiling, I listened as he demonstrated his vocal range through the different tracks sometimes lip syncing along with him until they reached “No Matter What” by Calum Scott. As I listened to the words, more tears streamed down my face as I silently realized what he was trying to tell me. The tone of the show picked up again after that and as “Still believe” ended, I bolted out of the club still wiping the tears from my face as I messaged Fay.

[Theo: Good job tonight, Fay. I got the message loud and clear and thanks for ending it with my favorite song. I literally have had tears streaming down my face all day but now they’re happy tears instead of ones of fear and distress. I was so scared that even though you’re bi, that you’d never accept me for who I am. So, I was scared to tell you and when you figured it out for yourself, I freaked out and ran. I’m sorry I judged you without thinking]

Within a few seconds, I got a reply

[Fay: Thanks and I’m glad you got it. I needed to make sure you understood that no matter what you can always talk to me because you are my best friend and I love you. I know you were scared which is why I sent Teia to come find you since you were more likely to talk to her than me at that point. I knew adding in your favorite song would make you happy and make up for scaring you earlier. I really am sorry that I pushed you that far]

Still crying, I pocketed my phone before making my way home and went straight to my room to hide from my family. Hiding my sketch book, I cried myself to sleep. The next morning, I woke up and groaned as I realized I’d have to face Fay today. Just as that realization hit me, my door cracked open to reveal Teia peeking in to see if I’m awake.

“Hey big brother, you awake?” she asked curiously.

“Si, desafortunadamente. ¿Qué pasa, hermanita?” I groaned as I stretched.

“Well, I was just curious how you were feeling after yesterday and Fay texted me asking pretty much the same thing” she shrugged from my doorway.

“I’m surprised he isn’t down stairs waiting for me” I said thoughtfully.

“He wanted to be but I told him to give you some space this morning. So, you won’t have to see him until we get to school” she smiled.

“We? So, one of your friends isn’t coming to get you?” I asked sitting up on the edge of my bed.

“Nope, I told Kora my big brother needed me this morning so I’d just see her at school” she shrugged as she came to sit next to me before asking “so, how’d it go last night?”

“He changed up the set list and had his manager come find me to give me a copy and tell me he changed it for me. Fay was the lead last night and he even chose to use the guitar I got him for Christmas freshman year” I said handing her the sheet of paper I’d folded and put in my hoodie pocket last night. As she opened the page, she gasped and said “I recognize most of the covers and wait, isn’t this one about being accepted for coming out? And he put your favorite song as the last track of the set! Wow, he really wanted to apologize didn’t he.”

“Yes, it is and he had me crying during it. I got what he was trying to tell me and then I cried more when he sang “Still Believe”. After I messaged him last night, he said he was trying to make up for making me feel scared and pushing me far enough for me to literally run away from him. The goof still hasn’t put it together that he’s my crush but I think I’m grateful for that seeing as it’s already going to be super awkward for me today” I explained then checking my phone for new messages and the time, I added “come on sis, we need to get ready and get to school or we’ll be late.”

“Alright, make sure you splash some cold water on your face because your eyes are still puffy. Do you want food or blood this morning?” she asked standing up.

“I better do blood this morning because I’m sure the lack of food yesterday will have a negative impact on me today” I said standing to head to my closet for clean clothes.

“Alright, I’ll make some coffee then” she said and left my room. Grabbing a pair of dark wash jeans and a dark colored V-neck shirt, I headed to the bathroom for a shower. As I stripped out of yesterdays clothes, I paused and looked at all five foot eleven inches of Beta myself in the mirror. My black hair was a complete mess, my odd sapphire blue eyes didn’t seem to sparkle and there were definitely puffy bags under them, my body wasn’t really all that muscular, and the mating mark, in the shape of a series of stars, on my hip looked like a tattoo like always.

“My mating mark has been that dark since we moved here but I don’t know who my mate is. Yet, if mom and dad are right I’ve met them already and spent time with them too” I thought as I climbed in the shower.

Getting out of the shower, I got dressed and headed back to my room for the rest of my outfit for today. Putting on my black converse sneakers, my black leather belt with the cross belt buckle Fay got me not long after we’d moved here tucking my shirt behind it, my black hoodie, and dark grey beanie, I grabbed my hidden sketchbook and headed down stairs to the living room. Slipping my sketchbook in my book bag, I zipped it up and moved it to the foyer before heading to the kitchen.

“Hey sweetie” mom said as I walked into the room.

“Hola mami, I thought you already left?” I asked confused.

“No, Teia me contó lo que pasó ayer y quería verte yo mismo. Plus I figured you’d need a note for missing school yesterday, and before you ask, no I’m not mad. Even your father understood and wanted to stay to check on you too but he had to go because he has a big presentation this morning” she said coming over to wrap me in a hug.

“Oh, I’m okay I guess. Fay and I kind of worked things out. He even changed two song in his show last night just for me. I feel bad for the way I handled things yesterday but I really wasn’t ready for him to know and then he figured it out all on his own and it really scared me. I don’t know, I’d been trying to figure out how to tell him for a few weeks now but I’d never have guessed it would end up like that” I explained burying my head against moms shoulder.

“It’s okay sweetie, at least he accepted you for who you are” she said rubbing my back.

“Well, we’ve got to get ready to go” Teia said from behind our mom. Breaking the hug, I said “yeah” then turned to the fridge for a blood bag before moving passed my mom and sister to the other side of the kitchen to fix a cup of coffee. Drinking the blood, I threw away the container in the hazardous waste bin before drinking my coffee. Putting my mug in the sink, I said “you ready Teia?”

“Yeah, let’s go” she said as I grabbed my car keys and headed towards the foyer.

“Have a good day kids” mom yelled from the kitchen as we made it to the front door. Climbing in my matte blue four door Chevy pick up, we drove to school in a comfortable silence.