22. Xander

Xander

The sun hung low in the sky as Ry and I cruised down the highway, windows rolled down, wind whipping through our hair, and music blaring.

"You know," Ry shouted over the roar of wind and guitar riffs, "this is one of my favorite Orion Skye songs, ‘Whispers in the Night.' It was their first hit." His green eyes sparkled.

"Really?" I leaned closer to hear the lyrics over the wind. "I don't think I've heard it before."

"You were just a kid when it came out," he teased, flashing me a mischievous grin.

"Hey now, watch it!" I playfully punched him in the arm.

He chuckled. "I love to tease you, Sunshine."

"I know," I smiled up at him, feeling content and carefree in that moment.

We continued to immerse ourselves in Orion Skye's catalog. Suddenly, a silver sedan cut sharply into our lane, its horn blaring. Ry reacted in an instant, shouting and throwing his arm across my body to shield me as he swerved to avoid a collision. The aggressive driver continued without slowing down.

"You okay?" Ry's wide eyes scanned me from head to toe before quickly returning to the road.

"Yeah." My heart pounded with adrenaline. "What about you?"

"Good, good." Ry tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white.

"Just keep an eye out for reckless drivers."

"I will."

I let out a shaky breath of relief. It was a close call.

By the time we pulled into the parking lot of RockRidge Amphitheater, the stupid, careless driver had receded into distant memory. The floodlights, standing tall like sentinels, greeted us, casting an ethereal glow against the darkening sky. I could feel the bass reverberating through the ground beneath my feet, vibrating through the car as we parked.

"Feel that?" I asked Ry as we climbed out of the vehicle.

He nodded, his eyes sparkling. "Mmhm."

I took a deep breath, inhaling the mingling scents of freshly cut grass and sizzling food from nearby food trucks. The cool breeze carried with it the promise of a night filled with raw energy.

Ry grinned at me. "Smells like a carnival."

I chuckled, nodding in agreement. "And sounds like one too."

Ry linked his arm through mine as we made our way towards the entrance, the sound of laughter and cheers growing louder with each step. We joined the snake-like queue winding around the amphitheater"s perimeter. Eager fans were adorned in band t-shirts and leather jackets. I could feel the excitement building within me. Electricity danced along my skin.

When we finally stepped inside, the sight that greeted us was nothing short of breathtaking. The stage loomed large before us, bathed in a kaleidoscope of colorful lights that danced and flickered.

I reached out to touch the rough surface of the railing, feeling the cool metal beneath my fingertips as I leaned forward to take in the spectacle before me. It was a moment of pure magic, a fleeting glimpse into a world where anything was possible, and I was grateful to be experiencing it alongside Ry.

We were weaving our way through the masses when a familiar face surfaced in the crowd. "Xander? Is that you?"

I froze, my brain struggling to process the unexpected sight. "West?" I blurted out, my voice tinged with disbelief.

"Yeah, it"s me." West"s grin was wide.

My surprise gave way to warmth as I wrapped my cousin in a hug. Spotting West at a rock concert was like finding a diamond in the rough; our family ties were more frayed threads than tightly woven fabric. Yes, I knew I was waxing metaphorical, but it was the truth. Our mothers, two sisters living states apart, weren't close. They never were. Not even when they were kids. So it was hardly surprising that West and I weren't as close as one might expect for cousins.

A year or two younger than me, West"s presence stirred up memories of shared Thanksgiving dinners from our childhood. But those family gatherings had gradually dwindled over time, replaced by sporadic likes on social media posts – our only form of contact these days.

"I can"t believe you"re here!" I said, stepping back from the hug. "What are the odds?"

West"s smile spread across his face as he introduced the man beside him. "This is my boyfriend, Shane."

"Hey man, good to meet you." I extended my hand to Shane.

Their love story was one I'd pieced together from West"s online posts – snippets of struggle followed by hard-earned happiness.

I remembered West growing up straight as an arrow in a privileged world – like mine – yet often wearing a cloud of unhappiness. Seeing him now with Shane, his joy was palpable; he looked light-hearted and free. It didn"t matter who West loved; his happiness was all that counted. And I could relate – never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd fall for a guy myself. But here we were, both finding our own versions of love and happiness.

"This is my boyfriend, Ry." I introduced Ry, who extended his own hand in greeting.

"Hey, guys," Ry said over the noise as he shook their hands.

Shane's eyes lit up when he explained that they were in LA because their friend Liam, who was the lead for Liquid Flames, was opening for Orion Skye. They had come along to support Liam with some other friends, who were probably wondering where they"d disappeared to.

With promises to reconnect soon, we parted ways and got even closer to the stage, where the view was incredible.

The air was alive with the energy of the crowd, their voices rising in unison as they sang along with Liquid Flames, belting out their cover of Coldplay's "Yellow." The song was older than I was, but I loved it. I sang along too. Glancing at Ry, I was delighted to see him bopping his head to the beat of the song, a small smile playing on his lips.

Then Liquid Flames transitioned to a more upbeat tune, one that I'd never heard before, but Ry obviously had. He was singing, but I couldn't make out his voice in the midst of the noise of the crowd.

I felt a surge of energy course through me. Seizing the moment, I grabbed my boyfriend's hand and pulled him into my body.

"Come on, let"s dance!"

Ry hesitated for a brief moment before giving in, a wild grin spreading across his face. Together, we lost ourselves in the music, spinning and twirling with reckless abandon. The crowd around us cheered and clapped, their energy fueling our own.

I couldn"t help but marvel at Ry"s transformation. His usual calm and composed demeanor was replaced by a carefree spirit. He wasn't like this everyday – he wouldn't have been my Grumpleberry if he was – but every time he let go, every time he embraced a moment of pure joy and spontaneity, I fell more in love with him.

"Can"t believe how much fun this is!" Ry's eyes were shining.

"See? You just needed to let loose."

When the song came to an end, we stood there catching our breaths, grinning like fools.

Liquid Flames finished their set to thunderous applause.

"They were amazing." I definitely had to tell West how much I enjoyed his friend's performance.

"I know, right? Just wait until Orion Skye hits the stage."

After a brief intermission, the lights dimmed once more. The crowd surged forward, anticipation crackling in the air.

Suddenly, the stage exploded with light as Orion Skye burst onto the scene. The lead singer, Lennon, with his wild mane of hair and commanding presence, belted out the lyrics of their song, "Stardust Dreams." Then they executed a seamless segue to "Golden Hearts," an acoustic ballad we"d been listening to in the car.

"Wow!" Ry shouted. "That's what I call skill."

The stage lights flickered, casting a kaleidoscope of colors across Ry"s face as he closed his eyes, losing himself in the music. I couldn"t tear my gaze away from him, struck by the raw emotion etched on every inch of his chiseled features and the way his lips moved softly, singing along to the lyrics.

"Can you feel it, love? Can you taste the fire?" Lennon"s voice soared into the night, the passion behind his words sending the fans into a frenzy.

Without thinking, my hand reached out, finding Ry"s and intertwining our fingers together. His grip tightened around mine, anchoring us to each other amidst the pulsating energy of the crowd. We swayed to the rhythm, our connection wordless but powerful as we surrendered ourselves to the beat.

"Damn." Ry's eyes fluttered open as the song reached its crescendo. "This is... incredible."

"Right?" I grinned, still holding his hand.

As the last notes of the song faded, the crowd erupted into squeals and applause.

Lennon stepped back from the mic, allowing Declan, the bassist, to take center stage. "This next one is for all the couples out there," he announced, strumming a gentle melody on his guitar. "It"s called "Savvy"s Galaxy.""

I glanced at Ry, noticing the way his eyes glistened with emotion as he listened to the romantic lyrics. Taking advantage of the slow tempo, I wrapped my arms around him from behind, our bodies swaying gently to the music.

"You have become my muse. You're the one that I choose…" Declan crooned, his voice soothing and filled with love. I rested my chin on Ry"s shoulder, feeling the warmth of his skin against mine as we melted into each other.

"Feels like this song was written for us."

Ry turned his head slightly, his lips brushing against mine, and smiled. "Maybe it was." His breath tickled my ear. "Maybe this entire night was meant for us."

I pressed a kiss to his sweat-damp cheek. Surrounded by the sea of fans, Ry and I were lost in our own world. The closeness, the intimacy we'd shared throughout the night was truly amazing.

We stayed like that, my arms wrapped around Ry's waist from behind, our hands clasped in front of him. The rest of the concert was a blur of lights, music, and shared moments between us. We laughed, danced, and sang our hearts out. We swayed together, lost in the music and the moment, our bodies pressed close until the final notes of the encore faded away.

"Thank you, and goodnight!" Lennon shouted after the fourth encore, and the arena exploded with one final burst of applause before the band disappeared backstage.

Slowly, the crowd began to disperse, leaving behind discarded cups and torn ticket stubs. As we made our way toward the exit, Ry suddenly stopped in his tracks, his gaze fixed on something near the stage.

"Wait right here," he said, squeezing my hand before releasing it and darting towards the stage.

Curious, I watched as he bent down and scooped something up from the ground. He returned, a triumphant grin on his face, and pressed a small object into my palm. Security guards were busy directing the flow of people, and the immediate area around the stage was now accessible.

"Look what I found," he beamed, revealing a worn guitar pick emblazoned with the Orion Skye logo. "A memento from our first concert together."

My heart smiled at the gesture, the significance of the tiny token not lost on me. Tucking the pick carefully into my pocket, I knew it would always be a reminder of this magical night – of the way Ry and I had come alive beneath the stage lights, fueled by the power of music and the undeniable pull of our connection.

"Thank you," Ry whispered, pulling me in for a tight embrace. "Tonight was... indescribable."

"Best. Concert. Ever."

Ry laughed, squeezing my hand. "Definitely up there," he agreed.

We walked arm in arm and guess who we got a chance to speak to before we left? Some of the members of Orion Skye. What a time!

When we finally reached the car, I turned to Ry with a grin. "So, what do you say we make our own music at home?" I waggled my eyebrows suggestively.

He leaned in for a kiss. "I've been wanting to sink my cock in your ass the entire day."

"So what are we waiting on?"

Making love to Ry would be the perfect ending for the day. As we drove home, a feeling of contentment settled over me. This was what happiness felt like.