Epilogue

EPILOGUE

SAVION

The Nevada desert stretches out before me, vast and endless, the night sky speckled with a million stars. It feels surreal to be here, in Black Rock City, where the heat of the day has faded into a cool desert breeze that carries the scent of dust and excitement. Rocktoberfest is everything I imagined it would be—pure, untamed energy radiating from the crowd that surrounds the stage. Towering structures made of metal and neon lights flicker across the festival grounds, a strange, chaotic beauty that reflects the wildness of the music that's about to fill the air.

Orion Skye is the last band of the night; they've saved the best for last.

The crowd is massive, stretching as far as my eyes can see, a sea of bodies swaying, jumping, screaming. Thousands of people, each of them just as excited as I am to see the headliners. My heart pounds in my chest, and it's not just because of the electrifying atmosphere. No—it's because Declan, my Declan, is about to step on stage, guitar in hand, under these blinding lights, in front of all these people.

I haven't seen him perform live since that jam session months ago. But this? This is different. This is huge. My boyfriend, playing for a crowd that spans the desert, on one of the largest stages I've ever seen.

The stage lights flash red, blue, and white, casting long shadows across the ground as the band walks on. The crowd roars, a collective scream that rattles my bones. I can feel it. The thrum of anticipation, the excitement humming through the air. Lennon grabs the mic, his silhouette outlined in the glow. His voice booms across the desert.

"Let's make some noiiiiiise!"

The crowd erupts again, and I swear I feel the vibration ripple through my entire body, like I'm part of the soundwave itself. The energy is overwhelming, intoxicating, and it sweeps me up, pulling me in.

From where I stand, just offstage, close enough to touch the curtain but far enough to stay in the shadows, I have the perfect view of everything. Orion Skye in their element. The crowd, a living, breathing thing that sways and jumps with every beat, pulses with the same adrenaline that's racing through my veins. I'm right here, but at the same time, it feels like I'm floating, caught somewhere between the stage and the endless desert sky.

Who would've thought I'd be here? Months ago, I didn't even know Orion Skye existed. Now, I'm practically singing along with the band. I didn't grow up with this world—rock stars, festivals, the kind of music that rattles your soul. But here I am, in the wings, watching Lennon belt out hit after hit. And somehow, it feels like it's always been part of me.

The heat from the stage lights reaches me even here, beads of sweat forming on the back of my neck. I can taste the dust in the air, mixed with the faint scent of sweat and adrenaline. It's electric. The raw emotion in Lennon's voice cuts through the night.

"This city never sleeps," he sings, his voice a gritty melody that weaves through the crowd. "We burn it down, we chase our dreams."

The crowd knows every word, their voices blending with his, becoming a single force. I can't help but mouth the lyrics too, the words familiar on my tongue now, as though they've imprinted themselves on my soul.

Lennon moves across the stage like he owns it, and honestly, he does. His voice—gravelly, deep, dripping with intensity—fills every corner of the desert. It's one of their older songs, "Run with Fire," a hit that made them legends long before I knew Declan. Before I knew any of this.

Life is full of surprises.

Lennon finishes the band's last hit, his voice a thunderous wave that crashes through the sea of people. The crowd roars in response, the energy electric, pulsing like a live wire. He raises his arm, signaling for calm, his breath coming fast. Then, he turns and hands the mic to Declan.

The shift is palpable. I feel it in my chest, the air still buzzing, but now it's different. Softer, like a collective inhale before the exhale.

Declan steps into the spotlight, his fingers wrapping around the mic stand. His eyes scan the stage, and then they find me in the wings.

And suddenly, everything slows down.

There's a flicker of something in his gaze—soft, intimate, the kind of look that makes my chest tighten and my breath catch. It's the same look he gives me in those quiet moments when we're tangled in bed, when the world fades away and it's just us, breathing the same air. But here, in front of thousands of people, he's looking at me like that. Like I'm his world.

"This is the first time Orion Skye are performing this song," Declan says, his voice smooth, yet powerful, steady like a heartbeat. He glances out at the crowd, but when he speaks again, it's like he's only talking to me. "This one is for you, beautiful."

The world tilts.

Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod!

He's going to sing for me ?

I feel my legs go weak, my pulse racing. Everything seems surreal, like I've stepped into some alternate universe where nothing makes sense except the fact that Declan loves me. And that is real. The most real thing I've ever known.

The crowd falls silent, like they can feel the weight of the moment. The only sound left is the whisper of the desert breeze against my skin, cool and grounding. The night feels sacred now, the stars above us blinking in anticipation.

Declan's blue eyes lock onto mine, holding me captive, and for a moment, it's like there's no one else here. Just him and me. His hand grips his guitar, but it's his voice that reaches out and wraps around my heart. He starts to sing.

You have become my muse

You're the one that I choose

Want you here all night, baby

You are so beautiful, Savvy…

His voice cuts through the stillness, rich and filled with emotion. The words hit me straight in the chest. My throat tightens, and I can feel tears prickling at the corners of my eyes. This is for me. Declan wrote this song… for me .

The melody sways, gentle yet powerful, like a heartbeat, and I'm drowning in it. I can barely breathe, my whole body buzzing with the weight of his words.

You have changed my life forever

Since day one, Fate knew we'd be together

Your scars, they do not define you

Your light, your light just shines through…

I squeeze my eyes shut, the emotions threatening to overwhelm me. The scars, the ones I've always been so self-conscious about, the ones I thought would make me less… something —they don't matter to him. He sees me, not despite them, but because of everything I am.

His voice soars higher, carrying with it the love that has always been there between us, unspoken and undeniable.

You're my world, my galaxy

You're the one that makes me happy

You're my world, my galaxy

Scars mean nothing; all I see is beauty…

The crowd is still. It's as if everyone, thousands of people, have collectively held their breath, absorbing every note, every lyric. This song, this moment—it belongs to us.

Declan belts out the final note, and the night feels frozen in time. The silence is heavy, not awkward, but reverent, like the whole desert is waiting to exhale. I can feel the tears now, hot and unbidden, streaming down my face. But I don't care. There's nothing in this world but Declan and his song, his love, and the life we've fought so hard to build together.

Then the crowd erupts, louder than I've ever heard before. The cheers, the screams, the applause—they're deafening, but they can't drown out the pounding of my heart. I'm shaking, not from nerves, but from the sheer weight of what just happened.

I look at Declan, my vision blurry with tears, and he's already walking toward me, his guitar slung over his shoulder, his eyes never leaving mine. When he reaches me, he pulls me into his arms, the world around us fading into white noise.

"You're my world," he whispers, his lips brushing against my ear, and I feel his words more than I hear them.

I pull back just enough to look into his eyes, my hands trembling as I cup his face. "And you're mine," I say, my voice thick with emotion.

In this moment, under the stars, in front of thousands of people, I know we've made it. This is our happily ever after. Hard fought, hard won… and worth every second.