Page 87 of Inevitable

“What happened?” Ezra asked.

Drew looked down at the concrete step visible between his feet.

“Nothing. I didn’t go inside.”

“How long have you been sitting here?” Ezra asked.

Drew shrugged.

“A couple of hours. The party ended an hour ago. Looked like fun.”

“Did you… did you talk to your parents?” Bas asked, heart beating in a wild staccato.

Drew glanced at him, an unreadable expression on his face.

“I can’t seem to cut the cord.”

They all fell silent for a while. Bas fidgeted. He was trying to force the words out. The ones that had been haunting him for days now. The ones that would make things better. The ones he needed to say so that for once in his life, he wouldn’t be a selfish asshole.

“Maybe you shouldn’t.”

That made both Drew and Ezra snap their heads in his direction.

“Come again?” Drew said slowly.

Bas’s stomach gave an uncomfortable lurch.

“Maybe you shouldn’t,” he repeated.

Drew frowned. “I can’t exactly hide it. I could lie for a while, but what would be the point? They’ll never approve.”

Bas looked down at his fingers.

“Maybe they don’t have to,” he said. Blood was roaring in his ears so loudly that he could barely hear his own words. Maybe it was better this way anyways. If he would know what he was saying but couldn’t actually hear the words leaving his lips.

Drew straightened himself.

“What does that mean?” he asked slowly.

Bas refused to meet Drew’s or Ezra’s gazes, staring intently at the street in front of him.

“The Illumination asked me to go on tour with them.”

The announcement was greeted by silence. Drew was frowning. Ezra looked confused.

“Tour,” Drew repeated. “Is that something you want to do?”

No.

The word was so loud in his head, Bas was surprised when he realized he hadn’t spoken it out loud.

“It’s an incredible opportunity,” he said. “World tour. Eight months. I could make a lot of connections. It has a potential to take my career to the next level.”

“Wow,” Ezra said faintly.

Drew said nothing. He just kept staring at Bas with disbelief written all over his face.

“It’s been great working with them. And to be able to tour with—”