She walked away, leaving Liam sitting there alone, the weight of his mistakes pressing down on him. After finishing conversation with Eva Liam went back to the studio, he sat on the edge of the couch, his elbows digging into his knees, his fingers pulling at his hair in frustration.
The weight of everything he'd done pressed down on him, and for once, he didn't know how to carry it.
"I lost everything," Liam muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "Nova told me to be careful, but I didn't listen, I spoke out of anger, Ryan… I told her that if she left me now, I'd never talk to her again and that she'd never see me." His voice cracked, and he let out a bitter laugh. "Now she's not picking up my calls, and Eva's done with me too."
Ryan watched him from where he leaned against the table, his arms crossed tightly over his chest.
"Why did you tell her that?" he asked his voice calm but sharp. "And why is she pushing you away in the first place?"
Liam let out a long breath, dropping his head into his hands. "It's... complicated."
"Complicated how?" Ryan pressed. "Why is your shit always complicated?"
Liam hesitated, his throat felt dry, and he shifted uncomfortably on the couch.
"Because... something happened between us," he admitted awkwardly.
Ryan frowned, leaning forward. "What do you mean something happened? What the fuck have you done?"
Liam groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. "We kissed few times and..." He looked at Ryan who looked surprised without saying a thing then proceeded
"One night in last week, we… we slept together, one night, after talking, having few drinks… it wasn't planned... it just happened and the next morning she shut me out... She started building walls again acting like it was a mistake or like I was the mistake." He shook his head, frustrated. "I didn't push her away, Ryan… I was just trying to get close to her again trying to show her I care, but every time I get close, she pulls back."
Ryan's brows furrowed as he processed what Liam had just said. "And instead of giving her time to figure it out you panicked, started pushing harder and said something you didn't mean out of anger?"
"Yeah," Liam muttered, staring at the floor. "I thought if I showed her how much I cared she'd stop running but I guess all I did was pushing her further away."
Ryan let out a low sigh, shaking his head. "Man, listen to me... you've got to stop forcing this, if she's pulling back it's not because she doesn't care about you, it's probably because she's scared, but chasing after her and throwing out ultimatums like 'you'll never see me again'? That's not helping."
Liam looked up, his voice soft. "So what do I do?"
Ryan sat down across from him, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "You need to back off, Liam… give her space, I know it feels like you're losing her but if you don't let her breathe you'll lose her for real."
Liam's jaw tightened. "But what if she thinks I don't care?"
Ryan shook his head. "She won't… giving her space doesn't mean disappearing, It means showing her respect... letting her come to you when she's ready and if she doesn't? Then at least you'll know you did the right thing instead of making things worse."
Liam slumped back against the couch, staring at the ceiling.
Ryan stood up, clapping a hand firmly on Liam's shoulder. "And another thing... you need to get your fucking head back in the game, we've got a tour next week, remember? You can't go on stage like this."
Liam glanced up at him, his expression tired. "I don't know if I can focus, man, my head's all over the place."
"You can," Ryan said firmly. "This tour? It's exactly what you need, you love performing... that's where you're yourself, use the music to clear your head, let it ground you."
Liam let out a deep breath, nodding slowly. "Yeah... you're right, I need to pull myself together."
Ryan gave him a small smile. "Good, give Nova space and focus on the tour, fix what you can, and let the rest play out."
Liam sat quietly for a moment, letting Ryan's words sink in and for the first time that night, something clicked, he couldn't control everything, but he could take responsibility for himself... for his actions.
"Thanks, man," Liam said finally. "I'll figure it out."
"You will," Ryan replied confidently. "One step at a time."
As Ryan walked out of the room, Liam leaned forward, elbows on his knees, and took a deep breath. Next week, they'd fly out for the tour. It wasn't just a distraction, it was a chance to reset, to clear his head, and maybe even figure out how to fix the mess he'd made.
Nova tried to move on with her life, but her mind kept wandering back to the last moment she shared with him. 'Was it even a crime to date him?' she thought. Yet, doubt gnawed at her. 'What if he's just playing me? What if I'm just another name on his list?'
She couldn't shake the feeling of inadequacy. 'What do I even have to offer someone like him?' she wondered bitterly, the unease built with every passing thought, and the thing that weighed heaviest on her mind was the last thing he said to her, she had answered him angrily in the heat of the moment, but regret bloomed soon after. Now, she couldn't decide what to do.
She even declined to join them on tour, she'd declined, firmly. Yet, deep down, she wanted nothing more than to say yes. A month with him, sharing moments, laughter... But fear held her back. She had loved him for so long, silently and from a distance, could someone like him really fall for her in such a short time? No, it's impossible, she convinced herself, though her heart ached.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden buzz of her phone. She glanced at the screen and saw Ryan's name flashing.
"Hey, Ryan," she answered, trying to sound normal.
"Yo, Nova. Are you free right now?" His voice was tense, almost frantic.
"What's wrong? You sound worried," she asked, concern replacing her earlier melancholy.
"There's a big problem," he said quickly, barely taking a breath. "The girl who was supposed to record the chorus and the repeated female parts? Motherfucker bailed on us! The track is due tomorrow, and we're completely stuck."
Nova's heart sank. "Shit, that's really fucking mess, what's the plan then? Have you found someone else?"
"That's why I'm calling you," Ryan said in a rush. "Nova, you've got an amazing voice, you're great at singing, and you know it, please, help us out… I know this isn't your job, and you're supposed to be on break right now, but I'm desperate, we're desperate."
She hesitated, feeling a twinge of panic. "Ryan, I... what about Liam? Doesn't he know anyone else? He's got so many connections, and there are plenty of talented singers out there."
"Liam's been trying since this morning," Ryan explained, his tone growing more urgent. "But it's too last-minute, and everyone's either busy or not a good fit for the song… Plus, he's not okay with just any voice, this is for the fans; it has to be perfect."
Nova swallowed hard. "Ryan, you know Liam and I aren't even speaking right now, how am I supposed to record in the same studio as him?"
"For his sake," Ryan pleaded. "Please, Nova, he's completely stressed out. This song is huge, it's already gotten so much love from the fans, and it's supposed to be the highlight of the new album… If we screw this up, it won't just be bad for him, but for all of us, it will shake our entire career."
Her resolve wavered. She could feel the weight of their expectations pressing down on her. It's not just about Liam, she told herself. It's about the music, the fans, the hard work they've all put into this.
"Okay," she finally said, taking a deep breath. "I'll set aside whatever's going on between us for now… I'll help, tell him to get ready, I'll be at the studio soon."
"Thank you, Nova… seriously, thank you, I'll get everything prepared and I'll let him know you're coming," Ryan said, relief flooding his voice.
"See you soon," Nova replied before hanging up.
She stood there for a moment, her phone still in her hand. Her heart was racing, and she couldn't tell if it was from nerves or the thought of seeing Liam again. Shaking off her hesitation, she grabbed her coat and headed out this isn't about us, this is about the music, she reminded herself as she stepped into the chilly night. But deep down, she knew it wasn't going to be that simple.
Ryan was in overdrive, making sure everything was ready in the studio, his mind raced as he dialed Liam's number, when Liam picked up, his frustration was immediately apparent.
"Did you find someone?" Liam asked, his voice laced with desperation. "I've been calling everyone, but no one's available, fuck! this is too sudden, bro… I don't know what else to do… maybe I should do the whole song myself"
Before he could say more, Ryan interrupted him. "I've got it handled, don't worry."
"You found someone?" Liam's skepticism was clear.
"Yeah, but… she's never been on a track before," Ryan admitted cautiously, trying to keep him calm.
"What? Are you serious?" Liam's voice rose, incredulous. "What if she messes everything up? This is my career on the line, Ryan! You know how important this is!"
"Liam, listen to me," Ryan said firmly. "I wouldn't risk your work like that, I've heard her sing plenty of times, and she's got it… she's incredible, trust me, I wouldn't do this if I wasn't sure."
Liam paused before asking, "Who is she? What's her name? Maybe I know her."
"You know her all right," Ryan said with a small chuckle. "It's Nova."
The line went silent.