I walked toward my mic when I heard a car pull up. I was ready to take my frustrations out in my music. Expecting Kevin and Tiny to walk into the garage, I was taken back when Jenny, my ex girlfriend, walked in.

“What’s up?” I asked as I fell back onto my couch. “Haven’t seen you around lately.”

She shyly smiled at me as she sat next to me on the couch. I’d never noticed before how trashy she looked—her hair was too blond, her makeup too dark. Everything about her was just wrong, and I found myself feeling sick to my stomach that I’d ever touched her.

“I thought I’d stop by and watch you practice. I miss it… I miss you,” she said as she laid her hand on my knee suggestively.

I picked up her hand and dropped it in her lap.

“Nah, I’m good, but you’re welcome to stay and listen if you want.” I trashed my empty bottle and went to the cooler and grabbed another.

She followed me and when I turned around, she threw her arms around my neck.

“Are you seriously going to turn this down?” she asked as she pressed her tits to my chest.

I looked down at her cleavage and almost gagged. She smelled like cigarettes and stale hairspray, and I wanted her as far away from me as possible. I pulled her arms from around my neck, turned her, and pinned her up against a wall.

Excitement filled her eyes and she licked at her lips.

“That’s what I’m talking about,” she said as she leaned in to kiss me.

I pulled back. “Hell no. We’re done. As a matter of fact, I think you should go.”

I was about to release her when I heard Kevin’s loud voice behind me.

“Damn, man! I thought we were going to practice. Knock that shit off. You can fuck her later.”

I turned around and started toward my mic again, but I stopped when I came face to face with Faith. The wounded look in her eyes shot right through me. I knew exactly what she was thinking.

She turned and left the garage quickly, and I cursed and followed behind her. It was going to take some quick talking on my part and a lot of trust on hers.

“Wait up!” I said as I grabbed her by the arm and spun her around.

A single tear rushed down her cheek and broke my heart. I reached up to wipe it away, but she turned her head and looked away from me.

“Faith, nothing was happening. I was telling her to leave, I swear.”

She swiped at her face and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, that’s exactly what it looked like!”

I’d never heard her yell before. More tears spilled from her eyes and I cussed myself for being so stupid.

“I’m so sorry, baby. Please don’t cry.” I pulled her tighter to me and wrapped my arms around her.

She tried to pull away and I held tight until she relaxed against me. I felt her body shaking as she cried against my shoulder. I rubbed her back softly.

“I’m so sorry you saw that, but I swear, Faith, I was telling her no. I was asking her to leave. I’ll go get her right now and she’ll tell you. I promised you that I’d never do anything to hurt you and I meant it. Please just trust me.”

She looked up at me and sniffled. Even with a red face covered in tears, she was beautiful.

“This is all so new to me, Finn. I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t know what this is that we’re doing. If this isn’t anything and I’m seeing things that aren’t there then just tell me. I’ll walk away no questions asked.”

I chuckled softly to myself. She was so far off.

I captured her face in my hands and softly kissed her.

“That’s the last thing I want you to do. I know I’ve been quiet lately, but that’s only because I’ve been out trying to get a job and get my life in order. I want to be good for you, Faith, and right now I’m not.”

It was weird putting my emotions out on the table like that, but I trusted her with my life. She would never hurt me and I felt safe giving my all to her.

“You are… you’re perfect for me. Since I met you, everything’s better. You make everything better and…”

I didn’t let her finish. I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed to kiss her. So I did. She gripped the front of my shirt and I filled my hands with her hips and pulled her closer to me. There’s was no such thing as too close when it came to Faith.

We held hands as we went back into the garage. The guys, who were lounging on the couch, waiting, rolled their eyes and bitched about me running out.

“It’s about fucking time, dude. Are we going to do this or not?” Reynolds asked.