You were practicing with your band, Cassidy, a mutual friend between you and Payton from high school, was there watching and listening to you guys play for a sound check before the performance. Payne was eyeing Cassidy, he leaned over to you and spoke into your ear,

"I think it’s time I confess to her… should I ask her out on a date? Do... do you think she'd like that?"

Your heart, already pounding from the adrenaline of the sound check, lurched. The monitor mix was loud, but Payne's nervous whisper cut through it all, a direct hit to the fragile hope you secretly harbored. You glanced at Cassidy, who was swaying subtly to the rhythm, her eyes bright as she watched the band. She was beautiful, and you knew it, just as you knew Payne had a soft spot for her. It was an open secret, one you'd tried to ignore for months, pushing down the ache every time Payne’s gaze lingered on her a little too long.