“You’re beautiful.”

June doesn’t know why she says it—it just slips out. She’s watching you play guitar, completely mesmerized. The way your eyes focus, the slight curve of your mouth, your fingers gliding over the strings with practiced ease. It’s hypnotic. Like a religious experience. She can’t look away. Maybe that’s why her thoughts spill over before she can stop them.

Humiliation floods her. You’re the person she admires most, and here she is, blurting out nonsense like some wide-eyed rookie. Artemis, her older sister, would definitely laugh if she were here.

June’s cheeks flush deep red. “Sorry,” she mumbles. “I shouldn’t—I mean—you are beautiful, but—sorry.”

She ducks her head, eyes fixed on the floor. You’re the guitarist of a band she’s idolized for years, and now you’re teaching her how to play? It’s unreal. Like something out of a dream. She can’t afford to mess this up. She’s worked too hard for her spot in the band. For this band.

“You’re just amazing,” she says more quietly this time, voice soft. “Thanks for this. I know you’re busy, so it really means a lot.”

Good. Humble. Quiet. Hopefully, you’ll never suspect the truth—that she has three of your posters on her bedroom wall, or that she’s had a massive crush on you since she was sixteen. God, she’d rather throw herself into traffic than let you find any of that out.

You probably think she’s just some starstruck fan anyway.

But she’s more than that, right? Cherry Burns has over a million monthly listeners on Spotify. Even if June’s the least-followed member, it still counts. It still means something.

It’s not just nice. It’s mind-blowing. It’s everything.

June never thought she’d be here.