Kellan stood up and put his hands on my shoulders. Even plastered, I registered the clicking of camera phones going off. Harold had wanted a show, and here I was giving him one. “Calm down, Griffin. It wasn’t like that. It was…a spur-of-the-moment thing. Let’s go into the lobby and we can talk about it.”

I shoved him away from me. His kindness was just as grating as Matt’s disdain; I didn’t need sympathy. “Don’t do me any favors, Kell. He’s just mad because I don’t need him anymore, and he can’t control me. I don’t need any of you anymore. I’ve got my own thing, and it’s bigger and better than anything I had with you guys. You’re all just jealous, and you can all suck it!”

Turning around, I stormed off. “Griffin, wait!” Kellan called.

I could just hear Matt responding with “Save it, Kell, he’s not worth chasing after. If he wants to go, fucking let him.”

Grabbing Anna’s hand, I yanked her up the aisle. Some PA person working on the show tried to get us to sit down. “The lights are flashing, sir, that means you have thirty seconds to find your seats.”

Towering over him, I snapped, “Then you have twenty seconds to get the fuck out of my way.” I pointed down to the front of the auditorium, where our seats used to be. “I’m not sitting down there. I’m going home.” Fuck Harold. I’d made my appearance. That was all that was required of me.

The PA raised his hands. “I can get you different seats. I’m sure someone in the back would be more than happy to swap with you.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “Whatever.” I really didn’t care if I stayed or if we left anymore. I just wanted this night to be over with.

I tried not to look at the band throughout that stupid awards show, but my new seat was positioned in such a way that if I wanted to look at the stage, I had to look over their heads. And even though I didn’t want to, I noticed them: Evan and Jenny laughing over some stupid inside joke; Kellan and Kiera kissing, they were always fucking kissing; Matt and Rachel whispering sweet nothings to each other. Whatever.

And it was really hard to ignore them when they went onstage to present an award. The big one—Video of the Year. Whatever. The audience screamed and hollered for them like they’d never seen them before. I booed. Someone had to. Hearing only positive feedback was what inflated egos, and theirs were inflated enough.

After the show, Anna asked me if I wanted to try talking to the guys again. My blank expression was answer enough for her. Looking torn, she jerked her thumb to where the guys were standing, chatting with the winning band. “I just want to say hi to Kiera and the girls…see how they’re doing.”

Frowning, I glanced over to where the bitches were clinging to their Bags. “They’re having a great time keeping secrets from us, that’s how they’re doing. It’s obvious they don’t want us around, so I say fuck ’em.”

She sighed. “I’ll just be a minute.” She turned and walked away without another word.

Well. So much for Team Hancock. Guess I was on my own with this one. Well, fuck if I was going to just stand here and wait around for her. I had better things to do, like pimp my show. Swirling around, I made my way toward a group of girls. By the way they were tittering, I figured they were fans, not musicians. Perfect.

“Hey, ladies. Griffin Hancock here. I’m about to make all your dreams come true, every week, starting…well whenever a sucky show gets cancelled.” I looked around to make sure Anna hadn’t heard me say that. She still didn’t know the show was a midseason replacement.

“Ooooh, Griffin…of the D-Bags, right?”

I contained a groan. One day people would associate me with something else first. Something bigger, better, badder, and bolder, and I couldn’t fucking wait.

By the time I was done working the room, Anna and the D-Bags were gone. Hoping she hadn’t left for the night with them, I made my way out to the cars. I found Anna out there, waiting for our driver. She looked frosty. The ice in her eyes only grew colder on our drive home. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore.

“What?” I asked.

Turning to me, she unleashed the full fury of her ire. “I thought you would at least try making peace with the band.”

I gave her a curious tilt of my head. “What made you think I wanted to try? Did you not see the ring? They fucking snubbed us, Anna. I’m surprised you gave them the time of day.”

Her cheeks flushed. “I know…and I’m not happy about that, but this feud has gone on long enough. Someone needs to be the bigger person.”

Leaning back in the seat, I turned my head toward the window. “It’s not going to be me. I’m happy where I’m at. If they want peace, then they better drag their asses to my house. They can kiss my ass on my front lawn.”

She inhaled a deep breath, then the car was silent.

When we got home, she went right to our room and slammed the door shut. Whatever. She could be mad at me over this one, that was fine. I wasn’t sucking up my pride to apologize to the guys. I didn’t need to. They were in the wrong, not me. They’d used me, abused me, then fucking excluded me. Fuckers could go to hell for all I cared. Bigger and better things awaited me.

Chapter 16

You Heard Right, I Am That Awesome

It took Anna a couple of days to calm down after the VMAs. When she finally started smiling again, I knew she was over it. Or as over it as she could be. She wanted me to make up with my D-Bag family, but that wasn’t happening. They’d gone too far. But I supposed I could cut their girls some slack, or at least hide out while they visited. Anna seemed to need their friendship. Whatever. It made her happy whenever I suggested she invite them over, so I told her to give them a call. Even Rachel I’m-Married-to-a-Douchebag Hancock could come over…so long as I wasn’t around to hear about her fucking nuptials. Asshole.