I’m horrified, glancing down to Iz’s jaw slack and eyes dilated so wide he doesn’t even look human. Oralive.
Strong hands grip my shoulders and my first instinct is to shove them away. “Sean,” Trent’s voice pulls my stare away from Iz. The fear in Trent’s gaze mirrors what must be in my own. “He needs help. Let’s get out of the way. Let them do theirjob.”
I nod and with Trent’s assistance I get my body and mind to cooperate enough to move to the side. We circle the medics at a distance, and our manager Bedo joins us, along with one of the publicists from Off Track Records. It feels like eternity but it’s only a few minutes before they’re rolling Iz off the stage strapped to a stretcher and toward the nearesthospital.
Bedo ushers us to a far backstage corner. His lips pinch with irritation and the scowl he wears when we’ve really fucked up. Which I guess we have. Three Ugly Guys just caused a major disruption to the largest televised music event in the industry. I should care. I’m sure this doesn’t bode well for us or the future of our band, but I can’t get the image of Iz out of my mind’s eye as he practically rolled over his drum set before crumpling to theground.
“We need to go to the hospital,” I blurt and Bedo glares, pushing us all forward until we’re safely tucked in a corner away from prying eyes and listeningears.
“Mics off? Headsets.” He holds out his hand and waits until we unhook and return the equipment that took makeup and wardrobe almost an hour to expertly hide. “You!” He shouts to some poor stage hand, and piles it all into his hands. “Take care ofthis.”
The young kid only nods, his eyes wide when he takes us all in. I don’t know whether he’s starstruck or the news of what happened onstage has made us a freakshow.
“Thank you,” Lexi says, and that finally snaps him out of his stare. He rushes back to whatever task he wasdoing.
“Tell me right now. What was he on?” Bedo’s hard gaze meets each ofours.
“On?” Austin shakes his head and laughs though it holds no humor. “What wasn’t heon?”
“This isn’t funny. You all were center stage. The biggest fucking opportunity of your careers and you pissed all over it. We worked so damn hard for this, and after what just happened . . . you’ve got jokes?” Bedo’s face heats with his words, and the blotches of red on his cheeks match the fine linen square kerchief tucked in the pocket of his whitetux.
“I’m not laughing because it’s funny.It’s not.But you know as well as we do that Iz smokes whatever the hell he wants. We don’t keeptrack.”
“You all knew he was lit before taking the stage tonight? You didn’t think to warnme?”
I glance around and find the exact spot Iz wouldn’t get up on his own before we were called onstage to perform. He’s high all the time, sure, but that wasn’t normal behavior. Should I have said something? I knew he was off. Guilt, heavy and unnerving, settles in my chest, making it hard tobreathe.
“He does it all the time! Why would we think anything of it?” Trent says. His tone grows and matches Bedo’s irritation. “Maybe you should have been backstage with us, managing our band instead of enjoying the fucking show. Maybe you could have stoppedthis.”
“Trent!” Lexi scolds and shakes her head. “We’re all upset right now, but this isn’t anyone’sfault.”
“She’s right. We need to concentrate on Iz. Let’s go.” Austin moves toward the back door but Bedo holds out an arm to stophim.
“Hold up. You’re not going anywhere. Not until we decide how we’re going to handle thepress.”
“Our friend is fighting for his life and you’re concerned about how it looks? Fuck this shit. I’m going to the hospital. You all can figure out how you want to spin it without me,” Austin challenges and walks past Bedo without a secondglance.
“This is bigger than you think,” Bedo calls out, but I’m not sure whether that’s more for him or us. I don’t wait to stickaround.
“Wait up!” I shout to Austin, leaving Lexi and Trent to deal with our manager and the trouble Three Ugly Guys has caused this year’s Grammy’sshow.
Austin stops at my voice and turns to look back, his chin nodding when he sees mecoming.
Before I catch up to him, Trent’s at my side, one arm around my shoulder with Lexi tucked into his other side. “I don’t often say this, but I agree with Austin,” he mutters, and it’s enough to bring a slight smile to mylips.
We might be an unconventional family, not connected by one drop of blood, but we’re there for each other, through thick and thin. These bandmates are my chosen brothers and we’ll get through this next challenge.Together.I have nodoubt.
