Laney's POV

I take a deep breath, facing the band. They all go about their own business, stealing glances when they thought I wasn't looking. I wasn't just looking, either- I was glaring. Everything and everyone seems to annoy me today. Maybe because it was going to be tough telling everyone, but I had to do it. Jeremy promised to keep my parents alive another day, but I still needed to break the news to the band. That means I had to keep my end of the bargain.

"I want to quit Grojband," I say loudly.

Everyone stops what they are doing and turns and stares at me, mouths agape. I shuffle my feet and lower my eyes, not used to the sudden attention. When I look up, their faces have transformed. Kon's face looks horrified. Kin's was betrayal. But Corey was worst of all. His eyes shined with unshed tears, and his mouth was a sad frown. He defiantly wasn't taking this well. I have no doubt he would cry when he was alone. I felt bad for what I was about to do, but it was my parent's lives, or Grojband.

Ugh. Decisions. Hate them.

No one moved or talked for what seemed like an eternity before I decide to speak up again. "I'm going to get my bass and…stuff."

"No!" Kin yells, jumping up from his keyboard. "I mean…why?"

"Yeah, why?" Kon asks, getting up from the seat stationed behind his drums. For the first time, the two don't look so happy. It would make me happy on any other day. Any day but today.

I ignore him and put my bass in its case. My eyes tickle from the unshed tears. The tears I willed not to spill. Again. I had lost it when I was with Corey yesterday. I didn't know what came over me. I take a deep breath and shoulder the case's strap, along with my bag, and stand. Suddenly, I want to get out of there; more than I have ever wanted to before. Now. I had to get to the comfort of my room, where all the unicorns and rainbows that adorned the walls wouldn't ask her questions that she didn't want to answer.

I slowly walk towards the garage door, shaking my head as I go, trying to come off as annoyed. No such luck. The tears give it away. My eyes travel over the room, trying to memorize it more than I had already did. My eyes linger on each of my band mates. Kin and Kon still had their open-mouthed faces, watching me. But, if anything, Corey looks worse. He looks absolutely devastated; almost close to tears. His white-knuckled grip on his guitar makes it whine, but he pays no attention. His eyes plead with mine, begging me to stay. Having a boyfriend or not, Corey was still my best friend- and my heart ached for him. But this was something I had to do. My parents could die at any minute if I made one wrong step. An unstoppable tear rolls down my cheek.

I was doing a lot of crying lately, and I hated it. But it's like trying to stop a flood with a toothpick. The tears come through anyway.

"I mean it guys," I say, shuffling to the door, "This is my last practice here. I suggest you look for a- *sniff*- new bass player."

Corey puts his guitar on the stage, hops off of it, and walks towards me, each step seeming to be forced. My heart flutters wildly, and I curse myself for it. I hate that I love him…but I can't help myself. My boyfriend…wait, why is he still my boyfriend? The traitor. We're so through when I get to my room.

I still as Corey approaches, wondering what he was going to do. About a foot away, he stops and cups my face gently. He tilts my head up to his, so that our lips were just a breath away from each other. I bite my lower lip, the adrenaline in my veins way too much to handle. He looks into my eyes, searching again. I respond with a questioning glare. I wanted to run; run far away from him, but yet I wanted to kiss him until we passed out. I have enough emotional problems right now, and I didn't need this.

We stay like this for a moment. His gaze drops to my mouth, and I swear I see his lips curve up in a barely noticeable smile. I blink. It was gone. Had I imagined it? He lowers his eyes, pulls away, and sighs, all the sadness and pain he endured the past few days now entering his eyes in one blink. I almost stumble under the weight of the stare.

"Why Lanes?" he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

I heard it as if it was as loud as a yell. I sucked in a shaky breath, averting my eyes. I turn my back on him, continuing my walk out the garage for the final time. That was one of the hardest things I had ever had to do. It broke my heart into a million pieces. I loved Grojband, but now I had to leave it. I'm outside now, behind me a trail of visible tears on the sidewalk.

"Lanes?" I heard Corey say. Just this one time, I would try to answer him. I turn slowly, blinking back tears.

"Why?" he asks yet again, the emotion in his voice hitting me harder than I ever thought words could before.

I angrily wipe another tear that leaks out the dam behind my eyes. "Corey," I say slowly, "I…I'm sorry," I finish lamely. I turn and force myself to walk down the street. It takes even more strength to not look back every two seconds. But as I was turning I glimpsed something.

A tear.

On Corey's face.

Or maybe I had imagined it. I've been imagining a lot of things lately.

Slowly, I walk towards my house, crying. I had never feel this much grief and sadness. It was claustrophobic. I would never forget this day, let alone forgive myself for it. This was my entire fault. If I had just confessed my true feelings to Corey, I wouldn't have been stupid enough to get an online boyfriend. Who has a great face, but like Corey sand in the song Queen Bee, underneath its creepy fake. What did I ever do to Jeremy? He seemed interested in me in the one date they had. I stopped, eyes widened. What did I do? I haven't done anything! I walk with more strength in my step, determined to find where this hate came from. I gained just a little strength, thinking this through my head. But it doesn't erase the fact that I quit the band and turned my back on Corey. The band, I meant. Kin and Kon, too. I soon arrive at my house, which, thankfully, wasn't that far from the Riffan's garage. A few more tears leak through my weakening dam. I inhale, and then exhale. I have to stay calm. Everything will turn out okay. I'll give Jeremy what he wants, and he'll leave my family and Grojband alone.

I was so wrong.

As soon as I opened the door, I screamed.

The house is dark inside, and Jeremy stands there in all black. He shushes me with a glare and points something at my head.

It's a gun.