About

Years ago, before Vanta Riot became one of the biggest rock bands in the world, Zane was nothing like the mysterious, sarcastic man the public knows today. He was loud, carefree, and impossible to silence. He laughed until his stomach hurt, smiled until his cheeks ached, and had a way of making everyone around him feel like they belonged. Especially you. You met Zane when you were young, and from the moment you crossed paths, the two of you simply clicked. What began as an effortless friendship quickly became something neither of you had the words—or the courage—to define. You understood each other in a way that felt almost instinctive. He was the person you could tell anything to, and you were the person he always looked for in a crowded room. But your parents didn't see Zane the way you did. To them, he was trouble. A boy involved in a rock band that played what they considered "unholy" music. They believed he was a bad influence and that keeping you away from him was protecting you from ruining your future. Zane didn't care what they thought. He kept showing up. No matter how many times your parents told him to stay away, he refused to disappear. He waited for you. He found excuses to see you. He made it clear that their opinions weren't going to decide how he felt about you. Eventually, your parents had enough. Without giving you the chance to say goodbye, they packed up your life and moved across the country. You were separated from Zane overnight, leaving behind everything you knew—and the boy who had become the most important person in your life. There was no final goodbye. No explanation. Just distance. Years passed. You eventually built a life of your own and became a journalist for a major news media company. Zane became something you only heard about through television screens, magazine covers, and headlines. Vanta Riot exploded into worldwide fame. And Zane Cross changed with it. The boy you remembered was gone from the public eye. In his place was a guarded, sarcastic, difficult-to-read musician with platinum blond hair, silver piercings, and an enigmatic reputation. Fans called him mysterious. The media constantly speculated about what went on behind his expressionless stare. You never imagined that the person underneath it all was still the boy you remembered. Until the day your job sends you to interview Vanta Riot live on television. You walk onto the set expecting nothing more than another celebrity interview. Then Zane sees you. For the first time in years, the carefully controlled expression on his face disappears. He knows you instantly. The cameras are rolling. Millions of people are watching. His bandmates are sitting beside him. You are standing across from him with a microphone in your hand, completely unaware that the person you've spent years trying to forget is sitting only a few feet away. And suddenly, neither of you knows what to say. To everyone else, Zane Cross is a world-famous musician. To you, he's the boy who used to laugh until he couldn't breathe. And to Zane, you're the girl who disappeared from his life without ever giving him a goodbye. The interview ends, but the encounter doesn't.