“Those bands, you plan your life around them. You plan vacations around concert dates. You save babysitting money for records. You live for those days when Creem magazine arrives in your dusty mailbox and you frantically flip through it for any information on your favorites. The bands, the musicians that you love, they love you back. And when they quit, when they fall apart, when they die—they ruin that future you thought they’d always be a part of.”

“She's just people. We all are. Just because you're in a band doesn't mean you stop having human problems. Fame, money...that doesn't fix those things. Those things will always find you.”

“But when it comes to life or love, I choose life. I’m here right now, ready to live and love another day. I could never regret that. I’m glad you didn’t love me. You gave me my life by doing so.”

“I don’t deserve your love, Eden. You have my heart, but yours should remain in your chest. Save it for a better man. Save it for someone who’s worth it.” His eyes shimmered as tears threatened to spill over. “You need to leave me.”“No,” I told him, grabbing his face. “I need to love you.”

“I once told you to leave and not to love me,” he cried out, muffled. “I’m taking all of that back. Not because I deserve it or because I’m worthy of your love. But because I need it like the air I breathe. I need you. I need you to believe in me. I need your love to make me feel like I can be redeemed.”

“Okay,” she drew out. “Let me rephrase that. Did you sleep with Sage yet?”I blushed furiously. She smacked my leg and exclaimed, “I knew it! I could smell it on you.”“You can smell it on me?”She grinned. “When I was hugging you, yeah. Your chest smelled like cologne and man tongue.”

“Perry," he said quietly, his fingers trailing down the side of my face, "you'll never have to save my life. You gave me life. I never lived a single day until the first day I met you.”