Thankfully, since they’re on stage and I’m recording from the side, they won’t even know I’m there. My plan is to get in and get out.
As I’m setting up, the crowd goes crazy, and a second later, Camden’s voice echoes across the speakers. My gaze lands on him, and my heart leaps in my chest. Time has been good to him. He’s older looking, more mature. His brown hair is messy, and his skin is sun-kissed from the California sun, making him look more like a surfer than a rock star. I briefly wonder if he lives near the water. If he goes to the beach on his days off.
Camden thanks everyone for being here, and once the crowd has calmed a bit, he explains that them being here is helping a cause close to their heart. My chest tightens at his words as he speaks about it, though he doesn’t specifically say Tori’s name. It’s been years since I’ve allowed myself to think about her. What happened was so tragic, and it was hard to deal with as a teenager. The night she died, everything changed for all of us. We were young and heartbroken, and we just didn’t know how to handle adult shit. Hell, five years later, I might be older, but I still don’t think I would be able to handle the seriousness of what went down.
Gage starts the song by counting off on his drums, and I press record, focusing on him. His face is stoic, but I know him well enough to know he was affected by Camden's speech and is hiding his emotions. He looks darker and edgier than he did the last time I saw him five years ago. He’s never been carefree, not with everything he’s been through in his life, but before, he still had a lightness to him. Now, it’s as if it’s been snuffed out.
Declan joins in with the bass a few seconds later, smirking playfully at the crowd. Like Camden and Gage, he’s now less boy and more man. Braxton adds his guitar, his eyes meeting Declan’s for a moment before he gives the crowd his attention. He smirks as well, but it’s more devilish. While the band has been good at keeping themselves away from any negative publicity, Braxton’s been caught quite a few times in compromising positions with various women, alongside Gage. The media chalks it up to them being manwhores, but since I’m personally familiar with their history, I know it’s more about burying their broken hearts than the need to sleep around.
Declan and Braxton move closer, and I zoom in on their instruments and then on their faces as they bob their heads in time with the music. And then Camden belts out the beginning lyrics of the song “Hate to Love You” from their last album. Their sound is fluid. They’ve been playing together for so many years, they could probably do it in their sleep. One song blends into two and then three.
Camden’s shirt comes off at some point, and sweat glistens on his skin. He chucks it to the side, making fans freak out over who’s going to snag it. I’ve seen plenty of pictures of him shirtless, but none of them compare to seeing him in person. He’s all man, rippled and hard everywhere, yet still so damn beautiful.
When the lyrics come to an end, Camden grins while Braxton riles the crowd up with his solo just before the lights flicker off, officially ending the song.
Everyone cheers when the lights come back on, and Camden is sitting on a stool with a mic in his hand. He holds his hand up, and like magic, the place goes silent.
“I thought tonight, here with you, would be the perfect time to play something new. It’s a bit slower. What do you think?” The fans scream and shriek, and Camden chuckles under his breath. “All right, since you asked so nicely.” More screams.
Gage starts in on the drums, and then the other guys join in. I’m videoing just fine, focusing on what I’m doing… and then Camden opens his mouth. His raspy voice is filled with raw emotion, and I find myself locked on him, forgetting what I’m supposed to be doing. From the moment the first words leave his mouth, I can tell that this song is different from his norm.
Lately, I’ve been sitting in the dark
Drinking whiskey
Wondering how the hell I let her get ahold of my heart
It wasn’t hers to take
It sure as fuck wasn’t hers to break
I quickly realize he’s singing about a woman who has broken his heart, and I wonder who it could be. As far as I know, he’s never been in a serious relationship. Sure, he’s been seen out with various women but never more than a few times. Maybe he kept it quiet, under wraps, not wanting his business to be out there.