Psychic
"Cali, how can you just bail on us?" Everet said throwing his hands up in frustration.
"Everet, I never said that I was. There's just a recital the same day."
"Cal, than what's more important to you the recital or the band. The biggest gig of our life is tomorrow," Oh great, I thought he's using my nickname.
"Both are important. I can't bail on you, Chris, and Brian, but I also can't bail on Dylan."
"Can't you find another dancer to be Dylan's partner for just one night," Brian said sounding tired of this conversation.
"I guess I could try."
"Please try," Everet said desperately.
"Ok I'll try," I said starting to leave the garage.
"Um Cali, we need to practice. We need to be good tomorrow."
"Don't worry; I'll be back in a bit. I just need to talk to Dylan."
I pulled up to the dance studio running all the possible things I could say to Dylan. I walked in the door and Dylan greeted me.
"Hey, do we have a private practice or something today?" he asked.
"No, I don't think so. I actually came here to talk to you."
"Ok, about what?" He seemed alittle nervous to ask.
"Well, I can't do the recital," I tried to leave before we got in an argument, but he caught my wrist before I could.
"What do you mean you can't do the recital?"
"Because tomorrow our band's playing our first big gig and I can't leave them without a singer. I didn't want to leave you without a partner either, but I knew you could find another partner."
"Cali, this is supposed to be the biggest night ever."
"I know. Dylan, I'm sorry. I really am." This time he let me go. As I was leaving, I heard him hit something.
I breathed in nervously. We were all waiting backstage to go on. Every minute seemed like an eternity.
"Hey Cal, are you ready?" Everet came over and asked me.
"Yea, just alittle nervous," I said.
"Don't be you'll do great," he said helping me up from where I was sitting. "Hey Cal?"
"Yeah?"
"I was just wondering something,"
"What? Everet, what's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong Cali. I just don't know how to say it." This was the first time I'd ever seen him stumble over words.
"Everet, just say it."
"Do you wanna do something later?"
"Yeah, I'll tell the others."
"I meant just you and me."
"Like a date?" I asked just alittle confused.
"Yeah, like a date," he smiled nervously.
"Yeah, I'd like that," I said smiled back.
"Two in minutes 'til you're on," the stage manager said. I felt my stomach turn, but I was ready. Everet and I walked over to where Brian and Chris were. Brian was finishing tuning his bass.
"Are you guys pumped?" Chris asked obviously ready.
"Yeah," we all said. Everet picked up his guitar and played a few scales making sure everything sounded in tune.
"You guys are on," the stage manager said. The stage seemed so huge walking across it. Even though the curtains were down, I knew I'd seen a lot of people out there.
The curtains started to rise, but I couldn't do this. I shot Everet an apologetic glance and ran off the stage. I could hear Brian and Chris start playing.
"Are you ok?" Everet asked.
"No, I can't do this."
"I've never seen you get stage fright like this."
"We've never been in front of an audience like this. But I feel like I'm letting you guys down. I just can't do this."
"If you're not gonna do this for yourself, will you do it for me?" I looked at him like he was crazy, but I realized he was right I had to do this for myself.
"Ok, I'll do it," I said. He looked happy. He started playing in beat with the others. Ok, I thought to myself, I can do this. When I walked on the stage, the cheer of the crowd was deafening. My voice cracked on the first note. Everet urged me on. Everything seemed easier as it went on.
"What happened out there?" Chris asked after we were done.
"Stage fright."
"Well you got over it pretty quick."
"Well we have to go," Everet said.
"Go where?" I asked.
"Your dance recital."
"Why? My dance is long over by now."
"Right now it isn't. We called and got them to change the order of the dances. So unless you wanna miss it we should leave right now."
"Do you know where to go?" I asked as Everet pulled into the parking lot of the theatre.
"Not exactly. That's why you're here to tell me where to go."
"Follow the sign that says 'backstage'." He made a wide turn, and stopped right in front of the doors to backstage. "Thanks, you guys are the best," I said as I got out of the car.
When I walked in, I ran towards the stairs knowing my dressing room was there. I took the stairs two at a time, nearly colliding with someone when I reached the top. It was Ben. He was new at the studio, but he was an amazing dancer.
"You're here?" He looked alittle shocked. Everyone knew by now that I wasn't going to be here.
"Yeah, it turns out I was able to make it after all."
"Dylan's gonna be happy that you did." With that he went down the stairs towards the stage door.
I looked at the clock on the wall; I had ten minutes before I had to be down at the stage doors. When I found my dressing room I changed as fast as I could. I pinned my bangs up as best I could. I headed back towards the stairs. All I had to do now was find Dylan. That wasn't too hard. He was waiting at the bottom of the stairs.
"Ben told me you were here. I didn't believe him. Maybe I should've," he said when he saw me on the top of the stairs. "Did your band thing get cancelled?"
"No, Everet he called and had the schedule changed."
"I should've known he'd do something like that," he muttered under his breath.
"Should've known what?"
"Nothing. We should go wait in the wings. We'll be on soon," he said leading me to the stage door. We waited in the wings warming up for the few dances we had left before ours.
"Good luck," Ben said as he walked off stage.
"Thanks Ben you did great," I said. Now it was time for mine and Dylan's dance.
"You ready?" I nodded and walked on to the dark stage. We waited for the lights to turn on and the music to start. As soon as the music started the lights turned on. I looked at Dylan for our queue. He spun me around all I could see was a quick blur of the stage lights. Time was going by so fast I felt like I couldn't keep up with it. Before I could realize it, it was over and we were walking off stage. I walked back up the stairs towards my dressing room.
"You did really well," someone said when I walked in the dressing room.
"Everet, I thought you left," I said hugging him.
"No we didn't want to miss it."
"We?" I asked alittle confused. Behind him were Chris and Brian.
"You can't forget us," Brian said, "you did well." They came and gave me a hug too. "Well, Chris and I should get going. See you guys tomorrow." They left. It was just Everet and I now.
"We should go celebrate," Everet said.
"What's the occasion?" I asked, remembering Everet said we should do something.
"I don't know. How 'bout doing great at the concert?"
"That sounds like occasion enough to celebrate." We went to leave. I saw Dylan standing by a door alittle ways down the hall. "I'll meet you outside. I have to talk to Dylan really quick." Everet went down the stairs while I went to where Dylan was standing in the doorway.
"Hey, you did great tonight," I said.
"Thanks, you did too," he said alittle absentmindedly.
"What's wrong?" I asked him.
"Nothing," he said.
"That's a lie. Dylan I've known you forever. I know the look you get when something's wrong."
"Do you like him?"
"Who? Everet?" He nodded. "Yeah I like him, but we're just friends. Why?"
"No reason," he said quickly. I looked at him curiously. I started to realize what he was getting at.
"No, we're not having this conversation again. It didn't work out between us." I said, losing my temper at the thought that he would try to bring it up again. "And as far as Everet's concerned we're just friends." I said calming down alittle, and turning left him standing in the doorway.
