You're on stage and the lights are in your eyes. You can hear the crowd dimming from a loud roar to soft murmurs. You check to be sure your microphone is in good position as she walks by you toward the crowd. She walks to the mic and begins the opening introductions.
Shaggy, shoulder-length blonde hair. Guitar strapped to her body. Confident. Strong. Alone. She strikes the first chord and you hear the crowd's reaction; instant silence. She commands them with neither words nor actions, but with music. You find it difficult to focus on your singing as you watch her play. She doesn't sway. She doesn't jump. She's nearly motionless.
When the song is over she begins moving toward you. You're hoping she stops near you and when you blink, she's there. As still as if she'd never moved at all. She's looking at you and ohgodareyoublushing? No, no. That's just the adrenaline rush… right.
You quickly start the next song hoping, praying she didn't notice. She steps closer to you and you falter, the discord echoing. The crowd is silent and when you look at her she's wearing this goofy, half-smile that makes her look ten years younger. She grabs the mic and moves it away from you, stepping closer. You can feel the heat radiating from her body and ignore the tiny part of you that says It's the heat from all the stage lights, idiot. You look up, seeing her leaning closer, closer. You close your eyes when you can feel her breath on yours, but then she starts to sing and when you open your eyes, she's walking away. Confident. Strong.
Alone.