You finally managed to get tickets to one of Pentatonix's shows! You screamed and cheered and chanted with the best of them, but you would call this the worst day of your life for a long time.
During "Let's Get It On" (you were the one Avi picked to be on stage!) someone else decided they needed the spot light. It happened so fast, he just, came out of nowhere. a flash of silver, and a scream, and then the world stopped spinning.
Kirstie had been stabbed.
The room had gone silent. Her attacker looked at the knife deeply embedded in her chest, then her face, laughed, and ran. Kirstie simultaneously looked down at her wound with shock, horror, and pain etched on her face. She uttered one word, "Why?" and fell to her knees cradling the knife in her ribs as he fled.
You unknowingly had run to Kirstie's side before Mitch, Avi, Kevin, or Scott had even processed what had happened. "Kirstie? Hey, sweetie, you're gonna be alright. Ok? Just stay awake for me." You crossed your legs and let her head rest on your shoulder. You knew she was a small person, but she felt so tiny in your arms. She was whimpering like a frightened animal and staring wide eyed at her injury. "Shh, i know it hurts, but you have to focus on me, hey, on ME."
The crowd hadn't moved or said a word through all of this. They had all put away their phones, and a lot of them were crying either quietly or uncontrollably. Avi had come to sit beside you, was holding Kirstie's hand, and was trying to help distract her. Scott was still trying to process what happened, or maybe he was in shock. He was just sitting there in what looked like the most uncomfortable position ever, staring at the crowd or Kirstie with a lost expression on his face. Mitch had been reduced to a sobbing heap on the floor, and Kevin had dialed 911.
As if in a dream, Scott looked at the massive and rapidly growing pool of blood under Kirstie and simply stated, "That's a lot of blood." You looked at your hands, they were soaked in the crimson liquid. You knew then that she wouldn't last till the paramedics got there. Her face was very pale now, and the fear and pain had been replaced with understanding. She knew too. You buried your face in her hair, rocked back and forth, and started singing Run To You. Avi understood and sang along with you. Then Scott snapped out of his state and joined in, then Mitch, then Kevin, and then the whole crowd.
500+ people sang the ballad they wrote, and it was the most beautiful thing you had ever experienced. Kirstie must have thought so too, because she perked up and smiled. You looked at her eyes and knew she wanted to sing too, but lacked the strength. That fact, that she couldn't participate in this gorgeous display of love for her, shattered your heart into a million pieces, so you sang louder and louder until you were screaming the words and the audience responded by matching your volume.
But then, something in her eyes changed. She looked at Avi, then at you, and she gave the slightest nod. "No. No no no, please? Not yet. Not yet," and as the song fell into humming, she closed her eyes, smiled her beautiful simile, and let out her last sigh.