Draw Me In

–|*|–

One – Once More Unto the Breach

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*~ Is this the place to be? ~*

*~ What am I doing here? ~*

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The line in front of me is filled with people – women, in particular – dressed to the nines and chattering away in excitement. They make bold gestures with their hands, and some even belt out a few lyrics, which are completely lost on me.

Oh, god.

"Oh, god," I mimic my thought process, palming my warm forehead. "How did I let you talk me into this again?"

Alice preens next to me. "You wanted those first editions really bad, so you begged me to get them for you, and I said on one condition, and this was it." She snaps her compact shut. "Voila!"

I groan. "I was being rhetorical." Then – "I didn't beg you."

Rosalie snorts next to me, so I turn my glare on her. "You weren't even there!"

She rolls her bright blue eyes towards me, which are only heightened by the line of black surrounding them and the dark blue on her eyelids. "Books and Bella," she deadpans. "When is there not begging involved?"

I cross my arms and mutter.

"Cheer up!" Alice pipes up, bouncing next to me like she's on a bloody space hopper. "You might even enjoy yourself."

I kick the pavement. "Not likely," I mumble. "You know I hate crowds." That was putting it lightly. I had managed to avoid going to gigs and festivals throughout my university years and had a relative quiet – some might say boring – three years. But I had liked it. It suited me more than noise and people ever would.

Rosalie nudges me. "Stop being so mardy, Bella. It's a concert. It's not like we're sending you out to Snobs, pissed and dressed in a skirt and heels to fend for yourself." A slow grin comes over as she regards me. "Though I would probably pay good money to see that." I ignore her and turn to Alice.

"You're not even here to see the main guy. You only like the bloody guitarist, for pete's sake!" I'm aware that my voice has raised a notch or two, and that it's bordering on hysterical, but I can't help it.

She raises her eyebrows. "You're not thinking of backing out, are you? 'Cause I can easily call Ian – "

"No, no," I quickly interrupt. "It's just," I start, and then stop. "Do you even like the band?"

Her indifferent shrug has me groaning again.

"Oh, look," Rose says quickly, tugging on my elbow. "They're letting people in."

My wide eyes follow her gaze until I see that yes; they are in fact, letting people in.

"Great."

Rose rolls her eyes at my sarcastic tone before pulling me forward, with Alice hot on my heels.

"Do I really have to do this?" I ask pitifully, eyeing the large doors of doom.

"Yes," they both repeat firmly.

"It'll be good for you," Alice encourages.

"You never go out," Rose chimes in.

"That's because there are people outside."

"This 'I-hate-everyone' attitude you've been rocking since I've known you is really starting to grate on my nerves."

"I don't hate everyone," I interrupt.

Rose just says – "We're going to enjoy ourselves, dammit. You included."

"I would be perfectly content at home right now, and my blood pressure would be much lower."

"Pfft. Low blood pressure is for wimps."

"Yeah," Alice cheers next to me. "Live a little."

Then we're swallowed by the doors, and my anxiety sky rockets.

–|*|–

As soon as we enter, we're surrounded on all sides by bodies. My hand automatically creeps up into my hair and starts tugging on the strands as my eyes wheel this way and that.

"Bella." Rose is suddenly before me, her hands on my shoulders. I think Alice is giving our tickets in somewhere but I don't really know. "Just breathe, okay?" I hadn't noticed how hard it was until she mentioned it, but now I feel the strain as each breath is forced too quickly in and out of my lungs. "Look and me and copy what I do, alright?"

I nod frantically, watching as she takes slow, deep breaths and trying to match mine to hers.

"Close your eyes, but keep breathing – slow and easy, that's it."

I do.

As soon as the dark emptiness greets me, I feel myself relax a little. I do as Rose said and keep my breaths slow. When I feel alright again, I open my eyes.

"Okay?"

I nod and swallow. "I guess." Letting out a deep breath, I say, "Thanks Rose."

She squeezes my shoulders. "It'll be fine, Bella. Alice and I will be right next to you, and we're seated at the front, anyway, so it'll seem like there's less people."

"Yeah," I breathe. "I'm sorry for overreacting."

Alice ducks under Rose's arm then and wraps me up in a tight hug. Surprised, I laugh softly, pressing my cheek onto her stylish – albeit pointy – hair. "Thanks, Alice."

"We can go home if you want to," she says, voice small. "I'm sorry for teasing you earlier."

I give her a quick squeeze before pulling back. "I hope you're not backing out on me, Brandon."

Her responding smile is blinding.

–|*|–

"How are you holding up, Bella?" Rose asks as we navigate our way through body after body.

"I am aggressively uncomfortable right now," I say, trying to inflict some humour into my tone. I hope it works. "But as long as I keep breathing, I'll live."

When we arrive at our seats – which are admittedly, very near to the front – I find myself relaxing a little, though my eyes still attempt to seek out the nearest exits.

One to the left of the stage, one to the right. I glance behind me for split second only for my eyes to widen in horror at the amount of people behind us.

In an attempt to distract myself, I say to Alice – "You must have paid a pretty penny for these seats."

She shrugs. "Not really." At my curious look, she expounds, "I know a guy."

I roll my eyes. "Of course you do."

"Hey!" she complains, and then says in a really bad gangster inflected American accent, "Hate the game, not the playa!"

I stare at her for a second. "Please don't ever do that again."

"I concur," Rose groans from beside me.

Just then, the lights darken until they cut out altogether, leaving us in pitch black apart from the stage, which is illuminated in a hushed light.

My eyes widen. "What's wrong? Did the power go? Are we going to leave now?"

I'm shushed, but not by Alice and Rose, and I sink into my seat, feeling hot.

"They just do this to create atmosphere," Alice whisper-explains into my ear. "It means they're about to come on!" She's so excited she's practically vibrating.

It seems to be catching, as suddenly a vague humming stirs over the crowd, like bees around a hive or something equally as weird. In response, I sink a little lower, because it just makes me feel queasy.

I wonder how long concerts are supposed to last.

I squint as a dark backdrop on the stage is slowly lifted. Blue light streams from the foot of the stage, vaguely illuminating the silhouettes of three people. The hum grows into an uproar when the first notes of music vibrate the air; a guitar is picked, closely followed by the light sounds of a drum stick hitting a cymbal.

My eyes widen as the slow, sultry voice begins.

–|*|–

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A/N:

(Just in case)

mardy = moody

Snobs = a night club in Birmingham, England

for pete's sake = for christ's/god's sake

Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading. :)