A Standalone written for my friend Erica. Yes I've written another standalone but that was for Erika. Two different people with the same name, but different spelling. I do not own Just My Luck or McFLY.
Careful with Stage Fright
It was my first time performing in front of a live audience. Before I just sat at home and recorded a few songs and shared them to my friends. Including my closest friend, Thomas Michael Fletcher, Tom for short.
Isn't he part of a famous band from England? Yes he is, and because of him, I'm standing backstage with him, waiting for my cue to head onto stage. I was going to perform an acoustic version of Careful.
"This is insane Tom!" I told him. He just laughed.
"No it's not! You need to do this let! Let people hear your musical talent." I rolled my eyes.
"You're too persistent to be my friend." I said sarcastically. He just laughed again. Even when he laughed he sounded like an angel with a beautiful voice.
Am I falling for my friend? No, I'm in love with him, but I'll never tell him. I'm afraid of his reaction, I'm more afraid of telling him my feelings then going on that stage, and I have stage fright!
"Next up is Erica!" The announcer called from stage. I turned to Tom. Butterflies had filled my stomach.
"Erica," He placed his hands on my shoulders. "don't worry you'll do amazing!" He said with his one dimple smile. I took a deep breath and let it out.
"If you say so." Tom my surprise he placed a gentle kiss on my dimple free cheek. When he pulled away I felt my cheeks heat up.
"I do say so." I returned a similar one-dimpled smile.
"Thanks." I finally ran to the stage.
The audience clapped as I a came on. I waved slightly and took a seat on the barstool in front of the mic. I looked at the audience and almost fainted. There were at least six hundred people out there!
"Psst!" I looked over my right shoulder to see Tom. He mouthed 'you can do it' and gave me two thumbs up. I smiled and nodded.
I grabbed the mic and cleared my throat.
"Hi, my name is Erica and I'll be performing an acoustic version of Careful by Paramore." I adjusted my guitar on my lap and took a few breathes, and then I began strumming.
"I settled down
A twisted up frown
Disguised as a smile, well
You would have never known
I had it all but not what I wanted
'cause hope for me was a place uncharted
And overgrown"
I continued to strum; a little worried I'd mess up.
"You make your way in
I resist you just like this
You can't tell me to feel
The truth never set me free
So I did it myself."
For once, I didn't have stage fright. For once I had something else on my mind.
"You can't be too careful anymore
When all that is waiting for you
Won't come any closer
You've got to reach a little more."
Alright, you can say I was thinking of someone else.
"Open your eyes like I opened mine
It's only the real world
A life you will never know
Shifting your weight throw off the pain
Well you can ignore it
But only for so long
You look like I did
You resist me like this
You can't tell me to heal
And it hurts remembering how it felt to shut down."
I look over my shoulder to Tom and he looked shocked. Is that bad?
"You can't be too careful anymore
When all that is waiting for you
Won't come any closer
You've got to watch a little more."
The song is nearly over and I'm afraid Tom will find out I performed this song for him.
"The truth never set me free
The truth never set me free
The truth never set me free
So I'll do it myself."
I strum my guitar gently, afraid what Tom will think.
"More, more, more, more."
The song is finished. The arena is quiet, but then it's filled with applauding. They liked it? I stood up and bowed and then scurry off the stage.
"You were amazing!" Tom told me as I entered backstage.
"I was?"
"Yes!" He pulled me into a hug. I hugged him back until I realized how close we were.
"Oh, uh…sorry." I said pulling away. He laughed.
"It's quite alright…in fact I need to tell you something."
"What is it?" He rubs his hands together just like he always did when he had to tell me something.
"I…uh…how do I explain this?"
"Explain what?" I asked. He looked up at me and sighed. He walked towards me and placed his hands on my cheeks, and then he placed his lips on mine tenderly. Then…he kissed me. Thomas Michael Fletcher…kissed me. It was so gentle and sweet, I never wanted it to end, but he pulled away.
"Sorry…" He quickly said. I smiled and copied his actions, kissing him again, and then I pulled away.
"I was waiting for that." He smiled and kissed me again. I started to giggle.
"What?" He asked, pulling away.
"If you keep kissing me then people with stop saying careful with your stage fright and start saying careful when kissing Tom." He laughed.
"Well, I guess it's for the best." Just before he kissed me again, Danny came up behind him.
"Last one to stage is a rotten egg!" Danny yelled as he ran past us. Tom groaned and I couldn't help but laugh.
"Hey, be careful about getting stage fright." I said sarcastically just as he made his way to the stage but he stopped and ran back to me and kissed me.
"Careful, wouldn't want you to fait every time I kiss you."