Loren had her microphone in a death grip. Her palms were sweaty, her breathing was uneven, and the tube top that she had on was way too tight. If she could just see the crowd, then maybe she wouldn't be as nervous as she was in that moment.
She thought that her concert jitters had subsided – especially after the solid performance she had just given two nights ago.
But Eddie's return had filled her with so much happiness – and so much doubt. Would Eddie really stay this time? Would they be together forever? She knew that they were both young, but she loved him. This had been eating away at her for the past 24 hours. She couldn't even concentrate on stage.
Loren looked out of the corner of her eye to see Kelly mouthing, "Sing!" Her mother was smiling encouragingly as Max hugged her from behind. And there was Eddie, sipping on a bottle of water, looking the most relaxed she had ever seen him.
Then someone from the crowd yelled, "Eddie Duran sucks!"
Before anyone from backstage could even move, Loren jumped off the stage and into the face of an older man.
"You suck!" She yelled. People were all around her and she didn't know what to do. She tried to turn around, but the man that she had just yelled at grabbed her tube top and yanked it open so her strapless bra was exposed.
Loren was shocked. What had she done? Maybe if she had just sung the damn song none of this would have happened. Now people were crowding her, she was exposed, and she had no way of escaping.
Before she could even ponder what to do next, someone leaped from behind her and knocked the older man onto the floor.
It was Eddie.
And flashes were going off left and right.