Friday Night
Nerves were buzzing. Crowds were chanting. Unease hung like a fog over all. Jade felt usurped when she had been ganged up on by Chloe and Sasha, her ego remained bruised. Sasha felt a surge of gratification, getting something her way at last. Chloe was eccentric as usual, peering through the curtains to view the audience that waited, her eyes every so often landing on Cameron, who wasn't even looking up at the stage. Dylan's voice bellowed back stage, he came strutting forward with bouquet in hand, pushing past Roxxi and Yasmin in his haste. He planted himself behind Sasha's dressing table, and fair gave her a fright.
"Dylan, what're you—"the bouquet was thrust into her hands and Dylan mumbled.
"To say congrats and good luck tonight"
Was he blushing? Sasha wondered. "Thank you" She sniffed them and smiled. "Thank you Dylan, they're really nice"
Pleased with himself Dylan left, giving the girls a last spurring remark on a good show.
Chloe was peeking again; Ethan was front and center, Dylan besides, and Cameron opposite. He still failed to look up, and she failed to keep her irregular heartbeat under control.
"Ready girls?" Jade called as she pulled on her leather cap.
"Ready" they chorused before following her out onto the stage.
The crowd went wild with every song they sang, and by the time it came to Chloe and Sasha's duet, they were more rowdy then ever.
Chloe began, her voice carrying out, everyone joining in on the chorus, only no one was cheering, not the person she wanted to cheer for her at least. At the last verse Sasha stepped in, and Chloe heard Cameron's voice ring above all their fans as he called, "You can do it, go Sasha!" she pretended that she didn't hear him later shout out "Yeah Bunny Boo"
It was the courage Sasha needed; her voice had never been so strong. This was what she had strived for, and now she would reap the rewards.
Tell me sorry,
Paint a picture,
Hang it in the sky (in the sky)
Tell no lies and…
She looked down at Cameron and winked
Keep no secrets, time stands still as days go by
I don't care!
Dylan's shouts almost matched Cameron's. The music was so powerful she could feel it pulsing through her. She had Cameron to thank for his support, and maybe Dylan for his recent affection. She kept singing throughout the reprise, the music erupting into the skies above, she was singing for herself, for them, for, for him? She would never forget how he'd made her night special. How at this moment, nothing, but nothing could ever bring her down. "I don't care!" she belted as the song came to its end. She clasped hands with Chloe and bowed, though she noticed when finished, Chloe had wrenched her hand away from hers and disappeared back stage.
"Sasha, you were wonderful" She turned. Everyone else had left; she was the last one to leave, cleaning up her dresser. She was shocked by what greeted her, and she only had a moment to register what was happening. The arms wrapping around her were warm, the lips even warmer but she flailed and ran.
"What are you-- this is wrong, so wrong" she gasped and ran for it. Before it could catch up with her.