I do not own Pokémon or Crazier by Taylor Swift
Briana
Briana restlessly straightened her already wrinkle free baby blue sundress. Her hands shook from pent up nerves. She took a deep breath strumming her fingers on the steering wheel. Briana groaned slapping her head onto the steering wheel. Tonight's performance was making her feel more rattled than any of the other past performances combined.
Perhaps if she had continued to try to emend her strained relationship with James they would still be on speaking terms. A light tap on her window took her out of her thoughts. She turned and smiled nervously up at Jaycie's face. Briana opened the door and steeped out into the cool night air. The wind picked up tasseling her hair all around her face.
"Alexis sent me to get you," she hugged her tightly in reassurance, "Brie just sing with your heart."
Briana nodded, "After the performance if he still wants me to leave. I'll go my father wants me to visit soon before the summer is over." She whispered more to herself than to Jaycie.
"So you're just going to run away like you did back in high school?" Jaycie shook her head and grabbed Brie's car keys from her grasp.
"You know what forget I said that it was uncalled for." She apologized her hand hovered over the jeeps car door.
"I better go see if I can talk to James," Briana stated her voice shaking slightly, "Um do you want me to help you with the dresses?"
Jaycie chuckled slightly realizing her friend's intentions right away.
"Nope missy you better go in there and get your man. I can handle a few dresses. Now go!" she ordered pushing her towards the music bars entrance.
Briana surveyed the music bar and instantly burst into a fit of giggles as she saw her band mates Alexis, Lily, and Marki dancing in a tight circle in the middle. Lily moonwalked around Alexis and Marki who were both jumping up and down in one spot.
"Those girls are something else," A deep voice chuckled behind her.
"You got that right," She giggled slightly turning around and poked Sky on the chest, "Where's Charlotte?" Briana asked looking around the blond haired teen.
Sky chuckled as he pointed behind her to a table where The Sweethearts were seated with the boys. Briana nodded in understanding seeing Charlotte perched on Esme's legs.
"I see your new girlfriend has Charlotte entertained."
Sky shrugged sheepishly a slight blush coated his high cheekbones, "Yeah she's something special." He replied softly a half smile slowly formed as he stared at Esme and Charlotte.
"Briana about James don't worry so much about him. His prides just hurt at the moment, and he's not thinking clearly." He placed his hand reassuringly on her shoulder and squeezed. "He loves you and always has."
Briana smiled slightly but her lips trembled, "Thank you Sky I needed that."
"Sure no problem now go talk some sense into my brother's thick head," He joked pushing her playfully towards the smoothie bar where James was currently serving a group of teens.
Briana waved goodbye and began her hesitant walk towards the smoothie bar. Her breath quickened as the space between them became smaller with each hesitant step. She stopped and patted her hair around her headband, and tried to tame her fly aways.
'Okay I'm ready,' she thought determinedly. She raised her stare directly towards James and looked away bashfully noting his cold stare on her.
Briana sighed in resignation and shook her head. From his tense posture and ice cold stare she knew he wouldn't even give her the time of day. She bit her lip and grimaced as copper filled her mouth. Briana brought her fingertip hesitantly to her bottom lip and winced noting the red tinge.
"Briana come on you better hurry up we're up in five minute," Alexis sweet voice called from behind her.
Briana quickly grabbed a few napkins from a nearby dispenser and pressed them lightly on her lip. Wincing in displeasure as the taste of copper remained imprinted on her taste bud.
"Are you alright?" Alexis asked as she gently grabbed Briana's hand and brought it away from her lip.
Her eyebrow rose in disapproval, "You need to stop biting your lip when you get nervous Brie." She replied gently leading her towards the back stage entrance.
Briana shrugged sheepishly, "Can't help it I'm beyond nervous." She winced steeping into the darkened backstage areas.
"Well you better get over that pretty quick because were on now," Marki giggled grabbing her acoustic guitar and walking out towards the stage followed by the rest of the group.
Briana took one last breath before she followed behind the girls, and took her spot on stage. Marki stood on the stage right sitting on a stool. Her legs were propped up to hold her guitar, and her hair was up in a messy bun with small strands hanging out to frame her face. Alexis, Jaycie, and Lily stood on stage let in front of three microphones. All three wore knee length lace sundresses, and their hair was styled much in the same way as Marki's. Briana stood center stage wearing a baby blue sundress, but her hair flowed freely in big bouncy curves.
Briana groaned slightly as the lights dimmed to three pools of light that shone on the girls. She grabbed her microphone and took a deep breath gathering her bearings before turning to stare directly at James. She smiled slightly but her hands trembled slightly. Briana averted her eyes and looked at the audience throwing them a large smile.
"Tonight's song is dedicated to someone I cherish deeply. I've made a few mistakes, and I've hurt him. I know a song won't fix everything, but I hope after tonight he'll know how much he means to me." Briana said in earnestly before signaling for Marki to begin playing.
The slow melody of her guitar cast a serine atmosphere in the music bar. Alexis, Lily, and Jaycie began to sway slowly from side to side; their hip in perfect unison with Marki's playing. Briana gathered her hands together in silent prayer before raising her head and in the direction she'd last seen James, and sighed in relief seeing him standing there with his eyes staring up at her curiously.
'I hope you'll hear the sincerity in my words James,' she thought to herself before opening her mouth for the first verse.
James
James huffed in annoyance as another girl approached the smoothie bar and leaned over giving him and his newest coworker Ash a clear view down her too tight shirt. She batted her eyes in what he assumed was meant to be flirtatious, but to him it looked as if her eyes were spazzing out.
"I'm sorry to hear about Brianna James, but I just want you to know I'm here for you," she said reaching for his hand, and pouted when he quickly yanked it from the table.
"I'm not exactly interested," he replied bitterly before turning away from her angered expression and instantly regretting it as he locked eyes with Briana.
She winced in pain before turning away from him casting him in confusion. He continued to watch her departing figure as she made her way backstage with Alexis.
"Yo James what's with the dazed expression?" Ash asked as he wiped the counter.
James shrugged his brow furrowed in confusion, "The moment Briana saw me her face instantly drained of color, and she just left before I could go talk to her."
Ash hummed in understanding, "Well I can't say I blame her no offense but you didn't exactly look very friendly a little while ago."
James cringed, "Yeah I guess that's true."
"Just sit back and enjoy the girls show," Ash instructed already leading him to a vacant seat near the bar, "You can always talk to Brie afterwards."
James smiled in thanks before turning his eyes towards the stage and was instantly shocked by how beautiful Briana looked. Her auburn hair flowed freely down her back in large curls that bounced slightly with each step she took. Her angelic face glowed brightly as the stage lights encased her in a golden sphere. James closed his eyes and sighed entranced by her voice which dripped with honey.
(Briana & the Girls)
I'd never gone with the wind
Just let it flow
Let it take me where it wants to go
'Til you open the door
There's so much more
I'd never seen it before
I was trying to fly
But I couldn't find wings
But you came along and you changed everything
James smiled as the song brought back memories of their time spent together. Every second replayed themselves slowly in his mind. He smiled tenderly as he remembered their Prom night. Briana had agreed to go with him as friends, and the song she was singing now was the song that had played the night when they'd both shared their first slow dance.
You lift my feet off the ground
You spin me around
You make me crazier, crazier
Feels like I'm falling and I am lost in your eyes
You make me crazier, crazier, crazier
He quickly opened his eyes and dashed out of his seat pushing his way through the dance floor of dancing couples until he was in Briana's line of sight. James shook his head in bewilderment by Briana's confession and his heart thumped wildly as he realized how close he had come to losing her again. James laughed slightly at how adorable she looked on stage.
The auburn haired teen currently had her eyes closed and her cheeks were dusted with a rosy glow making her look more angelic. James chuckled at her startled expression as she opened her eyes, and saw him standing in front of her line of sight below the stage. Her eyebrow rose hesitantly in question.
James brushed back his hair sheepishly as he shot her an apologetic smile. Briana's eyes widened in understanding and they glimmered as she held back tears, but she managed to give him a loving smile before singing the next verse; her eyes locked on him as she sung each word.
Baby you showed me what living is for
I don't wanna hide anymore
Oh oh
You lift my feet off the ground
You spin me around
You make me crazier, crazier
Briana smiled sweetly as she walked down the stage steps and made her way towards him. His breathe caught in his throat as she planted herself in front of him. She reached for his hand and hesitantly laced their fingers together. Briana looked up into his eyes and blushed as she sang the last words of the song. James was enthralled and every one of his senses was aware of only her.
Feels like I'm fallin' and I am lost in your eyes
You make me crazier, crazier, crazier
Crazier, crazier
Briana lowered the microphone her face flushed but her eyes held a determined shine.
"James I know a song can't really express how sorry I am but I-" Briana was abruptly cut off as James placed a finger on her lips.
"Brie stop talking," he whispered playfully before gently tilting her head up and lowering his head until their lips met.
All around them cheers and applause erupted but to James it was as if it were only Briana and him. Her soft lips spread into a smile as one hand cupped her cheek gently, and his other wrapped around her waist tightly. James blushed as he felt her wrap her arms around his neck and he couldn't help but smile when he felt his heart beat wildly.
Briana giggled nervously as they separated noticing for the first time the audience around them. James laughed at her bashfulness and wrapped his arms around her waist as his brothers band began to play a slow song.
"Briana this dance is a promise that I'm making to you right now. From now on you'll always have me by your side," he whispered gently resting his forehead on her.
Briana blushed at his statement but she smiled up at him, before cuddling closer into his arms and swaying towards the music.
Authors Note:
Hey guys I wanted to apologize for the long wait. I've had no internet connection and sadly very little time to write. Anyway I appreciate those who have followed the story, and I apologize again for the wait.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter