"The nation-wide search for Colden Mitchell continues today after a new and disturbing video was released earlier this morning. Mitchell is seen pacing back and forth in what appears to be a hotel room, ranting about the things he's claiming he's going to do to Leah McAllister, who he brutally attacked earlier this month. The rising star is currently on tour with Tokio Hotel until the end of summer; and although the tour has already begun, it has been confirmed that Leah will be the opening act for the band for the remainder of the tour. Sources say that until Colden is caught, Leah will be trying to keep as busy as she can to distract herself. This is Ryan Seacrest with E! News."
Leah sat curled up next to Bill as she and the rest of the gang stared blankly at the TV mounted to the wall of the tour bus. Soon after receiving the video message from Colden earlier that morning, Leah learned that the video had already gone viral on the internet. It didn't take long for the media to snatch it up. Dozens of reporters and talk show hosts attempted contacting Leah for her side of the story, but she refused to speak to them. Instead, she had Anna release a statement saying how busy she was with the tour and what not. The media seemed to accept that.
Leah turned off the TV and sighed. "So. What do we do now?"
"I guess we try to go on as normally as we can until things get…settled…" Stevie shrugged. "Just try to focus on the tour, Leah. Everything's going to be fine."
Tom could detect the sadness in Stevie's voice. After all, it was her brother who was the cause of this whole mess. He pulled her closer on the love seat they were sitting on and kissed her on top of her head.
"I guess you're right," Leah sighed, snuggling in closer to Bill. "I just gotta push Colden outta my mind."
"Well I could help you with that!" Bill smiled, leaning in close to kiss her.
The bus came to a stop. They had arrived at the hotel in Las Vegas!
Quickly hopping up, Gustav reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone, making his way to the back of the bus. He got to the back room and closed the curtain. Looking through his contacts, he stopped at Rachel's name, holding his thumb over the call button.
Nervously he bit his lip. "Come on, G. Just call her. It's been a couple of days. She's gonna think you're not interested! Just do it!"
He forced himself to push the call button.
Ring…ring…ring…
"Hello?"
"Hello, Rachel? It's Gustav."
"Oh, hi! How are you?"
"I'm good, I'm good." Sweat began to bead on his forehead. "So, how's Brandon?"
"Oh, he's good," Rachel said. "He won't stop talking about you all! You seriously made his life!"
Gustav smiled. "Really? That's awesome! Tell him I said hi!" His pulse began to race slightly. Come on, G. "So…"
"So…"
He swallowed hard. "So Rachel, is there any chance you'd…I mean, do you think you'd want to…well, what I'm trying to say is—"
"Are you trying to ask me out?" Rachel giggled on the other end.
Gustav sighed with relief. "Yeah, I guess I am!" He ran his fingers through his hair. "Now, I obviously wouldn't be able to take you out sometime soon…since I'm on tour and all…"
"I'm okay with that," smiled Rachel. "Just as long as I'm the first person you hang out with when you get back!"
"It's a date!" Gustav couldn't believe things had gone so smoothly. "I gotta run. I'll talk to you soon!"
"You got it!"
He could tell that things were going to be great.
XXXX
Later that night, the guys and Leah were preparing for the concert. They, Stevie, and Maria all sat in the green room backstage.
"I'm so nervous," Leah whimpered. "I don't think I can do this."
"Don't be silly," Bill wrapped his arm around her waist. "You're going to be great!"
"Yeah!" yelled Georg from across the room. "Don't be nervous! Once you're up on stage, all your worries fly away!"
Maria pinched his cheek. "Well that was adorable!" she giggled.
Georg batted away her hand playfully. "Ow! That kinda hurt, you know!"
"Guys!" Tom laughed. "Stop it! You're just freaking Leah out!"
"I'm okay," smiled Leah. "At least, I think I am…"
A knock sounded at the door.
"Ten minutes, Miss McAllister!"
"Oh God." Leah felt like she couldn't breathe. It was almost time for her first performance ever! She couldn't believe it.
"I guess this is it!" Bill exclaimed. "Don't worry, Leah. I'll be right there with you. Well, I'll be backstage, but you'll be able to see me the whole entire time!" He kissed her. "You're gonna rock it tonight!"
XXXX
Leah stood just behind the stage, mic in hand. She took slow, deep breaths. Over and over she went through the lyrics to her songs in her head, praying that she wouldn't forget them. Just last night, after Colden's message and before she fell asleep, she wrote a song. It was better than anything she'd ever written before. It was too bad she wouldn't be able to play it tonight, though.
A loud voice boomed throughout the venue. "Las Vegas! Are you ready for this?"
Thousands of screams washed over Leah, sending a wave of excitement over her.
"Give it up…for Leah…McAllister!"
Showtime.
Leah and her back up band got into position behind the curtain onstage. The lights went down, and the screams escalated. Leah took a deep breath. Here we go!
The band started to play and the curtain began to rise. Blinded by the lights and flashes from a million cameras, Leah's confidence began to rise as she sung out the first lines.
"I sit in the silence, listening, waiting, longing. The stillness in the air is intoxicating, inviting, lingering. Thoughts of you come rushing, pouring, racing. All at once I feel like screaming, singing, crying."
The blood surged through Leah's veins as she picked up the beat, feeling more and more excited as she sang.
The crowd was really feeling her, and as she worked the stage, they got more and more pumped.
"Now I'm falling, falling, falling, falling faster. Trying to keep this from turning to disaster. Without you here, this silence overtakes me. Get back here and find a way to come a break me. You know that I need you now more than ever. Whatever happened to "love lasts forever?" I'm lying awake at night out of frustration. I guess that's why it's called Sleepless Revelations."
XXXX
Later that night, after the concert, everyone piled back into the tour bus to drive back to the hotel.
"Leah, you killed it tonight!" Bill picked her up and spun her around. "I knew you'd be amazing!"
"You really think so?" Leah laughed, still on a high from the concert.
Maria sat down on Georg's lap. "We know so! Leah, you were amazing! It was like you belonged up on that stage!"
"That's because she does belong up on the stage!" Tom chimed in. "Leah, you're officially a rock star now!"
"Thanks, you guys," smiled Leah, still wrapped in Bill's arms. "I felt amazing tonight! It was like I could do anything!"
"Sissy, I'm so proud of you!" Stevie squealed, running over to give her a hug. "You should have seen the crowd! They were totally loving you!"
As the others celebrated Leah's big night, Gustav snuck away to the back of the bus to call Rachel. He smiled to himself.
"I think I might actually like this girl."
XXXX
"Very nice, Leah. Very nice."
Colden sat on the bed in a new hotel room, this time in Vegas. He sat watching recaps of the concert on TV, a sinister smile plastered on his face.
"Sing to me, my little songbird…"
She won't be singing after we get through with her…
"Her voice sounds so raw and untouched. I wonder how it will sound when she's gasping for life…"
We can't just keep following her around the country like this. We need to make our move soon!
"But it's so much fun to see her squirm in anticipation."
Even so, we must hurry.
"We can't have her thinking that I'm going to let her go scott free, now can we?"
Certainly not. That little bitch deserves to die.
"And she will."
Colden turned up the volume on the TV as Leah's voice rang out through the speakers. He sat there fore a moment, temporarily paralyzed by her voice. For one brief moment, the voice in his head was silenced. Once Colden realized this though, it came back stronger than ever.
And HOW do you figure you're going to get along without me? I made you! You'd be nothing without me! I'm the reason you are where you are today!
"I'm sorry, I just…she mesmerized me for a second. But she'll never have control over me. I'm the one in control, here. I'm the one calling the shots."
He stood up, making his way over to the window, where he had a perfect view of the hotel where Leah and the gang were staying.
"I'm so close, yet so far," he sighed, controlling the overwhelming urge to whip out the .42 caliber in his backpack and head over there right that second. He strolled back over to the bed, pulling the covers over top of his head.
"Oh, Leah. You won't know what hit you."
XXXX