What's up? Nothing just cranking out all sorts of writing projects from fanfiction to my story that I'm writing. God, let me tell you it feels so good to write now with minimal anxiety attacks like I could literally cry. I love writing so much, so it's nice to have it back. Well, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Only one more after this.
Disclaimers: I don't own anything with Victorious except the characters I create. Victorious is owned by Nickelodeon and Dan Schneider. I don't own the song 'Light On.' The song is owned by Capitol Records and Maggie Rodgers.
Light On
Kady stood tapping the base of the mic against the palm of her hand. To say she was nervous was an understatement. It was still pretty rare in 2028 for a freshman to perform in the winter showcase, and yet, here she was. Performing. Well, she would be if her nerves would check themselves.
"Come on, Kady, you've been performing since you were eight. You got this," Kady takes a deep breath and looks down. The heavily beaded dark green top that was once a part of a lehenga that she wore to one of her cousin's engagement parties made her smile. It was paired with a high-waisted black skirt much like her mom used to wear, and over the knee boots.
"Oh, look what we have here," Kady turn to see two junior girls coming towards her, "the little freshman thinks she's performing,"
"I am…"
"No, you aren't," the taller of the two blondes rips the mic out of Kady's hand.
"Nellie, give it back," Kady reaches for the mic but Kady keeps her away by pressing her hand onto her chest.
"Nope, I'm going to perform. I should have this solo anyway,"
"Carter chose me,"
"Carter is too preoccupied with the fame your parents can bring him. He didn't choose you because you were better," Nellie cocked a smirk, "he chose you because your parents are famous,"
"That's not…"
"That's not true?" Nellie gets an insincere pout on her face before going back to an evil grin, "of course it is. It's the only thing that makes sense because a stupid little freshman like you shouldn't be in this," Kady goes to speak but is cut off by the announcer.
"And please welcome to the stage, junior, Carter Warner, and freshmen, Kady West-Oliver!" The crowd erupts and Kady looks back at the stage. Her black hair with teal ombre whipping in her face. She smirks at Nellie.
"I don't need it anyway." Kady walks onto the stage without a look back.
"Where's your mic?" Carter whispers to Kady.
"Your fucking crazy ass fan club president took it," Kady looks out into the crowd and spots her aunt Cat and uncle Robbie. Cat is giving her an enthusiastic thumbs up while holding up a sign that said, 'I love you, Kady!' Kady smiles. Her aunt was always over-the-top. Eventually, her eyes fall onto her dad holding her little sister, and her mom holding her little brother. Kady's eyes lock with her mom's matching ones, and her mom gives her a nod. Kady feels the smile grow wider. She feels a tap on her shoulder, and one of the stagehands hands her a mic. "Thanks."
"Now, that my lovely assistant has her mic back,"
"Assistant?" Kady looks at Carter with his long brunette locks pulled back in a ponytail, "let's be real here I'm the real star of this show,"
"I wrote the song,"
"But who asked who?"
"That's fair, that's fair,"
"Who wrote the lyrics?"
"Okay, Kady,"
"Who helped you finish the…"
"Okay, woman, they get it. You are the heart and soul behind this song. Hey, Beck, was Jade ever like this in school? I'm just trying to gauge what everyone's life is going to be like for the next four years," Kady turns to her dad, who cups his hand around his mouth.
"She was worse." Kady watches as her mom playfully punches her dad in the arm but smiles when they share a tender kiss.
"Okay, okay. Jade was worse. Good to know. Schikowitz, the fact you survived her is a miracle then because I know that this one," he turns back to Kady, "is a little fireball now. So, you've got room to grow,"
"Anyway, Carter, tonight is about showcasing the talent of Hollywood Arts not for you to figure out how I am inevitable going to murder you by the end of the year,"
"That's true, but hey…if we could not murder me that would be great,"
"I will make no promises, I've inherited my mom's love of scissors," Kady cracks a smirk and Carter gets a fake fearful look on his face. He knew she'd never hurt him. She loved him.
"Well, I guess I'll just have to be careful, but…" Carter slides up to her, taking her into his arms, "let's sing?"
"Well, I'll sing," Kady points to Carter's booth that has all of his equipment, "you get back behind there, cue of the band, and make some magic."
"Would you believe me now if I told you I got caught up in a wave? Almost gave it away. Would you hear me out if I told you I was terrified for days? Thought I was gonna break. Oh, I couldn't stop it Tried to slow it all down. Crying in the bathroom. Had to figure it out with everyone around me saying, 'you must be so happy now.' Oh, if you keep reaching out then I'll keep coming back, and if you're gone for good then I'm okay with that. If you leave the light on then I'll leave the light on,"
"Light on, light on, light on," Kady smiles back at her background singers before making her way across the stage towards them.
"And I am finding out there's just no other way that I'm still dancing at the end of the day," the group of girls dance together before Kady leaves them with a small twirl heading back to center stage, "If you leave the light on then I'll leave the light on,"
"Light on, light on, light on,"
"And do you believe me now that I always had the best intentions, babe? Always wanted to stay," Kady glances towards Carter with a smile, "Can you feel me now that I'm vulnerable in oh-so-many ways? Oh, and I'll never change. Oh, I couldn't stop it tried to figure it out, but everything kept moving and the noise got too loud with everyone around me saying 'you should be so happy now!' Oh, if you keep reaching out then I'll keep coming back, and if you're gone for good then I'm okay with that. And if you leave the light on then I'll leave the light on,"
"Light on, light on, light on," Scanning the crowd, Kady's eyes lock with her mother's, and Kady smiles even wider because her conversation with her mom three months ago spired this song into existence.
"But, Mom," Kady flops down on the couch and rests her head on her mom's lap. Jade smiles while taking a sip of her morning coffee while beginning to play with her daughter's hair.
"But what, Kady? So what? You like the boy, why is that a bad thing?"
"Because he only likes me because of my name. He's constantly doing nice things for me even when I ask him to stop and don't get me started on his gaggle of Barbies that call themselves his fan club,"
"So?"
"He's the worst!"
"Sounds like he likes you,"
"Well, unlike you," Kady crosses her arms with a pout, "I'm not giving in at thirteen,"
"How many is he up to?"
"Seven,"
"Sounds like he's putting himself out there and being vulnerable,"
"Being vulnerable is overrated,"
"Being vulnerable allows you to grow, my sweet butterfly," Jade places a kiss on her daughter's forehead, "your father taught me that. He always kept a light burning for me even when I refused to look for it and vice versa. Sometimes being vulnerable leads to amazing things,"
"Like me," Kady smiles up at Jade.
"Like you, now," Jade gives her daughter a light tap on the head, "go get ready for school, Miss Pout."
"And I am finding out there's just no other way that I'm still dancing at the end of the day. If you leave the light on then I'll leave the light on,"
"Light on, light on, light on," Kady places the mic back into its stand and looks back at Carter once more, softly singing to him. The lights go dark with a soft spotlight on Kady.
"Oh, leave the light on. Oh, would you leave the light on?"
It was a rare rainstorm in LA, two months back when Kady stormed down her street.
"Kady, wait!" Kady ignored Carter's screams. She was drenched to the bone and just wanted to get home. As she turned the bend that looked over the small lake that her house stood near. "Kady would you stop!" Carter grabbed her wrist to stop Kady from moving any further away.
"Let go of me!" Kady tried to pull herself away but Carter was stronger.
"Not unless you listen to me!"
"I don't have to listen to you," Kady glared at Carter with hate in her eyes, "I'm Kady West-Oliver, and I don't have to listen to anyone that I don't want to especially you,"
"Oh, yea the great Kady West-Oliver," Carter waved his free hand around, sarcastically, "so famous that no one can be her friend because she just assumes that everyone is using her,"
"You don't know me,"
"I know a lot about you Kady! I've listened to everything you've ever told me," Carter softens his gaze towards the dark-haired girl, "because I like you and I wanted to get to know the pretty girl who likes stargazing just as much as I do. However, you are so stubborn that no matter how much I tried you wouldn't even give me the time of day unless we weren't in school,"
"Maybe you should have gotten the hint that I don't like you like that!"
"Don't pull that shit, Kady, because we both know it's not true,"
"How would you know?"
"Avery told me!" Kady blinked at Carter in shock. Avery was one of the few friends she had made in school and had quickly become her confidant in just about everything, "she told me that you did like me and I should keep trying because eventually, you would put your ice queen guard down. Kady, I've asked you out sixteen times," Carter let's out a sigh, "I don't know how much longer I can wait,"
"Well, stop waiting. You don't know anything about me, Carter, despite what you think," Kady finally gets her hand away from his and continues down the road away from him.
"Your favorite color is orange," Kady stops but doesn't turn, "because you love the sunset, and it reminds you of the winters that you spent Canada with your family. You hate Spring because you think people are stupid about using it as a renewal and to reinvent themselves. You think Autumn is a better time for that because everything is already changing, so you might as well change with it. Your favorite summer was the one where you got to spend most of it with your Aunt Cat on the road because she's one of your favorite people in the whole world, but your litter sister and brother are your best friends despite them being so much younger than you. You hate when your parents are away for a long time because you love them and miss them. Your favorite food is lemon sorbet, and I know you are super glad that your mother doesn't enforce her vegan diet on you because you love going to that little taco truck downtown with your dad when he's in town because they have the best carne asada tacos," Carter watches Kady's figure with bated breathe.
"…how?" Kady finally says softly after a while.
"Cause I listen to you when you talk because you are the most interesting person at Hollywood Arts, and I just want to spend time together to get to know each other," Kady turns back to him and he can't tell if she's crying or it's because of the rain.
"Carter, I…" Carter doesn't let her finish. He musters up all his courage, strides towards, and captures her face in his hands before crushing his lips on hers. Kady throws her arms around his neck and pulls him closer. When the kiss naturally comes to an end, blue meets green. Both smile at each other, shyly, as Carter caresses Kady's cheek, "your favorite color is blue because it reminds you of the lake you grew up next to in Minnesota,"
"And because it's the color of your eyes," Kady laughs softly, diverting her eyes from Carter's.
"Ask me again,"
"What?"
"Ask me again," Carter laughs and rolls his eyes.
"Kady West-Oliver, would you go out on a date with me?"
"Yes," Both of the teens beam at each other.
"Only took seventeen tries,"
"Italians have a weird thing about seventeen being unlucky."
"Well, I would say seventeen is very lucky." Carter kisses Kady once more before walking her home.
The music picks back up and the stage blooms again with color, but now there are two sets of dancers doing some stunning acro dance moves, "if you keep reaching out then I'll keep coming back, but if you're gone for good then I'm okay with that. If you leave the light on then I'll leave the light on,"
"Light on, light on, light on,"
"And I am finding out there's just no other way that I'm still dancing at the end of the day. If you leave the light on then I'll leave the light on,"
"Light on, light on, light on." The dancers tumble off the stage, and they are gone as quickly as they appeared then all the lights focus on Kady.
"Oh, if you leave the light on then I'll leave the light on. Oh, if you leave the light on." Kady breaks into a smile as the music and lights fade while the crowd erupts in applause. Carter emerges from the booth and stands next to Kady, lacing his fingers with hers.
"You did it." the two take a bow.
"No," they break apart to gesture to the others who shared the stage with them, "we did it."
Little babies. Too cute. I love them. Our journey is almost done, guys. One more chapter that is being finely tuned to give you guys a satisfying ending. Thank you, guys, for sticking with me on this journey.
Until Next Time,
KMA