Chapter Seventeen: The Big Showcase
"Dan..."
It was almost as of Lucy's vocal cords were paralyzed, and she couldn't say anything more after that. Looking into Dan's grief-stricken eyes, tears welled up on Lucy's own. Her palms shaking, Lucy brought her eyes down to the ground as she took a few steps away from the piano - presuming the walk of shame. "I'm... I'm sorry."
Dan scoffed at Lucy's blatant silence. "Seriously? That's all you have to say to me?"
"What do you want me to say?" Lucy refused to meet Dan's eyes, but even if he couldn't see them, the tears were now streaming down her delicate cheeks.
"Maybe you could start by telling me how on Earth you were able to lie to me for weeks and not feel guilty about it!"
The anger was evident - fresh. Betrayal was in the air, and Lucy felt every needle piercing her skin with Dan's words being thrown at her. Despite her best efforts to stay strong, her knees were wobbly, barely keeping her up. "I didn't want to lie about it.. especially not to you..."
"You did though!" Dan practically almost snapped, causing Lucy to step away from him in sudden fear. "You lied to me, and to all the new friends you made! You're a fraud! You've been prancing around trying to be someone else, and you're DECEIVING people! How could you?! How could you honestly stand to lie to everyone, to ME?! Do I not mean ANYTHING to you -
"SHUT UP!"
With Dan's sharp, injuring words coming to a halt, Lucy finally raised her head to meet Dan's piercingly angry eyes, with just as much frustration - if not more. Squeezing her fists in attempts to control her anger, Lucy felt herself sweating, and her heart was thumping out of her chest. Trying to collect the screaming thoughts in her mind, Lucy set her stare firmly at Dan, who looked visibly confused at her state. "You're one to talk! Where the hell were you when I was placed in a coma, huh?!"
Finally catching him in a stump, Lucy continued screaming at him as if her sole existence depended on the very matter. "Where were you when all those rumors were being spread about me, accusing ME of killing my OWN best friends?! You never called or texted - YOU NEVER REACHED OUT TO ME!" Dan's face slowly morphed from intense anger, to throbbing guilt. "I wasn't dead, Dan, but you treated me like I was. My grandfather was the ONLY one that visited me for those two goddamn weeks, and you chose not to see me. What was I supposed to think when the nurses and doctors told me that neither you, Sting, or Lyon came for me, huh?"
Trying to find the words that had suddenly vanished from his tongue, Dan tried blinking his own tears away. "I... I didn't know what to say to you."
"So you decided to ABANDON ME?!" Lucy's anger was at it's peak, with her breathing getting heavier and heavier. "What was I supposed to do, Dan?! Go back to living as Lucy Heartfilia when the ENTIRE country thinks I murdered the only family I've ever had?! Go back to being the sad, pathetic, drug-infested junkie who got pushed, shoved, and attacked wherever she went because she was painted as a killer? TELL ME WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO!"
Lucy's heartbeat had started accelerating with every passing minute that had gone by since the confrontation. With her head feeling heavier and heavier, Lucy's palms wouldn't stop shaking. Intense, passionate anger took over her entire body, as she was standing in front of the man that had dared to shame her for trying to protect herself when no one remained by her side. However, her body wasn't trying to calm down, and her legs felt increasingly wobblier. Lucy's chest began to tighten, as she felt a sting of pain overwhelming her. Her body felt so weak - she was about to fall over onto the floor.
I'm gonna have a panic attack.
And with that, she was on the floor.
...
The turnout was rather amazing, as the event was scheduled and planned on such short notice. Tickets were gone in several minutes after being up for sale on Fairy Tail's website, and before they know it, the girls had a sold out show waiting on their fingertips. Tonight was a huge night for the band - especially Lucy. Not only was Fairy Tail debuting their second project, Lucy was performing her song that she had co-written and co-produced with Dan as a means of celebration, as their entry was selected to be part of the soundtrack of the movie just a week before.
The agony of waiting months to know which track was selected by the music director nearly killed both Lucy and Dan - and since their track was submitted as a demo, they couldn't even properly promote it. Lucy and Dan promised each other that if their entry was selected, they would still release the song as a non-project track... but deep within their heats, they desperately wanted to be a part of the soundtrack for the film. Not just for themselves - but to represent all of Japan. And after the agonizing wait, the film composer directly contacted the both of them to congratulate them for the creation of such a phenomenal track, and to personally inform them that their demo would be used in their soundtrack.
Around the same time, Fairy Tail had finished their second project - a more intimate and raw one at that, and they were debuting the ENTIRE album tonight, alongside Lucy's solo endeavor.
Filled with excitement and impatience, Lucy - alongside Sherry, Yukino, and Sherria were putting on final touches on each other's final made up looks. They almost didn't notice Dan entering their makeup room. "Are you girls almost done getting ready? We're on in like, ten minutes!"
Checking her phone and seeing 10:20 pm flash on her screen, Sherria gasped. "Yikes, he's right!"
Frilly dresses, and bright colours, the girls were no strangers to looking amazing, or singing... but they were definitely foreigners when it came to live performances. As an independent group, Fairy Tail never really had the means to put on lavish shows for their followers, but whenever the opportunity comes - such as Apple Music sponsored them to perform live to perform songs from their debut album as their 'Up and Coming' artists to watch out for - the girls had the ability to put on quite a show.
The curtains were down, and the lights both on and off stage were completely turned off. Each girl quietly tip-toed towards their microphone stands, recreating the old Doo-Wop Motown-style of lined-up singers. Yukino, who was sandwiched between Lucy and Sherria, leaned over to Lucy - making sure her voice was low enough for only the two of them to hear. "Can you believe we're even here?"
Giggling under her breath, Lucy playfully shook her head towards Yukino, expressing her own disbelief of what was happening at this very moment. Fairy Tail had never been any more popular than they were at that moment, and a lot of that had to do with Lucy tapping into the American market with her English song - that made it to being added to the film soundtrack. Lucy had the opportunity to help bring her band to internationals recognition, and hopefully get Fairy Tail signed to a record label and have the group finally become legitimate. There was a lot to be excited about.
And with her final thought, the curtains rose up, revealing the four stunning and talented show-stoppers, ready to sing their hearts out for the five hundred locals that showed up to hear them perform live.
Dangerous Woman was a departure from the frilly, and innocent-sounding Yours Truly that the group had debuted with. Being seventeen years old, the girls all had their own experience with relationships - and the drama, passion, and pain that came with it. Although Lucy was the songwriter of the group, Yukino, Sherry, and Sherria each put their own unique flare to the songs' production, thus making each song specifically geared to each individual's features and genre preferences.
The album starter screamed old-school Mowtown in Moonlight, highlighting Lucy's booming voice...
I never knew
I never knew
You could have moonlight in your hands
'Till the night I held you.
... and transitioned to the soft-house and electronica fusion of Be Alright, highlighting Sherry's butterfly-like voice...
Baby don't you know
All of them tears gon' come and go
Baby you just gotta make up your mind
We decided
We're gonna be alright.
... to the smooth and silky pop sound of Sometimes for Sherria's youthful voice...
Oooh let's be honest baby
This is so unusual
Oooh I'm not tempted baby
Even if they're beautiful.
... to the album closer filled with atomospheric and ambient textures with Thinking 'Bout You, which was perfect for Yukino's soft, gentle, yet yearning voice.
Baby I don't want no one, no one else
So hurry cause I need some, need some, need some help
Cause I've been waiting patient, patiently
Cause I don't have you here with, here with, here with me
But atleast I have the memories.
With the last song being performed, the crowd cheered and cheered as if there was no tomorrow. The album was very well received by everyone, and judging by the constant encores they were chanting throughout the night, it was evident they were going to stream the album once it hit Spotify, SoundCloud, and Apple Music later that night.
After getting off of the stage to join the crowd for a little bit of a break before Lucy went on with Dan to sing their song, the girls ran into several of their fans, signing autographs, accepting hugs, and taking pictures. Although they went to high school with a lot of the same people, they were truly regarded as the A-list celebrities of their town.
Lucy spotted Dan across by the bar - drinking a Corona. Waving across the distance, Lucy tried shoving her way through the crowd to meet Dan... only to be stopped by a familiar figure.
"Great show, Lucy. But that outfit is so last year."
And just a split second later, Lisanna poured her entire drink over Lucy's head - to the shock and horror of everyone around.
To be continuted...
Ahhhh I'm so mean! I'm sorry for not uploading in so long! But I promise you, I'll be doing it more frequently! Thank you to all you lovely people for getting me up to 124 reviews! This is wild and beautiful! I love you guys so much! Thank you for your continued support!! :D :D