Chapter 8 :) hope you enjoy!
"And please welcome to the stage Element's of Surprise!" the announcer exclaimed overhead.
I followed the group of guys on stage and faced the crowd of screaming fans. I had done this so many times it was hard to be nervous, but then I realized I didn't know any of these songs they expected me to play.
"Chris!" I hissed, "come here."
"What's up?" he asked, stepping up to my side.
I covered the microphone with my hand and whispered, "What song are we playing first?"
"Don't Give Up On Me," Chris replied, "you know that."
"Oh right," I shook my head. Chris backed away and my heart sped into a panic. I'd never heard this song before, what the hell was "Don't Give Up On Me?"
"ELEMENT'S ELEMENT'S ELEMENT'S!" the crowd chanted.
"Hi everyone," I squeaked into the mic. "How are you all feeling?"
A few screams came from the bustling audience and a "Fucking Amazing" came from the far right.
Okay, you can do this. I told myself. All you have to do is stall. Someone will realize something's wrong.
"So you guys excited for This Century?"
The crowd screamed and I smiled. This was working.
"How about A Rocket To The Moon?" The screams got louder, the crowd pushed closer to the stage.
"And are you excited to see The Maine!?" I yelled into the mic.
Everyone went wild; the screams were almost too loud to bear.
"You know, my husband Kennedy plays in The Maine," I began rambling. "We have a son together named Fletcher. Did you know that I met Kennedy when I was only 18? He was the first person I ever loved. I love him very much, he makes me happy. Does everybody here have someone that makes them happy?"
Throughout the crowd girls screamed and "awed" it was a nice feeling. I looked off stage, hoping to find Kennedy, but instead locked eyes with Eric. He smiled at me but then dropped his eyes to the floor. His blue "Element's of Surprise" shirt glowed under the backstage lights and his hands were stuck nervously in his pockets.
"Has-has- anyone in the crowd ever been in love, but loved someone else?" I asked.
A few distant "uhm hms" came pouring onto the stage and the faces of the band members around me began to grow annoyed. Ignoring them, I kept my eyes focused on Eric. He looked back at me and mouthed "are you okay?" I shook my head and called back, "I love you."
A wave of confusion washed over everyone. I faced the crowd and reached up for my neckline. With the touch of my fingers the "Kennedy" tattoo began to wipe off like Dry eraser marker on a white board.
"This is all a lie everyone," I sighed; "None of this is real."
"What?" Chris barked in the distance.
"I'm not married to Kennedy and my son's name is not Fletcher, it's Hawke. Hawke Christopher Halvorsen. I'm in love with Eric Halvorsen," I looked over at Eric, his eyes were wide and his jaw dropped nearly to his knees, "I always have been."
"BRITTA, YOU CAN'T DO THIS!" Wiley voice bounced around in my ear.
"Shut up!" I yelled back. Turning back to the crowd I continued confessing the truth; "I'm not the lead singer of Element's of Surprise, I'm a solo artist. I have an album and a single with Taylor Swift. Hell, even Justin Bieber wants my nuts. I live in Chandler, in a beautiful house with my husband and my son. My best friend's name is Lacey. We're not talking right now because she slept with Kennedy. And even though I'm married to Eric, it still hurt me because I'm still in love with Kennedy. Or so I thought…Everyone, I realized that I'm not still in love with Kennedy. That's what I was supposed to learn, isn't it Wiley. I was supposed to realize that I don't really love Kennedy. I might think I do, but I know it's over. And, and I love Eric. I love him more than anything and I need to stop this whole Kennedy thing, or I'm going to lose him forever. I realized that before I can forgive Lacey, I have to forgive myself. And I have to tell the man I love, that he's the only man I love." I looked back at Eric, "And I need to tell him I'm sorry, for anything I ever did that hurt him, and I'm never going to forget how much I love him or take him for granted again."
The crowd fell silent. The band members behind me awkwardly put their instruments down and stepped away. Forgetting them, I ran off stage headed straight for Eric. As I stepped past the curtain a chord wrapped around my ankle and I fell hard against the ground. I shot of pain sent up my body as my hips crashed into the cold, dead wood of backstage. I screamed as the pain pulsed again and snapped my eyes shut.
Peeling them open again I blinked awake and was staring a milky white ceiling.
"Britta," a female voice shook me from my confusion, "how are you feeling?" Gloria stood before me holding a glass of water.
"Gloria!" I exclaimed, "I've never been so happy to see you!"
"Well I'm glad," she smiled and handed me the water, "how was your trip?"
"Awful," I replied after taking a long sip, "just awful. I was married to Kennedy. And we had, we had AMAZING sex."
"Well that doesn't sound awful," Gloria chuckled.
"It was," I shook my head, "the whole time, I felt guilty. All I wanted was Eric."
"So what do you think the dream was trying to tell you?" Gloria asked.
"That I'm not in love with Kennedy," I replied, "that Eric has always been the one."
"Good to know," Gloria smiled, "do you think the dreams will end now?"
"Yeah," I sighed in relief, "I do."
"Well then, I'd say that was a successful session huh?" Gloria replied.
"Most definitely," I agreed, "and you know what's weird? I had a son in this world too. His name was Fletcher."
"Well what's so weird about that?" Gloria asked.
"Why would I name my son Fletcher? I've never thought about that name before, ever." I replied.
"Look around you," Gloria instructed.
I scanned the room with my eyes and landed on a huge painting on the far wall, "Fletcher Stevens" was sketched into the bottom right corner.
"That painting is usually the last thing patients see before they go under, subconsciously it slips into their dreams," Gloria explained, "sometimes it's funny to hear the stories.
I chuckled and sat up, "well that you Gloria, you helped me a lot."
"I'm glad," she stood and led me to the door, "I hope to hear from you soon to check up on your progress. You have my number if you need me."
"Got it," I shook my head and slipped out the door.
***
I pulled into the driveway of Eric and I's house and shut off the engine. Relieved the dreams would finally be over; I hopped out of the car and ran for the front steps. "Eric!" I called as I marched inside. The house was empty.
"Oh no!" I whispered, "what if I'm still dreaming? Am I alone? Did I never marry Eric?"
The answering machine beeped in the middle of the hall and I ran to it. Hoping it would have some answers.
"One New Message!" I robotic voice sprang through the speakers.
"Britta Boo!" I heard a familiar voice exclaim, "We're in LA for a few weeks working on the new record and I need your help love."
"GASKARTH!" I screamed, "Did I marry Gaskarth?" The voice mail continued.
"I understand if you're busy, being a mommy and stuff, but the guys miss you…okay, and I miss you, and we feel your excellence is needed. If you can, just hit me up, you know the number. By best friend."
HE SAID I WAS A MOM. Okay, so obviously I wasn't dreaming. But where was Eric? Where was my son? Pacing further down the hallway, I ended up at the back door and looked out. At first there was nothing, but soon my son went running by, followed by Eric. He was wearing the red tank top.
"Eric!" I yelled as I ran outside. Hawke continued running towards his swing set but Eric stopped.
"Wifey," I chucked and pulled me in, "how was the hypno-stuff?"
"It was very…eye opening," I replied.
I followed Eric to the bench and watched as Hawke played in his sandbox.
"So what happened?" Eric asked.
I explained to him my entire dream; waking up twice, The Maine still being together, even the amazing sex with Kennedy.
"Well now I guess you and Lacey can compare notes," Eric nervously chuckled.
"Good one!" I slapped his arm, "you be quiet."
"I love you," he randomly replied.
"I love you too," I pecked his lips, "even in my dreams."
"So I was thinking," Eric laced his fingers with mine, "Instead of going to New York, how about we go to Boston?"
"Random," I smiled, "why?"
"Well, we could see Nick, and Sam, and Jesse." Eric reminded me of all the people I missed over on the east coast.
"That sounds great," I shook my head, "but I can't go."
"Why not?" Eric asked.
"I have to go to LA," I replied, "All Time Low wants me to do some stuff with them for the new record."
"You're serious?" Eric asked.
"Yeah, a long time ago I promised Alex that if they ever needed my help I'd be there," I explained, "you know Alex and I have been friends for a long time, it's something I should probably do."
"I understand," Eric shook his head, "but I already told Nick we were coming. And Sam, she… never-never mind."
"What?" I asked.
"Nothing, I understand if you have to help them in LA, but it's gonna suck going all the way to the other side of the country without you."
"How about this," I bounced off of the bench, "I go to LA, help the band and then take a red-eye flight to Boston as soon as I can. I'll barely miss anything and I can help them."
"Sounds good," Eric smiled, "but what happens if you fall in love with LA again? Last time you were supposed to stay for a month, and we ended up staying for nearly two."
"But that's because I was with you," I cooed. Eric kissed my forehead and I grasped into his tank top.
"This is going to suck huh?" he mumbled into my warming skin.
"I promise it won't" I replied.
I was going to do all I could to keep my promise.
thanks for reading :)
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