Drummer Girl Chapter 8 Part 1, a fairy tail fanfic

Here it is guys. PART 1 of The Finals! this turned out to be too big, so it had to be split into two parts.
Now alot of you might be thinking that this is nearing the ned of the fanfic. Well...it isn't. It's only just the beginning ;)

Now, please go to my profile, to play the music that Crush performs in this chapter. Go to the part for Drummer Girl that lists the links, and click the one at Chapter 8 [PART1].

~X~

Wendy, 4.06am, after.

Too much is happening. Too much is going on. So many things have happened, and I can't keep up. I'm in a daze, as I briefly kiss my mother's cheek goodbye, and I feel nothing, even though the remains of her salty tears speck my face. I am pulled into a limousine, where I can see the rest of them already inside, except Lucy.

Juvia has fallen asleep, Erza is furiously typing away at her phone and Ultear looks like drag queen of the year. Outside, it is pitch black, but in an hour or so dawn will break. We have not slept the whole night, and my head is pounding, as if someone with a Chinese gong managed to find it's way into my brain.

I slump over the polished leather seat, and I suddenly realize how thirsty I am. I notice a mini cooler next to sleeping Juvia, and reached over to open it. Bottles of alcoholic drinks line the cooler, and my eyebrows knit together. I rummage around, until I find the familiar plastic bottle with blue wrapping. I screw the cap off, and gulp down the water, streams finding its way down my chin and throat.

I toss the bottle aside, and it lands on the plush carpeting without a sound. I curl up in my seat and try to sleep, but it never comes. My ears still ring from the bass of the speakers, my fingers sore from dancing over the black and white keys. My eyes feel heavy, but as I stare into the carpet I see colours everywhere.

People screaming. The crowd roaring. The back of Erza and Ultear as the hair whipped around, their keys sliding up the frets. Glasses. Flaming blue liquid. A foreign hand snaked around my waist. My mother's red-rimmed eyes. It feels like a dream, yet it all happened only three hours ago. I hum a song under my breath.

Lucy, 7.02p.m, before.

It is huge. It is effing huge.

The crowd I mean.

As I stand to the side of stage set, the crowd stands, as more people fill up the audience. People chat excitedly as they walk, some even wave at me and wish me good luck. I smile back and disappear back to the backstage.

To say it was busy would be putting it lightly. It was an hour before the start of the show. The crew ran about, fixing the tech- the speakers, the lightshow, sound. Instrument checks were also happening, but that was settled by the crew for us. Most of us were backstage, trying to kill the jitters in their stomach.

I was excited for the show, but what really made the butterflies float was the guest appearance for tonight. Most people were here to see the guest artiste, Electric. My stomach churned at the thought. I had come far, to be performing on the same stage as them, even though I was only a contestant.

Electric has started out small. Four teenage boys who had one thing in common- deep, rock and soulful music. They had pulled it off, and were now one of the most successful punk rock acts in the country, with a growing international fanbase.

Performing alongside my favourite band? It was a fan's dream come true.

I paced around nervously, not really doing anything. I can feel my phone vibrating in my pocket, but I ignore it. Seeing anymore 'good luck' messages on my phone was the last thing I needed, as stuck-up as that sounded. I appreciate the support, I truly do, but it's making the butterflies in my stomach mutate into something not too pleasant.

I sit next to Juvia, who is slumped over a plastic chair. Earbuds are tucked into her ears, but the music is so loud I can hear it. I pull one away from her ear to listen. She nods at me, but doesn't say anything. We both listen to the harsh beats and the rawness of Oliver Sykes.

"What a Tumblr-worthy moment," Juvia says after a while. I burst out laughing.

"And you just ruined it," I said chuckling. This is one of the reasons I loved Juvia. She was just so…realistic. She didn't live in dream paradises and fantasies made up in her mind, and was rather point-blank. People like her are a gift.

Juvia smiles. "The pressure is killing me," she says, turning off the music and removing her bud. I knew she wasn't talking about the blaring songs.

"I'm no better. I'm a mess on the inside right now," I admit.

She nods. "Well, that too. I just somehow feel…regretful? I don't know."

I frowned, turning towards her. "Why?"

She sighed. "I don't know. Like even if we win this, we have to go to L.A…and I can't just leave…my dad all alone."

I don't say anything. I simply listen.

"He is a major pain, but he doesn't have anyone other than me. After Mom…he's all I have left. He gets drunk off his ass every night because…he still hasn't dealt with the pain of losing Mom. It helps him to forget but he loses himself while at it."

"I'm all he has left. I don't know if I can just leave him like this."

I'm quiet. I've never actually had a very personal conversation with Juvia before, and I feel a little upset at her current internal struggle.

"He would want the best for you. If it's something you love, and how you want to live your life, he would let you go," I say.

She says nothing, but I can tell she was thinking over my words.

I continued. "Your mom would have wanted the best for you."

That made her smile. "When I was little, my mother brought home this electric keyboard she had found at a thrift shop. I was six. That evening she taught me all eight notes of an octave, and a little song to play," she said, humming a tune under her breath, which I realized was Hot Cross Buns.

"She taught me the piano, and she would sing. When I learned to play simple songs with both hands, my father would sometimes join us. They would dance, together, and I would laugh and play along."

"She taught me the gift of music Lucy, and I will never forget that," she said softly, the corners of her mouth turned up a bit.

I leaned over, and wrapped my arms around her. I could feel little drops trailing down my shoulders, as I held her.

She soon pulled back, her eyes shining, but her mouth in a smile.

"Thank you. You're a great friend Lucy."

'I know right?"

We chuckled. We began to talk about small things. We were so engrossed in our conversation, that we failed to notice the increasing murmurs that had began to fill around us.

I suddenly needed to pee. "Hang a sec Juvia, gotta go to the toilet," I said, getting up and grabbing my phone.

She waved, as I walked towards the toilets. Just then I heard a bang, as if something was slammed against a wall. I stopped just around the corner. Slowly, I began to walk, and turned. I stopped in my tracks, my eyes widening.

Erza's back was pressed to the wall, her face in shock and her eyes round. She was pushed back, as he leaned in closer, his face at her ear.

Jellal.

He whispered something in her ears. I wanted to run, it was too intimate for me to watch. Suddenly, Erza pushed him back.

"Don't lie to me!" she shouted.

"You left me! Don't expect me to just fall for your sweet words and come waltzing back to you again!"

"I never wanted to leave! I had to go back, I had no choice!" he yelled back.

"What about all those pictures in the magazines! All those girls you went out with?"

"That was for the publicity! The new movie was coming up and they-"

He never got to finish his sentence. His face was left with a stinging, red mark.

"You've hurt me too much. And now you're showing up here, and everyone is suspecting that I joined the show just because of you. You're ruining my life Fernandez."

I couldn't watch anymore. I bolted away, before any of them could notice I was even there.

Erza, 6.55p.m

"Yeah I know Mum. See ya," I said, before ending the call. My mum had called to wish me good luck, but she couldn't be here. As always. We had talked for a bit, before I ended the call.

I randomly roamed backstage, bored out of my mind. I knew the rest were feeling extremely nervous. I was nervous too, but more than anything, I was excited to play.

People always asked me, How are you so confident Erza? I honestly don't know. Maybe I was a little bonkers in the head or something, but when it came to bringing myself to speak in front of an audience, or performing in front of a crowd, I could never feel the butterflies. Only adrenaline would race in my veins.

Well, there was only one person who could make me feel that way. To keep me rubbing my toes against each other, and nervously clasp and unclasp my hands. To make my whole form flush, to bring out my insecurities. To make my head spin whenever I looked into those chocolate brown eyes, so different from any other.

Damn that bastard.

I don't know why I couldn't get over him. It had been great while it lasted, but it ended too abruptly. He left me hanging, with no reason whatsoever, without any remorse, apology or evident pain. It was as if what we had had no meaning to him. Nothing.

I continued to walk around, until I reached a corner. I saw a couple of security standing around. Maybe someone important was around. There were going to be quite a bit of celebrities around tonight. Including Electric, that band Lucy was so in love with.

I excused myself past the guards, and I walked in front. Someone appeared to be speaking with one of the security in front.

"…so tell me when you see her. I need to speak with her."

I froze. That voice was like a haunting tune, echoing through my ears.

No. I needed to get out of here. I couldn't see him. Not today, not anyday.

"Excuse me," I said, trying to nudge my way back out, but I accidentally stepped on someone's foot.

"Ouch, watch where you're going lady!"

I glared at him. "Well for a start, you should get out of the way! You're blocking the entire hall!" I retorted. Then I covered my mouth. I said that too loud. Shit. The conversation that had been going on stopped. I braced myself.

There was silence. And then his voice. "E-Erza?"

I continued walking, pretending that I didn't hear anything. My heart was thumping wildly. My brain was saying, run Erza, run! But my heart was saying otherwise. Stop. Listen to him, see his face again.

"Erza, wait!" he cried. I walked down the hallway, and I could hear him picking up speed. It's no use, I thought, and I stopped, and turned.

We both said nothing. I was staring at my shoes, noticing that one of my laces were undone.

"Erza."

"Jellal."

"I-I have so many things I want to say to you I don't even know where to-"

"Save it," I snapped. I looked up to glare at him, but I stopped short, noticing the way he looked at me. He looked so sad, his mouth agape, but his eyes savouring me as if I was the most precious thing in the world. I nearly melted. He looked so cute.

"I'm sorry," I muttered.

"No, I'm sorry. For everything. For leaving you. I regret it every single day since I left," he said, his voice cracking. He sounded so genuine I nearly wanted to forgive right there and then. But my consciousness spoke. He never called, never even texted. He denied about his relationship with you to people. He dated other girls.

I never considered myself weak, but I could feel tears forming in my eyes, as the pain I had been experiencing in the last few months came rushing back to me.

"Don't lie to me. Don't you dare-"

I was standing one minute, the next I was pressed up against him, bone-crushing, our faces so near that the tips of our noses were nearly touching. His hands were gripped firmly on my shoulders, and he was staring straight into my eyes. I wanted to avert his gaze, so badly, but I couldn't help but get lost in those familiar chocolate eyes again.

I knew what was going to happen. I should have been stronger. To not fall for his charm again. But how can I not, when I've already fallen?

So when he leaned in to capture my lips with his, I did not move. I did not make a sound. I kissed him back. It was a hard kiss, and he felt the same way as ever. Rough and chapped lips, as it moved furiously against mine. It did not last too long, before I pulled away. But he wasn't having any of it being 'sweet'. This was Jellal. He liked everything dirty.

I was pushed against the wall, and before I could protest, he had pinned me under his strong and muscular body. My eyes widened, as he leaned in, until his breath was ghosting the side of my neck.

"I have always loved you. And you will always be mine."

I should have melted. I should have kissed him right there. Hell, I should have said it right back. I should have felt warmth and love spread across my body.

He wasn't going to entrance me again with his actions. It didn't make up for the fact that he packed and left without so much of a word, that he had countless flings afterwards, that he never kept in touch. Was he expecting me to fall into his arms the second he appeared back in my life again? Did he deserve me?

Anger coursed through my veins, and I could feel myself becoming rigid. I knew what I had to do. What was important.

I pushed him away from me with all my strength, and he stumbled away from me, his face in shock. I had never retaliated against him before, not even during our brief relationship.

"Don't lie to me!" I burst out, anger exploding through me.

"You left me! Don't expect me to just fall for your sweet words and come waltzing back to you again!"

"I never wanted to leave! I had to go back, I had no choice!" he yelled back.

"What about all those pictures in the magazines! All those girls you went out with?"

"That was for the publicity! The new movie was coming up and they-"

I was done with him at this point. I slapped him, hard. He recoiled, his hand rising up to caress his inflamed cheek.

"You've hurt me too much. And now you're showing up here, and everyone is suspecting that I joined the show just because of you. You're ruining my life Fernandez."

There was silence. Neither of us said anything.

"Goodbye Jellal," I said, before I turned, and walked away, never looking back.

I walked towards the bathroom, and kicked open the door, letting out all my anger. Lucy was standing there, shocked at my outburst.

"Erza are you-"

"Jellal," I breathed, before I crumpled to my knees, letting everything out.

She rubbed my back, as she listened. I was pouring everything out. Tears. Frustration. Hurt.

Lucy did not say anything, but she had a weird look on her face. Almost like...guilt. But she did not say anything, she just listened.

By the time I was done, we sat on the floor of the bathroom, our knees up to our chest, just rocking.

"To think he showed up like this..." Lucy said quietly. I nodded.

The loud ringtone of a mobile interrupted the silence. Lucy pulled out her cellphone from her pocket, and answered it. As soon as she cut the call, she got up.

"We have to be back, we have twenty to the start of the show. Are you ok now?" she asked.

I nodded, before rising to my feet. We left for the dressing rooms.

As soon as we arrived, the makeup artist took one look at me, before pulling me onto the chair of the vanity. Her team had swarmed around me.

"Honey, didn't I just fix you up just now?" she sighed, as she dabbed some concealer under my eyes. They managed to do my makeup again with five minutes to spare. As soon as they were done, I was pulled out of the chair, and told to 'hurry the hell up'.

I made it to the main backstage, where all the teams were gathered. Lucy seemed to be talking to the rest, as I approached. Wendy immediately came and held my arm.

"Erza, are you ok now?" she asked. Normally, I would have just replied something snappy, but I was feeling rather changed now. And the fact that Wendy was too nice for her own good.

"Yes, thanks Wends," I replied with a smile. Everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at this.

"Wouldn't want our lead to mess up on stage, wouldn't we?" said Ultear, trying to lighten the mood. I chucked my arm at her.

"So guys, first performance. Are you ready?" Juvia piped up. I could see the looks of unease on some of the bands' faces.

"C'mon guys. Just treat it like any other song we've done. Keep it natural, just because this is the finals, don't let it get to you. Loosen up!" I said, proceeding to do my 'Sharpay' warmup. Everyone laughed, following suit.

Lucy, 8.15p.m

"Welcome back to Project Superstar! No we have with us, a our next, extremely talented group, who have been making waves since they first entered this competition. Let's welcome Crush!"

The crowd roared, as the camera swung our way. I turned to the rest, smirking, before bass started up.

Stop fucking around with my emotions
I like you better when you're numb
I'm sick and tired of false devotion
Devote yourself to moving on
Or suck it up and let it go

But you're always out to get me

You're the snake hidden in my daffodils when I'm picking flowers
That's just my luck these days
Why can't you just be happy for me?
You're the break lights failing as my car swerves off the freeway
It kind of feels like sabotage
Why can't you just be happy for
Why can't you just be happy for me?

You think your opinions make you savy
Your running mouth falls on deaf ears
You say you're winning 'cause you're laughing
While I'm crying crocodile tears
Just suck it up and let it go

But you're always out to get me

As we rounded off the song, the audience started to roar and cheer wildly, I could even hear some shouting "Encore!"

I grinned so wildly I couldn't even help it. We took a bow before heading backstage. Erza was right. Being yourself helped so much. I was laughing and enjoying the glow of our first performance that I didn't even notice someone had stepped in front of me.

"Pretty cool performance there, blondie."

I looked up, and I think I stopped breathing.

What.

No.

I couldn't even register it. Behind him stood three all familiar people, two raven haired and one blonde, who looked so...real.

Tall, decked out in clothes befitting of punk rock, pink hair and that voice.

"Hi?" he repeated again.

Standing right in front of me. Electric.

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Song: The Irony Of Choking On A Lifesaver by All Time Low