Naya paced her green room, Dianna, Lea and Jenna sat on the couch, no one said a word. A week ago she released her sophomore album to great reviews but with great reviews came great expectations. To generate a little more buzz she decided to have a show to let the fans get really excited about her album. The one thing about living in New York City was that there was a large selection of small clubs and venues that catered perfectly for the vibe she was looking for. The only issue with a small room was that it meant she could really see who was out there, not that she was a shy performer. It was just that her music meant so much to her. It was a piece of her. Unlike acting it showed who she was, she couldn't hide behind a character or someone else's emotions, it was raw.
Right now all she wanted was Heather to walk through the door tell her she was going to be great and get on with the fun part of the show. To her utter dislike Heather was nowhere to be found. She knew the girl was working late having got called in to go over a few storyboards. They hadn't made things official yet but according to Lea, Dianna and everyone else they might as well have been dating. To them they were just being themselves, they were being friends with a few benefits on the side. They were taking things day by day, figuring things out and seeing where they stood. So far things had been amazing, Heather was as amazing as she ever would and the butterflies and tingles that Naya used to get whenever she saw her and come back in full force.
In all honesty Naya hadn't given in to Heather because she was still terrified of what might happen if she let herself really fall again. She was scared of not having someone there to catch her, the one person she wanted to be there.
She continued to pace her green room. "Where is she? She said she was going to be here. She promised she wouldn't miss this, again."
Dianna stood up and put her arms around her friend to get her to stop. "She will be, I don't know where she is but she loves Naya, we've all seen that for years."
"Not to mention the only reason she showed up at that reunion party was to see you." Lea chimed in, causing Naya to look over at her. "What?"
"What do you mean she came to see me?"
All three girls aside from Naya rolled their eyes and huffed in response. "I love you Naynay but sometimes you are so blind. She didn't show up to see any of us, she can see Kevin and Telly in L.A., she see's Harry at shows and they take classes together when they can. The same goes for all of us except us three really, aside from you and that's because she knew how close the four of us have gotten. She made it a point to be in New York to see you and she stayed because she wanted to see you. She'll be here, give her a little more credit."
"Why are you so nervous?" Lea asked with a slight chuckle as Naya continued to pace.
"Have you not been listening? This album is my entire heart laid out on a silver platter and I'm so nervous because people like it right now but there's so much pressure."
Dianna shook her head with a slight smile. "You thrive under pressure."
"Heather doesn't, she doesn't thrive under scrutiny from the public."
Everyone in the room now understood why Naya was so nervous. If people found out what or rather who the album was really about it might make Heather run and that was Naya's biggest fear. She was comfortable with who she was and whom she loved but she knew that that was something that Heather struggled with. Up until now things had been great between them, and from what Heather had heard of the album she had loved.
Three Weeks AgoMaurice was outside running around, enjoying the cooler night air when Heather walked into Naya's house. The soft sound of the piano filled her ears as she moved into the room where she heard it coming from. Leaning against the door frame like she always seemed to do she watched as Naya's fingers moved over the keys. She had no idea that Naya had learned to play the piano in the time they had spent apart but watching her now was mesmerizing. The way she seemed to come alive with every note, her voice a little raspy from the cold she was getting over.
A pencil sat on the piano along with Naya's lyric book. She'd play a few lines, go back over them and change the things that she thought needed to be changed. Heather stayed as quiet as she could, something about Naya singing was always so moving to her. She stood, listening to the lyrics as Naya played the whole song through, a few stray tears falling from her eyes making Heather want to lunge forward and wipe them away.
I'm sorry, I'm really a mess right now
I'm trying my best to get it together somehow
I can't see this way, light up in this pain that you left me
I'm unraveling, looking for things that'll never be
Stars fade away they just crash into space
Disappear from the light like you and I
Tell me where love goes when it's gone
Tell me where hearts go when they go wrong
Suddenly someone is no one I've come
Undone, undone, undone
Undone, undone, undone
: h/haley+reinhart/undone_ ]
I'm sorry, I let me fall for you
I can erase you and forget you but I can't undo you
You're the hand I can't hold, the words I'm not told when I'm lonely
And I don't want you back, I just want to have what you took from me
Stars fade away they just crash into space
Disappear from the light like you and I
Tell me where love goes when it's gone
Tell me where hearts go when they go wrong
Suddenly someone is no one I've come
Undone, undone, undone
I'll come around again
I know it's not the end
But right now I've got nowhere to begin
To begin
Tell me where love goes when it's gone
Tell me where hearts go when they go wrong
Suddenly someone is no one I've come
Undone, undone, undone
Nothing but emptiness inside
Love leaves a black hole where it dies
How can I ever love again, I'm done
Undone, undone, undone
Undone, undone, undone
Undone, undone
Finishing the song, Naya took a deep breathe as Heather stood still behind her, tears now forming in her eyes. She had forgotten how badly she had hurt the woman standing in front of her.
"What do you think?" Naya asked causing Heather to jump slightly. She hadn't realized Naya knew she was standing there.
"How did you?" Heather trailed off as Naya turned around on the bench to face her, the tears that had fallen were now nowhere to be found.
"I always know when you're around, call it instinct." She smiled and Heather thought her heart might break. Not in a bad but because she loved the woman sitting in front of her so much that it was hard to remember a time when she wasn't near her. A time that she so desperately wanted to forget.
"It was beautiful and breath taking, just like you are. I am so sorry for any time I have ever hurt you and I promise I will never leave again." She wasn't sure what had come over her, if it was the lyrics or the usual affect that Naya's voice seemed to have on her but she was slowly falling apart. "I know I blamed you for leaving and not coming back but I didn't give you anything to come back too. I couldn't make up my mind and I chose wrong, so incredibly wrong and I just want, no I need you to know that I will forever be guilty." The tears were flowing freely from her eyes now, causing Naya to stand up from where she had been sitting.
She lifted her hands to cup Heather's cheeks using her thumb to brush away the tears and forcing the girl to look at her. "You need to stop apologizing, the past is the past. You're here now and that is all that matters to me. The song is old, for the most part, I changed a few things but its not just about you and me okay? It's about wondering where love suddenly goes when you wake up one day and it's gone."
"James." Was all Heather said and she could see in Naya's eyes that that was who she was referring too.
"Not just him but Taylor and all the other people that have been left because of lost feelings."
Heather nodded as the tears slowed and eventually stopped. "You really loved him and I messed things up for you."
Naya shook her head and took a deep breath in. "I did love him, I really did but he was never you and he knew that. Everyone knew that, even I knew it, I just didn't want to believe it. Smile, please, because it destroys me to see you cry."
Sniffling a little, Heather wrapped her arms around Naya's waist bringing her in as close as she could. "I'm going to go sit outside with Maurice for a little bit while you finish working okay?"
"I'll be out soon I promise."
Ten minutes later Heather watched as Naya let out a cute little yawn as she opened the sliding doors and moved outside into the yard. "All done." She said as she moved to sit down on the chair next to Heather. Without skipping a beat the other woman wrapped her arms around Naya's waist and pulled her down onto her lap.
"Good because I was starting to miss you." Heather winked with her signature smile causing Naya to let out a hearty laugh. "So, since when can you play the piano?"
Naya continued to laugh as she leaned back against Heather's chest, letting her head fall back onto the other woman's shoulder. "While I was on tour a couple years ago for the first album. I really wanted to play a cover of a song I actually can't remember the name of right now so I got my keyboardist to show me. I've always been obsessed with grand piano's so I think it was a natural progression."
"Easy Einstein, remember I am still slightly Brittany."
"You're way more attractive." Naya grinned.
"I thought you liked the short skirts?"
"I do but you're my girlfriend and Brittany isn't real so I'll have to settle." Naya waited for Heather's smart ass response but it never came. Instead she searched the girls eyes for the reason why she was looking at her the way she was. "What?"
"You said, you called me your girlfriend."
It was then that Naya had realized she had in fact used the term girlfriend. "Yeah I guess I did. I mean you are aren't you?"
Heather nodded, "I'm not seeing anyone else nor do I plan too, it just sounds really good when you say that."
"When I say what?" Naya smirked turning her head slightly to kiss Heather's neck.
"When you call me your girlfriend."
"Hmm. I don't know."
Heather titled her head to the side, giving Naya better access to her neck that she continued to pepper with light kisses. "You're my girlfriend." Heather spoke softly, the realization truly hitting her.
Naya pulled back and looked up at the blonde. "You're right that does sound good."
A few minutes later as they stayed cuddled on the chair Heather felt Naya take a deep breath. "What's on your mind."
"Just thinking. I loved James I really did but I think that everyone out there has two soul mates, one guy and one girl. I think it comes down to whichever you find first."
"What makes you say that?"
"If it wasn't for you and knowing you I never would have hesitated with him, but because I knew you it wasn't the same ya know?" She turned her head slightly to look at Heather who smiled and kissed her on the nose.
"I get you."
Present
There was a knock at the door that stopped Naya from pacing. Her heart sped up as she walked towards the door hoping that Heather was finally here. When she opened it a smile spread across her face and strong arms instantly wrapped around her pulling her in for a tight hug. "You're going to be amazing."
Smiling Naya held onto the hug for a little while longer. Once they let go and Naya stepped back they moved into the room. "Hi ladies."
"About time the eye candy showed up." Jenna laughed as James moved around to each woman and gave them each a hug.
"What are you doing here? I thought you were in L.A. still?"
James laughed a little. "First stop pacing, you know that doesn't help it only makes it worse. Second, did you really think I'd miss this?" He looked at her reaction and laughed a little louder. "Aww you did, how cute." He mocked causing everyone in the room to laugh. "You're gonna kill it out there Rivera, and if you don't I'll go out and buy a million albums, so you'll be platinum either way."
"Since when do you have that kind of money?" Lea joked making him look up at her.
"I don't, I was going to use yours." He stuck his tongue out at her before heading towards the door. "I'm going to go get a spot, oh and Dianna, Tyler's here." He winked before walking out.
"I love him." Jenna said with a nod as if to confirm her own words.
Dianna smiled. "We all do. Charming bastard."
Lea looked back over at Naya who was now sitting on the couch. "You stopped pacing, incredible, we've been trying for an hour and he says one thing and you stop."
"He's her puppet master." Dianna said earning a glare from Naya.
"Actually that's Heather, if we're being technical." Jenna spoke up as Naya rolled her eyes and leaned her head back. There was another knock on the door, a brunette woman leaned her head in and let everyone know they have three minutes.
Jenna and Lea got up to head out leaving Naya to take a deep breath and stand up. "She's probably just running late, she'll be here." Dianna said giving her friend a slight hug. "You got this Nay, everyone loves you and remember have some fun."
She stood at the side of the sage sipping on some water as the lights began to dim. The crowd cheered as the music that was being played stopped. Walking out onto the stage she smiled as she was met with a full room. Off to the side she could see her friends smiling and giving her a few good nods, letting her know that no matter what they were there.
"How's everyone doing tonight?" She asked as the crowd cheered. "This song is called Why Ya Wanna and its about that one person coming back into your life that you'd never thought you'd see again and they say all the right things." Quietly Dianna moved onto the stage next to Naya's other back up singer.
Two songs later Naya still hadn't spotted Heather and her heart was slowly feeling like it was unraveling. Moving behind the piano the crowd cheered anticipating what song Naya was about to sing. "This is Undone." While she was playing she hadn't seen the door open and a few people walk in. Finishing the song the crew moved the piano out of the way and Naya put her mic back on the stand as Jenna and Dianna now stood on stage with her back up singer.
"I've been really inspired recently and this is one of those songs that was a last minute addition." Taking a deep breath she listening to her drummer start count them down. It was then that she saw movement across the room and flowing blonde hair. She kept her eyes on her as the blonde turned around and smiled at her. She was black skinny jeans and a white leather jacket and red lipstick but that's not what struck her most. It was the person she wrapped her arm around as she smiled up at Naya.
Heather stood beaming up at Naya, her head already nodding along with the beat as she nudged Abigail forward. In the dim light Naya saw her mouth 'sorry' as the younger girl moved forward into the crowd. Looking back at her group of friends she saw someone else that caught her eye. Her mom. It was as though a little extra spark was lit inside of her as she started singing.
"The purest eyes and the strongest hands I love the ground, baby, where you stand
and my will to fight it all disappears
well, now that you're here
you're everything I've been thirsty for
you're everything that I can't afford
Can't leave you now I'd be trembling, counting every tear
well, now that you're here
Ohh, now that you're here
Feels like this chemistry might be the end of me
if love is my enemy, don't set me free
now that you're here, there's no one else for me
energy, like where it's taking me
if love is my enemy, don't set me free
now that you're here, there's no one else for me
I never thought I'd feel so divine
you're like poetry, desire justified,
you're a legend now that'll never die,
well, now that you're here
Almost torture now, this insanity
as you captivate every inch of me
you're taking me so far away when you're pulling me near,
well, now that you're here
Oh, now that you're here
Baby, don't leave me alone,
just let me feel this over and over
Pull me in closer and closer 'cause baby now that you're here
Stuck on your energy, like where it's taking me
If love is my enemy don't set me free
now that you're here
there's no one else for me
now that you're here."
An hour later Naya stood infront of a long line up of fans signing cd's and taking pictures. Her eyes trying to focus on the fans infront of her but occasionally wandering to where her family and friends were.
After signing for everyone that wanted one to moved towards her friends. Her mom wiped away a tear as she engulfed her daughter in a hug. Smiling Naya hugged her back before turning around and wrapping her arms around Abigail who was beaming from ear to ear.
"I'm sorry I was late, the flight was delayed and I couldn't very well leave your mom and my neice stranded at the airport." Naya nodded as she tried not to tear up. Wrapping her arms around Heather she felt her mom rub her back softly as she buried her face in Heather's neck.
"I was scared you weren't going to be here." She whispered so that only Heather could hear.
"You can't get rid of me that easily, besides I've always been your biggest fan."
To be continued…
A/N: Both songs are by Haley Reinhart, they're both amazing and the inspiration for this chapter. Always a good thing when music gets you to write faster lol Hope you all liked it.
