Hello!
I never really know how to write song stuff into the story, but I did my best.
If you wanna know how I envisioned Jade's performance, go YouTube "Evanescence Bring Me to Life live in Europe" lol : )
That's kinda what I imagined.
Soooo enjoy? : o
Jade's POV
I couldn't believe it. What was he doing here?
"It's great to see you again, Beck. How are you doing?" I could hear his fake professional tone coming out as he extended a hand to Beck.
"Uh very well, sir, thank you. How are you?" He responded promptly and shook my father's hand.
"Fine, just fine," He said as he looked back to me. "So this is your school?"
"What are you doing here?" Being blunt with him was usually the way we functioned.
"Oh haha Jade, it seems you've forgotten your small talk manners," He joked to Beck, who laughed half heartedly. Oh my god, could this get any weirder.
"Seriously." I wanted an answer.
"Well it seems that my invitation to this soiree must've gotten lost in the mail," He looked pointedly at me; I'd specifically hidden the parent invite when it was sent to our house. "Luckily, my secretary received a call from your principal personally inviting me so of course I had to show up."
So that's it. He was here to keep up appearances. Well, this is America; I guess he's free to do whatever he wants. It makes no difference to me.
"Oh," was all I could say before our school principal showed up to whisk my father away.
"Mr. West!" He'd said as if they were old friends. "So glad you could make it." He must have found out how much my father made.
"Ah yes, principal Eikner," My dad said as they shook hands. "Thank you for taking such great care of my daughter."
Ugh. I rolled my eyes and walked away. Just because he was my father, doesn't mean I need to be a part of this charade.
"Jade?" I heard Beck call to me as I rounded a corner in the main building hallways. "Wait up!"
"What?" I said as I slowed my pace, but didn't stop.
"Where are you going?" He asked when he caught up to me.
"I don't know," I realized and stopped walking.
"What's wrong?" He looked at me looking concerned. It was crazy how much he seemed to care about me. How he had a way of knowing how I felt just by looking into my eyes. Kris almost never notice when I was pissed.
"I don't know," I sighed. "I just didn't expect him to be here."
"Is it such a bad thing?"
"Yes. No. I don't know. I don't care." I hated how indecisive I sounded.
"Yes, you do," he smiled a little.
"Yes…I do," I divulged. "It's just…whenever I'm around him and people like him, I feel so…numb…like he doesn't mean anything he's saying. Like he's just going through the motions of life, but he's not really living. Does that make sense?"
"Yeah, yeah it does," he nodded and seemed genuine.
"Thank you," I said, surprising him.
"For what?"
"For…never just telling me what you think I wanna hear. And for keeping me sane these past few weeks. I'm starting to wonder how I ever got by without you."
He smiled at me and leaned forward to kiss me. And just like all the times before, his lips breathed new life into me.
Beck's POV
As usual, the moment of bliss I was having with Jade was interrupted too soon after it started. This time by the ringing of a cell phone.
We broke apart and she reached into the top of her corset to retrieve her phone. I stared and tried not to laugh while she shook her head at me.
"Hello?" she said when she answered her call. "Oh hey I was just—….uh huh…oh…yeah I know" her side of the conversation was starting to sound negative as her tone shifted from happy to disappointed. "No, its fine…yeah I'm sure...there'll be more…okay. Yeah. I love you too."
She hung up and put the phone back into her chest. I looked to her sort of waiting for an explanation but she didn't notice.
"What was that about?" I guess I'd have to drag it out of her.
"Hmm? Oh nothing," she said, but still she looked annoyed and kind of sad.
"Jade?" I put a hand on her cheek gently. "What happened?"
"It's nothing," she shook her head and shrugged. "Kris isn't coming."
"What? Why not?" As much as I hated that guy, Jade loved him. Tonight was important and I know she'd want him here.
"He and his best friend got caught up at a Halloween store in San Diego. I guess there were really long lines…"
"I'm sorry," I said solemnly, but she acted unaffected.
"Whatever," she shrugged. "It's not like I care."
I knew she cared. A lot. But pointing that out now wouldn't help anybody. Instead, I wrapped my arms around her, and pulled her in for a hug. I wasn't sure she'd let me until she slid her arms around my torso and held me tightly.
"Ahem," We broke apart when a man cleared his throat from behind me. I turned to see her father standing a few feet away from us. "I didn't mean to interrupt, I just came to say goodbye."
"Goodbye?" I repeated even though he wasn't talking to me. "You just got here."
"Yes, I know, but," he tapped the cell phone in his hand. "Duty calls." He pulled out his wallet and fetched a few bills to hand to Jade. "This should cover any after show dinners you intended to have."
"Thanks," she said from beside me. What was happening? She was just going to let him leave? "See you later."
"Have a good show," He said before walking out the double doors of the building. This was ridiculous, he was her dad and he wasn't going to stay for her performance? My parents were staying and I wasn't even in the show!
"Jade I'm—,"
"Don't." She stopped me and put a finger to my lips. "I don't care, okay?"
"Yeah but—,"
"No." She shook her head, warning me. "I. Don't. Care. Are we clear?"
"Crystal," I said, but didn't mean. If she needed to act like she didn't care to get through the night, that was fine by me. "Jade?"
"Yes?" She said and for the first time I heard how cold her voice sounded.
"I'll never leave you."
She looked at me, expressionless, but I didn't say anything else. I don't know if she knew it, but I think she needed to hear it.
"Okay." She finally said, and walked away towards the dressing rooms.
I left the hallway and went to get a seat for the show. I walked outside the café where the huge stage had been built and the entire place had been decorated. All around, black and silver streamers were hung along with helium filled balloons.
I looked around to see nice tables set for the parents, and a few chairs lined up near the stage for the students; we usually stood when the show started, anyways. I waved to my parents as I walked over to where Andre, Cat, Ally, and Robbie were sitting.
"Hey guys," We greeted each other and I took one of the empty spaces next to them. Before long the audience got more and more crowded till we were all standing closer together.
"So what are you doing after this?" Ally said from beside me, when did she get there?
"Umm going home, I guess," I shrugged. Maybe Jade was onto something with her theory about Allison.
"Oh, don't be a buzz kill," she joked and touched my arm. "Everyone's going to Tori's house later for the after party."
"Oh yeah?" I nodded and looked at the program I'd borrowed from Cat; Jade didn't perform until twelve other people did, ugh.
"Yeah, you should come," she smiled and I could feel her eyes on me.
"Who's going?"
"Everyone!"
"Who's everyone?" I could hear the irritation in my voice and couldn't help but compare it to Jade's.
"Me, Cat, Tori, Andre, Jade, Robbie," she said it as if I should've known.
"Oh," Jade was going? She didn't say anything about it to me earlier…
"So you'll go?" Ally pressed.
"Umm maybe, I'll think about it," I said vaguely. I don't really want to go if Jade isn't going to be there. I'd noticed that's how I felt about a lot of things recently; if Jade wasn't somehow involved, I wasn't at all interested.
Allison didn't have time to pester me further, because the Spectacular had just begun. Tori was performing first, which aside from going last was the best place to go. She sang an upbeat love song, and sounded great to me.
As the show went on, I grew more and more impatient to see Jade. I'd never heard her sing, but she had to be good otherwise they wouldn't have let her into the school, right? Then again, Trina got in…
By the time the boy who was scheduled before Jade finished his song, I was practically shaking in anticipation. Instead of her, though, Principal Eikner walked onto the stage holding a microphone.
"Hello kids and parents, I'd just like to thank you all for coming out to support Hollywood Arts' seventh annual Halloween Spectacular!" The crowd applauded and I leaned forward to see if I could see Jade behind the curtain, but it was pulled shut. "Now without further adieu, I'd like you all to welcome our newest student to the stage. Put your hands together for Jade West."
Everyone clapped as Principal Eikner walked off stage, and hushed silent to wait for her to start. The curtains pulled back to reveal Jade sitting at a black grand piano up on a platform. With a bunch of now lit candles and smoke from a hidden machine surrounding her, she looked ethereal.
Around her, was the accompanying band dressed in all black, and below her stood about ten people who I assumed to be dancers, wearing black cloaks.
She began playing a few simple but haunting notes on the piano, her body leaning into every note sensually. She started singing vocalizations that sounded both beautiful and lingering. She played a few more notes that came together to sound like a song, and began to sing.
How can you see into my eyes like open doors?
Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb
Without a soul my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there and lead it back…home
The guitar strummed louder and the drums kicked in as she played harder and sang the chorus. A backup singer joined her, and the dancers moved like ghosts to line the stage in front of us.
(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside
(I can't wake up)
Wake me up inside
(Save me)
Call my name and save me from the dark
(Wake me up)
Bid my blood to run
(I can't wake up)
Before I come undone
(Save me)
Save me from the nothing I've become
The tone of her voice flowed out around us like smooth yet daunting aura. She took the microphone off its stand and stood up from the piano to face the crowd.
Now that I know what I'm without
You can't just leave me
Breathe into me and make me real
Bring me to life!
At the end of the verse she fell backwards into the group of cloaked dancers who caught her as she continued to sing.
(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside
(I can't wake up)
Wake me up inside
(Save me)
Call my name and save me from the dark
(Wake me up)
Bid my blood to run
(I can't wake up)
Before I come undone
(Save me)
Save me from the nothing I've become
She stood up straight and began to work the stage, her body enticing me so much, I didn't blink.
Bring me to life
(I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside)
Bring me to life
The power in her voice was only amplified by the honesty she seemed to be singing with. She walked around the stage, and seemed to settle on the spot directly in front of us, and me.
Frozen inside without your touch
Without your love, darling
Only you are the live among the dead
She stared deep into my eyes, and I could barely breathe. She was looking at me. I know she is.
Bring me to life
Jade's POV
I got so entranced by Beck's stare I almost missed my next cue. I moved away from the spot I'd been glued to when I saw him, and continued.
(All this time I can't believe I couldn't see
Kept in the dark but you were there in front of me)
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems
Got to open my eyes to everything
(Without a thought, without a voice without a soul)
(Don't let me die here)
(There must be something more)
Bring me to life
I went through my last chorus and gave it everything I had left. Any nerves or doubt I'd had at the beginning of this performance went out the door as I finished and the audience cheered louder than I could have ever imagined.
I looked around to see everyone on their feet, and almost cried of happiness. I was good. I knew I was. I knew I had it in me, but it was so nice to see that other people saw it too.
I took a bow and the curtain closed, but I could still hear the applause and it was the sweetest sound I'd ever heard.
Beck's POV
She was a star. There was no denying it. After the show, as we all walked towards the parking lot, I could hear that Jade was the topic of everyone's conversation. She stole the show, and I was so unbelievably proud of her.
"That was so awesome!" Andre was still ranting about her performance as we stood in front of the school.
"Yeah, she was sooo good," Cat agreed.
"Mmhmm," Ally nodded while looking at me. "So, Beck, are you coming to Tori's?"
"Huh?" I said while scanning the crowd for Jade. I wanted to tell her how incredible she was before anyone else did. "Yeah, sure."
"Great!" Ally smiled big. "I already said I'd ride with Cat, but I'll see you there?" She said with a hand on my chest.
"Yeah okay," I said quickly as I saw Jade duck out from a side door of the building. "I'll see you."
I ran over to catch up to her just as she got to her car. I couldn't stop myself from throwing my arms around her when I saw her.
"You were so incredible!" I said when I released her a bit.
"You think so?" She looked up at me and smiled.
"I know so," I hugged her again. "It was amazing and astonishing and unbelievable and I'm so proud of you." I sounded like a crazed fan, but I didn't care.
"Thank you," she said, grinning. "So where are you headed?"
"Mmm," I thought about the after party at Tori's I told Ally I would go to as I watched Jade get into her car and close the door. "Nowhere in particular. What did you have in mind?"
She smirked at me through the open window and said,
"Get in."