A/N) Short chapter here, It's a pivotal one though.
Enjoy.
Oh my god, oh my god. I can't do this; I can't do this!
Irey paces back and forth in her knee length red dress, Lian had done her hair in a low twisty bun and she feels complexity out of her element in the black heels and pearl earrings. She's sweating to death and she knows she shouldn't be freaking out. But she is freaking out.
Deep breaths, deeeep breathes, she can do this, her family is out there, her best friend is out there. Damian is out there. She can do this.
Her name is called sooner than she expected it to be but she tries her best not to shake and takes her violin, lifts her head and straightens her back.
She can do this.
Being on the stage is drastically different than being in the audience, the lights are right on her head and she feels like a bug under a microscope. Her muscles feel frozen, her eyes roam over the dark faced judges and the small people. She spots Lian and Jai with their phones up and her dad smiling at her teary eyed as Lian gives her a thumbs up.
Irey searches for someone else. He's not there.
And her heart suddenly feels heavy. Why should he be here? He finally got rid of her. This is what he was teaching her for. And now he can move on.
She feels sick to her stomach and spots swim before her eyes.
And just when she thinks she's going to run off stage and hide in her room for the next ten years the auditorium doors open and a hurried Damian Wayne comes down the steps.
Irey doesn't understand the switch in her brain but when his eyes land on her and he gives her that firm nod, she knows she can do this. She raises her arms in perfect form and starts her piece.
And for three blissful minutes she owns the world.
Well, at least the people in this auditorium. Nobody breathes as she plays the best she's ever played and her heart raises with each note she gets correctly.
And when she's finished she has tears of joy in her eyes and her smile almost splits her face when the wave of applause comes over her. For her.
She did that.
She earned that.
But even with all that joy and applause, Irey finds her eyes searching for only one person and she realizes as she finds him, the smile on his face is subdued but it's there for her, her heart skitters and she realizes that she doesn't want to be Damian's friend.
She likes him too much for that.
And her heart cracks when she watches him turn around and leave the building without another glance at her.
"That was so amazing Irey!" Lian smiles and gives Irey a one armed hug.
Irey hugs her back as her eyes searching the crowd.
"I'm so proud of you, strawberry!" Her father envelops her in a bear hug and Irey smiles but she feels odd, like she's floating, and all the noise is buzzing around in her ears congratulations and smiles all blurt together as she moves through the sea of people.
"I hate to say it Irey, but you were actually cool up there." Jai tries to give her a fist bump, "Irey?"
"Iris, what's wrong?" Lian asks concerned.
"I need to - did you see where -" Irey feels out of breath as she brushes off her family's inquiries and rushes out of the stuffy auditorium.
Where did he go?
Then she spots him and he doesn't turn to look at her as he waits for a silver car to pull up at the curb and the door opens for him.
All Irey catches is the back of his black blazer and a knife like red lipped smile of a woman inside as the car door slams shut and drives away leaving Irey in the dust staring after it with her heart in her stomach.
Thought are appreciated.