When Storm Clouds Hover

51: Dom - At the school concert

The evening of the girl's school concert, parents and students filed into the large school hall and fought their way to their seats. The lights dimmed. In the spotlight, on a lone chair in center stage, Em reached for her guitar from the floor beside her. Hers was the opening act. Dom watched from his seat at the back of the hall as she adjusted her standing mic. She looked at ease. Beautiful too.

It's a pity it's a school night.

The look Em had chosen suited her, a white floating dress, and knee-high boots, her long blond hair tumbling across her shoulders. Beneath glittered eyelids, her blue eyes sparkled with promise. Dom had expected her to be more nervous. Earlier in the week, there had been a rumour going around that a casting agent from a local television network would be attending the concert. Em had tried desperately to confirm this, but no one knew for sure.

Dom noticed Em squint into the audience. He knew that her parents were in the first row, and she wanted to make them proud. After the show, he'd have to spend some time with them. He didn't mind much; Em's dad was alright. He cracked some hilarious jokes for an old man.

The lights dimmed briefly, and a hush fell across the audience. Em leaned in. 'Hi everyone, I'm Amelia Bukowski,' she said into the mic, grinning. I hope you're all having a great evening tonight. I know I am.'

Dom cheered and clapped along with the audience. Em adjusted her guitar strap to sit comfortably over her shoulder.

'Tonight, I'm going to sing you a song that's close to my heart that my daddy wrote for me when I was feeling low. It's called This is how I know.'

Again, the audience warmly applauded. Dom smiled. Em was certainly putting on a show tonight. He doubted she'd had a bad day in her privileged existence, but she knew how to connect with the audience. And looking around at their faces, he could tell they were captivated by her.

Em strummed her guitar, and the audience hushed.

'Here I go...ladies and gentleman, This is how I know!'

Em started to sing in a low voice.

'Each day is mine, I know it now

How you made me feel, I don't know why

You thought you tried, but you don't know

I was loved, truly loved and this is how I know.'

Dom watched with interest from his darkened seat as his girlfriend performed. He wondered if anything more would come of this.

'Ohhh oh, this is how I know

Mine is the day, all my own

I was loved,

I am loved

And this is how I know.'

For a moment, Dom zoned out. He pondered if he should try something musical himself. When he was younger, he had been part of the school choir. That was before his voice started vacillating unpredictably between high and squeaky and sounding like a low-down guitar. He'd quit the choir because of it but now he quite liked the newer, deeper sounding tone to his voice.

Perhaps he could sing with Em, he thought. Dom forced himself to focus. This song could be about him. He better pay attention. Em's beautiful, soaring voice sailed over the audience filling the auditorium with warmth.

'I've been in love with you for so long

But now I know, the day is mine and mine alone'

Hearing those words coming from Em's mouth made Dom think about his relationship. Em's feelings for him were so often suffocating. She was too much. Too demonstrative. Too in-your-face. Just, too everything. Lately, whenever he felt like this, his mind automatically turned towards Izzy. He couldn't help it.

Tonight, she was seated only three rows in front of him in the darkened hall, but she seemed intent on not acknowledging him. He'd not been able to speak to her since her mum died. Em was as adamant as ever that he was to stay away from her. He'd risked raising her wrath by asking Zara if Izzy was going to be performing tonight. Zara had scolded him and refused to answer. He'd taken that to mean Izzy wasn't going to be at the concert. But now, here she was, almost within touching distance. He checked himself to stop looking over at her.

Em stood up at the song's end, and the audience stood with her. She bowed to a standing ovation. Dom put his fingers to his mouth and whistled.

He could tell that Em heard him. She blushed and smiled. 'Thank you, everyone. I appreciate it!'

As she turned to leave the stage, Em appeared to remember something important. She took the mic one last time. Dom's heart nearly stopped.

'Before I go, I just want to give a quick shout-out to my parents who've driven all this way to watch me perform tonight. Thank you, guys, I love you!' Em blew kisses at both her mum and dad and exited the stage.

Thank goodness!

For a moment there, Dom had thought, Em's shout-out was going to be aimed at him! He laughed at himself.

Check your ego mate.

As the audience stood for the interval, Dom wondered how to maneuver himself to brush up against Izzy. Briefly, he caught a glimpse of the lace of her bra strap through her white school shirt. It made him almost nauseous with desire for her. Lately though, Izzy seemed to avoid all eye contact with him as if it were illegal to look at him and she never let him get close to her.

Dom hung back a bit as students pushed past him into the aisle. He wanted to tell her he was thinking of her and that he was there for her if she needed a friend, but then he saw her moving away from him. She'd done it again. She'd chosen to go a long way round, almost certainly to avoid bumping into him.

Suddenly, the evening seemed like a waste to Dom. It was hard to find moments at school where he could talk to Izzy when Em wasn't around. The opportunity was over now, and he felt deflated that she had chosen to avoid him yet again.