Deteriorate

Showtime.

A/N: Me: goes to write

Grades: what

Dance: what

Me: I need to write-

Grades: shhhh

Dance: shhhh

Scott

Home Free runs offstage.

Oh god, oh god, oh god-

"Scott! You ready?" Mitch asks.

I stand up out of my wheelchair.

"Woah, are you sure you can get up? You know you can stay if you want."

I shake my head. "I'm good."

"Okay..."

Why is he being so damn protective?

Omg why am I so moody.

I hear the crowd cheer and feel myself being pulled onstage.

"How we doing tonight?" Kevin asks the crowd.

The crowd cheers as we all get in our places.

"Give it up for Home Free!" Mitch says.

The crowd cheers again.

I think they scream at whatever we say.

Kevin blows a pitch pipe.

Mitch begins his part.

"Uh huh."

"Yeah."

"Tell me am I going crazy,"

I smile and close my eyes.

It feels so good to be performing again, even if I am a little drained.

"Tell me have I lost my mind,"

"Am I just afraid of lovin',"

"Or am I not the lovin' kind?"

I begin to do a little dance to get my energy going.

The crowd cheers and sings through the whole song.

"Yeah." Mitch finishes us off.

"How we doing tonight?" Mitch says into the microphone.

Ugh, I'm tired already.

I feel myself getting a little unsteady on my feet and walk offstage for a second to get some water.

"You okay, buddy?" Austin asks.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Ya don't look fine." He says and feels my forehead.

I suddenly feel a wave of nausea and run to the nearest trash can.

I hear rushing around and feel a hand rubbing my back.

I cough a few times and sit back.

Esther comes over with a towel for my head. "Are you sick?"

"Radiation." I groan.

Mitch finishes talking to the crowd so I stand up to go back on stage.

"Woah, woah, woah. No." Esther says and pulls me back.

"I have to go back out there. I'll be okay, I promise. I can't let them down."

She bites her lip. "Okay. Be careful."

I wait until Mitch is done speaking and start walking back onto the stage.

"Now this next song is an original, so sing along if you know it!" Avi says.

"Dum dum da da dum dum."

"A million miles away and I'm still thinking 'bout my baby, ain't misbehavin' no, you don't need to worry..."

Okay, I feel okay.

"...just doin' this to pass the time."

No I don't.

I start my harmony with Mitch on the chorus and I start to feel sick.

"I ain't Misbehavin' tonight."

I stop singing and run to the side of the stage.

I throw up into a trash can.

The others talk to the audience and get them to sing my part.

Thank God for them.

I feel hands on my back.

I should've told them that the side effects can last for hours.

I finish throwing up (again) and lean against the wall.

"Do ya' need anything, buddy?" Austin asks, sitting on the ground beside me.

"I just wanna lay down." I groan.

He nods. "I'll find Esther. I think she went to the bathroom."

I close my eyes, but I'm soon startled by Esther.

"Scott! I'm sorry, I was in the bathroom. Are you sick again?"

I nod.

She motions a security guard over.

"Can you help him to a dressing room? He's not feeling well."

The security guard quickly helps me stand and walks me to a dressing room.

"Thank you."

He nods and leaves.

I lie down on a couch and shut my eyes.

Why couldn't I just be normal?