redamancy

Chapter 14: Pre-Hype

Jesse woke me up by hitting me in the face with a pillow the next morning. "Wow, thank you alarm clock." I joked. We got ready and she let me borrow some of her clothes. Then we left the house. We walked to English class and all I could think about was how math was going to go. I was scared that Jack and I would be awkward around each other. I can't be awkward around him. It's not right. It can't be that way. I didn't want it to be that way. He didn't come to class though which made me a little more depressed and worried because the seat next to me was once again empty. 

As soon as I got home I went straight to my room and cried. I cried for a good while before I heard my door creek open. I looked up to find Cameron leaning against my door frame. "Oh god. I'm sorry." I said, wiping my face. Cameron walked in and closed the door behind him. "What's wrong lil' sis?" He asked, taking a seat on my bed. "Um, well me and Jack had a falling out the other night and he wasn't at school today." I wipped away another tear. 

"Tell me about Jack." He said. "Ok so your version of helping is making me talk more about him?" I chuckled. "Just...what do you like about him. Why him and not some other guy?" I thought for a moment before I realized that I didn't need to think about it. "He is so sweet and strong. He know's shit and I really adore that. He's a goofball and isn't afraid of showing it. He's gone through shit like I've gone through shit and when we were both not expecting to meet when we did. I remember that night like it was yesterday." I smiled down at my lap.

"I was angry at mom and dad for forcing you to leave your girlfriend and also for them lying to me about it. I ran out of the house and of course it started to rain. I headed down the street and found myself at the bus stop. I sat down on the bench and then all of a sudden, a very attractive guy came through the darkness and brightened up my night by offering me a tic-tac." I was blushing to myself. "A tic-tac?" He asked. "Yeah. It was such a small gesture but yet my stomache flipped around and my cheeks burned red. He was the first person to ever do that to me. And I want him to be the last."

We sat in silence for a moment. Cameron was staring at me like I was insane but in a good way. "Delilah. You and this guy are special. Let me tell you something." He leaned in a little bit. "You and him are going to make up. Whether its he that talks first or you. Someone is going to make the effort and everything will be ok." He squeezed my shoulder for comfort. "Yeah well, I don't know." I looked away from him. "Trust me, I have never heard anyone talk about someone the way you talk about him. I doubt Katherine ever does but that's ok because she shows her love a completely different way." I blushed a little bit. 

"I got to go help dad with some stuff but I'll see you later, oh and good luck with the Pre-Hype tonight." He ran out of the room. The Pre-Hype. Fuck. I read over my lines several times while pacing back and forth in my room. I felt that my voice sounded worse and worse after each attempt. I breathed in and out to try and calm down but I couldn't. The only way that I could calm down was hearing Jack's voice. I went on my phone and listened to some of his voicemails. I clicked on voicemail #1:

"Hey princess. I'm sorry about what happened but can you please pick up so I can explain? Love you."

Voicemail #2

"Lilah please pick up. I'm at the bus stop. Just..please...I don't want to loose you."

Voicemail #3

"Lilah I love you."

Voicemail #15

"I didn't come to school today, obviously. I was afraid that I would look at you and you wouldn't look back. I-I still love you."

Voicemail #20

"I guess I'm just talking to myself now. I hate this. I miss you. Lilah if you understood why I said what I said then you wouldn't want to compete either. And if Skate tries to pull you away from everyone at the Pre-Hype, run."

I set my phone down and felt a lot calmer but that last voicemail really worried me. Why would Skate pull me away from everyone? Actually, I already know the answer to that. Oh my god. I think I know why Jack quit on us.

_____

I fratically searched for Jesse back stage. I couldn't find her nor Johnson nor Kenny. Everything was going wrong. Finally I bumped into Jesse. "What the hell? Where is everyone? We go on in five minutes!" I shouted. "Jack's in the bathroom, blowing lunch and I don't know where Kenny is. I've called like three times." I grabbed at my hair. 'Me too. This is not going well at all." I said to her. "I'm gonna go check up on Jack." She ran off before I could even say anything. 

I looked around me at all the busy people running back and forth. I thought maybe, just maybe, Jack would show up. I doubted it though. Soon enough I had someone nudge me from the side. "You're on in 30 seconds. Do you need a sound track?" Some guy with a headset on shouted in my ear. I paused for a moment and I pretty much knew that we were screwed. But someone had to go out there. "Uh yeah." I whispered to him what song I wanted to be played. 

I stood on the side of the stage and took a deep breath. I could see Skate and his band on the other side. Skate was looking directly at me and chuckling to himself while the other two members chatted behind him. It didn't get to me. I wasn't even worrying about him at all. All I worried about was Jack. Also being disqualified for not having my band with me. Soon enough I was shoved onstage. All eyes were on me as I slowly made my way to the microphone. I lowered the stand to my hieght and spoke. 

"Hi, my band, The Physcedelic G-Strings, unfortunatly couldn't make it tonight. Nonetheless I am going to be singing a cover for you all." I heard the audience whisper in confusion but everything was mostly quiet. The music began to play and I closed my eyes to get a better feeling for the melody. Then I began to sing. "You know I'd fall apart with out you." The lyrics flowed out of my mouth like a water fall. I could feel the electricity running through my body. 

As I got more into the song, the crowd began to cheer a little bit which made me open my eyes. People were jamming out and it was one of the most amazing feelings in the world. I looked to my right and Jesse was clapping along backstage and it made me smile. As I hit the chorus I could hear another voice behind mine. One that I knew very well. I looked around the stage frantically without messing up the lyrics. Then I saw him. He was walking down the isle in front of me.

He was strumming his guitar and he had a little microphone tucked behind his ear. Tears immediatly hit me. I missed his voice. Especially his singing voice. He hopped onstage and took my hand. Then he sang the next line. He circled around me like he was serenading me, as I danced a little bit. I was laughing and when it was the right moment I joined him again. The song finally ended and everyone cheered and clapped and whistled and it was an out of this world experience. 

As we walked off stage I gave Jack a what-the-hell-are-you-doing-here look. "Delilah, I'm sorry. I'll explain to you why I said what I did, later." He shouted over the noise of the crowd and the shouts of everyone back stage. "I know what happened. It's ok. I would have done the same." His eyebrows raised. "Who told you?" He asked. "No one. I figured it out myself." He nodded his head and intertwined his fingers with mine as the head judge took the mic. We all listened in.