Staged

Captured

Cover art by me :)

Hi, I am a new writer I have never really published my work. I do struggle a bit with spelling so if a word is spelt wrong do not be afraid to correct me.

Through out this book there will be sexual themes, violent/abusive themes and LGBTQ+ if you feel uncomfortable with any of these don't read it or skip the parts your uncountable with. The main character Sombra/Milo is Non-binary and so is Jacks, so I will be using They/them  pronouns.

Authors note
Thoughts
Story

OK this chapter is pretty Chill hope you enjoy!

I grab my phone from the stand next to me, it immediately turns on, it takes my eyes a few seconds adjust to the bright light. It reads 1:30am I sigh and start scrolling through my socials. I don't even bother to check my messages. There all the same 'when's the face reveal coming?' I reach up to my face feeling the long scar the runs from my fore head through my eye, it wraps under my chin then stops. 

I close my phone and put it back on the night stand. I try to close my eyes, but it's no use, there's no way I will get anymore sleep. I spend the next six and a half hours staring at the same spider web in the corner of the roof.

'You have half an hour before practice and your still in bed!'Nira yells as she throws my blinds open. I groan and pull the covers over my head my eyes unprepared for how light it is outside.

'It's early hours, why are you in my room!' I say trying to muster a bit of annoyance into my tired voice. 

'yeh yeh, edgy boy I get it we can't see your face but, I'm the one responsible for your personal life so when you're not up yet and we have to leave in five bloody minutes! I will come in and wake you up.' 

'just get out, I'll be there in a few secs.'

I only pull my head from out of the cover when I hear the door close and her muttering fades away. I prepare myself to get up. It feels like there's and invisible weight keeping me to my bed. It takes me three times counting down form five in my head, till I manage to sit up. I open the small suitcase that rests against the wall. I pull on some black jeans, big white top, green hoodie and black gloves. I refuse to look at myself in any mirror. I grab a black and white hard plastic mask the sits over the back of my bed frame. I fit it around my head, I hear the clasp click at the back. Only then do I dare remove the grey cloth that covers the small hand mirror. 

I stare at my reflection. The mask completely covers my face, the right side is black with a small eye hole so I can see, the other side is white. A red 'X' lays on the left side. Though I can see through my left eye, I am completely colour blind, so it just messes with my vision so I keep it covered. 

I lay my hand over the top of the mask, I start pulling it to the side. I catch the corner of my face, I can see the white scars that 'decorate' it. I grab the mirror and smash it against the table and watch as the glass shatters along with my reflection. It's not long before Nira slams the door open. I adjust my mask to completely cover my face and look up. 

'It's fine' my voice holds no emotion,

'I'll clean up the glass, you head up to practice She sighs

'sorry' I mumble. I mean it.

'you're okay,' she says. 

I head towards the door. Nira moves against the wall, careful not to touch me. I mumble a 'thank you' and walk outside. I'm greeted by the bright flashing lights of cameras. Not many of them but enough for me to already feel a headache brewing. I'm escorted to a car, nothing to fancy, just enough to drive me to where I need to go. 

Florida is hot normally, but I swear that it is hotter than normal. It doesn't help that I have a cheap plastic mask gathering sweat. I stare out the window, I can practically see the sky change to grey as we make our way closer into the city. When I get out I am immediately swarmed by my fans, crowds of people yelling out my name to get my attention. There's so many noises, I can already feel the reality around me slipping away. Barley aware on what is going on I mindlessly follow the black shirts in front of me. 

Only once I'm out of the crowds can I focus on my surroundings. Glittering costumes surround me. I start to focus on just my breathing and I can eventually talk. 

'I'm going to change masks, if you don't mind' I say gesturing to the door with my eyes.

They hesitate a bit before opening the door and leaving. I sigh and change my mask with my one for stage, its thinner than my regular one and has a small built in speaker so that I can sing without needing to show any of my face. 

I re-paint my nails a glossy black, as well as changing my earrings to small black studs. I remove my hair from out under the mask. I have wavy short hair. Its shaved on one side, as the other side is long falling just above my chin. My complexion is paler but not too white, I'm not the one to go tanning. I work out regularly, I'm not model type skinny, but I'm in healthy weight range. Not that this would matter to the crowds the best they've seen is baggy clothes. 

I walk out of my room, my stage name is printed on a metal sign, it reads 'Sombra' Spanish for Shadow. It was a child's name, though it's stupid I can't go back now. And I will never tell the fans my real name. I follow the signs in the maze of the hallways. I eventually find an absolutely massive stage, with thousands of seats. I can see the other two of my friends Jacks and Midnight already practicing. 

The musicians start to play a familiar tune. I smile the slightest bit as they both start singing, it's impossible not to. They're the literal embodiment of happiness. They both start doing these crappy little dance moves completely ignoring the directors annoyed complaints. I chuckle when Jacks trips and barley caches themselves before face planting. The producer tells them to behave, I laugh I'm pretty sure even he knows that it's not going to work, we're only 16 after all. I tap my fingers on the plastic seat in time to the drummer, I mouth the along with the words. 

When the song finishes I clap and whoop from the seats. Well Jacks and Midnight laugh, I get a death stare from the director. I make my way down the stairs and join them on stage. I hear the director count down and the silliness is gone.

By the time were done, sweat is dripping down my face and all of us are breathless. We must have gone through the chorography at least 100 times. At least well be prepared for tonight's show. We head of to the changing rooms and as soon as the door closes I rip the mask from my face and chug the whole of my water bottle down. I open my eyes to see Jacks and Midnight, laughing at me.

'I was thirsty don't judge me,' I say a shrugging, a little embarrassed 

'A little is an understatement!' Jacks says 

'you looked like you hadn't drunk it days' Midnight adds on laughing

' You try doing a whole practise with no water' I smile, I miss joking around like this.

We talk for a little before I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket,

"We have to go soon, the producer wants us"
We all sigh upset for our fun to leave.

1412 words! Sorry this chapter wast amazing but it was all about introducing characters so they next one will be better hopefully. Hope you enjoyed :) kinda cringy names but that is because it's based of a story I wrote as a child.