Heavy Wears The Crown

Eight

I didn't move and he smirked. "Come on, let's give her a little encouragement." The crowd began cheering again.

I tried to swallow past the lump in my throat. I would have loved nothing more than to take that microphone and shove it up his...well, you know. Skimming over the words on the music I could scream. This was never supposed to be a song. It was just, oh I don't know. Something private I wrote. Poetry or something. I don't even know, it wasn't supposed to be seen by anyone let alone Nolan and his thousands of fans.

He kept his gaze on me and continued playing the same few notes on his guitar waiting for me to join him. I gave him a desperate look, desperate, he only nodded me forward again.

After a moment of hesitation, and terror, and disgust I started playing along. My fingers slipped on the keys, hitting the wrong note though no one seemed to notice. My eyes were glazing over, I chewed my bottom lip preparing myself for Nolan to sing.

"This can't be happening now,

Look around baby everyone already knows,

It's written all over their faces,

This is your fall from grace

'Cause when you see me, before I see me,

I know you feel me, feel me,

You know you take me limb by limb,

Leave me just a God damn amputee.

There's a memory of how it used to be-"

I let my hands press down on all of the keys at once and forced myself up to my feet. "I can't do this." I blurted out and flew off the stage.

"Carter Reid ladies and gentlemen." Nolan said easily, tone completely untouched.

"What the hell was that?" Ace demanded stopping me but I pushed past him. I fled to Nolan's dressing room, slamming the door behind me, my hands flew up to my head I could hear my heart pounding in my ears me chest was on fire. A sob slipped out and I was turned around.

"Jesus Carter what was that?" Holden asked holding me steady as I tried to fight out of his grip. "Relax, hey, hey, just relax."

"What is wrong with him?" I screamed waving towards the door.

"He's an asshole, he's just trying to freak you out, run you off the job like he does every one of his assistants."

"He went through my personal things! Forced me up there in front of everyone! He knows I can't handle that many people staring at me he knows-"

"I know." He said putting his hands on my shoulders to stop me. "Why do you think he did it?"

I pulled away from Holden and began pacing the dressing room holding my head.

"Carter." He tried gently.

I kept pacing, picking up speed if anything.

"Carter!"

I turned back around to him quickly just as the dressing room door open. "Get the hell out of my room." Nolan snapped the moment his eyes landed on Holden.

"What the hell is your problem man?" Holden demanded.

"You in my room."