Love to Hate You

Chapter Fifteen

When you see my face

Hope it gives you hell

Hope it gives you hell

When you walk my way

Hope it gives you hell

Hope it gives you hell

If you find a man that's worth a damn and treats you well

Then he's a fool you're just as well

Hope it gives you hell

Hope it gives you hell

Out of nowhere the instruments die along with their microphones. Justin’s voice trails off, realizing it’s  no longer amplified. Alex’s drumsticks, which he had thrown in the air to catch, crash down onto the cymbals, making the crowd jump. Then, it’s silent. Justin’s face scrunches up in embarrassment, a faint hue of red stains his cheeks. He looks back at Alex and Kris who shrug helplessly. Kris looks down at his guitar in confusion, checking to make sure everything is still plugged in.

I’m still fuming about Justin having the nerve to use my mic and diss my band while using it. I glare at the mic in his hands and then look down at his own mic in mine. Oh, it’s on.

I flick the switch on the bottom of the mic and a screeching noise sounds through the room, causing everyone to cover their ears. I must be out of range. I take a few steps toward the stage, concealing the mic between my hands. When the squealing stops, everyone begins to murmur and laugh amongst themselves. I realize I’m taking too long when Justin glances toward the controls and starts heading back behind the stage. It’s now or never.

I pull the hood off of my head and shake my hair out, before stepping into plain view, holding Justin’s mic to my lips.

Na na na na na na na na na na na na

Na na na na na na na na na na na na

I taunt into the mic, my voice echoing through the room. Justin’s head whips back to the audience, his face completely stunned. I push through the crowd till I know he can see me clearly and give him a little wave with narrowed eyes. Suddenly, a steady guitar rhythm erupts through the room, slicing the silence and adding some spice to my opening line. Austin bursts out from behind the stage, now out of disguise, and jumps onto the stage, his fingers tickling the guitar strings this whole time. Justin is too shocked to react.

I guess I just lost my husband,

I don't know where he went,

So I'm gonna drink my money,

I'm not gonna pay his rent,

I got a brand new attitude and

I'm gonna wear it tonight,

I wanna get in trouble,

I wanna start a fight,

na na na na na na na I wanna start a fight,

na na na na na na na I wanna start a fight

I belt out into the microphone, tapping my foot to the beat and fist pumping the air. At the end of the verse I pull off the hoodie with one hand and shimmy out of the sweatpants, throwing them to the side. The crowd is cheering loudly. Whether they know we’re crashing their gig or not, I don’t know, but their cheering encourages me on. I reach out and slap hands of some of the Heartbreaker’s fans.

Sean comes rolling out now, pulling his keyboard alongside him. He stops beside the stage and starts to attack the keys of his keyboard with ease, throwing Justin and nasty look. Justin’s frozen, watching me.