Every Second [COMPLETED]

Chapter 39 - "I can't! You don't understand. I can't do this!"

"Because if you didn't you would be out of best friends."

"Very true."

Reynolds stood, somehow managing to swagger even with the simple gesture. Amelia looked to him if as if just realizing he was there.

"Will this is Reynolds, Reynolds, Will. Reynolds is...um...my..." Amelia trailed off, looking at Reynolds completely baffled what to call him.

"I'm her competition." Reynolds said, stretching out a hand.

Will laughed and took the hand.

"I highly doubt that, but its good to have dreams and goals," Will said pleasantly.

Amelia barely held in the laugh that almost spilled from her mouth at Reynolds's astounded look. Regaining his composure, Reynolds just smirked.

"See you later Amelia," he said.

"Bye Reynolds." Amelia said, with a short wave.

The excitement of Will's appearance started to wear off and Amelia slide back to her chair.   

"How are you doing? Poppy told me how the week went," Will said, his voice quiet.

The week's exhaustion ebbed back into her limbs and muscles, filling them with a heavy weight.

"It's not been the best week and I'm happy its going to be over soon. At least with everyones' preoccupation today they have stopped asking me about Sebastian."

"I'm sorry, Amy."

"I'm just tired and ready to have this done with."

A woman in black walked by announcing that there was twenty minutes to curtains up.   

"I should go find your grandparents and get seated," Will said.

Amelia nodded and he walked away.

***************

Performance after performance rushed by, a blur in Amelia's mind as she went from one to another, sitting out on some and then jumping back in on the next. She pulled everything up to play. Her brain pushed back the weary fog that threatened to move in, forcing herself to stay sharp and using the last of her energy to do so.

When the end of the show came, the crowd rose with loud thundering applause. Backstage, excited tones met shouts of relief and success. Amelia pushed her way through the dense cluster of students and retrieved her satchel. She was finding her way out, when a girl stopped her.

"Amelia is Sebastian here? Did he see me?" the girl asked.

Amelia shrugged out the girl's hold and shook her head. She turned away and someone blocked her way. Her muscles tightened into tense knots.

"Hey Amelia, I was just wondering if Sebastian managed to see the show?" the girl asked.

"No."

She pushed her way out and breathed deeply as she freed herself from the tangles of the room. She forced herself to stay calm, forcing her tired body to keep the panic that stood so close to her, at bay. Amelia moved through the crowded auditorium until a hand snagged her arm.

"Aims you were brilliant! I'm so proud of you!" Charlie said hugging her.       

"Love, you did such a good job, we're so proud of you," Eleanor said, holding Amelia close.

Eleanor's eyes glistened with tears as she looked over Amelia.

"Your parents would be so proud," Eleanor said.