Just What I Needed

Just What I Needed (67)

But as The Bitter Rivals started walking on stage before her as was their routine, Keely felt a bolt of panic in her stomach and she quickly grabbed at John’s arm, holding him still before he could step fully on. “Where are we?” she asked hurriedly.

His brow furrowing in confusion, he still answered, “Houston.”

Nodding quickly, she stepped around him, the cheers welling up in her ears as she came into view. Running in faux energy that she really didn’t have much of, just what the crowd was giving to her, Keely got to the microphone. “Hey Houston!” she shouted into the microphone, making the noise level jolt up at least ten notches.

Without a halt, she stormed into the first song of the set list she’d written, just realizing that it might not be the best song to start out with. But the crowd began pulsing as they jumped up down to Yesterday’s Gone, some hands holding cameras and others in the classic symbol of rock and roll as they moved.

As she finished up with her set, Keely gave one last goodbye to the incredibly loud crowd before setting off the stage, guitar in hand as she whisked the sweat from her forehead. The moment she stepped away, her trance she fell into while playing music making her more confident and outgoing than ever before shattered, leaving her with only the reminder of a burning throat.

Carefully hiding it from the crowd, she lifted her arm, coughing into the crook of her arm, hoping it would relieve the pain. But it far from helped, just making her grimace as she stepped out.

Almost immediately Marco and Colton passed by her, rushing to the stage and getting an immediate reaction from the crowd.

Letting a little chuckle go through her chest, though she didn’t let the sound out in fear of her throat, Keely just shook her head, letting her eyes move back in front of her. Yet she was almost immediately found herself hastily pulling up to a stop.

Seth was paused right in front of her, reading to go on stage, his guitar already strapped on, but he was immobile. His eyes were what caused her to stop, because she usually would have just side stepped him to get back to her change room where she could start her search for water, her water bottle on stage drained long ago. They were dark again as they stared at her, the worry plain as he stood in front of her, blocking her way.

Instead of speaking, Keely just forced her mouth into a tiny smile, shaking her head. Silently she stepped past him, placing her hand fleetingly on his arm before continuing on. Precise guitar chords ringing from behind her proved that he’d gone on stage as she moved away.

She just sat, curled up in the corner of the couch in the dressing room, the door open a crack so she could hear NSR as they played their set list. Swallowing the ball in her throat that formed as she heard Seth sing so easily, she lifted her water bottle to her lips, hastily gulping down what she could. And for a moment it helped, soothing the constant fire that burnt through it, but within seconds the burn was back.

But when she heard the beginning of the song she’d been waiting for, Keely emptied what was left of the water before forcing her legs to take her back to the stage.

Even with her dark mood of late, she found a real smile even if it was a small one coming onto her mouth. Leaning her shoulder against the doorway that lead to the stage, she watched as Seth stepped up to the microphone while the song was coming to an end. He was completely focused on the guitar; it was almost like the singing was absentminded when he brought out the last line of the song they’d written together back when.

When the notes faded out absolutely, she closed her eyes, pulling herself into her mind as she pressed her forehead against the enormous doorframe.