Music is blasting out of the speakers as a girl in ripped light jeans, white tank top, and leather jacket is standing on a stage centered on a beach with pressed sand of the hundreds of people walking on it. The colorful posters with a promise of music and "a night they would never forget" has gathered most of the citizens of an otherwise sleeping town.
Red lipstick has gotten their first real gig and as the lead singer, Nancy Reed, starts to play a new set of chords, the crowd can't help but cheer them on. In the light of spotlights and the darkness of the night Nancy's red lips makes love to the audience with her eyes and her lips never wants to leave the microphone.
It has taken her years to just stand where she is standing now and she is not planning on backing down. From being the East beach's laughing stock for years since her father's disappearance they are finally taking her seriously. But the girl in the front, also she wearing red lipstick as a sign of support as her dark hair blows in the wind has always believed in Nancy, it is so clear for anyone to see as admiration is the only thing shining in her eyes.
The song is coming to an end as the three other band members have stopped playing their instruments and the only one hearing is the black guitar in Nancy's hands. It's as if she has given it life as the sound of hard work is heard over the entire town.
"Thank you so much!"
A man walks up on stage to announce that Nancy and the rest of Red lipstick will return in just a few minutes. The figure that has been standing at the front of the entire show forces her way out of the crowd to finally after an hour of both playing and preparations meet her sister. Her name is Maggie Reed.
There are children running around and screaming as clowns are walking in and out of crowds and the smell of popcorn and cotton candy can be felt everywhere. Behind Maggie is John Collins, her longtime boyfriend. A thin layer of sweat is shining on Maggie's forehead as a light strand in different colors is just above her head. As soon as Maggie reaches her sister she throws herself into her arms and can't help but kiss both her cheeks.
"Nans you were amazing!"
Nancy pushes her sister away from a little to smile at her and then look behind Maggie. She tries to shrug off the feeling of that something is wrong as someone is missing but act just like always, she doesn't care.
"What would you have expected, Maggie? When have I ever been bad?"
The two sisters can't help but laugh just as John makes his way forward to also give Nancy a comforting hug and congratulate her.
"I got to say Nancy, that last solo of your totally killed it."
Nancy looks with happiness flowing through her veins as she looks at the boy she once was skeptic about but now can't see anyone more suitable for her little sister.
"You see, Collins, you might have missed it but the Reed sisters were born superstars so it kind of comes with the job to end it with a killing solo."
In his sweaty T-shirt, John holds up his hands in defense as he agrees with the laughing sisters. In the distance is a man with an outfit only consisting of black clothes walking and it is clear to see that he is drunk. He doesn't walk straight as he makes his way through the crowd and lifts a bottle as greeting towards Nancy's furious eyes.
"I will be back in a minute..."
Maggie can clearly see where her sister is going and can't help but feel like she doesn't want her sister to be influenced by her drunk for a boyfriend tonight. Nathan is better left outside of their lives and Maggie can't even count on both of her hands how many times she has tried to tell her sister just that.
"Nans... Not tonight..."
"If the world falls down, you need to help me hold it up Mags."
With a voice of determination but still, a smile on her red lips Nancy speaks to her sister the way she always does when she doesn't want to be talked back to, but still takes her sister's words into consideration.
John takes a hold of Maggie's wrist as she tries to walk with her sister. She doesn't try to force herself free as she knows it won't do any good. Maggie keeps her eyes on her sister for as long as can before she is hidden by all the people between them.
"Nathan!"
The man in dark clothes has gotten further away from Nancy as he has started to run through the crowd. Nancy can't help but at the same time feel like a child but also annoyed as she chases him. She is fully aware that their relationship isn't going to last, but it is something about the rush from Nathan she can't stay away from.
In the outskirt of the crowd, he finally stops to take a sip of his beer bottle and Nancy is soon standing beside him.
"Look ladies and gentlemen! It's Nana Reed the town's rockstar!"
A few people are turning around but Nancy is way too familiar with their states to care too much about it. Instead, she takes the bottle from Nathan and takes deep sips of it. He looks longing at her as a smile is playing on his lips.
"I was waiting for you. But you didn't show up."
Nancy is stating the obvious as Nathan takes a hand to scratch his scalp as Nancy's judging eyes is making him uncomfortable.
"You have been fighting."
Nathan touches his face and it is already starting to get swollen and there are drops of blood as well.
"It wasn't like I planned it..."
He tries to plead with his voice to the woman in front of him but excuses have never done anything good for Nancy.
"I don't care if you would rather fight than watch me perform Nathan."
She takes the bottle and turns it upside down to empty it.
"You know that is not the ca..."
She feels the need of drowning sorrows she doesn't want to admit she has for the night and looks for more toxic.
"Do you have any more of this?"
She shakes the bottle in front of Nathan's face and he hurries to take out his car keys from his back pocket. Nancy doesn't stay to hear the explanation of where the car is parked and instead just heads towards the parking lot. She starts to run when she hears that Nathan starts walking behind her.
How can you need air to breath when you are outside? The question is constant on Nancy's mind as the parking lot is before her. The night has fallen and if it hadn't been for the high music blasting around her, her running legs, or the fact that alcohol is flowing faster than water tonight, she might have seen the car coming towards her.
She might have been able to stop in time and not before the headlight of something monstrous as a truck came towards her. The driver thinking that everyone was at the beach. But it came, hit and stopped. As the driver later came climbing out of the truck, the honk screaming and the air-bag blown up, it was clear to see that it was more than the lipstick of the girl behind him that was red.
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6th of April
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Memories of Summer
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