The Invisible Silver Lining [CURRENTLY BEING EDITED]

Chapter 14

From now on, unless I say otherwise on a special chapter or something, the story will remain in Emilee's PoV.

-CFF

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I run into the theater completely dressed in an outfit that consists of paint splattered jeans and a form-fitting brown shirt that is also decorated in paint blobs. I still have some old clothes from when I went to a serving camp two years ago. Myself, and a couple of other teens, went to Salt Lake City, Utah, and spent a week there. We built roofs, fences, painted houses and sheds, did yard work, and helped clean up a couple of neighborhoods. I was on a painting crew, meaning about seven teens, including myself, and three adults scraped old paint off, primed, painted, and trimmed a two story house. It was quite an experience, I made life long friends and learned quite a few things that I will never forget.

I run across the stage, heading to the basement and flying down the stairs. I'm slightly late, but thankfully today is only a set day, no rehearsals. Everyone is supposed to be here and finish getting the backdrops completed. With the twelve ones we're using, with all but one the size of the stage, we have our work cut out for us. I head into the back room, looking for an open spot to sit and paint in.

I pull out my iPod and plug it into the stereo that is sitting on a black table on the back wall. I stayed up pretty late last night after Xander dropped Sharon and I off from our outing, I couldn't sleep. So I unpacked my old clothes and made a couple of music playlists for today. I press the play button and the music fills the room. I sit on my knees next to Xander. I reach for a paint brush and start working on the stone wall backdrop we are halfway through with. I smile as the chorus starts and I start singing along.

I've got rings on my fingers and glitter in my hair. I bought a one-way ticket and I just got here I'm gonna run this town, run this town. I'm gonna run this town run this town. I got high heeled stilettos and I'm kicking in doors.

Xander smiles at me as he says, "I love your voice. Its amazing." I laugh it off. Why does he keep giving me compliments? I'm not all he's making me up to be. I wish he'd see me for what I really am. My voice is average at best. I'm not gorgeous like Sharon, Megan, or Bethany. I'm not very good at humor or making people laugh. I get shy easily, I watch everything I say, I'm self-conscious. I can't dance, I can only act amaturely because of all the classes I've taken. I really wish he'd stop putting me on this pedestal, cause I'm not all that and I never will be. I say, "Nah, not really. I wish you could have heard Liz though. She was like... angelic choirs. I know that phrase is used so often, but its true. She was perfect. Especially when she sang.." A thought comes to me. Wait a minute...

I smile. I know he knows this song. "When she sang your song, you know, 'Liv It Up?" He cocks his head as he replies, "Really?"

"Yup. She was your biggest fan. The last couple months before... that song was playing twenty-four seven in her little head. She made sure there was a copy of it on anything that could play music in our house."

Speak of the devil, Liv It Up starts playing. I look up at Xander with a playful smile on my face, "Feel up to giving us a live concert?" He laughs, then starts singing along quietly. If anyone has an amazing voice, its him. I tease him quietly, "We can't hear you." He grins widely and starts singing louder. I join in, and before long, Blake, then Christy, and then pretty much the whole class is singing along. Apart from the couple of girls in this class who worship the ground he walks on, I'm surprised how many here know the song. But then, I guess if there's a famous person located where you are for a long time, I guess you'd check into them.

At the end of the song, I look up at Xander and see that he has a blob of light grey paint on the tip of his nose. I giggle, it looks like he put it on for a costume or something. Its a pretty big splatter, I'm surprised he didn't notice it. Xander hears my laughing and raises an eyebrow. "What?" He asks me. I stop laughing and say with a smile, "You have paint. On your face." I reach out to my left and grab the damp rag that we have been using to correct mistakes and wipe our hands with. I take one of my hands and gently hold his face with it, to hold it steady. I take a corner of the rag and carefully dab at the paint blob until it comes all off. I drop my hand and set the rag down. When I look back at him, at his full face, I see he's blushing for some reason. And I'm confused as to why until I remember. That's right...he said he really liked me. As in more than a friend. Way more. Crap. I probably shouldn't have done that. I wonder.... does he still feel the same way?

I look down at my brush and carefully dip it back into the dark grey paint. There's a slightly awkward silence between us as we keep painting. It doesn't last long however as the door behind us opens with a bang. The person walks over and stands right behind us. She says in a snotty voice to me, "BP." That's her new nickname for me. Its short for bitchy princess. Don't ask me why she calls me that. I don't know for sure, but I think she calls me 'bitchy' because I stand up to her, and don't put up with her crap, speaking to her attitude with one of my own. I don't know why she has the 'princess' part in the name though.

"Barbie." I reply, just acknowledging her presence.  I look up to see her plop down on Xander's crossed legs. She kisses Xander's cheek. I see his eyebrows knit together. He sets his paintbrush back in the bucket and says, "Bethany. Cut the act." He gently but firmly grabs her arms and stands up, picking her up with him. She puts her arms around his neck and he jerks back, out of her grasp. Everyone's watching now. She says in a coy voice. "Xander. Please? I still have feelings for you. I know you feel the same. If you come back to me now, I'll just pretend the breakup never happened."

"No. I like someone else. I could never go back to you."

She frowns, her face the pure picture of one who is gonna throw a tantrum. She keeps her voice speaking in a normal tone, although its easy to see she's having a hard time controlling herself. "What? Surely you don't think that. Who is she? She could never compare to me no matter what you think, I know."

He looks at her, his eyes narrowed. "You're wrong. You're a bitch, she's a sweetheart. She's talented, you're groping just to get any kind of attention. She cares for people, you're only concern is for yourself. She's gorgeous, you're only so because of the plastic surgery." Her mouth drops as a not-so-quite gasp echoes around the room. Xander sees the effect his words had and turns away from her, ignoring her cries of frustration. Bethany huffs and runs out of the room. I don't think anyone would have wanted her to stay anyways.

I feel heat rush to my cheeks as he sits down next to me. Why the hell am I blushing? This needs to stop.

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A/N 3 votes for the next one guys? You did it last time, can you do it again please?

-CFF