The Ice Princess and The Bad Boy

Chapter Seven - Conquering Stage Fright

"Stop joking around. Why are you even here?" I demanded.

"Well, I came to see my lovely partner and all I get is a whack in the arm as usual."

"That's because you deserved it!"

"You're partners for what?" Ali asked looking extremely lost along with Carly and Grayson.

"She and I just so happen to be partners for the Winter Concert," Eli explained. "I'd love to stay and chat some more, but I got to go. Later Preston! Meet me in the music room after school." Then he was off, disappearing as fast as he had appeared.

The three of them still at the table looked at me expectantly and I shrugged. What the heck just happened?

School had just ended as I made my way to the music room like Eli had told me to do. I had given my keys to Grayson so he could drive home on his own, but he had refused and offered to wait for me so I had to literally shove him into the driver's seat and send him off.

"You're late," Eli said as I entered the music room.

"It's only been a couple minutes after the bell rang," I simply replied. "Why do we have to practice now? We have a month to prepare."

"I never thought you would be a procrastinator."

"Well, I never knew you even bothered with school."

"Touché," Eli replied. "So we have to pick a song. What song do you want to perform?"

"I don't know," I shrugged.

"Okay, just sing for me and we'll see," Eli said.

"I can't."

"Just sing anything."

I shook my head.

"Sing," he insisted.

"Why don't you sing?"

"Well, I'm not a vocalist, I play instruments, but if you really want me to sing, I will," he announced.

Eli started strumming his guitar and singing to Bruno Mars' Billionaire. His voice was so deep, rich and smooth that everything word he sang just flowed out of his mouth with ease. After he was done and looked at me expectantly.

"I didn't know you could sing," I commented, quite amazed.

"I prefer the guitar more than singing," he shrugged like it was no big deal. "So are you going to sing?"

I looked down on the ground. I guess it was only fair if I sang after he did so I began to sing in a low voice.

"I can't really hear you," Eli commented and I stopped singing.

"Um, you see, I kind of can't sing in front of other people," I admitted. I didn't know why, I just couldn't. When I was at home, I could sing so loud and clear, but when I had to sing in front of someone other than myself, I just couldn't.

"Stage fright?" He asked and I nodded slightly embarrassed. "Then let's go."

"Go where?" I asked confused. "Aren't we practicing?"

"Well, we can't practice if one of us can't even sing out loud in front of an audience," Eli said, grabbing my hand and dragging me out of the school building to who knows where.

We arrived in front of the Lexington Café which was right outside of the school walls and owned by none other than Vanessa Lexington's family. It was the place students usually hung out before and after school.  It was also enemy territory for me. I never dared go in there because I knew Isabelle and her groupie hung around in there a lot.

"What are we doing here?" I exclaimed as Eli dragged me closer and closer to the café.

"We're going to get rid of your stage fright," he announced proudly.

"I can't go in there," I pleaded, trying to pull my hand out of his which resulted in him gripping my hand even tighter. What would people think if they saw us hand in hand?

Next thing I knew, we were in the café and all eyes were on us as Eli dragged me onto the little stage in the café. I didn't miss the glares shot by Vanessa and the confused look on Isabelle's face.

Eli grabbed the microphone with his free hand and still holding my mind with the other, he announced to the whole café, "Violet Preston is going to be singing this afternoon."

I was about to whack him in the arm when Eli whispered, "You don't want to hit me in front of all these people, they'll probably think you're violent or something which you are."

I sighed and stopped myself. "I'm not singing in front of all these people," I hissed into his ear so no one else could hear. The café was jammed pack.

"Don't worry sweet pea, you'll do great." He patted the top of my head before he handed me the microphone and began to walk off the stage.

"Wait, please don't leave me," I called to him and he came back.

"What's wrong?" He looked worried for once in his life.

"I'm scared," I blurted out without thinking. I just wanted the ground to swallow me up then and there.

"Okay then. I'll stay with you," he said as he put both of his hands on my shoulders. "Close your eyes. Pretend there's nobody in the audience and it's only you standing here on the stage," he instructed and I closed my eyes and followed his instructions. "Now sing your heart out."

Then I began to sing out loud, loud and clear like how I would alone and at home. Once I felt comfortable, I fluttered my eyes open and immediately saw the crowd, but my voice didn't flatter. My heart was rapidly beating and there was adrenaline rushing through my veins as I sung. I couldn't believe it. I was singing in front of an audience and for the first time ever, I wasn't scared.