~ Four Days Later ~
Lauren's POV:
The ground beneath my feet rumbled, amplifying my heart rate as I stood on the red X beneath the stage. Thousands were shouting my name so loudly, their voices had blended as one, overwhelmingly intensifying.
Shawna, my makeup artist, did final touch ups on my face and body as Francis made sure of zero flaws within my wardrobe. Standing with my head tilted up and limbs outstretched, I looked at the black equipped ceiling while they worked their magic.
During this moment, I did my best to push thoughts of today, especially ten minutes ago, completely out of my head for the next hour and forty five minutes.
Back in my dressing room, just as I'd gotten dressed and was almost ready to come out, my fiancé paid me a visit from the VIP section of the stadium. He then proceeded to nitpick at my attire, and complained about being here after a long day out.
Me being fed up and not having time for his bullshit, I simply told him no one was making him stay and he could leave.
Even though I could've sworn I said it in the calmest and nicest way possible, he acted as if I'd killed his dog or something. And before I knew it, my back was pressed hard against the wall and a strong hand was gripping my neck, squeezing the life from me as a deep voice shouted at me through a faded ringing.
Now as I stood here, trying to allow the deafening screams to take over my mind, his words, past and present, were all I could think about.
'You know, the only reason you've even gotten this far is because of me.'
'You'd be nothing without me Lauren! You hear me!? You need me!'
'Oh baby girl, I only do the things I do because I love you. Because if I didn't, please believe I wouldn't give you the time of day.'
'All these fans just love you so much- and they see this beautiful princess on stage.... but right now, looking at you up close, with these fake ass tears... I don't see much of anything.'
"Alright Lu, you ready?" James touched my shoulder, pulling me from my thoughts as he flashed me a 'ready to go?' smile.
I smiled back. "Always, J."
"That's what I like to hear," he said,turning to the crew under the stage with me. "Alright boys, you know the drill! Let the show begin!"
Taking deep breaths as the first song on the set list began, I nervously shook the microphone in my right hand while the pedestal ascended up to stage level. My hand then stiffened with confidence as spotlights came into view.
A few moments passed while I took in the crowd before me. Soon, a smile curved onto my lips as I raised the mic up.
"Hi there New York," I said, smiling harder as the noise grew. "Y'all ready?" I asked rhetorically, eyeing the crowd.
As my cue came, I started to sing, and everything that'd been troubling me had fallen away. For this hour and forty five minutes, I wasn't Lauren; I was Luna Re, the most confident and self assured person you'd ever come across. Luna Re had no troubles, no internal struggles, and definitely nothing less than a hundred and ten percent given on stage.
The fans loved Luna Re, and so did I.
~~~~~~~
After the show, it was time to return to Micah's place here in New York.
Tomorrow was my last day here, and I was trying my best not to be upset about it. Of course I didn't want to leave New York. Sade's here and when I leave, how soon would it be until I got to see her again?
Days, weeks, months?
And after last seeing her, I couldn't just leave, not like this...
When she and I had a moment that'd been unfortunately interrupted by Hunter, it made things feel very...unfinished, when I left.
Hunter was surprised to see me when I was the one to exit Sade's home office instead of Sade herself. And when she came out of the room shortly after me, it seemed Hunter may have connected some dots, but didn't say a word.
She and I were in urgent need of a one on one talk though, and that's what we had before I met Troy downstairs.
We chatted at Sade's kitchen island while she claimed to have gone to take a shower. Knowing her though, she probably let the water run while eavesdropping at the top of the steps.
An apology to Hunter was due on my account.
Back in college, I let my issues with Sade interfere with our friendship, and ended up losing my best friend. Hunter admitted to being hurt by the action, to which I could only offer a sincere voice of regret and a promise to do better, in hopes of rekindling what we had.
Though I expected more animosity and more hardship in trying to get our friendship back, Hunter, to my surprise, took me in her arms, whispering "all's forgiven" before drawing back with a smile. I was shocked to say the least, and questioned the action.
Waving me off, she said she completely understood and probably would've felt just as torn in my position then. And just like that, we were back in each other's lives. Words couldn't explain how glad I was when leaving Sade's apartment.
That all faded away once I returned to an expectedly empty apartment, and was met with Micah, and his attitude.
Thankfully, I was getting the silent treatment that night instead of slaps in the face, things thrown at me, or me being thrown into something.
All week, he's been giving me shit, about this and that, day in and day out. And to say I was drained by now, wasn't even the word. Anytime he displayed affection toward me, which had become rare now, was only if eyes were on us.
Behind closed doors, though, he was a completely different person. And it made me think of when we first met. How stupid I must've been...
The facade I see so clearly now, I believed was the real him then. He treated me as if I meant the world to him, like he'd do anything for me. And it went from constantly feeling special to only feeling special until I said or did something he didn't like. That then became me being a punching bag whenever I said or did something he didn't like, and only feeling special when around others, or he did something behind my back and didn't want me to find out about it.
Now, he just does it anyway, and is aggressive with me all the time, even just for being too quiet. And as for feeling special...not even an audience gave him motivation for that anymore.
The person I knew then, isn't the person I know now. Hell if that was ever even him then at all. I have no idea who he is anymore.
I have no idea who I am anymore...
But then, there was Sade... My dearest Sade.
Hanging out with her a few days ago, it was the first time in a long time that I'd genuinely laughed and smiled, and so much at that. I had never felt more like myself, and I hadn't felt that way in months, maybe years.
So suddenly, she came back into my life, and instantly I felt like I could breathe again. The mere presence of her made me feel like everything would be okay.
She felt like home. And I'd missed that. I didn't want to let that go any time soon, if ever.
~ The Next Day ~
Omniscient POV:
"Sah-prise Shaw-tayyy!" Hunter exclaimed once she waltzed through Sade's front door as if she herself lived there as well.
Sade was in the kitchen, still slightly dressed in her work attire, and making homemade ramen with dumplings for dinner when Hunter rounded toward the kitchen.
"Ah yes," she said through a breath while setting the food on the kitchen island. "The bane of my existence."
"Bitch-" Sade snickered while turning to head for the fridge as Hunter took a seat on one of the high chairs. "What's for dinner, mom?" she joked casually.
"For you my darling, a bowl of ice," she turned back to the counter and wiped on a sarcastic smile to which Hunter returned. "And it's perfectly cubed just the way you like it-" Sade mocked, scrunching her nose at Hunter as if she were talking to an infant.
"I hate you," Hunter scowled and narrowed her eyes. Mischievously snickering, Sade passed Hunter a bowl of ramen and dumplings. Hunter then flashed a cheeky smile. "I love youuu-"
"Shut up," Sade chuckled. She then walked around to sit beside Hunter at the island, one seat over.
"Was work chill today?" Hunter asked.
Sade, after taking a bite, shook her head while putting her fork down. "It was a pain in the ass-" Hunter chuckled. "Charlie was out for a family emergency today, and I bout lost it." She shook her head. "That girl needs a raise, 'cause shit."
"That bad huh?"
"Hunter, it was awful. Like these people come to their job everyday, yet still be acting like it's their first day or something. Not to mention the fragrance department lost one of the formulas to a key scent in the collection, which pushes everything back as far as the product being released. And once that happens, it's like a damn domino effect- I can't even." Sade waved a hand as if simply discussing today's events was stressing her out all over again.
"See, what I told you," Hunter sat back in her seat while shaking her head. "A vacation and good sex will get you right sweets, I'm telling you-" Sade grew quiet, then took a few bites of her food. The action didn't go unnoticed by Hunter, of course. "Oh hell no. Spill. Right. Now," she demanded, sitting completely upright within her chair.
Sade chuckled. "Nothing happened, sorry."
"Lies."
"Seriously Hunter. We hung out, she stayed for a bit, you came by, and that was it," Sade shrugged, then mumbled, "she hasn't even spoken to me since, so really, it's nothing-"
"What do you mean? Y'all haven't talked since Sunday?" Sade shook her head. "Seriously??"
Sade shrugged. "She told me she'd be really busy this week, so I can't really feel no type of way. She has her life and I have mine- it's fine."
Glancing at her friend, Hunter sympathetically tilted her head. "Sade..."
"It's fine Hunter," Sade shook her head before standing from her chair, leaving her bowl, half eaten, on the counter. "I'm fine."
With wary eyes, Hunter watched her friend as she began cleaning the already clean kitchen. She put away the leftovers of their dinner, and took her half finished dish to dump in the trash and put the bowl in the sink, immediately scrubbing away.
Not speaking another word, Hunter simply sighed before standing from her chair as well. Sliding her empty bowl near the sink, she stood beside Sade as her friend scrubbed absentmindedly on barely dirty dishes. She placed a hand on her back,
"I'll see you tomorrow alright?"
Sade stood upright with a huff, "Hunter no, you don't have to-"
"No really, I should be getting back to my place. These events can't plan themselves," Hunter smiled, trying to gain one from Sade. Though she did, it was rather weak. "That reminds me, I've got something to tell you about these bridesmaids girl."
"What?"
"So you know, A sent me a list of the bridesmaids and their numbers and pictures- which I've gotta have you look at for color coordination by the way- but tell me why me and one of her friends know each other, Sade."
The tone in the way Hunter said 'know each other' caused a crease in Sade's brow.
Reading her mind before Sade could even ask, "yes, know each other, know each other," Hunter confirmed. Sade snickered while shaking her head and Hunter playfully pushed her shoulder, holding in a laugh as well. "Dude it's not funny!! Apparently, the name I know her by isn't even her actual name."
"What's her name then?"
"Kira, apparently-"
Sade's eyebrows raised in amused shock as she started to chuckle. "Dude, one of Aria's college friends is also one of your flings??" She shook her head, turning back to her task of distraction. "This wedding is about to be in-tres-ting."
"Ugh, don't remind me," Hunter palmed her forehead with a sigh. She then perked up in realization. "Maybe if I just act like I don't know her??" Sade laughed,
"Sure, but do it when I'm around so I can be right there front and center-" Hunter pushed her shoulder again and Sade giggled once more.
Rolling her eyes and smiling, Hunter then backed away to make way for the front door.
"Bye whore, don't miss me too much!"
"Oh God, what ever would I do in your absence," Sade frantically mocked, taking the back of her hand to dramatically lay against her forehead. Hunter cackled as she walked out of the apartment and the door shut behind her, leaving Sade silence.
Her laughter had subsided once Hunter was gone, and now that she was alone, she was in need of another distraction. She didn't know whether she wanted to clean some more, read, watch TV, go sketch some designs, or simply go to sleep.
However, after the hectic day she'd had, sleep seemed like the best option for tonight. That and some soft music.
Wiping her hands dry, Sade looked over the kitchen with a satisfied lip bite before heading into her home office. Going straight to her record player, she was instantly reminded of Sunday evening with Lauren. And though a smile came with the thought, a frown soon followed. She knew she didn't exactly have any right to feel the way she did about not speaking to Lauren all week. Just like Laurne hadn't spoken to her, she'd done the same in a sense. What exactly her reasoning was for not simply picking up the phone, Sade had no clue. She surely was kicking herself for it now though.
Shaking thoughts of last weekend away, she decided on Etta James,' 'At Last!,' vinyl album to put onto the device. It'd always been one of her favorites. Lauren's too...
Sure enough, with cruel irony, 'All I Could Do Was Cry' was the first song to serenade throughout the room.
Ignoring her feelings, or maybe indulging in them, Sade turned the volume up, almost reaching its max. The song followed her as she exited the room, leaving the door open.
Taking a trip upstairs to her bedroom, she took a shower and changed into her matching black silk pajama set of a tank top and shorts.
She did her skincare and brushed her straight hair into a low ponytail, leaving a few straight pieces in the front. Sliding her feet into furry slippers, she opened her bedroom door to head back downstairs.
Being met with 'Stormy Weather' now playing through the apartment, Sade chuckled dryly to herself, wondering what made her choose this album, as she waltzed down the stairs. She poured herself a glass of wine, and left the stove light on in the kitchen before grabbing a chocolate bar and heading for the living room.
Sleep is overrated, she thought, deciding on a movie instead.
However, as she was about to pass the front door to enter the living room, Sade heard a soft knock. Figuring it was none other than Hunter who must've forgotten something or got bored at her place as usual, she exhaled a groan while dragging herself to get the door.
Swinging it open, expecting her blonde, fair skinned friend, she immediately began her complaints about her Hunter's disturbance.
"Hunter babe, you have a key. Why-"
Sade's words instantly halted once she realized Hunter was in fact not at the door. To her surprise, for it was almost 9 o'clock at night, it was Lauren.
"Thought you had a camera," her ex girlfriend smiled.
~~~~~~~~~
Just so you guys know, Lauren's stage name, Luna Re, is pronounced Lu-nah Ray. Not Luna Ree yk what I mean?
K byee ;)
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