Stage Fright

Chapter 50 ~ Performance Anxiety

☆ Sexual content in this chapter ☆ 

Josh

Something had happened, I wasn't sure what but Heather was staying glued to Mandy's side. They seemed to be having fun but I could always tell when Heather was thinking about something. 

The girls of the show were all taking big group pictures, smiling and laughing. I knew those would be everywhere tomorrow morning, that they all wanted one with the most popular girl at school.

I've been giving her space but I wanted to spend time with her. I wasn't sure why she and Mandy had become so close all of a sudden. 

Then I watch as Mandy waves goodbye to everyone, saying that her ride home was here and she was leaving. Even more strangely was how Owen reacted to that, he seemed upset that she was going. Mandy wouldn't even meet his eyes and walked out the front door. 

As soon as Mandy was gone Heather walked back to the kitchen to open another drink and I followed her there.

"Heather." I whisper and she smiles setting her drink down and looping her arms around my waist.

"Hi." She whispers back, giving me a quick kiss. I momentarily forget what I even came in here for and she giggles, giving me a good hug. "Sorry, I wasn't going to ditch you but it was an emergency."

"What happened?" I ask and she kisses my cheek, pulling back to look at me.

"I'll tell you later when we're alone." She whispers and I raise my eyebrows. "It's not serious but I don't want anyone to overhear. I've done a lot of counselling tonight." She laughs and I join her.

"Can I have you for a dance?" I ask and she nods.

"Maybe even two." She teases and I take her hand leading her to the space where everyone was dancing together. She pulls me close and I set my hands on her hips.

"You look so pretty tonight." I whisper and even under the dark lights of the room I can see her cheeks flush. "I'm very lucky."

"That makes two of us." She whispers and I smile. 

For a while we just dance together, no talking necessary, I was happy and so was she. Feeling her exposed skin under my fingertips and watching her necklace catch the light.

"Should we commemorate this day?" She asks and I furrow my eyebrows. "Autumn!" She calls and Autumn walks over, Heather hands off her cellphone with a grateful smile. "Could you take a few pictures of us?" She asks and I smile.

I pull her closer, she whispers something to me that makes me laugh. I kiss her temple and she gives me a kiss on the cheek. I almost forgot someone was taking pictures of us.

"Aw." Autumn says, pouting out her bottom lip. "You two are cute."

"Thank you." Heather says, ruffling my hair a bit and taking her phone back. "And thanks Autumn, you're the best."

"No problem, I'll let you guys be alone." She says with a polite wave and Heather drags me to sit on the couch with her. We look at the pictures and I'm almost shocked. They looked so natural, like someone had been just taking moments out of our day to day lives.

"These are so good." Heather insists, scrolling through them. "They look so normal."

"Send those to me." I whisper and she nods, leaning in and resting her head on my shoulder. She air-drops them to my phone and then works her magic with the photo of her kissing my cheek, changing the highlights and shadows. Nothing about us changes but the picture looks incredibly brighter.