Out of Time

Chapter 22: VIP

Your eyes shine the most. Marshall parted the black curtains to peak at their audience, and there she was, standing in the VIP box along with Eli and Zach, he was meters away but he can see how she blows her gum while impatiently waiting for the event to start.

Without warning, the lights went dark, the moon and stars above were the only source of light remained. This was the moment they had been waiting for. Their adrenaline went through the roof. The time had finally come that they would get to see and hear their third live concert.

The stage lights opened up and splashes throughout the whole field. The fan girls screamed like lion's roar. The excitement had been exploded in the field.

The spotlights opened up and focused on the big four walking towards the stage. "What is up Montiel High!" Marshall breaks through with every syllable. The atmosphere pulled everybody stood up and started screaming as the beat of the music gets louder, the whole stage started to shake and vibrate.

As their first song continued, Marshall began to dance a bit around the stage – interacting with his guitarist, bassist and drummer individually. They were all smiling and laughing as they played and sang – not so much as to ruin the music, of course, but enough that you could tell these people truly loved the music and that they get to do it living. Following that were performances of some of the other tracks from their most recent album.

As they catch their breaths, they looked and smiled at each other. "We should get going, may you enjoy Mj's last performance." Their bassist tapped and teased him away from the mic while exiting the stage. Marshall took the last drop of water from his bottle and threw it away.

"My first solo." He paused as he gulped, "And there's someone who already knows this song." His raspy voice echoed throughout the whole field before it was filled with the crowd's roar after the big announcement.

Marshall started playing Feeling Fine – Dylan Rockoff

"He told me about this one." Azriella whispered to Eli. Her eyes widen up and a smile immediately form on her face. Eli's lips are about to tear apart.

Azriella lost the ability to breathe for a moment. As the song played, she heard other people swaying along– it made her heart swell to know that she was the first person who knew about this song.

Eli shook her back to her senses, "Maybe this song is for you. Listen thoroughly."

"It isn't." Zach scoffed beside them interrupting the conversation they're having.

Eli shoved him and rolled her eyes, "So bitter."

Max's eyes wandered around the audience members when his eyes met the only pair he wishes to stare the whole night. His lips trembled into a sweet smile, his cheeks went on fire, he looked down to his guitar making the crowd scream louder.

"Whoever that girl is, she's so lucky she can make our MJ that red!" Someone murmurs behind Azriella's seat.

The large television behind Max opened up and an outline of a girl started playing.

"Isn't that you?! That's your glasses!" Eli broke her own voice out of excitement, "This is happening!" She exclaimed.

Azriella placed her finger on her lips to try and make her stop from whining. Azriella's muscles tensed as more and more people started squeezing her into a square. She felt like standing in a middle of a cornfield, except tighter, less cooling, and uncomfortable. Marshall stopped in the middle of his song, "Stop squeezing her everyone." He said as he came back to his song.

His eyes grazing over her form are fluttering butterflies seeking plants to host their young. "Falling in love with you was the easy part, I mean who wouldn't?" He spoke while wandering around the stage. "It's admitting to myself that it happened that's hard.  You see I've had these very obvious signs for some other time now and you didn't even notice them? How rude." He exclaimed, everyone laughed along. "I could ask why, but what's the point? All what matter now is..." Marshall took a deep breath. "You're here and I'm so glad, even if I'm sometimes hiding, imagining a distance instead of seeing you right there."

"Azriella Dawn Montgomery... This may be cliché, and you told me you're not used at seeing me like this but were we ever strangers? I'm not sure we were. That day I first saw you there was something even then, though I didn't know what. I wonder if there's an element of time that allows me to feel a strong love, like a neon glow bursting over a dark horizon. I would give up anything in the world for you, I would do anything to keep you safe. I like you." He declared.

A deafening bang reached their ears as the firework exploded and scattered thousands of tiny sparks into the sky telling everyone the concert has finally came into a conclusion.

We are the fireworks in this darkness, the blaze that dares to light up the whole night.