Wrapped Around Your Finger\\M.C.

<<<eighteen>>>

<<<Samantha>>>

Samantha smiles at her phone as she watches the once red headed boy, now natural blond, tease fans during the live concert for the release of their third album, hosted by Apple Music. He looks up at the camera with an open mouth and cheeky smirk, immediately bringing a smile to her lips as her tummy flips, remembering how those lips felt on hers. She watches him with pride, happy for his success in not only his career but in his relationships as well, forever glad to see he is the same loving person.

"Have you listened to the album yet?" Stacy asks from behind her, startling her.

"Shit!" she gasps as she turns around, grabbing her heart before she laughs, "No I haven't had time. But I plan to tonight."

"You should, its really good," Stacy smiles, "Or as Ashton would say, 'It's a banger'."

They both giggle before, Brendan, their manager comes into the dressing room. He winks as he walks over to Stacy and kisses her temple, her ringed hand grabbing his. He grins at Samantha and releases a sad breath, his eyes smarting.

"They're almost ready for you," he tells her in a thick British accent.

"Stop it," Samantha sasses him gently, "You're acting like you'll never see me again."

"You're dream is coming true," he shrugs, "I won't be seeing you as much."

"It's one contract," Samantha waves her hand.

"You told me you received three more!" Stacy exclaims.

"I haven't accepted them," Samantha defends as they all laugh.

"Well you should," Brendan smiles.

"Maybe not all of them at once," Stacy says, "I don't want you to overwhelm yourself and then chicken out."

"I won't," Samantha smiles and her fingers run over the woven band on her wrist.

"Okay," Stacy grins before looking away, always giving Sami her privacy as her memories flood her at the feeling of the worn thread.

"Welp, you'd better get out there," Brendan says, returning Samantha back into the dressing room and away from the Santa Cruz beach with the camouflaged angel.

"Yeah," she sighs, recovering from the image of his lips before she grabs her guitar and winks at them.

She walks out on stage, the full bar clapping and hollering at her presence while she sits on the barstool next to the microphone. A grin spreads across her lips at the familiar and beaming faces, nodding at her friends who wave from their tables. She takes a deep breath as her gaze hones in on the chalk menu board, her tummy flipping at the announcement.

Sami Celebration Night
Come join us to celebrate the wonderful Sami and her new contract as a songwriter.
Congrats Sami
You did it!

Her fingers run over the etched waves in her pick-guard and she grabs the mic, "Welcome everyone. Thank you for being here on this very special night." The audience claps and whistles, making her cheeks flush before she continues, "I am going to perform my own songs like normal but first I wanted to play a cover of a song from a very wonderful band that entered my life when I was at my darkest."

"Green Day!" someone in the audience yells and she laughs as she readjusts on the stool and begins to lightly strum a G chord.

"Surprisingly, no. But this song is dedicated to my late sister Lexi. I know she's smiling down on me, happy I made it." She strums a beautiful melody swaying to the sound before she stops and leans to the mic, "This is 'Wrapped Around Your Finger'."