Just A Moment

A Perfect Duo

When they reached the den, the boys were settling into their assorted positions around the circle, the noise they created audible in the streets close by and the light from the lamps illuminating the dark winter night. For some reason, the den was particularly daunting that night, or at least Hope thought it was. It seemed larger and more intimidating.

With every step forward Hope took, she felt the anticipation of the atmosphere buzzing around her body with an increasingly forceful intensity. Her heart beat in her chest and Hope felt herself begin to shake with nerves. She kept telling herself that she was fine, but it became evident, even to Joe, that she wasn't.

'You're really nervous?' Joe asked, and Hope nodded, swallowing hard. There was a pause, whilst Joe leaned in close to Hope's neck, and she felt her whole-body freeze up. 'Me too.' He whispered.

Hope turned to him in disbelief. 'You're just saying that.' She managed to croak out of her dry throat.

Joe shook his head. 'Of course I'm nervous. I'm singing a new set of songs in front a new crowd and I have absolutely no idea of how they'll be received. How these boys react could change my whole life.'

Hope looked around the small circle of familiar faces. 'I suppose you do have a lot riding on this.'

Joe exhaled with a shaky laugh. 'Yeah I do. But one thing I do know...' he paused, looking Hope dead in the eye. 'You are going to be amazing, so none of the other things will matter to me. Well, at least while we're up there.'

Looking down to the guitar in Joe's hands, Hope truly believed that she could do it for once.

'Hope Jenkins?' Mack called down from his balcony with amusement. 'Didn't expect to see you back here so soon. I remember you making a remark about us paying for your next appearance, and that isn't going to happen.'

Hope looked up to Mack with a sly smile. 'I'm here with Joe.'

'Oooo, do I sense a romance brewing?' Mack leaned forward in his chair, a protective look coming across his face. 'Or has it already brewed?'

Hope flushed scarlet, but thankfully Joe answered so that she didn't have to. 'She's actually come here to sing with me, Mack, if that's alright with you. Two for the price of one.'

To someone who didn't know Mack, it seemed as if he smiled and nodded nonchalantly. But Hope noted that he had scanned her up and down to assess what she was feeling. They knew each other so well that a simple glance could convey more than words ever could.

Joe jumped up onto the make-shift stage, offering Hope a hand up. From somewhere in the dark crowd, two makeshift microphones were thrown at Hope and Joe, which they simultaneously caught.

'Something to warm them up before we set off on the serious stuff?' Joe asked.

Hope nodded with a smile. 'Follow my lead. I know what they like.'

Joe arched his eyebrows in surprise, but Hope started singing before he had chance to say anything and her self-doubt began to set in. Launching into the first male-female duet she could think of, Hope began to sing, and Joe smiled at her choice.

Just as Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes' vocals compliment each other on the original track, Hope and Joe's voices harmonised naturally along the phrases of 'I Know What You Did Last Summer'.

Their energy bounced off one another building as the intensity of the song built. The crowd around them got louder and louder in their praise of the duo, and Hope felt intensely alive in a way she had never experienced.

Looking at Joe, Hope spun towards him, and he caught her in his arms. Joe smiled down at Hope, taking her hand in his and walking her to the edge of the stage, which increased the volume of the crowd still further. Without words, he taught her the art of performance, and Hope felt it all came so naturally.

At the end of the song, the pair ended up on their knees, breathless and smiling uncontrollably.

'That was incredible!' Joe exclaimed breathlessly, getting up from his knees and helping Hope to do the same. 'I didn't think you'd do anything like that.'

Hope smiled. 'I want to help you succeed. And look,' she gestured around the still enthusiastically applauding crowd of boys, 'they loved it. You were wonderful.'

'No, you were wonderful. I couldn't have done that without you.'

Hope blushed. 'Thanks...' She didn't know what to say, so asked awkwardly. 'Er, do you think we should do your stuff now?'

'Sounds like a plan to me.' Joe beamed.

Taking his guitar from the hands of the crowd that surrounded them, Joe arranged the capo correctly and began to play the gentle tune. Immediate silence fell amongst the boys.

Hope felt herself shake in fear at what she was about to attempt, so kept her eyes firmly locked on Joe. He smiled in a way that she presumed was supposed to relax her, and it had the desired effect of distracting her.

Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes as Joe sang, Hope took in and absorbed the sound of his voice, memorising every part of it to give her strength. When she opened her mouth to sing, it felt incredibly natural for such a new experience.

The boys erupted into cheers as Hope and Joe began to sing the chorus. Hope felt a smile tug at the sides of her mouth, but she kept looking at Joe, fearing that if she severed the connection between them something would go terribly wrong.

Joe took a sudden step towards Hope, his smile fading, and Hope felt herself begin to shake again, but not out of fear. They stood facing each other, and Hope dared to reach a hand out and stroke Joe's forearm. The soft touch sent shivers up her spine and made her stomach roll.

Joe and Hope held each other's gaze tightly as they sang, their words no longer coming from the page but from their souls in a strange way, and Hope felt her heart race. The song built to a climax, and the energy arching between them was powerful enough to silence the gang once more.

As Joe strummed the last chord, the boys erupted into riotous praise and applause, but Hope heard none of it. Pulling the strap of his guitar over his head, Joe gently placed his guitar on the floor, then reached out to Hope and pulled her into a firm embrace.

For a few seconds, Hope ceased to breathe, the internalised rhythm of her pounding heart drowning out all other senses. The feel of his arms around her, the spicy cologne smell permeating from him as he embraced her, and the strength of his body made her feel like she wanted to tremble.

When they pulled back at first, Joe did not release Hope for a few moments. He was smiling, but gradually his smile faded. Their faces were so close that they could feel the other person's breath against their face.

Hope could hear her heart pounding in her ears, and she completely ceased to breathe as Joe leaned in marginally closer. Surely he wasn't going to kiss her? Not at the den of all places.

'Hope Jenkins,' he whispered, his lips dry and his voice cracking slightly, 'we are going to do amazing things together.'

Hope smiled and bit her lip as she blushed. 'I'm certain that we will.'