The Tour. | +18 | BWWM

𝄞 21 | Rise

My hand wraps tight around Zoey's. Dress in our stage costumes; it's a little weird. I breathe in and out slowly in an effort to keep my vocal cords warm for the live performance. My gaze hasn't left Asher's hazel eyes across the stage. The lights were up backstage as all the pieces are moved for the opening performance. For some reason, even with us sitting in second, Asher still had confidence in his eyes. They were those nebulous eyes with all the possibilities of blown-out stardust. It still reminds me of when I was younger and I live off stardust and dreams of what might be. All those possibilities in the stars are there. The place where the judges normally sit is empty. Asher, Camille, and Adam's signs lit up to show the current standings. Broadways sign with more lights under it than Pop and Rock. On the bright side, it's not like we were in the hole like we were after the first show. We are within a screaming distance of first place Broadway and tied with Pop for second place. We were going first and we would miss all the other teams' performances because of it.

The live performance is laid out, so each team sings with all three judges. My stomach turned with the idea of this being the first time Asher and I have sung in front of an audience. The judges are professional singers in their own right and it's overwhelming. A dream I didn't realize I had. I've never got to sing on stage with Asher before. Until I really wanted it, I didn't know that was what I wanted. I want to be good. I want us to work together and I'm bone-deep scared.

"Five minutes to curtain," Megumi calls out.

Zo squeezes my hand, and I squeeze hers back. I'm reminded of what she told me when we were in our first rehearsal. When I was a kid, I had a different dream. She was right. I remember it. Before I knew about reality, but maybe tonight I'll chase a piece of the stars.

"We can do this together," Zo says to me. Her voice was filled with resolve. I wanted to give her the same determination back. No doubt, no moving in different directions, just this moment together. A part of me admits to myself the thing I keep holding back from myself. The tiny bit of the maybes that's been plaguing me since the bonfire. When I finally let myself really imagine singing professionally.

"Together, Zo," I smile at her and she smiles back. "Oh, and no matter what, sweet potato pie!" She laughed at my casual bribe.

I take one last long look at Asher and he smirks at me next to the other judges dressed up. I can almost hear him saying sing for me, birdy.

"Count it," Megumi announced. The countdown for the curtains to lift started. Paulie hyped everything on the mic. The lights went down. I release Zo's hand and walk onto the dark stage first. The piano comes in and it's simple. Perfect...

***

It was better than I thought. This is what it would be like if we won. If we went city to city performing music professionally. I smiled to myself when they brought all the contestants back on stage. Every team had their performance with the judges. Paulie was announcing the standings after the voting from the viewers at home.

"We have a three-way tie," he said as if he was crushing glass through his teeth. But all of us even team Broadway with Kyle jumping up and down.