Backstage Pass

Chapter 4: Dancers

Mild use of mature language and themes

Asher's POV/|

I plug in my electric guitar to the amp and walk to the center of the stage. I then change a few different settings to prep for the first song. The curtain is blocking my view of the crowd, but I prefer it that way. I get in my head if I see the crowd too much before a show.

"You guys ready?" Jasper asks from his seat at the drum set.

We both nod and he starts up a slow bass drum heavy rhythm as the curtains start to open. I join him with a kind of grungy but smooth melody on my guitar. Shayne also joins with some background bass.

I close my eyes to deliver the first few lines and get comfortable on stage:

"Take you like a drug
I taste you on my tongue
You ask me what I'm thinking about
I tell you that I'm thinking about
Whatever you're thinking about
Tell me something that I'll forget
And you might have to tell me again
It's crazy what you'll do for a friend"

I open my eyes and sway with my guitar while looking into the crowd to see if people are enjoying the song choice as I continue:

"Go ahead and cry, little girl
Nobody does it like you do
I know how much it matters to you
I know that you got daddy issues
And if you were my little girl
I'd do whatever I could do
I'd run away and hide with you
I love that she's got daddy issues, and I do too"

Next I look across the room at everything going on. The bar is in the back but most people are up front at the stage. Waiters are bringing drinks to people dancing, on couches, or at VIP tables. This place is so nice, so fancy.

I looked to the side stages next, the dancers are familiar. So familiar. Wait! That's Elle and Vivian! How the hell did they get up there. I force myself to look away and continue singing.

I only make it a few lines further into the song before I realize I can't keep my eyes off of her. My vision gravitates to the glowing left side stage. Where did she learn to move like that? Her body glides across the stage and around the pole like she's done it her whole life.

The lingerie she is wearing accentuates every curve. The best part? Her eyes keep switching over to me, and she's mouthing the lyrics along with me.

But then her rhythm changes. She spins around the pole so she's facing me with her back to the pole. One hand holds beneath her and another right above. She slower lowers her body into a deep squat and she raises her eyebrows at me. Then I see her mouth the word, "Sing."

Shit. For the last couple lines of the chorus I was so distracted I forgot to sing. Thankfully, the guys still carried on singing the backing vocals and the crowd took over the main vocals like it was their very own moment in the spotlight. I wait until the start of a line and jump back in like nothing happened:

"And if you were my little girl
I'd do whatever I could do
I'd run away and hide with you
I love that she's got daddy issues, and I do too"
(Daddy Issues by The Neighbourhood)

For the rest of the night I force myself to look anywhere but the side stages. On one side is my buddy's girl and on the other side is the best distraction I've ever seen with my own eyes.

I painfully force myself to look ahead or behind me through all the other songs and the night seems to move so slowly. I focus myself on every chorus and verse, and I start to regret the set list we put together. Every song makes me think of her.

It starts with the chorus and smooth bounce of the second song:

"It started with a bang
Don't know how you got me so messed up
But baby, I won't ever get enough, oh
'Cause I'm so damn into you
I'm so damn into you
Into you, into you"
(So Damn Into You by Vlad Holiday)

Then it carried into song three's quick dark rhythm and lyrics that I wish I could just say to her face:

"I don't want you to go
I need more of you in my life
Nobody should be alone
Please let me take you home tonight (oh)
Don't you know that I
Don't you know I want you so bad?
And every night I call for you
Don't you know that I
Don't you know I want you so bad?
I'd do anything to touch you
Don't you know that I
Don't you know that I'm going mad?
And in a moment I would fall for you
Don't you know that I
Don't you know I want you so bad? (So bad)
I'd do anything to love you"
(Don't You Know by Jaymes Young)

Ugh, I can't get her off my mind. Every lyric, every beat, every single word, it's her. All I can think about is her, and I just met her. What is she doing to me?

I push through the next three songs, but I don't know how I can keep my eyes off of her much longer. I just can't. I give in and sing the last song to her and only her. I lock eyes with her and watch the way her body moves across the stage. The lyrics flow from my mouth without a single thought other than her, Elle:

"Give me your hand
I'll show you things you've never done
Hold my head
I'll make you feel like never before"

She notices my attention on her and focuses her dance in my direction. Her body moves with the rhythm of my voice.

"Take off your clothes
Give me your trust
Look me in the eyes and confess your lust"

She winks at me before dancing around the pole once again. I'm in shock. She winked at me. Those gorgeous eyes winked at me.

"Get on your knees
Beg me to stop
I promise I'll love you if you do it
So do it for me"
(Do It For Me by Rosenfeld)

She slows her dance as the song finishes and she exits toward stage left. Shayne, Jasper, and I exit stage right. All I can think is, where did Elle learn to do that? She was perfect in every way.

I want her so bad. No, not want, need. I need her.

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(1116 words)