Chapter Eight*

1 0 0
                                    

Music for this Chapter: Hands of Love by Miley Cyrus, Phone by Witt Lowry ft. Gjan

Tonight's outfit isn't nearly as dramatic as the last live show. Going with what is apparently my new modus operandi, I'm barefoot, my toenails painted white to match my gauzy dress. The dress has a sweetheart neckline and a few yards of extra fabric to blow theatrically behind me as I sing with the help of two strategically placed fans. Despite Stella's fierce arguments, I insisted on a pair of white spandex shorts to wear just in case the wind blows the hem of my dress a little too high.

My long blonde hair is loose and curled softly with the front braided back away from my face. I am made up only slightly with foundation, powder, bronzer, mascara and some chapstick. According to Stella, we're going for a natural, I-woke-up-like-this vibe. Nevermind the fact that it still took about twenty minutes to do my makeup and another forty to do my hair.

So here I am, sitting in my conference room with Taking Flight and Nadia, waiting patiently for my turn to perform. Nadia was one of the first performances and Taking Flight went on about thirty minutes ago, I'm one of the last to go. It's been a long night. Rehearsals were never ending and something was wrong with the lighting system. Not to mention that when I was rehearsing my throat started to feel tight and scratchy.

So now I'm impatiently waiting for my turn to perform. Nadia is talking to her mom on the phone and Taking Flight are discussing the pros and cons of leather pants, seeing as Ava and Faye are both wearing a pair. Ben and Jacob are eating chocolate Hostess cupcakes, which they smuggled in via Faye's purse.

"Do you want one, London?" Jacob asks when he notices my lovestruck gaze focused on his cupcake and I immediately start pouting. Seeing as my entire wardrobe is white, I decided not to risk smearing chocolate on the fabric.

"I want one so freaking bad!" I whine and Nadia laughs at me, glancing up from her phone.

"I'll wait side stage with a cupcake for after your performance." I laugh, appreciating our friendship more than ever at the promise of sugar.

"You are a Goddess!" I exclaim just as a stagehand comes into the room.

"Five minutes, London. We need you stage left." Slipping my feet into my slippers and handing Nadia my phone, I stand up and move towards the door.

"Good luck, London!" Ava calls cheerily and seconds later, just as I leave the room, I see Ben smash a cupcake into Haley's face. I laugh as I walk away, following the stagehand through a chaotic backstage.

The stage is black while I walk barefoot to the microphone stand but as soon as my music starts I'm surrounded by a kaleidoscope of color. Goosebumps spread across my skin at the air being blown my way and as my dress dances around my calves a sense of belonging fills me when I wrap my hands around the mic and start singing.

"When the white flag sails, covered in streaks of blood. There'll be an endless sea of hands rising up. And the preacher man and the preacher's son will stand arm in arm, just like every one." I adjust my grip on my microphone, blinking as the stage blooms in every color in the rainbow. This song doesn't have difficult vocals, but that doesn't make it easy. This is one of the hardest songs I've ever sung. I'm singing solely in a higher pitch for the entire song. The control I'm holding over my voice right now is kind of uncomfortable and I wish I'd done more of the vocal exercises Kelly taught me earlier this week.

"We longing to be free, I won't let you fade away. We shared so many dreams, I won't let them fade away. In the hands of love, we carry on. Stronger than we started. Of the ash and dust that trail behind us. Wicked is the blinded. Who we are comes to life, yeah. Who we are comes to life." I have the sudden urge to cough and I feel myself panicking, but as my frantic gaze roams over the audience and to Damon, he smiles at me and the panic-y feeling in my chest and tummy fade away. Though the tickle in my throat stays.

London Rising (Wild Hearts Book 1)Where stories live. Discover now