Negative, Ghost Writer

Chapter 12

The flight from LA to Vermont was filled with a wide variety of emotions. It was something that she had never experienced before, the shaking hands and out of rhythm beating of her heart. She sat cramped in her seat controlling her breathing and re reading the page over and over, making sure it wasn't a part of the book. Logically, she knew it wasn't a part of the book. The young writer could recognize that handwriting anywhere, and it seems that every time she had glanced over it on the printed page her heart fluttered a bit faster.

With 6 hours left of the flight, she decided to channel her anxiety into a song, a song that Braeden would know belonged only to them. While songs usually come quickly to her when inspired, she found writing this one to be particularly difficult. How do you write a love song about someone who just confessed their love to you in the most romantic, yet subtle way?

Thankfully, the song took roughly 5.5 hours to write. Her personal new favorite, a song of new beginnings. She couldn't help but read over the lyrics with a grand smile, every pearly white tooth showing. Not only was she proud, but she was excited to see her friends.

After receiving her luggage she made her way into a cab that would take her to the venue. During that time she called Marty to discuss logistics with him, and with no surprise he picked up on the second ring.

"Hey, Lydia told me you were on your way to Vermont but I wanted to make sure that she wasn't just pranking me," the older man said chuckling.

Remy laughed along with him. "She wasn't pranking you, I'm here in Vermont and on the way to the venue. Do you think I could surprise the boys by singing on R U Bored Yet?" When Remy and Dylan cowrote Wallows' single R U Bored Yet, he had practically begged Remy to be featured on the song. With very little experience in singing, she was hesitant to put herself on their album for all of their fans to hear. However, after some meditation and convincing from the boys, she decided to be featured on the song. She only sings one verse and some backup vocals, but for her it was a massive step out of her comfort zone, something that she is extremely proud of.

"Is that something you're interested in? If it is I absolutely will make it happen. Do you have your in ears?"

"Yes, I have them, and It is something I really want to do. But don't tell them, I want them to be totally surprised when I walk on the stage," she explained to Marty.

Marty chuckled once again. "They're going to be so happy to not only see you there, but to see you singing on a stage. Anyways, they're about to go on so I gotta hang up. How long until you're at the venue?"

She checked the time on her phone, not realizing that she had gone back 3 hours because of timezones. "I should be there in about 35 minutes."

"Perfect," he said excitedly into the phone. "I'll see you soon kid, you're on the list for security so just show them your ID and we will get you a badge tomorrow morning. Be safe."

After a torturous cab ride to the venue, Remy made her way through security and to Lydia backstage. Lydia threw her arms around the girl, wanting to know the reason she was crying. Without hesitation Remy pulled out the book, showing her the annotations that Braeden had made to the page. Lydia stared in shock and then began screaming and jumping up and down.

"I fucking knew it! We all fucking knew it!" She exclaimed while squeezing Remy so hard the poor girl thought she was going to pass out. As the two laughed and talked Marty quickly came to interrupt their giggle session.

"I dont know why you two are so happy but its freaking me out to see you act like teenagers," he said sarcastically. "Also, Rem we need to get you warmed up and out on that stage in like 3 songs," he told her.

The young artist followed his lead. After a quick vocal warm up, a nebulizer and salt water rinse, she was on her way to the edge of the stage. Shockingly, she wasn't even remotely nervous to perform. In an odd way it felt like she had been preparing for this moment since she recorded the song. Before she knew it, the guys had began to play R U Bored Yet. Remy waited until Dylan had finished the first verse and then bounded out on stage and began to sing the harmonies with Dylan. The look on their faces was absolutely priceless. Dylan did a double take while singing, a look of shock and confusion evident on his face. Then, he continued to sing while giving one of his best friends a side hug. Throughout the song she made her way to each of the boys to say hello, hugging Braeden and ruffling Cole's hair so he wouldn't miss a beat on the drums.

When it came to her verse she just performed how she felt was right, singing along and dancing with Dylan, having genuine fun. Everyone on stage couldn't help but be enamored by her stage presence. She was breathtaking when she wasn't performing, but when she was performing, she was ethereal. Braeden looked at her the whole time, forgetting he was in a room full of thousands of girls who wanted to be with him. He just wanted to be with the girl on stage, the girl he fell in love with all those years ago.

The song ended as quickly as it started, and the girl waved to the crowd and blew the boys kisses before she ran off stage, ripping out her in ears and thanking a stage tech while handing them the microphone.

"What can't you do?" Lydia asked in awe, pulling her into a hug.

"I feel like I'm going to throw up," Remy responded laughing.

"It's the adrenaline," Lydia told her, rubbing her back soothingly. "It still happens to me after big shows and I've been doing this forever. I'm so fucking proud of you. Now lets get you a water."

The girls waited for the guys out by the tour bus. When they all finally exited the venue, the three young men sprinted up to Remy pulling her into a bone crushing hug, causing her to scream and then laugh maniacally. They all piled into the bus, heading to the bar for the after party of their first ever headlined show.

While the entirety of the band and staff drank and laughed, Braeden and Remy stood off to the side of the group taking some time to catch up on her crazy week.

"You never fail to amaze me," he told her, looking at her the way an artist admires their final piece.

She blushed and thanked him. "Honestly, I couldn't have done it without you guys. I'll never be able to thank you enough," she said, inching closer to him. This hadn't gone unnoticed to Braeden, who also stepped a bit closer.  

"You know, I finished The Miniaturist," she told him making direct eye contact.

Braeden's heart began to pound in his chest, suddenly remembering all of the annotations he had made. If he just faked having to go to the bathroom he wouldn't have to face the rejection she was about to lay on him. However, he decided to brace himself. "Oh... well what did you think of it?" 

She looked at him, how nervous he was. She couldn't recall a time where she had seen him so nervous he couldn't make eye contact. "Oh I loved it, especially the part where the musician kisses the other," she told him.

"Did you even read the book? That's not-" However, Braeden was cut off. His confusion only increasing more when he felt a pair of soft lips upon his. It suddenly all clicked, Remy was kissing him, and he was kissing her back. She felt the same way that he did.

"You're amazing King," he told her, his hands rough from years of playing the guitar cupping her face. The two continued to talk without realizing the whole party had gone quiet and then began cheering for the two who had finally accomplished the impossible.