Delicate Us

Chapter 4

Trace

This time Trace came as prepared for Syler's concert as his sister was. He had spent an hour at home writing out small notes to hand to her fans with Lucy at his side. And when the lights came down, and the crowd went wild, so did everything in him. The spotlight hit her, and she stood in the same dress as last night, but this time it was gray with white streaks of sparkles outlining her lean hourglass figure. Her chin was held high and a gorgeous smile overtook her expression. And when she did her moment of silence to soak in the crowd's welcoming, Trace didn't look away. Everything in him wanted her to see him there.

When she started the first song, enormous screens throughout the stadium lit with her face so that the people in all areas of the stadium could see her up close. This time, he kept his eye on the screens instead of her, just so that he could catch every small expression she made. He was swept away with the music, feeling like her presence was larger than life. Her voice, her aura, her personality took up more than just the stage, it took up every space in the area and his soul.

After the first set of songs were over and she departed for a costume change, Trace watched the intermission video play on the screen, eagerly waiting for her return.

"Thanks for bringing me to your fake girlfriend's show!" Lucy jumped and hugged him teasingly.

Trace placed his hand around her shoulder and squeezed. "Sh! You're not supposed to know." His phone buzzed in the pocket of his jacket. When he took it out, the screen flashed with a text from a number he didn't recognize.

Unknown number: Are you here?

Trace: Who's this?

Unknown number: Syler

He reread her name again then looked up to the empty stage, expecting her to be there and proving that she wasn't actually taking time during her transition to text him. With the little time she had, she chose to text him? A wild, giddy grin emerged upon his face as his fingers began to type. He didn't care if this would delay her; he wanted all her attention.

Trace: How'd you get my number?

Syler: It's in the contract. Why are you here?

Trace: Why are you thinking about me right now?

He waited, but she didn't respond. When Lucy looked over to peek at the screen, Trace was quick to stuff it back into his pocket.

"Is she texting you right now?" Lucy's gray eyes bugged with excitement.

The lights turned up as the music began playing. "Sh, it's starting."

Syler emerged from the top of the stage with her dancers. And halfway through the song, she her arm awkwardly and the mic slipped from her fingers. She threw her head back, made a funny face, then laughed. I laughed as well at how adorable she was.

That wasn't the only mistake she made that set. She made the wrong step, and smashed into a dancer. On another song, she momentarily forgot the words.

When she left for another costume change, Trace reached into his pockets and clutched his phone, hoping she'd write something.

About half the time came and went with no text. He listened to Lucy chatting to a fan as I scanned the crowd, realizing many phones were on him. Trace smiled at some of the cameras, hoping for more good content to spread like wildfire over the internet.

Syler: Why are you here? You're distracting me.

Everything in Trace was pleased that her mess ups were partly because of him. And he hoped that she'd keep messing up, just so that he had proof that she was thinking about him on that stage.