What's a Heart to a Soul

2.4 Cheap Date

The crowd was absolutely buzzing with anticipation when I finally took the stage. I hardly ever got nerves standing in front of a crowd anymore but with this event, and a certain electric gaze felt on me from across the room, I couldn't help it. My chest was tight, hands clammy, and my mouth far too dry to speak even if my mind hadn't already gone blank. I looked over to Benny who gave me a nervous thumbs up and his best smile of encouragement.

I really wish I could take another three shots right about now.

I shakily grabbed the mic off the stand and took a deep breath before speaking, "Thank you everyone for joining us tonight for the annual Charity Ball to raise money to help children in the foster system. This is a cause near and dear to my heart" I paused locking eyes with Carter, still surprised in the moment despite having been scanning the crowd for her "I was in the system for pretty much my entire life and I can attest to the terrible conditions that existed. Over the past two years we have been able to raise millions and I have seen the change it's creating. There are kids who never had a chance in this cold world who were able to get the tutoring and schooling they needed to get into Ivy League schools. There are kids who were given the chance to attend sports camps that are now playing D1 at the collegiate level being scouted by the NFL, NBA, WNBA, and more. There are a number of extremely talented kids who are now working under my and other industry leaders' mentorship to get their starts in music." I paused, my throat seemingly closing up as the air became too thick.

Carter was still staring back at me, no judgment held in her eyes as I had often feared from people when they learned of my past. Her eyes held what I could only describe as pride as she smiled back at me now.

"We have also been able to assist with making sure that the people in charge of running the foster care system are held accountable all the way down to the individual foster families." My throat seemed to only tighten and constrict more with each word as I struggled out "We have saved thousands of youth from abusive foster homes and prosecuted those offenders to the fullest extent of the law. We have also pushed for extensive reform and have significantly changed the process for which foster parents are approved. This work is my passion more so even than singing and I will never stop until I make sure the next generation never has to endure what I went through in that broken system. Thank you all for joining me in this passion and without further ado we will now begin the auction."

The applause was deafening but as I stared back at Carter it was as though the rest of the world ceased to exist. I had told my story countless times but never had it felt so raw and intimate as now. There was so much more to say and for once I actually wanted someone to know the full extent of my past. I wanted her to see me for the real me and to feel seen by her, really seen.

Benny had seemingly appeared out of thin air and pulled me into a tight hug.

I knew he was smirking as he whispered, "You may deny it but I could see the way you were looking at her."

I whispered back, "No clue what you mean."

I had every idea and more.

"So you aren't going to bid on the date with her?" He pulled back, smirking wildly at me as he took the mic.

I was speechless and shuffled in a rather distraught manner off the stage. As with every year came the onslaught of sympathy and hugs as I reentered the crowd. They didn't actually know me just because they had heard a brief glimpse of my childhood and community involvement beyond my singing career. They acted as though they did though, some being so bold as to pry with extremely personal questions and some jag-offs making statements on things they knew nothing about.

"That speech was extremely powerful." Her voice sent a warmth through me like hot cocoa on a winter day.

I spun to face her, completely abandoning the conversation I was having with some asshat cis-gender heterosexual white man who seemed to truly believe poverty was a choice.