Langour ・❥・Joost Klein・❥・

9.

Shelter was an underground club on the Amstel River and was going to be Joost's biggest performance yet.

Peering out to the stage, Joost was overwhelmed by the turnout. The dancefloor was heaving with people drinking and dancing to the DJs set. The walls and floors vibrated with the base and noise of the venue. Drinks were already being thrown over the crowd and as it approached midnight, the stage was being set up for Joost Klein's performance.

Joost should be excited. At least two-hundred people had paid to come see him. Shelter was just a taste of what Lowlands would be like and Joost should be prepared to leap out onto the stage. His album was doing well and he had some new songs ready to promote tonight. This was a great opportunity for him, and yet, Joost couldn't stop chewing at his fingernails.

Fenne wasn't here. The security hadn't come to tell him that a girl was claiming to have backstage access. He scanned the crowd from the corner of the stage, but couldn't stop thinking about the main reason of why tonight was so special.

With his earphones in his ears, Joost pulled his phone out as he stepped back from the stage. He looked over the week's worth of text messages with Fenne's number. Just as he thought, he had said the right time and given the right instructions.

I go on at 12! I've told the security your name so you can watch from backstage :')

Fenne had even replied saying that she couldn't wait. She was bringing Hanna and Joost's team would finally meet the girl that had distracted Joost for the past few weeks. It was a big night, but he was going on in five minutes, and Fenne still wasn't here.

The worst possible thought flooded his mind. Had she bailed? Had she realised that the blonde fool with a girly laugh was way out of her league? Was the date and tattoo parlour just Fenne being polite?

'You okay, Joost?' Apson said with a hand on his shoulder. The man turned to his friend with a wrinkled forehead and his thumb's nail between his teeth.

'She's not here, Appie. She bailed,' he said with a pain in his chest. 'I can't believe it... I thought she liked me-'

'Hey, don't be like that! There's still time. She could just be running late?'

Apson was worried at the sad eyes that were usually so lively. Joost had been excited to perform tonight in his yellow-lensed glasses, red polo and shorts. Everything seemed normal, right up until Apson caught Joost peaking his head out to the dancefloor and wearing his corded earphones.

'I can't go out there. Not after this.'

'What?! Come on, man, don't let some girl stop you from doing your thing-'

'She's not just some fucking girl!' Joost's yell was unexpected and Apson threw his hands up to show his innocence.

'Hey, alright! I'm sorry-'

'What's going on? You're about to go on, Joost,' Stuntje appeared beside his friend who stepped back from the performer. With creased eyebrows, Stuntje took note of Joost's downturned gaze and fidgeting fingers.

'Fenne's not here, Stunts. I-I don't want to go out there-'

'You've got two minutes. You can't bail now just because she did!'

Joost was panicking. The DJ's set had finished and the crowd's murmur could be heard in the absence of music. Droom Groot was about to play but Joost had lost all enthusiasm.

For the first time, Joost didn't want to perform on stage. His childhood fear of rejection had resurfaced and Joost's heart felt like it was being squeezed with an immense pressure. His earphones did nothing to calm him down. He looked at Stuntje and Apson with eyes that pleaded for them to stop the show.