Saving Grace

Chapter 20: Mixed Emotions

"What is it?" I asked as she brought the phone closer.

I took it out of her hands when I realized it was us...from the karaoke bar. My heart sank and my eyes widened.

"Who put this up?" I asked frantically.

"I don't know, someone from the bar last night."

James looked over my shoulder at the video.

"When did they post it?" he asked, not seeming to be worried about it. Why would he be? This is what he did, me on the other hand...

"I don't know but look," Clara said exiting out of the full screen to show the interactions.

"A million views?!" My jaw dropped.

"Wait what??" James said, taking the phone to look closer.

"You guys are going viral," Clara gawked.

I wasn't sure how to react. I didn't love attention and was mortified knowing people I know were probably going to see this.

James smiled looking through the comments and rewatching the video. 

This was good for him. I felt bad being weirded out but I was. I wished more than anything it was just him in the video.

"This is crazy...I have to post on my socials and keep the momentum going, would you be up for filming something together..?" he went on until he looked over at my face.

"What's wrong?" he asked, handing the phone back to Clara..

"Nothing," I ran my fingers through my hair awkwardly. "This is just your thing, not mine, I'm just a little freaked out I guess."

"Hey..." he came over and pulled me into a hug. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to. We'll get you a disguise, dye your hair, something..." he joked.

I laughed and rolled my eyes. "I'm so happy for you, you definitely should start posting your stuff, it's amazing. I just don't think that's what I want to do...at least not right now."

He kissed me on the forehead. "I understand baby."

I looked over at Clara who was completely tuning us out, on her bed, scrolling.

"Look who commented!" she shouted.

We went over to the bed and saw a blue checkmark beside the name, Tucker Lane. Tucker Lane was the newest and biggest alternative country singer. 

"You guys need to be out of the karaoke bar and onto the stage!!"

Our jaws dropped. There was no way he commented and said that. I didn't even think I was more than an average singer at best. Maybe he was just being nice and really meant James, because that, I agree with.

He walked away brushing his hands through his hair, trying to process what happened.

After we settled down, we decided to go back to James' place. I told Clara the plan for me to go stay over there and she reassured me I had a place there always if anything happened.

I gave her a tight hug and thanked her before we left.

It was so weird taking my stuff over there knowing I was going to stay with him. Part of me was terrified but part of me just wanted to take the leap and not care. If it all ended in disaster, it seemed like I had already been through worse.

Later that afternoon, we sat on the porch while James strummed the guitar, like usual.

"I want to post something, but I don't know what to post. I feel like my stuff isn't that good. Maybe I'll just do a cover."