S E E K I N G
Look at the state we're in.
• • •
"Sixty seconds!" Lisa calls out, peeking her head into the room.
"I'll be done with her in five." Donna says rolling a lint brush over Audra's blouse. Once again, they were in New York; this time on the set of Good Morning America for a performance and interview Lisa managed to get her. Though she was on break, the older woman insisted on getting her artist as much exposure as she could. Audra wasn't exactly complaining. Though she found herself constantly on the move, she knew it would all pay off. "You ready, superstar?"
"Nervous, but ready as I'll ever be." She exhales.
As she goes to grab her inner earpiece from the vanity, a lightheaded feeling takes over her: nausea following right after.
"You'll do fine as alwa....you okay?" Donna notices the girl steadying herself.
"Yeah, probably just a dizzy spell. It used to happen years ago though because of my anxiety."
"Girl, please relax." Donna rests a hand on the brown girl's back. "You're gonna smash this performance, then you're gonna smash the interview afterwards. Deep breaths."
"Is our girl ready?" Lisa peeks back in.
"Yeah, let's go." Audra says ignoring the queasiness.
"Our performer today has taken the R&B and pop worlds by storm. Starting off as a writer for many prominent artists, she has now made a household name for herself. Performing a song from her second studio album In The Eleventh Hour, here is Audra Lee singing Forget." Robin announces as the crowd cheers.
She waits for the guitar chord, before singing. She had come to enjoy performing, which surprised her honestly. She had gone from being completely behind the scenes, to the limelight in a month's time. And while it took some adjusting, she had gotten used to it pretty quickly.
Right as she's about to sing the pre chorus, that nauseous feeling becomes slightly intense, making her voice breathier and forcing her to take a pause between lyrics. Recovering quick, she points her mic to the crowd, who practically sing the lyrics back to her. Assuming she forgot the words, her backup singer, Jasmine joins in as the girl tries to mentally stabilize herself. The crowd doesn't notice what's going on. But Lisa surely does, instantly knowing something was off; even after she starts singing again.
This is the first time Audra wanted a song to hurry and end; and not for emotional purposes. When it does though, she plasters on her best smile amidst the audience's cheers.
"Audra Lee everybody." Robin throws an arm around her, and she has to will her sensitive stomach to settle. "Stay where you are, we'll hear from her when we come back from the break."
Moments later though, she's making a beeline backstage towards the bathroom. The minute she reaches, she's emptying the contents of her stomach. She feels her hair being pulled back.
"Please tell me you're not hungover." Lisa's voice comes out after the girl seems to catch herself.
"Of course not." She exhales.
"Oh, thank God." The woman puts a hand over her chest. "I could practically hear the label ripping me a new one when I report back to them."
"Was it obvious that I looked out of it?"
"I'll say this, I knew something was wrong before you started singing. You were way too uptight. You're normally more centered."
"Trust me, I know."
