She is beautiful. Never in my life have I seen a woman so gorgeous. I stare at her like I'm in a trance. I must be, because it's impossible to look away. Her red lips. Her soft closed eyes. He long blonde hair. Her hips. Her hands in the red sparkly...
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Thirty minutes pass by in a flash. I manage to finish the song for tonight's performance with Noah, and even start working on another one. It's Friday, after all, and I'll need to perform a few different songs throughout the night. I decide to do one serious piece with Noah and follow it up with some more upbeat songs later. The energy in the club will be high, and I'll need to match it.
Noah approaches me, looking slightly nervous. "Have you finished the song?" he asks.
I nod, handing him the paper. "Yep, it's all here."
He scans the lyrics, his eyes widening as he reads. "Wow, this is amazing," he says, his voice filled with genuine admiration.
"Thanks," I reply, smiling. "Would you like to practice it?"
His face lights up. "Yeah, absolutely."
As we prepare to rehearse, I can feel the day's tension building, but there's a sense of excitement too. Tonight's going to be big. I just hope I'm ready for it.
As Noah and I sing the song I wrote, William's fingers glide over the piano keys, filling the room with a haunting, emotional melody. Im glad he is back. It felt so empty when he wasn't here. Singing with him is something I've grown accustomed to, his presence at the piano almost grounding me. But today, there's something new—a force that catches me off guard.
Noah's voice surprises me. I had expected something softer, more delicate, to match his easygoing demeanor and warm smile, but instead, his voice is deep and powerful. It echoes with emotion, blending effortlessly with the melody but holding its own intensity. His voice fills the room, and for a moment, I almost forget to sing my part, taken aback by the contrast between his appearance and the sound coming from him.
As we harmonize through the chorus, the words flow out of me like they always do, but Noah brings something different to them, giving the lyrics a weight I hadn't realized they needed. I see William glance at us from the corner of his eye, clearly impressed. A small, unfamiliar feeling of pride swells inside me—pride in this performance, in what we're creating together.
Hours pass, and soon enough, it's 11:30, time for a quick lunch break. Normally, I'd take a good twenty minutes, but today, there's too much to be done. I decide to give myself only ten, even if it means skipping the usual chatter. I head toward the local bakery for a quick snack, but just as I'm about to leave, Lacy approaches me.
"Hey, Ashley! Want to grab lunch?" she asks, her smile warm, though a little too familiar.
I hesitate. Lacy's always been a little clingy, and while I've gotten used to her constant presence, calling her my best friend would be a stretch. That title belongs to William—always has, always will. But Lacy seems to think we're closer than we really are.
"Actually, I was going to grab lunch with William and the band," I say, but quickly add, "You can join us if you want."
She beams, her smile making her seem almost innocent despite the sharpness she can show at times. "Sure, I'll tag along."
