The Life I Don't Want

Chapter 15

Ally's POV

I was so sick of touring. We were out of the States and since we were about two months into the tour already. The days seemed to be travelling so quickly but it was getting harder to communicate with Parker and Cam because I am currently in London so there is a large time difference.

Cam was well and truly making an effort to keep in contact which surprised me because he didn't seem like someone who would but I didn't mind. When I asked him he said because he really cared about me and wanted to stay with me. There is an 8 hour difference between London and LA so he would still be awake when I finished my show because it was like 3 am here but only 7pm there so it wasn't really hard at the moment.

Mom was running around our practice like a mad woman. There was a mistake in the performance last night. During Don't Stay Low one of the stagehands got the props wrong and some of the dancers were in the wrong costume.

We were already on our fifth time practicing it today and it was perfect every time but Mom wouldn't let us stop. My throat was starting to hurt but Mom thought that was an excuse to stop. I grabbed my mic and started again.

Summer days
Wishing off distance that kept me away
Don't stay low
Seeing, uphill
Get to the moving
Don't be still
Don't stay low

Summer nights
Some are the best of them, others not quite
Don't stay low
Follow closely
Hear what sits between you neck and your jeans
Don't stay low

Oh, leave your mistake in the doorway
Give us a sign the you've seen what you've done
And look for the sun
And lift up your head
Don't stay low
Don't stay low
No, just pick yourself up and go on

If you take
This battle on there'll be blood in your wake
Rattle on
Just to say
If you shot out the legs
You would shatter the table we're on

You can't stay low
Oh, leave your mistake in the doorway
Give us a sign the you've seen what you've done
And look for the sun
And lift up your head
Don't stay low
Don't stay low
No, just pick yourself up and go on

By the end of the song my throat was killing me. Luckily Mom gave us a break so that I had time to talk to her. She was on the phone but she hung up when she saw me.

"My throat is killing me," I said and it was very obvious that I had a sore throat.

"You should have said," she said.

I didn't bother telling me that I had.

"I'll find some medicine. I want to practice this song once more but don't sing," she ordered.

She walked away and came back moments later with some throat medicine which I quickly swallowed and headed back to the stage.

"And no talking," Mom called after me.

Don't Stay Low is another slow song but it is one of the few that I do have so I spread them out so Don't Stay Low isn't right after Hanging Hats. This was a very dance orientated piece but it does look good.

For this piece I start at the back of the stage. I start by walking up onto the raised section of the stage. The dancers then fan out on different stairs so everyone is at different heights. There is then a dance that I'm not going to bother describing but then I turn to face the back of the stage and lean backwards. The dancers support me and I slide down their hands. Once I reach the bottom they let go of me so that I can stand on my feet.

The most difficult part of this song is the next bit. Two of the dancers lift me up and I grab hold of a bar that is hanging from the ceiling. I then have to pull myself up and attach myself to the rope while still singing. Once I am sitting on the bar it starts to travel around the arena. I have no idea how they did it but it must be hard.