The One They Left Behind

One

Chapter 1 :
Three Years Later

"When you set yourself on fire, people love to come and see you burn."

I grab the guitar and sit on the stool, trying to get ready for the next song I'm going to sing. I look at the band behind me and motion number three in my playlist with my fingers.

I bring the microphone closer to my mouth and start strumming the beat of the song. I take a deep breath and start to sing.

"There's a fire starting in my heart, reaching a fever pitch, it's bringing me out the dark Finally I can see you crystal clear. Go 'head and sell me out and I'll lay your shit bare
See how I leave with every piece of you.
Don't underestimate the things that I will do" My voice screams out the high notes perfectly, the crowd cheers and some start to dance with the beat of the song.

I smile and close my eyes; feeling the music rush through me like a blanket, enveloping me with its mystifying sounds.

This is what I truly love to do, singing and feeling it from my head to my toes, the cheers of the crowd as they dance and sing along to a song they know, the feeling that I am invincible every time I sing.

Even if singing is something that helps me get out of the real world, it also brings back faded memories.

"You know a song that I really like?" I ask Colton.

"You like a lot of songs," he replies while sitting on the couch we put in the garage.

"Yeah, but I just like the beat and the feeling this one brings me," I tell him while strumming random cords on my guitar.

"Okay, which one then?" Eric asks me with an eyebrow raised.

"Rolling in the Deep. Adele's high notes make the song sound so emotional yet the beat makes you want to dance to it-" I pause at the looks they are giving me.
"-I don't know how to explain it," I say while shrugging.

Gabriel smiles from beside me,"We get what you're  trying to say, it's just the way you talk about music is amazing. You speak so passionately about it."

I smile and look down at me guitar. His stare always made me nervous.

"That's why when we get famous, we'll be the best band out there," Colton remarks in his American accent. They are all American, they moved around the same time. It used to be me and Colton, but then Eric and Gabriel moved to the same neighborhood as me and Colton, and we became the inseparable four.

Only I wasn't included in that "we".  I shake my head, trying to get rid of the memory that made its way to my head.

I get up from the stool and put my guitar down beside its case.

I grab the microphone and speak,"you guys had fun?" I scream.  The crowd screams and cheers.

"Good because if you did, you can come see me at the Black Cherry next Saturday from eight to eleven, thanks guys!" They cheer once again and I smile before getting off of the stage.

I walk down the stairs and into the crowded dance floor in the club. A lot of people congratulate me for my performance while others (mostly male) send me suggestive looks. I chuckle, but smirk as I confidently walk up to the Dj, otherwise known as Jay.

"So what'd you think, old man?" I tease him. In reality he is only 23 but I like to tease him because he acts like an old man who hates everybody; kind of like myself if you start thinking about it.

He laughs a loud laugh. "You were great, Annalina. Oh, and stop calling me an old man! I'm only five years older than you! And plus, your going to be nineteen in four months!" He exclaims with wide eyes.

I shrug,"you're still old."

He shakes his head and puts on another song when the previous one is done,"you know your version of Rolling in the Deep is really good. If I could, I would go see you at the Black Cherry, but I have a shift at the club around the same time. Are you nervous?" He asks.

I shake my head,"only a little bit. It's the first time I'm going to sing at a well-known club. It's like I'm nervous but I'm not, I'm actually anticipating it."

He nods,"yeah, it's going to be a great opportunity for you. You'll get more fans, and people will start hearing about you. I mean it's not like your not heard of now, it's just that now you'll actually be heard," he says looking at me in the eyes.

I nod with a smile. "With everything that's happened, that's all I want."

"Have you thought about what I showed you?" He asks.

I nod and look at the crowd.
"I don't know if I should. I'm I even ready?"

"Annalina, you're more than ready. All you have to do is believe that. The auditions start next week, just think about it, okay?" He asks putting his hand on my shoulder.

"Okay."

"Good. At least your going to think about it, I'll see you around, I have to get home or the girlfriend is going to get mad." He says mentioning his beautiful girlfriend, Kelly.

I chuckle.
"You're so whipped."

"I'm not! Just in love." He says with a love struck expression.

I roll my eyes. "Whatever you say."

He rolls his eyes as well, grabs his laptop, waves at me, and walks away. 

"Think about the competition!" Jay screams before opening the door and walking out.

I only nod to myself. I can't get revenge without becoming famous. I have to audition and I have to win, and I intend to do just that.

Not sure how I'm feeling about this. Sorry for all the waiting, I'll be honest, I'm shitty at updating.

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Love,
CHOSEN_EVIL