The Masked Singer

[Chapter Thirty Four]

Chapter Thirty Four

The music thumps loudly and I try to get into the grove of his choreography, but I miss a couple of steps and I can faintly hear Alex yelling for me to repeat the moves before starting his counting sequence on a new beat.

I try to follow his movements again, but my footwork is too slow and I somehow catch one foot behind the other and fall face first to the ground.

Grumbling a few words under my breath, I sit on my bottom and hug my knees to my chest. My legs ache and my toes are blistering.

"Sienna, please never join a dancing competition." He laughs.

"Good think I'm never planning on joining one." I lay on the stage and stretch my back out. I tuck my arms behind my head and get comfortable. My body already feels better from the short rest.

"Besides I wouldn't want to ruin your reputation. Bad choreography and all." I wink.

Alex stops in his tracks, "For your information, my dancing is amazing." He tries to brush my comment off like a piece of dirt on his leather jacket. He's got a big head on top of his shoulders, and I can't decide if that's a good confidence or a bag ego propping it up.

Sitting back up, I hold up my hand and say, "Here's a pin," and then, "here's me popping that big ego of yours." Alex's face drops into a deep pout which reminds me of a sad young child when you tell them something needs to end.

"If you don't want my help..." he threatens, "it's your thousands of eyes." He begins to march across the stage and away from me.

"You know I was just teasing," I shout.

He walks to the edge of the stage and then looks over his shoulder with a cheeky smile on his face.

"Back to work," he snaps playfully, "you're still not working the stage properly. You seem to favour one side over the other."

"Okay." I nod my head, taking his notes on board.

"From the top. I want to be moved by your performance." He tattles on to say more examples of what I should do, but his words just fly over my head, so I smile and nod my head.

"Please help me." I look up at the light.

Alex motions for the sound and lighting guy to play again the sequence again. The lights turn off and I run to the middle of the stage to take my opening position. The music begins and the sound of the bass shaking the stage gets my blood pumping and feeling excited. I hold the microphone in one, and the stand in the other.

"You've been whispering words to me." I pull the stand closer to my body so that my hand is pressed against my chest.

"Trying to make me see, trying to make me understand." I swing the microphone stand away from my body and hold it at arm's length. The music is building up and it takes off with my next line.

"But I see through those lies, I see through those lies." When the last drum beat for this section, I throw the microphone away from my body and the stand flies a couple of feet away and rolls along the stage, but not close to the edge where it could hit people.

If I throw the microphone into the crowd, that'll surly make the concert memorable.

Alex is standing to the side of the stage in surprise. The look on his face it worrying, but as his lips turn into a smile, it builds up sparks of confidence.

I charge to the front of the stage and sing the next line, "You're never going to shape the way I see those lies." I shake my hips from side to side as I sing. This time around, I'm careful to mind my footing when I walk backwards.

Before I can get to the next line, Alex motions for the music to stop and it kills my excited mood.

"What did I do wrong this time?" I yell out in frustration.

"Your dancing is still off." He shakes his head, "take if from the start," he orders.

My feet drag along the stage as I walk back to the centre point. Alex cues the music and I prepare to start again. I continue to do the same actions as previously and throw a bit more edge into the music. Just when I think I'm doing amazing. The music is stuck and I have to stop myself from screaming aloud.

"Don't make me throw this microphone at your face," I call out.

Alex crosses his arms over his chest and yells, "Then perform."

His words make me angry, so I drop the microphone on the floor and walk off the stage and in the direction of my dressing room. When I get inside, I flop onto the couch and snuggle into one of the cushions. I'm exhausted.

I barely get a minute to myself before Alex bursts into the room with rage.

"What are you doing? We are supposed to be rehearsing."

"Can't we stop now? I'm tired and I want to go home," I protest.

It wouldn't be so bad if we were heading home after this, but I've got other jobs with Ava when I leave Alex, and I'm running out of energy to complete them.

He sits on the ground in front of me and covers his hand over mine. His professional face falls off and is replaced with a cute smile.

"I just want you to do well." He frowns.

"And I'm grateful for that. I'm just tired," I poke his shoulder. "Besides, I now have your awesome moves under my belt."

Alex has no other choice but to smile back at me. It's the kind of smile that says, I've got faith in you, but I wished you'd practise more.

"I believe in you."

"And we've still got more time to practise." I flutter my eyelashes and he chuckles.

"Now that's what I want to hear!" He claps his hands.

"I'm going to go back to the hotel and sleep. I'll see you later?"

"Actually, I'll come back with you. I have some things I would like to finish off here."

Pulling out my cell phone, I text Archer to see if he can come and get me. I hope he finds the message quickly because I don't want to fall asleep on the couch. I could if I have to, there's Alex's jacket for a blanket. I would feel safer in the confinement and comfort of my room.

I get a quick reply, which makes me happy.

"Archer is going to be here in five. Are you coming with us or Mitch?" I ask.

"I'll come with you."

Pushing my body up, I stand on my feet and fix my clothing. I then move towards the make-up table and collect my jacket and handbag. When I have my jacket on and my bag over my shoulder, someone knocks on the door.

Alex opens the door and greets Archer. Happiness fills my body, I'm about three minutes away from falling asleep on the floor.

"The car is waiting," explains Archer.

"Thank you."

"You're really about to drop asleep soon, aren't you?" I sleepily nod my head and rest my chin on his arm.

"Let's get you home." He takes my hand in his and leads me outside the dressing room and down the hall. The walk to the exit seems shorter than when we first came in. But I'm still glad to see the guards near the exit.

Outside the building is our large black shiny car. Archer goes straight to the front passenger seat, while Alex open the back door for me. I climb in and shuffle across to the middle seat. When we've got our seatbelts on, I rest my head on his shoulder and cuddle his arm.

There's something about cars that make me sleep. Maybe it's the quiet sound complimented by the rush of air on the exterior, or the humming sound of the car engine as we drive. It could be the soothing motions and Alex's warm shoulder.