I Don't Even Know Your Name

Her Voice

*Shawn's POV*

I pulled Ruth's long, thin body up onto the stage. While the crowd cheered, one of my stage managers got another stool and put it next to mine. She sat down next to me, and stared nervously into the sea of people.

"Do you know this song pretty well?" I whispered in her ear.

"Yeah." She answered.

"Okay, we'll alternate verses. I'll sing the first verse, then you'll sing the second, and so on."

"Okay, I think I can manage that." She spoke again, still looking afraid, but her eyes on me. I gave her a reassuring grin, then I began strumming the chords on my guitar.

I gazed at Ruth while I began singing the first verse. Her beautiful read hair was perfectly framed around her face in a side part. A smile, growing bigger on her face.

When I was almost done with the first verse, she slowly closed her eyes, taking in every aspect of the music. As she began singing, I felt my heart flutter. Her tone was rich, full, and her vibrato was so even. She allowed the music to take her over, engulfing her in it's power.

As the song came to a close, Ruth and I pulled our faces away from our mics, the audience crescendoed from soft claps, into a roar.

"Wow, you have a gorgeous voice." I said into my mic "Doesn't she have a gorgeous voice, guys?" Once again, the crowd went nuts. They were cheering "Ruthy! Ruthy! Ruthy!" Oh how I admire how supportive my fans are.

"Fantastic job." I whispered in her ear.

"Thank you." She replied with a meek side smile.

"I'll see you backstage later." I grinned into her doughy, hazel eyes.

"Okay." She said, tears forming around the rims of her eyes. I hugged her, then helped her back into the pit.

I couldn't take my eyes off of her as I finished the concert off with "Stitches". She looked right at me while she belt out every lyric. I couldn't get over how adorable she was.

"Thank you everyone, I love you and have a great night!" I said to the audience as the concert came to a close.

When the concert was over, I went backstage into my green room. I plopped onto the couch, fiddling around on my guitar. I was so excited for Ruth to come back stage and sing with me. I had thought about her off and on since I saw her tweet so many months ago. Finally, I was getting the chance to get to know her. My heart raced as I waited anxiously for her. I strummed on my guitar a bit more, and eventually, the door to my green room had opened. Ruth came bursting through with a big grin on her face.

"Hi Shawn! Great job out there tonight!" Ruth exclaimed.

"Thanks! Good job to you as well!" I giggled nervously.

"Haha thanks, it made me feel better sitting next to you. I don't know how you do that all by yourself, singing to thousands of people every night. I've only performed for a few hundred before." She said, taking a seat next to me.

"Haha, oh trust me, I get super nervous before I go out there. And when have you performed in front of people before?"

"Like choir and band concerts, and some piano recitals. I did them in high school and I still perform in a choir in college...."
She paused and smiled at me again.
"...I can understand you getting nervous before shows though. You are still human, even though your an amazing musician." She said nervously.

"Wow, you just get it don't you."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Like, you understand that I'm just a person like everyone else. Most fans don't see that. I appreciate that about you." I said.