Rise (Colton Dixon)

Chapter 4

Alexis

I'm left to peace for forty-five minutes before I finally give in and take my earbuds out. They've started playing music in here, and it's so loud that it's hard to hear my earbuds over the top of it, and it's too crowded to stay sitting.

I shove my phone into my pocket and stand, my hand instinctively snapping to pull down my sleeve. A lady came and sat down next to me a while back, and I glance her way as she stands as well. And am forced to do a double-take.

It's that freaking second lady from the bathroom. Annie. What is wrong with life?

She shoots me a smile before I can look away.

"Well, hello, again."

"Hey," I mutter, allowing my eyes to drop to the floor.

"How's your hand?"

I shrug. "It's fine." I hesitate before adding, "Where's your husband?"

She gestures to the empty stage. "Oh, he's working on staff at the concert. I said hey, then I came out to enjoy it."

I nod like I actually care. "Oh."

We fall into silence... or the utter noise of the room around us, and I breathe a sigh of relief. This girl has issues or something. Or I do.

I thought that was a given.

Just shut up.

Time passes slowly but, finally, the lights flick off and the music... which I've been paying zero attention to... stops. Show time.

The ominous acoustics that key in over the silence are familiar from YouTube this afternoon. Looks like I'm getting a live taste of NF right off the bat.

It isn't long before I'm lost in the roar of the concert. From my place just a little back from the stage, I have a perfect view of Nate's intense features, and soon I'm jumping and screaming and making just a general fool out of myself. But it's a concert, so everyone else is too.

After opening with "Intro" itself, he continues with "Invisible" and "I Just Wanna Know" that I heard today, plus a few I didn't. Including one about his dead mother. Which has me in tears by the end of it.

It took everything inside of me

Not to scream at your funeral.

Sitting in my chair,

That person talking was pitiful!

That's exactly how I felt at Danny's funeral. They were just so stupid. All of them! Celebration of life? Seriously? He's dead now! There's nothing to celebrate because he's gone!

As the song ends, I stare at the ground in an attempt to hide my tears.

Annie glances at me. "You okay?"

I look away. "Yeah, I'm fine."

She doesn't push, and it's not long into the next song that I'm lost in the music again.

And, as the lights flick off and stay off for a long minute, I know they're switching out acts. When the singing does start, it's proof. This is totally different than NF.

It's hi[-hop, but pretty pop as well, and I'm guessing it's called something along the lines of "You'll Never Be Alone". As it continues, I find myself rocking the awesome beat, but the words are going right over my head. Whatever. I'm alone, but it's nice of them to tell me I'm not, I guess.