Rise (Colton Dixon)

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Alexis

Everything is way to loud and way to bright, even with my eyes closed. When I open them, it's sheer agony for about five seconds before it starts to fade.

I groan and sit up slowly. Where the **** am I? Cause it isn't the concert hall anymore.

I'm on a couch, and Annie's sitting a few feet away in a chair, reading. Behind me, there's a table with a half-empty container of cupcakes and an empty pizza box. Seriously, where am I?

Annie looks up at my groan, and relief spreads over her face.

"Alexis! You're awake! I was really starting to get worried."

I shake my head slowly. "Um... what happened?"

She frowns. "You passed out in the middle of Priceless."

Right. That bucket of lies.

"Do know why that could have happened?"

I shrug and move on. "Where am I?"

"Oh..." She laughs lightly. "We're backstage."

"Why?"

Is it normal for Christian singers to invite random people who fainted to their backstage lounges? I highly doubt it.

"Um..." Annie hesitates before shrugging slightly. "You know my husband that I mentioned earlier? That I was here to surprise?"

"Yeah."

I've been wondering where the heck he's been.

"He's actually Colton Dixon."

"What?" I can't help the question. This is just way too much for my mind to comprehend right now.

She laughs. "Yep. We got married about a year ago."

"Oh."

I know I sound demented, but I honestly can't even think right now.

"So where is he?" I ask after a long moment. Not that I exactly care, I'm just curious.

She glances at the door. "Well, right now he's out doing meet-and-greet. They finished up the concert about an hour ago, though, so he should be done soon."

A ****** hour?

"How long was I out?"

"An hour and a half," she replies, and that concern returns to her eyes. "The paramedics we have here for the concert said you seemed fine, but I was starting to get worried with how long you were out. Are you sure you don't know what caused it?"

Why is it any of your ******* business, anyway?

But I'm being honest when I say I don't know. It's not like it's happened before. I mean, I've gotten a little dizzy for no apparent reason, but not like that.

I just shrug again. "I don't know."

She opens her mouth to reply, but the door opens and cuts her off. And we're invaded by young men.

They see me, and all of them start talking at once, something along the lines of saying hello to "Annie's new friend," and "it's good to see you awake."

They're making my headache worse.

A few steps behind that last one, and the dude I recognize as Colton Dixon strides in. He gives what I guess is his band a pained look.

"Gee, guys, she just passed out, and now you're bounding in here with enough noise to wake the dead. You're gonna give her a headache."

Thank you.