Misery Loves Company

Track 25: Live from the Stage

Misery Loves Company

By: theinkslingerr

Track 25: Live from the Stage

An icy trickle of fear slid down my spine and the hairs on the back of my neck raised. There were tons of people with red hair. The U.S. had more gingers than people liked to give us credit for. It was probably just some idiot plotting to get a pic with me because he'd missed his chance outside.

I turned around slowly, possessed by the irrational fear that any sudden movements would summon Josh if it was not, in fact, him behind me.

But it was him behind me, standing about twenty feet back with surprise etched into his puppy dog face. For a second the surprise looked like it was going to morph into one of those beguiling smiles, but I think he remembered exactly who we were to each other and his face settled into a neutral expression.

I spun back around toward the stage, heart thumping in my chest louder than Dom's transitional beat into a song called "Jaded."

"Do you know him?" Ji-Hyun asked.

"No! I mean, he goes to my school, but I don't really know him know him. You know?" If anyone who'd heard me utter such nonsense chose to break away from the crowd and staple my mouth shut, I wouldn't even be mad. I'd try to thank them through the staples.

"Too bad," she murmured appreciatively. "Never seen a ginger that sexy."

Yeah, and it was too bad that "sexy ginger" was going to keep me from enjoying the show. How had I not felt him staring at the back of my head for two songs? His presence was all I could focus on now. My scalp prickled and the sensation traveled down my body, causing me to shiver. How was I supposed to let loose with the knowledge that Josh was watching?

The big guy moshing next to me couldn't care less about my problems. He jabbed me with a rogue elbow and I glowered at him. Everyone was jumping up and down and dancing, but he wasn't taking his enormous size into consideration. He was on the taller side, and his beefy neck and log-like arms looked three times the size of a normal male human. It was hard to tell whether he just loved the gym or loved steroids.

I moved away from the flailing muscle head and closer to Ji-Hyun. I could only deal with one problem at a time! I was concentrating so hard on dodging his limbs, I didn't realize someone else had snuck up on me until I felt a tap on my shoulder. I yelled, nearly jumping out of my skin as Sienna Johnson's face came into clear focus.

She looked at me and laughed. "I guess that's one way to say hello."

"Oh, h-hey!" I glanced behind her to see that Josh hadn't moved.

"I found out about the show last minute, but while I was waiting in line people were saying that you were here and posting selfies they took with you on Instagram. I've been trying to find you all night!" she yelled over the music. She looked gorgeous as usual with half of her faux locks piled on top of her head, and the other half hanging over her shoulders. She was wearing a black t-shirt with Darth Vader on it that said Vader was framed, and an elaborate henna design ran down one arm. "Where's Enid? I thought she'd be all over this."

The slight guilt I felt about leaving Enid in the dark must have been visible, because Sienna quickly shrugged and changed the subject. "She's probably busy. This is amazing though, right? I definitely ugly-cried during The Fog."