The Darkest Days

18. Spread Your Wings, Sister

"Erm.." Audrey made a face and erased the text off her phone. "Maybe I should just call."

Meera, who was straightening Audrey's brown hair spoke, "You've still not sent that text?"

"I'm trying to decide how to say it without being awkward."

Meera smiled amusingly. "Yes, it's so difficult to type happy birthday, Mason. Hope you have a good one, meet soon."

"It's not that simple. He came to celebrate mine."

"You can't go, though. Why is this even a discussion?"

Audrey sighed and typed. "But I do wish I could go, I miss home and the people there. Hell, I even miss this guy, Liam and he was a persistent son of a b*tch." Then she paused and said thoughtfully. "Actually.. no, he was one of the few I could rely on."

"I get it. As much as this is all fun, I too, need a bit of stability."

Audrey placed her phone on the dressing counter and looked in the mirror. Her blue eyes stood out in the heavy eye makeup and she smiled. Meera finished and smoothened the last strand of her hair. "Your turn."

As the time for the show to start came closer, the arena got louder. Audrey walked behind Monica along with a few other dancers through the long narrow passage which led backstage.

Below the stairs that went up to the stage, Monica was warming up her vocals when her eyes fell on Audrey. Audrey smiled which was returned equally warm.

"Do you still get nervous?" Monica asked.

"A bit, yeah. But I think it's healthy."

A man standing with a clipboard waved at Monica to go up.

"It is." Monica winked at Audrey before running up the stairs. As soon as the glitter on her outfit caught light, the screams intensified.

"Hello, Lima round two!" Monica screamed into her mic which was a cue for the dancers to take positions as the lights go off and focus only on Monica as she welcomes everyone.

Eighty seven down, twenty four to go. Audrey thought as she posed in the dark; her silhouette visible to the audience.

After the show, in the green room, there was a little party thrown. Only twelve people were present; including Monica and three of her friends, rest were dancers or management crew.

A guy was drunk and singing on the karaoke very poorly.

"Gilbert, get off!" Monica laughed and threw a french fry at him. Audrey chuckled as Meera recorded it all.

"You guys don't understand my emotions.." The guy slurred.

"You don't understand ours!" Someone shouted.

"C'mon, Monica." One of her girlfriends said, "up you go."

"She should rest her vocals especially after a show." Another girl said and Monica smugly smiled.

She looked around the room and stopped at Audrey, who was busy looking at what Meera was showing her.

"Audrey! Why don't you sing a song for us?" Monica called out, making Audrey freeze and look up.

"Me?"

Monica nodded and her friends rolled their eyes. "Let's see if you share the same genes as your sister."

"Oh no, I'm really not the singing type.. I could dance?"

"Karaoke, Audrey." Meera whispered from beside her. "You don't dance in it."