Rock With You: A Love Story

lost

I take a feeble step into the arena; as my jaw drops, and my eyes widen.
Is this real?
I observe a small crowd of around 35 people, down on the stage stretching and warming up their voices. I decide to walk down towards them.
It feels like everyone here knows each other. They're all exchanging giggles, leaving a worry in the back of my brain. I awkwardly stand on the end of the group, and begin stretching my legs.
I hear footsteps behind me. The quick clicking of some hard shoes against the rubbery ground. Until the sound stops right behind me. I turn around on the spot, slightly confused, to see a short man, about 5"1, smiling up at me.
"Hi?" I say, slightly nervously.
"Hello Miss. I'm Max, I need your name please?" He responds, his voice almost as high as mine.
I then notice the clipboard he was clutching in his hands, the metal badge on his shirt, his name tag...
He works here. I can stop stressing out.
"Oh sorry! I'm Belle Smith." He silently jots down my name in a black biro pen.
"Or you can call me Bella, or Bel, or Isabella. Or Isabelle if you want? It's not my name, but I don't mind I actually pref-" I ramble.
"Ma'am. Belle is fine." He interrupts me, his dark eyebrows raised.
I realise how I am nervously blabbing nonsense again, I always do that. This is my big day and I'm not about to ruin it with my fears. I have to turn this around.
"Sorry, Max. I have a habit of embarrassing myself...You see, I've been practicing for ages for this. I'm really very nervous." I apologise, raising my voice over the echoes of everyone else's.
"It's totally fine Belle! Or...whatever your name was. You'll do great, don't worry. Mike's a great guy!" He reassured me, before walking away with a joyful bounce in his step. Hearing this news about Michael reassured me as to why I'm here. To dance for him. No one else. It doesn't matter if I was alone here.

20 Minutes Later

We are all in a warm up circle, each with headphones on, trying to get in the zone. If any day we had to dance to our best abilities, today is that day.
I hear a faint, muffled shout, like someone is trying to get my attention over my music. I pull one earphone out and look down to the front, to see Max. He was stood down by the front row, beneath us on stage.
Phew, for some reason he comforted me; a friendly face.
"OK DANCERS AND SINGERS! WE ARE ALL WARMED UP NOW, TIMES UP. I WANT YOU ALL ON THE LEFT WING AND WE WILL INVITE YOU UP ONE BY ONE FOR MICHAEL."
The nerves suddenly swarm my body. Every breath I take, I inhale reality as it takes away my strength.
"I JUST WANT TO ADD...I KNOW THIS IS MICHAEL JACKSON AND THATS A BIG DEAL. BUT HES JUST ANOTHER PERSON LIKE US AND FOR YOUR OWN SAKE... DONT FREAK OUT WHEN YOU SEE HIM. SAVE THAT FOR WHEN YOU GET OFF STAGE, SO YOU DONT RUIN IT, OKAY? NOW GO!"
After Max's pep-talk monologue, we all stumble to the left wing of the stage in a huddle. A cooling wave of cold air hits me as I step down, it getting darker as I walk. All that is back here is some large hanging curtains and random stage equipment.
I can no longer see the seats in the audience, meaning I won't be able to see Michael until I'm on stage about to dance. I don't know if I will be able to hold back my emotions when I see him. But I know I have to.
- 5 MINS LATER -
Max has now found himself a megaphone, so he doesn't have to scream so loudly avoiding the echoing blurring his words. I hear the muffled sound of clapping and "well done"'s repeatedly, as I impatiently bite my lower lip.
I feel insane waves of fear and excitement, as I keep going through my routine in my head. I twiddle my thumbs, tap the ground with my feet, braid the same piece of my hair... This is agonising. I want to go on stage right now. The love of my life - well, he doesnt even know I exist - is through this black curtain and I can't even see him yet.
- 7 MINS LATER -
"Belle! Belle! Go now! You're up! Go!" Max exclaimed, his voice full of urgency, I guess he was afraid I'd back out after seeing how nervous I was earlier.
My heart beat rapidly increases as I walk, unable to feel my visibly shaking legs. This is the biggest moment of my life.
I reach forward and grab the black, heavy coarse curtain and pulled it towards me.
The darkness of the left wing was quickly transformed into a golden haven. The spotlights blast down onto the stage, creating circles on the ground. I feel like I've just woken up, due to the sudden light exposure.
I tremble to the centre of the stage, and stop on the 'X' marked spot, in red thick tape.
I raise my heavy head, and open my eyes.
I see him.