Song for this chapter
Iris by Goo Goo Dolls (acoustic version)
10:17 in the evening
Eight minutes before All Caps hit the stage and no amount of nerves can be seen in their eyes. Henry sits comfortably backstage as he fine tunes his guitar with Markus sitting on the floor and intently watching Henry.
Five more minutes and I picked up Markus on the floor. We need to get a perfect spot at the audience before All Caps goes on stage. We were about to leave when I noticed Henry's lips are slowly lacking in color. I put Markus down and reached for Henry's forehead praying that he isn't sick.
"What's wrong love?" He asked sweetly.
"Your lips are pale. Are you alright?" I worriedly asked him.
"Yeah. I'm alright. I forgot to tell Ms. Janelle that I haven't worn my lip balm yet."
"Hang on, I'll call Janelle."
"There's no need for that." I felt his hand tightened around my arm as he held me from leaving. And in an instant, I felt his lips devour on the colored cosmetic on my lips.
"Yeah! My lips are no longer pale." He smirks while he rubs his forefinger on his lips to spread the color that he stole from my lips.
"You can go now, we're running out of time. Don't worry, this is going to be better than the last."
I picked up Markus again who was still covering his eyes not ready to witness such an act of affection from Henry.
"Impress me." I muttered under my breath before turning away my gaze from him.
The commercial break was almost finished when we sit on the first row. The lights dimmed and my eyes grew wider at the sight of London Eye playing on the video wall then Henry started to play the guitar registering a raspy voice on the first stanza. I was captivated both by the video on the wall and his sincere rendition of Iris with Andrew and Lattrel harmonizing on the chorus. But my eyes were glued more on the video as it obscurely displays our London Eye sweet moment. The video ended with the London sky at nighttime and with Henry's guitar catching a few tears from his eyes.
The entire Fontana Studio was shaken by massive applause and screams, the four judges giving All Caps a standing ovation.
"All Caps! All claps! That was such a sensational performance. Looks like your London Eye girl is really bringing out the best in you Henry." Ms. McCassland strives hard to be heard through the screams from the audience.
"I know a secret." Mr. Lathbury teases the audience.
"Let that secret out and I'll straighten your dog's hair." Mr. Lynch threatens Mr. Lathbury on national television.
"That's not a secret. Everyone knows that Henry's London Eye girl is none other than Zarene - our line producer." Ms. Julie Brennan dropping the bomb live on television.
She earned oohhs and aahhs from the audience while cameras all focused to my direction.
"Oh look! They have the same lip color." Ms. McCassland fuels up the topic.
Mr. Lynch must've noticed my uneasiness and he quickly brought the attention back to All Caps.
"Alright. Enough of that." He silences the crows before proceeding to his remarks.
"What we have heard and seen here tonight from All Caps is simply amazing because we tend to think that a rock song must be played through an amplified instrument accompanied by heavily accented beat. But tonight, All Caps proved us all wrong. Rock music doesn't need to be loud. With an acoustic guitar and a raspy register, rock is incredibly redefined by All Caps tonight. Congratulations boys and keep it up. And Henry, please keep that hard rock off my line producer."
The crowd laughed and I saw Henry made the sign of the cross and smiled to my direction.
The performance night show wrapped up at almost half past eleven and my poor Markus has already fallen asleep but his Daddy Henry was there to look after him while I was doing my job. I literally mean 'really looked after Markus' because he even washed Markus up and changed his clothes to pajamas and fed him with a savory takeaway kid's meal which I never knew could be actually available within the vicinity.
"We're home. Thank you for tonight. And I'm really impressed."
"Glad to know that. Are you on bed already?"
"I'll be in a while. Markus' shirts need a little bit of ironing. Congratulations for a stellar performance."
"You must congratulate yourself too. You're the woman behind that performance."
"The video wall display, it's romantic."
"Lopsided love is not romantic. It's tragic."
"It's your choice that you fall for me. It's not my mistake."
"Falling for you instead of having a fairer and taller girl is not a mistake."
"Goodnight."
That's all I have to say to end the conversation. I'm peeved again. A beautiful start turned into a monstrous end again. He always shoots and makes me feel that it's entirely my fault why he suffers from episodes of unrequited love.
Henry's POV
Here we go again. I know I have pushed the button. I know she's annoyed again. Sometimes, I wish she could be a bad girl so she could say anything she wants to say. I wonder how she could easily forgive and forget. I've almost ravished her innocence but she still has a soft heart (as soft as her breasts) towards me.
"Good night. Sleep tight, baby honey."
That's the last message I sent to her before getting lost to my contemplations again.
