My stomach felt like I swallowed a dozen butterflies, dancing in all directions and making me hella nervous at what was awaiting me on the other side. I felt like throwing up, felt like something bad would happen. Felt like I would drop the mic or knock something over or fall on the heels I was forced to wear by Pearl.
"Stop wasting your energy like that," Stiles told me, rolling his eyes. I paced back and forth trying not to smash my head through a wall. He looked at Lucas who was sitting on the leather seat, watching me in my trauma.
"This is the kind of girl you like?" Stiles asked.
"You have a problem with that?" Lucas shot back. Okay, this distraction was good.
I shut them up before they started an argument over me. "Stiles, go get us some bottled water."
"Do I look like some servant to you?" Stiles replied with his expected answer. We all looked up when Sofia popped her head into the rehearsal door.
"Stiles, I need your help with something," she said, smiling sweetly.
Stiles scowled when Sofia grabbed his arm and dragged him out the room. Good ol' Sofia, knew exactly when I needed her. Lucas stood up, stopping me before I paced to the wall again. Other than his arm slowly snaking around my waist, my mind went dizzy and unable to concentrate.
"Do you think I will die?" I asked.
"What do you think?" he said, grinning. His arms tightened and my head pressed against his chest, under his chin. "Maya, you're going to do fine. I promise." I wasn't so convinced. "We saw you when we rehearsed, you'll do amazing, trust me."
"And what if I don't?" I retorted, pulling back a little to look at him. "What if I fall or stutter or get stage fright?"
"Well, you're a Negative Nancy," he said. He sat down, bringing me beside him. "I'll tell you what you want to hear: you will suck and fail and embarrass yourself in front of everybody." My face turned pale and Lucas laughed. Before the door opened, he dropped a kiss on my forehead.
"I want to get this shit done and over with," Stiles muttered, closing the door and sitting across from us. "I can't even play since the grand piano's up on the stage. We're last."
"What did Sofia want with you?" I asked.
Stiles shrugged, leaning back. "She told me Mr. Hanson wanted to talk to me. He didn't, so she got me engaged in this weird elf tale," he explained. I raised an eyebrow when he smirked. "Told her I saw someone dressed as an elf out the window and I ran before she could turn around." What a sneaky jerk.
"Your antlers are crooked," I told Lucas, fixing them above his head.
"Oh please don't do this lovey dovey shit in front of me," Stiles groaned.
"How is this lovey dovey?" I said, furrowing my brows.
Being with Lucas had been one of the happiest moments of my life, and I knew it was his, too. No matter what anyone said, we didn't care. And still, small gestures like this is symbolism of how close and comfortable we were with each other. Not meant to expose pornography or whatever.
Finally after ten long minutes, Mr. Hansen announced the final act of the day: Jingle Bell Rockby guitarist Lucas, pianist Stiles, and singer Maya. I was gonna pee my pants, sure of it. The stage was dark but I could see shadows of the props set on it. The curtains were closed and we got into our position. My hands trembled on the mic.
"Good luck, and don't worry," Lucas whispered.
I gave him a grateful smile and took a deep breath. When the curtains began to open, my heart beat tripled at the rate it was pumping. A ray of light cast across the stage. The voices in the audience and the glare of the lighting almost blinded me, but the good thing was, I could hardly see the audience. That helped. When the intro reached the beginning, I knew it was soon my turn to sing. The words were jumbled in my head.
