~opening act~ ✔️

~17~

"Maybe you could take them out to a late dinner after the show?" I suggested. Olivia and I were trying to come up with a way to propose to Bex.

"Hmmm, most of the nice restaurants will be closed by then". That's most likely true. By the time the concert is over, it's around 11:30 pm.

I think about it for awhile. When can Olivia propose to Bex? It should be at a meaningful time and place. What about...

"During your performance! After your last song, you should ask them! It's like a new beginning, you are free from the record label, and will be engaged to your love. I mean, that's if they say yes".

"That's a great idea!" Olivia pauses and looks to the ground. "Do you think Bex will say no?"

"I'm positive they won't. I had a conversation with them a while ago, and they told me how much they loved you, and how you helped them through rough times".

Olivia started tearing up. "Bex really said that?"

I nod. "You two are literally perfect for each other. I'd be shocked if anything went wrong in your relationship".

Olivia smiles. "Let's do it".

~~~~~~~4:00PM~~~~~~

We walk into the jewelry store. The same person behind the counter was there.

"Your ring is ready" she says. I can tell that she is a little uncomfortable. I could understand her mistake, but it was still wrong to assume.

She takes out the beautiful ring, fit to Bex's size. She hands it to Olivia to examine it.

"What if the diamonds are fake?" I whisper to Olivia.

"They aren't. Believe me, I know".

Olivia flips over the ring, so we could see the inside, the side that touches the finger.

Engraved in it was a message. It read "forever and always, my country".

It was the perfect ring.

"I'm sure she'll be very happy" the women behind the counter says. Oh boy. Here we go again.

I opened my mouth and started to say something rude, but Olivia puts a hand on my shoulder signaling me to stop.

"My partner is gender neutral. They are neither a boy or a girl. But thank you, I'm sure they will be very happy".

The lady looks confused. It's 2018, she should really know how to react.

Olivia sighs, and takes out her credit card to pay. The lady swipes it, but it's declined.

"Erm, do you think we can set up a payment plan?"

The lady nods and puts some things into her computer. "You are all set. Just come back here monthly until it's payed off". The lady may be uncultured but she is very nice.

Olivia and I walk out of the store very giddy.

"I'm so excited!!! I hope Bex says yes" I squeal.

"Oh hun you don't even know" Olivia says. I can tell she is really nervous, but there is no need to be. I know Bex will say yes.

Olivia and I go to the venue we are performing at. It was my last performance at the tour, so I thought I'd dress up special. By special, I mean a penguin onesie. Olivia wore a dress though, for the special occasion.

I went to my meet and greet. I'm going to miss seeing my fans so much. Hopefully I'll be able to keep performing a lot after the tour, and after I switch labels.

It was finally time. I found Olivia backstage before her cue. She was breathing heavily.

"It's ok Olivia, you can do this".

Olivia stared at me. The layers I used to see behind her eyes were shattered. I can see the truth now. The truth is, Olivia is strong. She is strong enough to rebel against her father. She is strong enough to betray a dangerous organization. She is strong enough to erase her father's memory. She is strong enough to take down an entire spy agency. She is strong enough to handle rude people.

She is strong enough to propose to her partner.

"Give it up for Olivia Banks!". That was her cue.

She wheels herself onto the stage and starts her set list.

I looked for Bex backstage. I found them near the curtains, watching Olivia sing lovingly. Bex was humming to the tunes of Olivia's songs.

"Hey Bex" I say. "Where have you been all day?"

"Hey Bil" they reply. "And I've just been doing stuff. How about you?"

"Same" I say, holding back a laugh. Little do they know.

As soon as it started, it was over. Olivia finished up her last song, and started speaking, instead of wheeling off the stage as usual.

"Can I have Bex please join me on the stage?" She announced. Bex looked surprised but went anyway.

Olivia grabbed Bex's hands. "Bex, I love you. And I have loved you for a long time. I know you may say that I helped through a lot, but you actually helped me through so much more. You helped shape me into the person I am today. You opened me up. You gave me the love I never thought I'd receive. I want this love to last forever". Olivia took out the ring box, and opened it.

"Bex Alexander, will you marry me?".

The crowd went wild. Bex started tearing up, and ran off the stage. Oh no.

I looked at Olivia, and saw that she was crying. I felt so bad. After everything, it couldn't end like this.

Bex ran back on stage and got on one knee. They opened up another ring box.

They crowd screamed even louder. So did I.

"Olivia, our love is so out of this world, that we planned on proposing to each other on literally the same day".

Olivia was still crying, but I'm sure they were happy tears. Bex and Olivia slid the rings onto each other's hands, and then kissed. It was the most amazing moment ever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later that night, all of us were chilling out in my tourbus. The busses will bring us home soon.

Bex was in Olivia's lap, admiring the ring.

"Look on the inside of the ring" Olivia said.

Bex took off the ring and flipped it over. They gasped and started kissing Olivia. "I love you so much".

"Forever and always, my country".

Of course the moment had to be ruined.

A knock on the door startled all of us.

I decided to let the person in. It was worth a shot.

A person who looked an awful lot like Bex walked in.

Bex was wide eyed. "Who are you?" They said.

"My name is Taylor Mannino. I am your brother".