Last Kiss

Last Kiss and Last Kisses

We'd been living off the grid for two weeks now. The only person we'd been in contact with was Val.

We recorded the song. She loved it. Then, she begged us to perform in at a music festival her label was holding. She said it would be great for the both of us and her label. Of course, I accepted. Sammy was a little uneasy.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" he said, tugging my sleeve as we got in the car after meeting with Val. "I mean, I haven't performed in a long time. I'm probably so rusty."

I continued to reassure him, "Sammy, we're doing this. And we'll both be amazing."

It was a couple hours before we were to go on stage. The festival was out in the desert, so Val got two hotel rooms for Sammy and I. I was in my room, putting the final touches together on my outfit. Since no one really knew we were performing, I told Val we would do without the makeup artists and hair stylists.

I brushed through my straightened hair one last time and flicked at my eye lashes, making sure they were perfect. I wasn't nervous until now. The last time I performed with Sammy was at the bar.

There was a knock at the door and I gave myself one last look before going to open it.

"Wow," Sammy was on the other side, already fitted in a leather jacket and jeans. His hair flopped up his face like it did. "You look...wow."

I tried hard to contain myself from going scarlet. "Let me fix your hair."

Sammy came in and sat down at my bed. "You have my old product," Sammy noted as he watched me grab the hair product from the vanity.

"Oh, yeah," I said. I didn't even notice. When we played gigs as teenagers, Sammy never knew how to do his hair. He'd always let it flop all over his face. So, I started carrying around hair product so I could fix it. "Old habits die hard, I guess."

I leaned over Sammy as I started running my hands through his hair. His head was level with my neck and I could feel his warm breath.

"Stevie," he whispered. His hand was on my waist. I inhaled sharply.

"Sammy," I interrupted him. "I-I can't. Not right now." I looked down into his eyes. His face was so close to mine.

I averted my gaze and ran my hands through his hair one last time. "You're good," I said, forcing a smile.

"We should probably go," Sammy said.

"Okay," I swallowed. I wasn't moving.

Finally, Sammy gently stood up until we were chest to chest and his face was looking down on mine. His face was so close to mine.

I stepped back. "Let's-why don't we go?"

"Yeah," Sammy took a deep breath and gave me the classic Sammy smile. He held out his arm to me and I took it. "Let's go."

***

The lights were always so bright. I was never fully used to it. They still blinded me the first couple of minutes I was out there.

There was a lot of people. Probably even more than the BoomMusic festival. Also unlike the BoomMusic festival, this was televised.

Sammy was pacing. His hair was starting to droop over his face again.

"Sammy Wilson?" A stage manager came out. Sammy looked up, startled. "You're up in two minutes."

Sammy nodded and fiddlied with the zipper of his jacket. This was so weird. Sammy was always the confident one. Performing never made him nervous, unlike me, who he usually had to calm down. For the first time, the roles had been reversed.