Punk Princess (completed) (being edited)

Chapter 11

        The last notes of "In The End" by Linkin Park rings both throughout the park and behind the stage, the guitarist hitting them perfectly while the singer's voice holds onto the note. The applause begins to fill my ears after it stops as I bite my lip nervously, trying to decide whether or not I need to put on a tad more eyeliner. Lacey tunes her bass again behind me, her legs crossed tightly beneath her while she occasionally stops tuning to throw her bangs out of her face. West stands a few feet away, his knuckles turning white as they squeeze the fretboard of his guitar. Alec is avoiding me altogether, but I notice him spinning a drumstick in his hand about ten feet away. 

        We're all insanely nervous, and it's obvious. We know it's obvious, and we just don't want to admit to it. "You guys ready?" West's voice rings in my ears, only reminding me of what's about to happen. We're going on stage. We're playing. As a band. Together. For people, not just for ourselves. 

        It's crazy. I just hope that we're all ready. 

        "Yeah," Lacey says, spitting her gum out into a wrapper. As soon as it's out of her mouth, she bites her lip so hard I think it might be bleeding. 

        "I guess," Alec says, avoiding my gaze from the mirror.

        I take a deep breath and add a little more eyeliner to my already thickly lined eyes. "Ready as I'll ever be," I say, turning around and smiling a little. Even though I can't stop fidgeting, I can't help but be excited. 

        This is going to be amazing. Not necessarily performance-wise, but as an experience, whether we win or not, this is going to be great. 

        "Alright, then," he says, heading towards the curtain. The emcee calls us out, and I follow West closely until I get to the keyboard that's set up. Lacey plugs in her bass while West plugs his guitar in, Alec flexes his fingers and gets ready, and I wait with my hands shaking over the keys. I make sure that the keyboard is on while Lacey and West tune their instruments one more time. 

        I start to think about how, only a little over a month or so ago, I didn't know these people. I would have called them the "weird emo kids" when around my friends while secretly wanting to be a little more like them. I was wearing plaid skirts and polo tops and was basically the 

        The lights turn on, blinding me for a moment. I look over at Alec, and he nods at me. West winks at me, and Lacey mouths, "One, two, three," for us. I play the same notes as West, only an octave higher, and Lacey plays the occasional bass note. Then, she begins to sing. 

        "Well I was there on the day

        They sold the cause for the queen,

        And when the lights all went out

        We watched our lives on the screen.

        I hate the ending myself, 

        But it started with an alright scene."

        Her voice hits every note perfectly, although I notice that it wavers just a little bit from either emotion or nervousness. I join in on the harmony part after this when my piano part becomes simple chords. Alec joins in, playing a strong drum beat at about the same time I start singing. 

        "It was the roar of the crowd

        That gave me heartache to sing.

        It was a lie when they smiled

        And said, 'you won't feel a thing'

        And as we ran from the cops

        We laughed so hard it would sting... yeah, yeah,"