Steal the Show •On Hold•

Chapter Sixteen

Artemis stood in front of the mirror, shirtless. She could see the bruises on her chest from where Cam had grabbed her the previous night. She tugged on a red dress, putting makeup over the exposed parts of her chest, and a pair of black boots. She slipped a pair of gold earrings into her ears.

She walked to the wings by herself, preparing herself. She had two solo songs that night, and one was new. She took a deep breath as she walked up to Jade. "Hey, Sis."

"Oh, hey, Alice. You look pretty."

"Thanks."

Jade rubbed her very swollen stomach. It was the beginning of December, the baby was due in early March.

"Have you and Will picked a name yet?" Artemis asked.

Jade sighed. "Not for sure yet."

"You'll get one. And it'll be perfect, I promise."

"Thanks, Arty."

Wally walked up to them. "You ready, Art?"

"Yeah."

"Well, it's time to go up, and one of your songs is first."

Artemis nodded, and followed him onstage. The music started, and so did Arty's singing.

Song: Mean by Taylor Swift (this was actually suggested by Tigressandwally. All the suggested songs were great, it literally took me a half hour- at least- to choose just one.)

"You, with your words like knives and swords, and weapons that you use against me. You, knocked me off my feet again, got me feeling like I'm nothing.

You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard. You, calling me out when I'm wounded. You, picking on the weaker man.

You can take me down with just one single blow. But you don't know what you don't know. Someday, I'll be living in a big old city. And all you're ever gonna be is mean. Someday I'll be big enough that you can't hit me. And all you're ever gonna be is mean.

Why you gotta be so mean?

You, with your switching sides and wildfire lies and your humiliation. You, have pointed out my flaws again, as if I don't already see them. I walk with my head bowed, trying to block you out cuz I'll never impress you. I just wanna be ok again.

I bet you got pushed around. Somebody made you cold. The cycle ends right now. You can't take me down that road.

And you don't know what you don't know. Someday, I'll be living in a big old city. And all you're ever gonna be is mean. Someday I'll be big enough that you can't hit me. And all you're ever gonna be is mean.

Why you gotta be so mean?

And I can see you years from now in a bar, talking over a football game with that same old loud opinion, but no one's listening. Washed up and ranting about the same old bitter things. Drunk and grumbling on about how I can't sing.

But all you are is mean.

All you are is mean. And a liar. And pathetic. And alone in life. And mean. And mean. And mean. And mean.

But someday, I'll be living in a big old city. And all you're ever gonna be is mean. Yeah. And someday I'll be big enough that you can't hit me. And all you're ever gonna be is mean. Why you gotta be- someday I'll be living in a big old city. And all you're ever gonna be is mean.