Lyrics

Lights On Pt.1- Shawn

Grammy rehearsals were exhausting. Miley was exhausting. I'd always wanted to perform with her and experience her vocals and range with my music, but it wasn't an easy experience. She was everything or nothing at all times, no consistency and no calm.

Andrew could see I was going crazy with nerves when he came into my dressing room one afternoon after a particularly painful hour of trying to nail the chorus with both of us on guitars. It wasn't working, to put it lightly.

"Camila's in the studio next door with Ricky Martin apparently." He said, by way of a greeting.

My head shot up. "She's performing too?" I asked

"Of course, most nominees get to perform. They've got her doing Havana as part of one of the biggest sets of the night." He said, his tone almost bored, he barely looked up from his phone.

I didn't know what to do, maybe that's why Andrew was being so coy. Did I go see her and risk derailing her rehearsals, what with how we last left it in New York? Or did I leave it and act surprised when I saw her perform on the night? There had to be a reason she hadn't told me that she was performing? But then, I hadn't told her about Miley and I either. I wasn't sure how she'd take it, she liked Miley's music but didn't always warm to her at award shows.

In the end, my need to see her and be in the same room as her energy won over my guilt. I stood up and walked towards the door. "Shawn?" Andrew called, I looked back at him, my face was calm but my heart was beating a million miles an hour. He took a long look at me and said, "just, be careful." He said, a fatherly tone coming out. I nodded and left.

Camila screamed like a five-year-old when I walked into the studio. She flung her arms around my neck, pulling me down and forcing me to hold her by the waist. I was so hooked on the feeling; I didn't notice Matthew coming out from the other side.

He clapped me on the back in greeting and smiled confidently. I shook his hand before giving Camila's family hugs too.

"Come over and meet Ricky!" Camila whispered to me as we finished the hellos, she took me by the hand and introduced me to Ricky Martin, who looked me over and winked suggestively in response. Camila cackled at him, linked her arm through mine as she replied in Spanish. I didn't know what she said but it had the intended effect, Ricky simply smiled at me and purred in his heavy accent, "She's a lucky lady..." before Camila laughed and pulled me back to the group.

"What was that about? I whispered to her.
She squeezed my arm and replied, "Well Canada, you were about to become Martin-meat." She cocked an eyebrow and explained, "He liked the look of you, so I told him you already had a lady friend in your life... you're welcome." She laughed at the shock on my face.

Camila had to do one more routine with vocals before she could get away for a couple of minutes, so I sat with her family, as we watched them. In short, their mixed vocals were incredible. I'd heard Havana a million times live but somehow, this close up and with Ricky's tenor, it was more vibrant and even gave me goose bumps.

"I'm glad to see her singing has the same effect on you as it does on me..." I heard Matthew say in a hushed tone as we watched. I hadn't realised he was sitting so close until now. I looked down at my gooseflesh-covered arms and smiled politely in response.
"It's funny, Camila's been in a bit of a strange place since the Grammy nomination night. Happy and working hard, of course, but still a bit, off, you know?" He continued quietly. I carried on watching the rehearsal, nodding my head to the beat. "What's funny is that, I'm sure that was the last time she saw you too." I wasn't sure what he was trying to say but I could feel myself in dangerous territory. I simply looked at him and nodded. "I wonder if," he carried on, trying to provoke me, no doubt, "if maybe something happened? Maybe something was said that she didn't like?" He tested.

I clenched and unclenched my hand, my jaw was set as I turned to him and replied in a low voice, "Getting a Grammy nomination for an artist is an emotional, transcendental experience. For her, after all the bullying and backstabbing she had to go through to become a solo artist, it's even more momentous." I looked back her, still belting out her song. It gave me the nerve to carry on; "I've seen her work her way through the industry with passion and kindness and come out the other side, very much on top." I said vehemently, "This is her chance to be the best version of herself and somehow, you think it's about me?!" He had the decency to look slightly uneasy at this point. "You obviously don't give her talent or work ethic enough credit. She'll probably head into the studio soon after the Grammys and create the best material she's ever written, thanks to those nominations. Don't you dare undermine her experience and pin it down on something happening in our friendship." I finished, glaring at him and daring him to try his luck again.

He got the message, nodding, he looked back at the rehearsal but didn't say anything else. I was seeing red for a split second before I caught Camila's mom and dad's stares. Her dad simply gave me a soft nod and Sinu's warm, approving smile calmed me immediately.