Rewind Reverie

Stone Cold

All eyes are on me.

Meanwhile, my eyes are firmly on her.  That little snake standing with the other contestants, with that catty smile on her face.  The cogs are turning in my head.  She must have added my name to the list when she decided to "take a walk" earlier.  I don't know anyone else would think to do that.  It's like I've ever showed interest in karaoke.  I have nothing against it but I didn't exactly have the headspace to appreciate it before.  Now, I'm expected to go up there and sing my heart out like this contest determines my life's worth.

And as that smirk of hers widens, she probably expects me to make a damn fool of myself.

Unfortunately for her, just because I don't sing a lot at home, doesn't mean I can't sing at all.

Nine years of choral training in elementary and high school and two years as a soloist made sure of that.

The crowd cheers for me as I make way to the stage.  My peripheral vision catches Ari making his way to me. Somehow, Nessa allows to him to leave her side.  Or maybe that's just my envy-tainted interpretation.  "Finn!  I didn't know you wanted to be the contest, too!"

"Neither did I."  My cock my head over to Sadie, who waves at us in malicious delight.   I could kill her.  I really could. "Guess this is punishment for not telling her about Nessa."

"Seriously?" Ari looks like he could kill her, too.  "Shit, this is my fault.  If I hadn't ask you to keep the secret..."

"It's fine.  It's not like you held a gun to my head or anything.  Unfortunately, I don't think I can get out of this easily."  And this is how I accept my fate.  "Here I go."

"Finn, no!"  Ari grabs my hand, pulling me back toward him.  In the roar of a thousand rand conversations, I swear I can hear his heart racing.  "I can't let you do this."

"I'm singing a song, not going to the guillotine to die."  Then again, at this moment, there's not much difference.  "I'll be fine."

"But..."  There's no mistaking how apologetic Ari looks.  Even if the slow of neon club lights, there is no mistaking his remorse.  My heart hurts to see him like this.  "I wish you didn't have to do this."

"I promise I won't embarrass you up there."  It makes me want to lean in closer and tell how it'll all turn out and how we can laugh about this later.  But I can't bring myself to do it.  Then, when I look over to see Nessa watching us intently, the walls come up again.  "It'll be fine - really."  

Ari watches in silence as I gently wrestle my hand from his grasp.  I tell myself to focus as I turn my back on him, ignoring the pain that radiates from the center my heart.    It's all I can do to stop myself from screaming in raw frustration. 

As I march up to the stage, I keep a polite smile on my face.  There is no way  I will give Sadie the satisfaction of seeing how angry I am with her.  I don't remember her being so bitchy but maybe that's because I was enough of a mouse to stay off her bad side.  

"Welcome to the stage, Finn!" The announcer has the most majestic moustache I have ever seen.  With tendrils curled to perfection and every hair perfectly trimmed, I wonder if he does this gig because he knows he can show it off.  "Have you selected a song for your performance?"

We're away from the mic so unless you're really close to the stage no one can hear what we're saying.  Good.  I know exactly what song I want to sing and pray that I can pull it off well since I don't have that much time to warm up my voice.  Then again, that'll probably work in my favor.  

"Do you have 'Stone Cold' by Demi Lovato?" I ask.

The announcer looks like I asked for an complex baroque choral piece.  "Going all in, huh?  We have the regular version and a piano version that's slightly slower but in the original key.  Which one would you like?"