ASSIGNED

Chapter 23

PICTURED: Asha's recital outfit

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"That comes to three hundred and thirty dollars," I told the lady who was purchasing a skirt and matching handbag.

"Were you the girl that performed at the charity event on Saturday?" the woman asked me curiously, and I nodded.

"Yeah, that was me," I told her awkwardly. This wasn't the first time I had been recognised since the event and I wasn't used to so much attention.

"You were incredible!" she smiled at me, "I was so captivated."

"Wow, thank you!" I smiled back, a light blush creeping to my cheeks.

I finished her transaction and she walked off with a wave.

"Geez Asha, you're famous!" Lolita said, chucking her arm lazily around my shoulder.

"No I'm not, don't be stupid," I laughed, but the laugh was short lived.

Ever since my party, every laugh had been short lived. My smile didn't reach my eyes and my heart was still in pieces. I tried to hide it, but it was getting difficult. At school I barely spoke, only to answer teachers questions and reply when I was spoken to. At home I didn't talk, locking myself in my room as soon as I walked through the door. Did Bailey notice how drastically I had changed? And if she did...did she care?

Since the charity event I had been dividing my time between lying in my bed and playing the piano. The school recital was coming up and I was terrified. The tickets had sold out completely, and our school hall held well over one thousand people. Instead of practicing the song I planned to perform at the recital, I found myself singing the song that I had written about Bailey. She was in everything I did and I couldn't seem to shake her out of my mind. How could I be so heart broken over someone that was never even mine?

The day before the recital I had been given permission by the music faculty to skip my lessons and practice all day in the music room. On top of that, I was also involved in setting up the school hall for the recital which involved placing over 1,000 chairs in rows. By the time we had finished it was lunch time and I had barely two hours left to practice for the recital.

"Do you know what song you will be performing?" my teacher asked me, and I nodded my head.

"I think I'll do the song I auditioned with, if you think that's okay?" I asked her.

"That's perfect, that song is beautiful!" she assured me, and then hurried off to fix some crooked chairs on the floor.

I sat at the piano and ran over the song emotionlessly. I was numb to everything these days and I just couldn't bring myself to pour my heart out into the song. It still sounded good, but it wasn't passionate. It wasn't real.

On Saturday night I straightened my hair thoroughly and did my makeup. I opted to wear a floor length red jumpsuit. It was strapless and fitted, but flared out at my legs slightly. I deemed it appropriate for the recital, but I hoped everyone else did too. I walked out of my room and went downstairs, seeing my mother waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. She looked beautiful, and I hadn't seen her so dressed up since my fathers funeral.

"Wow mum, you look gorgeous!" I told her, wrapping her in a tight hug.

"So do you sweetie!" she whispered to me, hugging me back. "I'm so proud of you!"

"Thanks mum, I'm so glad you can come tonight!" I told her.

"Will Bailey be there?" she asked me, and I shook my head.