Heartless (Completed)

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The week of dance rehearsals for the festival had finally come to an end. While the dancers were busy practicing, my friends and I were preoccupied setting up our booth. We were selling various flavors of juice. Simple, but enough to get by.

It was now the day of the competition, and almost all the students gathered in the quadrangle for the opening remarks. Of course, I was there too—Art and his band were performing, and I couldn't miss it.

I pushed through the crowd and found a seat on a less crowded bench. Although I was seated a bit far from the stage, I had a clear view of everything. Soon enough, the dancers emerged from the sidelines, each wearing their vibrant costumes, excitement radiating from their every move.

I spotted Desiree among our fellow HRM students and waved at her. She smiled back, then motioned with her lips towards the crowd. I followed her gaze and saw Adrian standing beside Gino near the stage.

"Adrian!" I called out, then, "Hey, Gino!" I shouted, even though I knew my voice was lost in the sea of noise. The quadrangle was filled with chatter and cheers; there was no way they heard me.

Adrian was glancing around until his eyes found mine. Gino followed his gaze, and when they both saw me, I waved excitedly. They waved back, smiles stretching across their faces.

Within moments, they made their way to me, taking seats on either side, leaving me in the middle.

"It's been so long since we last hung out," Gino laughed. It was funny how we went to the same school, yet rarely crossed paths.

"How have you been?" Adrian asked.

I smiled. "I'm good. How about you?"

He shrugged and gave me a small smile. I hope you're doing well, Adrian, I thought.

Minutes passed, and the emcee took the stage. It was then that I realized he had been speaking for a while without us noticing.

"Let's all welcome the amazing Horizon!" the emcee announced, his voice booming across the quadrangle. A roar of excitement followed. People were jumping and cheering all around me. Of course, I was excited too. My eyes were fixed on the stage. Horizon—Art's band. The name was mysterious; I didn't know who had chosen it or why, but it fit them perfectly.

Dustin was the first to step out, followed by Damen, and finally, Art appeared. My heart, which had been beating steadily, suddenly raced like a wild horse. I could feel the rhythm pulsing in my ears as I took a deep breath, my gaze locked on Art.

His dark eyes gleamed under the lights. A small smile played on his lips, and when he winked, the entire crowd of students screamed in excitement. I nearly swallowed my own breath. My legs felt like jelly, and before I knew it, I was standing, mesmerized. It wasn't until Adrian touched my arm that I realized I had been staring at Art like a fool.

"Are you ready, North Eastern?!" Art's voice thundered through the crowd. It sent chills down my spine, and everyone, including myself, screamed in response. Dustin began strumming his guitar, and Damen looked like a model behind his bass drum.

"Oh my God, Damen!" someone screamed nearby.

"Art Jake!" another girl shouted, causing me to wince. I glanced over, and my heart sank. Another admirer. With a sigh, I reminded myself that I wasn't the only one. Everyone here seemed to be in love with him. But did Art even notice me? Was there someone else he cared for at this university? What if I wasn't the one? Could I handle it?

"Go, Art!" The crowd roared within the quadrangle.

"I love you, Dustin!" someone screamed, holding up a sign with his name scrawled across it.