Rising Star: Book 3 of The Orion Series

Emotional

Dead on arrival

My pulse just stopped

Look at my eyes

There's nothing to find

This pain is so raw

The happiness so fleeting

Maybe I need just

Self-flagellation beating

Perhaps if I bare all my sin

You'll let me back in

I just can't understand it

So I grin and I bear it

What did I do to unimpressed you

To the point where I find myself now

--the song Hard Stop, lyrics by Orion Bauwens

"Orion! Orion!"

The three of us turn. We're in a position I sure as shit never imagined myself in. We're walking the red carpet.

I'm surrounded by my idols. I feel super self-conscious, like I don't belong here. Famous people are everywhere. Everyone is dressed to the nines, make-up is on point, cameras are flashing everywhere.

I hate it. I hate it, and poor Orion looks like he's going to pass out at any given moment.

Orion smiles at the interviewer who had called him and walks over, prompting Ben and I follow. Orion obliges when she does the double-cheek kiss. The fuck--did that seriously just happen?

"Hey guys!" she says in a fake manner. Yeah--I don't like how fake everything is. This is gross.

"Hi," Ben and I reply, grinning, a camera honed in on us.

"So, you guys are kind of a big deal right now," she says, grinning. "How's it feel?"

"Fucking overwhelming," Orion says immediately, scratching his sweaty forehead with his thumb.

She laughs. "We're live, Orion."

He gives his nervous laugh. "S-sorry."

"So, what are you gentlemen going to do if you win tonight?"

"I d'no," Orion says, "die happy?"

She laughs. Gloria, thankfully, can tell how absolutely uncomfortable Orion is, so she gently begins to lead him away by the elbow.

"Thanks!" he says, looking over his shoulder and waving over his shoulder.

We all, thankfully, follow.

"Thank you for that," Orion breathes.

"Are you okay?" I ask him quietly in his ear.

He looks at me like I've grown a second head and gives his pitched laugh. I smile in what I hope is an assuring way. "Yeah, me neither. This is the pits."

"Guys," Ben says, wide eyed, waving. "People are screaming my name. This is crazy."

"You'll get used to it," Gloria assures us.

"I don't want to get used to this," Orion says quietly.

I give his hand a quick squeeze and then I force a smile, waving around.

The show itself goes much better. I, for one, feel a huge weight off me once I'm seated and get to be just another face in the crowd. I don't even mind how long it takes, although I do wish they'd get to our category already. The suspense is legit starting to get to me.