Somewhere, Australia //A.I

Chapter 3: Abbie with an 'ie'

Hope you guys are having a great day! ENJOY LOVELIES
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The hype of the crowd lulls by the middle of my set. Some people leave, a couple others come in. Those boys never leave. Even when seats become available, they just lean against the wall and appreciate the music.

I believe them to be musicians themselves because of the perfectly in-rhythm way the fourth boy taps his fingers to whatever I sing. And the way the second boy rests his fingers on his arm as if he's playing a C chord on guitar.

"This last song is called Valarie by Amy Whinehouse."

This one doesn't require a guitar, I always do it acapella. I pull a stool to sit on and lay my guitar down. I give a wink to August, and look back out to the crowd. There's maybe only twenty people in here at this hour and now a certain intimacy hovers as I softly hum an opening riff.

"Well sometimes I go out by myself and I look across the water. And I think of all the things, what you're doin', and my head I paint a picture..." Now I pop up from my stool and use the stage. A clap starts somewhere in the audience and I run with it, picking up the energy in the room. August darts onto stage with a tambourine and by the end of the song I'm sweating from running around the place. I get a standing ovation and a roar of applause as I take a final bow and grab my guitar.

My eyes drift back to the boy once more, he is actually clapping and standing up straight with a huge smile on his face. We make eye contact again and I blush.

Why do I keep blushing? I shouldn't be embarrassed by his attention, that's the whole reason I perform.

I'm suddenly whipped out of my thoughts by a bear hug from August. For a small gal, she can squeeze a person pretty tight.

"Jesus Auggie, are you trying to pop me!" She just giggles and breaks the hug.

"How did it feel to finally be up there?!" She doesn't give me time to answer, just keeps rambling. "Was it everything you wanted and more? You were amazing! I wish I could sing like that..." I kinda zoned her out as I stared up at the ceiling, realizing that I just finished my first show.

"Sydney!" August snaps me out of my trance. "Did you even hear my question?"

"Oh yeah, definitely. But what was it is again? Just so I can completely get my mind around it." I say jokingly. She swats my arm playfully.

"Ha ha. Very funny. What I said was, do you wanna head out and get some drinks to celebrate?"

"Oh yeah sure. Sound like fun. I gotta go talk to the manager real quick."

A little girl with bleach blonde hair intercepts me on the way there.

"Exuse me Miss, can I has your autograph?" She says exposing a missing front tooth.

"Of course sweetie, and what's your name?" I say, while she hands me a napkin and a pen.

"Abbie. And dats with an 'ie', nota 'y' at the end." She very firmly states as I write a little message.

I hand her back the pen and napkin as I say, "Well thank you very much Abbie with an 'ie' at the end of her name." She waves to me one more time before running off to her parents.

I just signed my first autograph.

My head flashes back to something August said earlier. You're my best friend, and things are finally going your way. I always told you they would.

I feel a tap on my shoulder and a very fake sounding little girl voice saying, "Exuse me miss, can I has your autograph too?" I spin around to see the boy I've been staring at all night.