Superstar Magic

Chapter 23: The Message

Percy POV

It was mesmerizing watching Wise Girl sing on stage. 

I was someone who's watched thousands of other singers and performers, so I wasn't saying this lightly. Annabeth was a fantastic vocalist. 

The performance aspect was simple but effective.

She stood center-stage in a stunning white dress and sang a meaningful song on female empowerment. It was moving and captivating. The spotlight made her blonde hair shine and skin glow as she sang with her heart. 

Everyone's attention was on her and her voice. 

"So breathe it in the feel the life..."

I breathed out in exacerbation as I listened to the extended note. It was so smooth and silky. Her voice steadied as she strongly finished the song. 

For a second, it was very quiet. 

Then, suddenly, everyone exploded. The applause and cheers were deafening as the whole crowd got onto their feet. I felt so proud and happy on behalf of Wise Girl. She was incredible up there. 

It was at that moment that I realized that I was doing the right thing. I wasn't going to let anything or anyone jeopardize her future because she had a lot to offer. Her voice deserved to be heard respectfully without a cloud of scandal. 

I smiled as I clapped. 

Annabeth smiled brightly as she took it all in. It was a wonderful feeling to be on stage and have people love you. It made all of the pressure and stress worth it. 

Her gaze locked onto mine as she walked off of the stage. 

Annabeth walked past me as she went back toward her seat. I want to reach out and take her hand as she walked by, but I resisted the urge. 

Regardless, our gazes locked for a few seconds, and that acted as a loving interaction between us. 

Finally, the crowd settled as Jason and Thalia took the stage again. 

"Wow, that was an amazing performance, Annabeth," Thalia cheered. Surprisingly, Thalia had tears in her eyes because of how proud she was of her best friend. 

"All right, everyone, the show must go on," Jason said. "Next up, we will have a dance group known as The Gladiators."

The show continued. As I flipped through the schedule, I realized that we were nearing the end of the program. I would be on stage very soon. I was excited to perform. Since getting famous, I've never taken this long of a break from performing for a large audience. 

"Percy, are you ready? You're up next," Chiron whispered next to me. 

"I am. I'm actually excited. It's been a while," I said quietly. 

"I'm quite proud of you, Percy. Despite everything that's going on, you retained your passion for music. I know that it's been so hard." 

"I'll always love music, Chiron. I'm just disappointed that they have so much power over me," I expressed. 

"I'm sorry that I couldn't do anything," he said with shame and guilt. 

"it's not your fault, Chiron. Don't blame yourself."

"When I became your manager, I promised your mother that I'd look after you. She wanted me to make sure that you'd be happy. I feel like I'm letting you and her down," he said quietly. 

I turned my gaze to my mother. She was sitting on the other side of me. Yup, my mom and Paul were in the VIP section because they were related to me. My mom cared so much about me, so I wasn't surprised.