Kiss The Sun

Chapter 18

As soon as we locked eyes I thought I was going to full on panic. I turned towards Beth on the front row, obliviously taking pictures.

How did he find me here?

I couldn't panic, not here, not on stage. So, I closed my eyes and strummed. I did what I had gotten used to doing: I put on a show. And no matter what, no matter how much I wanted to, I didn't look out at him. I spun and twirled and sang harder than I ever had. And I didn't give him the satisfaction of knowing I was panicked by him. 

Then it was time for the new song. "So," I allowed myself to gaze into the audience, focusing on a man with a mustache in the right corner instead of the man in the left corner. "I have a little something for you all that I'd like to...to debut." I smiled as the crowd cheered for me. "It's a little different than what I have played tonight, but I hope you like it."

I took a seat on the chair that the crew brought out for me as the band left the stage, leaving just me and my acoustic. I looked over to the right of the stage. Sam was there, a grin on his face, watching. 

"I wrote this about someone," I looked back over to him, "Someone really special." 

And I played it. It was such an intimate moment, just me, my guitar, and an audience full of listening ears. And when I was finished, it was so silent you could hear a pen drop. There was a second that I thought I had ruined everything. 

Until they erupted into cheers. Then, it all felt worth it. I smiled and thanked them, ending with the same line I always do. And then I ran to Sam.

He hugged me tight, spinning me around. Once he put me back down onto my feet, he kissed me softly. "It was beautiful. You are beautiful." He whispered. I smirked against his lips. Playing his song for a crowd was exhilarating. It was so intimate, so magical. It made me wish he didn't have to get on stage.

There was a crash from across the stage that made Sam and I pull away from each other, concerned. We rushed around to the other side to find Jake on the ground with a large equipment box knocked over around him. 

"What the hell?" Sam asked him.

"Finally. We've been looking everywhere for you." Danny said at the same time, walking out from the room nearby. 

Jake held his head and looked up, "I've been...out." He slurred so bad I almost couldn't understand him.

"Jake, are you drunk? Again?" Sam asked him. 

He stood up and staggered, almost knocking down another box. Danny caught him. "No. I'm not." He responded, obviously lying. "Let go of me, Danny, I have a show to play."

"Jake, you can't play like this." He responded, still gentle in his voice.

"Yeah, hell no, you're not playing." Sam scoffed from beside me. I shot him a small glare. 

"Oh really, Sam. You want to go there? You want to take ANOTHER THING FROM ME?" He yelled so loud I gasped. He turned towards me. I took a step back, afraid.

He stared into my eyes, but he didn't say anything else. He passed Sam, hitting his shoulder as he did. Then, he grabbed his red guitar, slung it over his head, and walked onto the stage.

"Shit." Sam whispered.

"Well, I guess it's showtime." Danny said, sighing. They walked out quickly, Josh meeting them from the other side. 

And as much as I hated him for it, Jake put on the best show I had ever seen. If I thought he was showing off or doing extra before, it did not compare to how he was playing. Song after song, he continued to captivate the audience. When he slung his guitar around to the back of his head, I scanned the crowd for their reaction.