here's chapter 11! I'm sorry it's so long, the end is my favorite personally, but I kinda felt like the beginning before the concert was necessary, even though it's kinda boring.
hope you enjoy!
comment!
<3 Kate
Chapter 11
“Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius.”
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Turning off the main road, we drove down a series of dark alleyways. Finally we pulled up in front of the back door of a huge brick building.
“We’re here!” Joe called in a high-pitched sing-songy voice as we all piled out of the car. Once inside the building we walked down the hallway.
“ You girls will wait for the show to start in here.” Nick told us as a security guard led us into a room.
“Have fun, but not too much fun without us.” Joe winked at all of us, but I think he was looking specifically Emily.
“See you after the show!” Kevin told us as he and Joe began to walk away. “Have fun.” He flashed an encouraging smile at me.
“Good luck!” I called to them. Emily and Sarah said something along the same lines as well.
Nick started backing slowly away. “Remember, the surprise.” He smiled and then turned around and ran to catch up with his brothers.
I smiled as I watched him walk away, excitement building up inside of me. I could see Sarah staring at me out of the corner of my eye, her gaze burning a hole in my head. I ignored her and followed Emily farther into the waiting room. It was an empty, plain room, with white walls. A lonely, black leather couch sat up against the far wall.
“Sweet room. I can tell they love us.” I linked arms with Emily as we plopped down on the lone couch.
“I know, isn’t it obvious?” Emily said laughing. “But oh well. The show will start in a half hour anyways, so whatever.”
“This is how it always is.” Sarah told us as she sat down next to me. She seemed to be trying to surreptitiously rub her experience in our faces. Yet, even while she did it she still sounded extremely friendly.
“Do you go to a lot of their shows?” Emily leaned forward, trying to see around me. This was not a good set up for conversation. I stifled a heavy sigh. Emily was asking her exactly what she wanted, so she could flaunt her relationship with the boys in our faces one more time. But Emily was just trying to be polite.
“As many as I can.” She smiled and looked forward, as if reminiscing on good times. “They’re some of my best friends. I come and visit with them as often as I can, and obviously a lot of times I can meet them someplace closer when they have a show. It just works out that way, you know?”
“That’s cool.” Emily smiled at me. A knowing look passed between us.
The rest of the time we just made small talk. Sarah’s voice continued to drip with sugary sweetness, and it continued to make me sick. I was beginning to get the vibe that she didn’t really like me either. Still both of us were polite and friendly, and anyone who didn’t know us might actually think we were friends.
Finally some people came in and escorted us out into the audience. They wouldn’t let us stay backstage, but they did put us in a special section near the front. As we waited for the boys to come on, I looked around the theatre. They weren’t lying when they said it was a small show. It was a fairly small sized room, especially compared to what they had played at on their tour, full of screaming, hysterical girls. Occasionally, I would see the one guy or dad standing awkwardly still, stone-faced, forced there by his daughter or girlfriend. They stuck out like a soar thumb, and it cracked me up. Poor guys.
Suddenly all the girls went crazy as the lights dimmed. Emily pulled me around.
“Nat, it’s starting!”
After about five minutes of hysterical screaming in darkness, lights began to flash and the boys came out onto the stage. We joined in the screaming, except this time it felt like my cheering meant more. The last time I had been to one of their concerts I hadn’t known them. It was different now that I did. I felt like I was more encouraging and supporting them, and that I was there for their benefit, rather than them being there for mine.
They began to play the familiar beginning to S.O.S and the girls around us began to jump up and down and flail around. When Nick’s voice filled the room, we all began to sing along. The concert was much more low-key than their tour was, more singing and less entertainment, but because of popular demand Joe and Kevin had a dance-off, and Nick did his “Nick J is off the chain”. I don’t think they had planned it, but the crowd wanted it, and they were having fun.
When Nick sang A Little Bit Longer he gave no speech at the beginning. All he said was, “This is for the brokenhearted out there.” When he played I could tell he was pouring his heart out onto the stage, his head bowed, leaning into every note he played. After he was done, his beautiful, intense gaze looked out into the crowd so respectfully, so humbly. I wanted to run up onto the stage and hold him close to me, to hold him and never let him go. Kevin and Joe walked the guitars off stage and came back holding only a microphone. They sat down on the riser on stage while Nick stayed seated at the piano.
“How many of you saw us on Oprah?” Nick said, adjusting the microphone. The room erupted in screams. He laughed. “Good, then you’ll know this next song.” He paused, looking thoughtfully out at the audience. “You know, when you meet someone, and in that split second they change your life forever? And you know that even though you pretend like nothing happened, you know something did and you can’t ignore it?”
He began to softly play the opening of Dream Angel as he continued. “And when you’re with that person, you have so much fun, and you feel so completely--safe. Well this is for the person who makes me feel like that.” He looked over in our direction; he looked at me. I smiled at him and I could feel the tears filling my eyes. I laughed, as I tried to blink them away. He winked at me and then began to sing.
…You’re my dream angel
You’re the one who
Walks me through the night…
“Oh, Nick-“ I heard Sarah’s voice. Turning, I looked at her, not really comprehending what she said. Then as soon as I looked away it hit me. I looked back at her, with my mouth wide open. She was standing with her hands over her heart, and she was crying. I crossed my hands over my chest and took a deep breath to control my growing anger.
She really thought it was about her.