over with so the headline act would come on?
The time came for the last song, and Misty turned to the band, warning them she made a few changes to the playlist and needed no backup for this one. They didn’t care either way, shrugging as they exited the stage, happy, she felt sure, to have the unexpected five-minute break to get a beer or have a smoke.
Misty sang a new song, one she written about Aiden and Seth. One they would have known had been just for them. It spoke of their special kind of love and how the world wouldn’t understand. It told of her gratitude for finding someone who had known better than she did what she needed and how she thanked God every day that she’d come to know the truth. The last line of the song simply said she didn’t want to live in a world that didn’t have them in it.
The words could have been meant for a family or friends, but Misty knew Seth and Aiden would have understood them. As the last notes from her guitar strings faded into silence, she was crying openly and didn’t even try to stem the tears.
The audience didn’t know what caused her display of emotion, and no one seemed to care. To a person, the crowd got to its feet and began clapping, cheering, and shouting for more. Seeing their reaction just made her cry even harder. To achieve one of her dreams only when it didn’t matter to her anymore seemed so ironic. Misty ran from the stage.
Out in the cool night air a few minutes later, she thought of going back to the dressing room and reassuring everyone that she was okay, but she couldn’t face anyone. Not yet. Thankful she had the sense to grab her purse before she stumbled out of the building. She turned and headed up the alleyway leading to the street that ran along the side of the theater.
Two shadows loomed in front of her and blocked out the light from the streetlamp. Her heart lurched, more from surprise than real terror. The thought that she should run the other way barely formed before a voice she recognized made her start for an altogether different reason.
‘We were just coming to find you.’
‘Aiden?’ Misty didn’t care who the voice belonged to. She put a little distance between her and the dark shadows just in case.
‘Are you okay?’ The shape with Seth’s voice took a step forward. ‘We saw you crying and wanted to come see what was wrong.’
‘You were there?’ They nodded. ‘Why didn’t you use the seats I gave you?’
Aiden looked away and Seth cleared his throat before he spoke. ‘We didn’t intend for you to see us, Misty.’
‘Oh…’
They didn’t want her to know they were there? That meant they didn’t want to have to speak to her or spend time with her. Did Seth’s confession hurt any more than thinking they hadn’t come at all? She couldn’t be sure. Misty only knew she wasn’t handling her disappointment well and the thought of breaking down in front of them made her want to be sick. She tried to plaster a smile on her face.
‘As you can see, I’m fine. Thanks for coming, guys. Why not go back and enjoy the rest of the show?’
Misty angled closer to the wall so she could slip past them and escape another cruel irony—being so close to them again in a way she had dreamed of, yet knowing they didn’t want her anymore. At least the semi-dark alleyway saved her from the torture of being able to see into their eyes and finding them empty of the love she craved.
A hand closed around her arm and pulled her back to where she stood only seconds earlier.
‘Where are you going?’
Frustration, at being unable to get away, stretched her reserves to breaking point and she began to cry. Her hands bunched in Aiden’s shirt when he moved to comfort her, and she dragged him closer with all her strength. Misty pressed her face into his chest, not caring that she stole the intimacy she’d been starved of, and sure it would be the last time she ever got to hold him.
Aiden took a couple of steps to the side, turning with
The time came for the last song, and Misty turned to the band, warning them she made a few changes to the playlist and needed no backup for this one. They didn’t care either way, shrugging as they exited the stage, happy, she felt sure, to have the unexpected five-minute break to get a beer or have a smoke.
Misty sang a new song, one she written about Aiden and Seth. One they would have known had been just for them. It spoke of their special kind of love and how the world wouldn’t understand. It told of her gratitude for finding someone who had known better than she did what she needed and how she thanked God every day that she’d come to know the truth. The last line of the song simply said she didn’t want to live in a world that didn’t have them in it.
The words could have been meant for a family or friends, but Misty knew Seth and Aiden would have understood them. As the last notes from her guitar strings faded into silence, she was crying openly and didn’t even try to stem the tears.
The audience didn’t know what caused her display of emotion, and no one seemed to care. To a person, the crowd got to its feet and began clapping, cheering, and shouting for more. Seeing their reaction just made her cry even harder. To achieve one of her dreams only when it didn’t matter to her anymore seemed so ironic. Misty ran from the stage.
Out in the cool night air a few minutes later, she thought of going back to the dressing room and reassuring everyone that she was okay, but she couldn’t face anyone. Not yet. Thankful she had the sense to grab her purse before she stumbled out of the building. She turned and headed up the alleyway leading to the street that ran along the side of the theater.
Two shadows loomed in front of her and blocked out the light from the streetlamp. Her heart lurched, more from surprise than real terror. The thought that she should run the other way barely formed before a voice she recognized made her start for an altogether different reason.
‘We were just coming to find you.’
‘Aiden?’ Misty didn’t care who the voice belonged to. She put a little distance between her and the dark shadows just in case.
‘Are you okay?’ The shape with Seth’s voice took a step forward. ‘We saw you crying and wanted to come see what was wrong.’
‘You were there?’ They nodded. ‘Why didn’t you use the seats I gave you?’
Aiden looked away and Seth cleared his throat before he spoke. ‘We didn’t intend for you to see us, Misty.’
‘Oh…’
They didn’t want her to know they were there? That meant they didn’t want to have to speak to her or spend time with her. Did Seth’s confession hurt any more than thinking they hadn’t come at all? She couldn’t be sure. Misty only knew she wasn’t handling her disappointment well and the thought of breaking down in front of them made her want to be sick. She tried to plaster a smile on her face.
‘As you can see, I’m fine. Thanks for coming, guys. Why not go back and enjoy the rest of the show?’
Misty angled closer to the wall so she could slip past them and escape another cruel irony—being so close to them again in a way she had dreamed of, yet knowing they didn’t want her anymore. At least the semi-dark alleyway saved her from the torture of being able to see into their eyes and finding them empty of the love she craved.
A hand closed around her arm and pulled her back to where she stood only seconds earlier.
‘Where are you going?’
Frustration, at being unable to get away, stretched her reserves to breaking point and she began to cry. Her hands bunched in Aiden’s shirt when he moved to comfort her, and she dragged him closer with all her strength. Misty pressed her face into his chest, not caring that she stole the intimacy she’d been starved of, and sure it would be the last time she ever got to hold him.
Aiden took a couple of steps to the side, turning with
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