Chapter 9

I got ready, deciding just to go as normal: a pair of jeans and a black and white striped shirt.

I was not going to dress up all casual for a occasion where I absolutely didn’t want to go at all.

The dude, that Phil sent, arrived faster than I thought and against my will I hopped in his car and we drove off.

Looking out of the window, I truly realized the beauty of America. I just stared at the lights of the buildings, forgetting for a second the real reason I was here.

After what seemed an hour the car came to a stop and I stepped out.

‘’So, should I tip you or something?’’ I said hesitating. ‘’No, it’s ok. I already get paid by the guy who told me to pick you up. Have a nice night, lady.’’ The driver said gently. ‘’Thanks, you too.’’ And he took off.

‘Fine. Where the heck am I now?’

I looked around. I’ve never been here before. I looked up to the big building. Staples Center was written in big neon lights.

In front of the entrance were standing two big muscular men, garding the door. Struggling I walked towards them.

‘’Hello. I’m looking for..Phil Lawrence?’’

One of the men looked down at me (‘Man, he’s tall. You don’t wanna get in a fight with him...’) and frowned.

Right when he was about to speak, the door busted open. Phil came out and smiled when he saw me.

‘’It’s ok. She’s with me.’’ He said to the men and dragged me inside.

I guess this was the backstage door. I could hear a crowd screaming and some loud music.

I recognized that music. Bruno.

‘Can’t believe Phil tricked me.’

‘’Where are we going?’’ I wispered annoyed. ‘’Shhh. You’ll see.’’ I swear I saw a smile of excitement on his face.

‘’Fine.’’ ‘I’ll continue playing this game...’

We walked trought a hallway. It looked like an eternity and it became darker and darker, untill I finally saw a little red light at the end. The music and crowd became louder as we walked closer to it.

‘’Mind your head.’’ Phil warned, as he ducked. I didn’t know what he was talking about, so I ducked too. Wich was the right thing to do, or else I had hit my head on the low ceiling.

We walked up a couple of little steps (afraid to fall) and went trought a heavy curtain.

I almost got blinded by a light as I realized I was on a stage, with what looked like a thousands of people.

I gasped. Glad that I was still standing close to the curtains, so people wouldn’t see me.

‘’Just in time for the last song.’’ I heard Phil say.

A white spotlight came on in the middle of the stage.

And there he was, sitting on a stool. Bruno.

‘Oh, this is what it’s all about.’

I turned around and glared at Phil. He just smiled, amused.

‘’I wanna dedicate this song to my special lady. Hope I’ll see you again.’’ Bruno said in the mic. The crowd cheered.

‘’I know you’re somewhere out there, somewhere far away. I want ya back. I want ya back.’’ He started singing. I saw a sad expression on his face.

He looked so tired.

‘’Talking to the moon, Trynna get to you. And hope you’re on the other side, talking to me too. Or am I a fool, who sits alone. Talking to the moon.’’

And that’s where it went wrong.

It looked like Bruno was crying. He leaned with his head against the mic, not singing, when he should’ve.

I looked over to the band and saw their confused faces. You could see that this was not what they had planned.

I looked at Phil and also he was confused. And then I turned back to Bruno. He was still in the same position.

And thats when I came to action.

I had to do something.

I looked around, searching for something and saw a mic laying on one of the speakers. I grabbed it and took a deep breath.

Before Phil could ask me questions I took a step forward and began to sing. My voice was shaky.

‘’I’m feeling like I’m famous. The talk of the town. They say I’ve gone mad. Yeah, I’ve gone mad.’’

Bruno turned his head up from the mic, wondering where that familiar voice came from.

I walked up to the center of the stage and tried to control my voice.

‘’But they don’t know what I know, ‘cause when the sun goes down, someone’s talking back. Yeah, they’re talking back. Oh.’’

I laid a hand on Bruno’s shoulder and he turned around, looking at me with twinkling eyes.

A man came up and quickly put down a stool for me, next to Bruno. I thanked him with a smile and continued, sitting down:

‘’At night when the stars light up my room, I sit by myself. Talking to the moon. Trynna get to you. And hope you’re on the other side, talking to me too. Or am I a fool, who sits alone. Talking to the moon.’’

And thats when Bruno picked up.

‘’Aahaaa aahaaa  aahaaa. Do you ever hear me calling?’’

I gave him a smile, and he smiled back.

‘Oh. How I missed that smile.’

‘’’Cause every night I’m talking to the moon.’’  We sang together.

The whole crowd was waving, holding up their lighters.

The song ended slowly and then the audience applaused.

Bruno stood up and attacked me with a hug. I hugged him back, exhailing a mouth full of his strong collogne, mixed with sweat. I let go, before my eyes teared up and smiled.

‘’Thank you, guys. Good night and drive save.’’ Bruno said in his mic and waved to the crowd. I waved too, with a big smile on my face.

Bruno placed his arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer. We turned around and walked throught the curtains, off the stage.

Phil was jumping up and down, in excitement.

‘’I knew this would work.’’ He said.

‘’Wait, you set this up?’’ Bruno asked surprised.

‘’Yeah, I had too. I mean, I can’t stand seeing you so down, so I called Bre and let someone pick her up. But I hadn’t planned the singing part. That was all Bre.’’ Phil explained.

I smiled and Bruno gave me a kiss on the cheek.

‘’But wait, what about Matt? What if he finds out. I was fired, remember?’’ I realized.

‘’All taken care of.’’ Phil winked.

‘’WHAT? HOW?!’’ Me and Bruno yelled at the same time.

‘’Well, I talked to Matt, explained your relationship and after kots of complaining, he finally said you two can get back together.’’ Phil explained.

We all got excited.

‘’But.’’ Phil raised up his index finger. ‘’He wants no lovey dovey stuff at work, plus you have to work twice as much on the songs now, Bruno.’’

‘’We can handle that. We’re together again. That’s what counts.’’ Bruno said, looking at me now.

My lips curled up in a smile.

‘’Now let’s get out of here.’’ Phil said, interrupting our thoughts.

Phil walked to the dressingroom, he shared with the other bandmembers, and Bruno went to his own. I followed him from behind.

We entered and I let myself fall on the little black leathered couch, that was standing in the middle of the dressingroom. He dissapeared in the dressingcorner.

I looked around, searching for some interesting things I could discover.

I walked up to his boudoir and looked up to his mirror. A couple of pictures were posted on it. I saw a couple of him with a few girls. They all pretty looked like him, so I guessed they were his sisters. Funny he never mentioned them.

A picture with him and his mom and dad. And then I saw one of me, him and Phil. I still remembered this one. It was the crazy pic Phil took in the car, on our way to my first performance with them.

I smiled at the thought.

My eyes glanced down at the table.

Shades, phone, hats... And then my eyes stopped at a little necklace, that was laying in the back.

I carefully grabbed it and looked closer at it. It had a heart-shaped charm on it.

I flipped it over and my heart stopped when I read the words that were engraved in it.

‘No way....’