Page 61 of Serenade Me

Chapter Twenty-one

Anca

I look out into the crowd, three thousand glowing cell phones raised into the air, and I want to dive off the stage and fall into the array of twinkling lights and adoration.

I’m standing in the wings watching the guys perform their closer, an electric, monolithic version of Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven and there’s not a single soul who’s not transfixed by the magic happening on stage. Except that it’s not just on stage. The absolute brilliance of the Rock Chamber Boys experience is that it’s all encompassing, enveloping every one into the fold. There’s something so generous, so giving, so welcoming and inviting about their music, their performance, that every single audience member feels like it’s a personal concert for themselves and yet everyone is invited, everyone and anyone who wants to be a part of it.

It can only be that way because that’s how the guys really are, to their core. There’s no ego, no put-on airs about their talent. They know they’re fucking good, but they also know their talent is a gift from somewhere, and that they had no hand in it. And they don’t want that talent to go to waste, it was a gift to be nurtured and shared with the world.

Behind me I can feel the crew rooted like statues to the floor, watching the finale, looking out from behind the scenes to see their hard work come together.

We watch as the guys on stage move into a circle, playing off each other, spontaneous and practiced all at once. The spotlights dance off their strings like silver droplets, scattering over the awed faces of the crowd, as the music builds and builds and builds, each knowing what notes are going to come off their bandmate’s instrument even before they do.

It’s breathtaking.

“Fuck.” I hear Hank, Sebastian’s assistant and nephew whisper next to me, almost reverently.

“Yeah,” is all I can say in response. Fuck.

“SING IT, BITCHESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” I hear Jez’s voice wash over the crowd as they come to end of the song, and there’s a collective breath before everyone joins together to scream the lines of the well-known chorus as the band plays one final epic note.

And it’s over.

The stage falls instantly dark and the guys run off the stage to the sound of deafening cheers.

I move back to let them through, and Marius passes me, giving me a sneaky wink. I feel a blush come over me, and I swallow the urge to grin like a giddy school girl back at him.

The inevitable calls for an encore thunder and shudder every inch of the hall.

The guys huddle as they have the same conversation they have every night – who’s going on for the encore and what are they going to play.

Marius turns back towards me for a moment and his face transforms into a slow grin.

Oh. No.

I shake my head and mouth “Hell, no.”

But he doesn’t listen.

“Hey guys, how ‘bout Anca?” He utters the words I’m dreading.

“You wanna do it, lil sis?” Jez turns to me, his face questioning.

“Er, no.” I respond instantly, with a shake of my head.

“Sure you do,” Marius insists, holding my gaze. There’s something in his face that’s so earnest, so believing in me that suddenly I’m not that sure I want to refuse. He gives me a small nod, encouraging me. And suddenly, all I want is to please him.

“What would I play?”

“Anything you want!” Marius exclaims, seeing my resolve crumbling as he comes over to give my arm a squeeze.

“But…” I start, not sure if there is any protest left inside me.

“You can play anything you want!” Sebastian joins in, his face drenched in sweat as he gulps down half a bottle of water.

“But… I don’t want to go alone.” You can’t do it, the taunting voice whispers, and I shake my head, getting rid of it. Fuck you, I can.

“Take Marius!” Sebastian offers.