Page 77 of Before the Encore

“Version two.” She nodded to Kelsie. “Let’s do this acoustic.”

Madison grinned, squeezing her shoulder, and the crew scurried around like ants, swapping instruments and chatting into their headsets. Duncan strode over, all six feet and broad shoulders, but with the intimidation of a chocolate-dipped teddy bear.

“Here.” He held out her pink guitar, Gretchen, with a smile. “I tuned her for you.”

“Thank you.”

“We need you on stage, Bonnie,” Kelsie chirped in her ear.

She slung the rainbow guitar strap over her shoulder, sucked in a breath, and stepped out onto the stage. Screams and shouts echoed around the venue, and Bonnie waved, taking in the moment. Warm lights on her face, the stage vibrating beneath her feet, the faces of her fans who had made the effort to be here. It meant everything.

“London, do you want one more song?”

Bonnie laughed as cheers answered. Two teenagers waved their ‘#Moomforever’ signs at the front like their lives depended on it.

“I love you!” someone shouted.

“I love you too!” Bonnie walked to the centre of the stage, the dangly beads from her two-piece shifting with every movement. “Wow. This tour has been incredible. Thank you so much for the support and coming out to see us. I know I already said my thank yous, but please give it up again for the amazing crew!” When the applause died down, Bonnie steadied her hand on the neck of the guitar. “I’m going to do something new tonight and play you a song from my new album, completely acoustic.”

Bonnie’s fingers picked over the strings, the melody filling the arena. The crowd screamed, pulling out their phones to record the moment. Just her and her guitar.

Nostalgia rolled over her. Though a different stage and a different time, part of her still echoed with the teenager who’d auditioned for The Pop Factor. So much had changed since then. But so much hadn’t too. Stripping it back, she was still a girl with a guitar, wanting to share her music to help others feel less alone.

When Madison’s cue approached, nerves gripped her belly. They hadn’t practised any choreography. She looked out over the audience, slowly swaying and singing along, and the fear fell away. It didn’t need to be perfect; it just needed to be real.

Bonnie grinned. “Everyone, give it up for the talented Madison Moore!”

“Your smile’s so empty, your face poised like stone,” Madison sang as she stepped onto the stage, her voice raspy, accentuated by the acoustics.

The crowd went wild, waving their signs and reaching out towards the stage. Bonnie slid her fingers over the strings, second nature, glancing over her shoulder. Madison improvised, circling around Bonnie’s new position, both of them moving closer before falling away.

When the chorus hit, Madison stood beside her, and their voices joined together. “I never believed in ghosts ’til I met you.”

Lights rippled across the arena, starting with a few dots until more and more people raised their phone torches, and the crowd resembled a sea of shining stars. Bonnie blinked back tears, swallowing the emotion sticking in her throat.

Playing her music like this…

She didn’t have the words.

She locked eyes with Madison, something shifting in the air between them. Electricity crackled; a tug in her chest pulled her closer. She hadn’t even thanked her for making this happen. No one had ever made a gesture like this for her. And the most important thing—she’d given Bonnie the choice.

In the gap between the next line, Bonnie mouthed, Stay, hoping Madison would understand.

Madison’s focus dropped to her lips, and she nodded. Instead of moving behind Bonnie for the final lines, she joined her, side by side.

Bonnie wished she could touch her, hold her, pull her closer to savour this moment, but with her hands occupied, she could only look.

“When I’m with you, I feel completely alone,” Bonnie sang, letting the strings ring out into the air.

Smoke puffed from sidestage, and the lights flashed, but Madison stayed next to her, watching Bonnie with awe, a huge grin on her face.

“What happened to the person I used to know?” Bonnie’s voice held, clean and powerful, until she had no breath left. Her chest heaved, and as she looked out at the applauding crowd, tears filled her eyes. She didn’t want it to be over.

She glanced at Madison, heat glowing through her at the gorgeous smile aimed her way. Not the practised Madison-Moore smirk, but one that was reserved just for her. Bonnie had never felt so lucky.

Because not everything was ending tonight.

“The amazing Bonnie Bloom!” Madison announced, opening her arm out.