AllFreeNovel
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When I heard the buzz of the crowd behind me, I turned, not wanting to lose the momentum. “Ellis’s acoustic bass was stolen a few months ago.” Loud boos. “So, being the awesome best friend I am, I thought this would be the perfect gift.”
There was a collective sympathetic murmur in the audience.
“Aww,” Maris said from the front row.
When I heard a whistle, my eyes focused on Shana, and I smiled.
“You ready?” I asked the crowd as I adjusted my hat.
“Yes,” was the resounding response, and fuck if that didn’t fire me up.
“What melody?” Ellis asked.
I momentarily second-guessed my decision before I pushed aside my anxiety. “Don’t worry, you’ll recognize it.”
I began the first chords with shaky fingers but calmed as soon as he chimed in. It was instrumental and a ballad, which was a slower tempo than our normal set list, and when I looked into the crowd, everyone was still and listening.
When I stepped to the microphone, I swallowed down my fear and went for it, even though neither Ellis nor the guys had heard the lyrics yet. They’d been in my head the entire time and now simply flowed out of me.
These butterflies are real,
So is the throbbing in my chest,
And I can’t deny it any longer,
Knowing you has been the absolute best.
You walk into a room,
And I feel like I can’t breathe,
But then our hearts beat in rhythm,
And my soul is soaring, free.
It hits me like a thunderbolt,
And in my gut I know it’s true,
How all the best love songs were really about you.
I went into the second verse, pouring my heart out, but I didn’t look at Ellis because I thought I would lose it if I did.
There might be a dozen reasons to walk away,
But when I look in your whiskey-colored eyes,
You give me the best reason to stay.
Now that I’ve held you, I can’t possibly let go,
Your arms, your lips, your laugh
Are the only ones I want to know,
And then it hits me like a thunderbolt
And in my gut I know it’s true,
How all the best love songs were really about you.
The last refrain was left instrumental, giving me a chance to catch my breath because fuck, my heart was pounding. I leaned in to sing the final three lines…
It hits me like a thunderbolt,
And in my gut I know it’s true,
That this is my love song to you.
The song ended to roaring applause, and when I looked at Ellis, his eyes were misty.
Before I could reason what to do next, Perry cursed from his position near the amp. “What the hell?”
I shrugged. “It’s a ballad. They don’t know who it’s about.”
“Really? After that sappy display?”
Frustration squeezed my chest like a vise. “Well, it’s done and over with now, so you’re either with us or not.”
“Not!” he said, hesitating only momentarily before exiting the stage.
I blinked in shock. I wasn’t sure if the audience heard any of that or even knew what it meant that he left. But hell, I had nothing to lose now.
“Thank you. I wrote that with someone in mind,” I said into the mic. “So grab hold of the one you love before it’s too late. Feel free to show us, don’t be shy.”
I grinned from ear to ear as couples hugged, spun around, and kissed.
“What if we can’t?” someone shouted.
“Can’t what?”
“Show you who we love…publicly.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat as the crowd quieted to listen. “Is it unrequited?”
She shook her head. “No, forbidden. At least in my parents’ eyes.”
“Fuck, I get it. I really do. Is it against their religion or something?”
“Yeah. It’s my best friend, and she’s…” She glanced over to the woman beside her, who looked away, clearly nervous.
“What’s your name?”
“Denise.”
“You’re safe here, Denise, with us.” I looked out at the crowd. “Right?”
“Right,” the crowd shouted, but she still looked uncertain.
“Want me to help you out?”
She shrugged. “Sure, but I don’t know how.”
“I do.” I winked and grabbed my phone to hit record, then lifted the mic. “Okay, this is to Denise’s mom. She loves her best friend, and it’s so pure and real. It would be great if you supported them because she really needs you in her life.” I paused and looked at Ellis. His smile lit up the stage as he nodded his approval. “I love my best friend too. And he deserves all the love songs to be about him.”
The cheering resonated in my eardrums, but before I could turn to Ellis, he was right there beside me, gripping my hand. He pulled me into an embrace, and we stood there and hugged so tight.
“I’m so fucking in love with you,” Ellis said against my ear.
My heart fluttered. “Same. So fucking same.”
When we pulled apart, Denise and her friend were crying and hugging. Maris had made her way onstage, and she and Anthony were lip-locked. Apparently, I’d created my own lovefest.
