AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Rhys shook his head. “Nah, Andi was better than I was.”
Mrs. canning frowned at Rhys, shaking her head. “That’s nonsense. Your sister was talented, yes, and she didn’t try and stray away from the classical like you did, but you had something unique that only a person with a mind like yours could have. It made you special, and tonight, I look forward to watching you see that for yourself. You always had trouble believing in your talent.”
His old teacher left him then, citing her need to make sure she had enough time to get to her seat before his performance. Left alone to his own devices, Rhys started to stress again. He couldn’t help feeling like a fraud, sitting here in his back suit, shirt, and bow tie. Even his dress shoes pinched and he knew it would just make his performance more uncomfortable.
He still had time to back out right?
“You look like you’re about to do a runner.”
Rhys chuckled as he glanced up as Declan came to sit beside him, lounging in the seat. “The thought had crossed my mind.”
Declan ran his eyes over Rhys. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look so formal. It’s weird.”
“It feels weird. I don’t feel like myself.” Rhys admitted, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands.
“Shay said you weren’t comfortable in the formal stuff Andi picked out for you. So if you are uncomfortable, Rhys, and you don’t feel like yourself, then go out there as you. Go out as Rhys fucking Collins who can stand in front of thousands of people barefoot, dressed in skinny jeans and nothing but a cocky smile. You do you...fuck what anyone else thinks.”
Rhys snorted, sighing. “Oh ya, like I can act myself performing by myself in Carnegie Hall. Be serious, Dec.”
Declan stood up, then forced Rhys to stand up too, his best friend facing him as Declan reached out and undid the black bowtie, then tossed it aside. He motioned for Rhys to take off the stuffy suit jacket, taking it from him and setting it down on the chair. Rhys rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt, then Declan proceeded to unbutton the top two buttons.
“While I can’t condone stripping all the way off, I think this is all you. But take off the shoes, Rhys. Even a novice like me knows you won’t play well in shoes you’re not comfortable in.”
Rhys laughed as he did what Declan told him, instantly feeling more like himself once he was free of the stuffy suit, although his pants weren’t what he would have chosen to wear, but still, he felt more himself now.
“Andi’s gonna be pissed,” Rhys said as he fidgeted with the sleeves of his shirt, stopping to look at Declan, who smiled and shook his head.
“Nah, Andi won’t care. She would just want you to do you and once you’re happy, who the fuck cares what anyone else thinks. If you go out there pretending to be someone you’re not, and this opportunity passes you by, you’ll regret it.”
“What if I fuck it up, Dec. What if I just embarrass myself?”
Declan reached out and gripped his shoulder. “You won’t. I am so fucking proud of you, Rhys. So damn proud. And so is everyone sitting out there waiting to watch you have your moment in the spotlight. You got this. I love ya, brother.”
Declan gave Rhys’ shoulder one last squeeze, as Rhys felt his throat tighten, unable to say the words back to Declan, but his friend smiled, inclining his head and Rhys knew that Declan understood. Rhys watched his friend walk away and realized just how much he could have lost if Andi and Declan hadn’t forced him to go to that treatment centre.
Had he continued on his self-destructive path, then he might never have been forced to own up to all the stupid shit he had pulled, all the pain he had caused, and him and Declan might never have made amends. He might have shattered his relationship with Andi and missed out on all the things to come.
And then there was Shay. It wasn’t until he almost lost her, before he’d even had the chance to love her, had Rhys realized that sometimes love comes along when you aren’t looking for it, when you feel broken and torn apart inside until someone special comes along who takes the broken pieces inside you and doesn’t try to fix them, but embraces them.
Shay had done that for him and given him a deeper understanding of what love was.
Rhys had been struggling to pick a song that would showcase his talents and up until that very moment, he hadn’t even been sure that he was going to try and sing. He remembered laying in bed, watching Shay as she sketched, heard her hum along to the Metallica song that was playing on her playlist, and just how beautiful she had looked.
“You’re up next, Mr. Collins.”
The attendant’s voice dragged him out of his thoughts as Rhys inhaled a breath, hoping to steady his nerves. He waited for his queue to go on stage as he pretended it was just like any other show he had done, and Declan, Jameson, and Luna were all on stage waiting for him.
“Ladies and gentlemen, last but certainly not least, we have an extraordinary young man who we normally see rocking the stage with his band, Heartache Melody, but tonight, he is going to honour us with a very special performance. May I introduce, Rhys Collins.”
Rhys waited a moment before he raised his head and strode out on the stage, the applause and whistles, no doubt from his own family and friends so loud that when he sat behind the piano, barefoot and sleeves rolled up, he had to wait for the auditorium to quieten before he could speak into the microphone.
“This is dedicated to Shay Gleeson, the girl who healed my heart.”
He cast a glance out into the audience, taking a moment to take in Shay’s face, her eyes filled with love as she clasped a hand over her mouth, knowing that the event was being streamed online and now the world would know that Rhys Collins was no longer the party boy of Heartache Melody and Shay had his heart.
The lights dimmed then, and Rhys focused on his moment, playing the first few bars ofNothing Else Matters, the version Dermot Kennedy had perfected, then Rhys opened his mouth, his voice and his fingers telling his story, the lyrics flowing from his lips like he had been singing all of his life and Rhys finally knew that this, this was happiness.
When he finished, Rhys closed his eyes for a moment, then slowly got to his feet, turning to face the audience, and then the lights went back on. The entire auditorium got to their feet, clapping, his friends and family the loudest cheerers of all. Rhys looked to where Shay stood beside his sister, her eyes wet with tears, and Rhys fell all over again as his girlfriend mouthed that she loved him, and Rhys blew her a kiss.
His chest ached from his heart being so full and his face hurt from smiling so much as he bowed, then straightened, knowing he would remember this feeling for the rest of his life. He had dove down a dark path alone, only to realize he was loved, he mattered, and that love comes in many different forms...be it the love between two best friends or the unconditional love between siblings.
Sometimes, it came from a sexy tattoo artist who wasn’t afraid to call him on his bullshit.
And Rhys wouldn’t have it any other way.
THE END
