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Sienna Kent smiled at the crowd as she bent down to grab her bottle of water that she always kept beside the base of her microphone stand and took a long drink. She was nearing the end of her set, the warm glow of the fading sun was gone now, the string lights hanging over the audience providing the mood lighting along with the blinking of lightning bugs,flickering and glowing amongst the darkened edges of the field.
The crowd had certainly grown since she’d started almost an hour ago, and as much as Sienna wanted to be playing real festivals and going on tour, there was something special about playing at her local fair that she’d been going to her entire life.
The atmosphere was relaxed, a mix of families and teenagers, older couples too. They were mostly familiar faces, but there were always tourists who happened to be passing through this week, and Sienna continued to live in hope that somewhere out in that audience, there might be someone who thought she was talented. Someone who could introduce her to the right people.
She considered it a privilege to play here every year, but she still wanted more. And at twenty-six years old, Sienna was wondering if she needed to get a bit more realistic about her dreams of doing this for a living.
Surely, if she was talented enough, if her voice was good enough, she would have been noticed by now.
Sienna pushed those thoughts to the back of her head as she introduced her next song, losing herself in one of her favorites. As much as she wanted to play her own music, she learned years ago that the best way to hold such a mixed crowd’s attention at a fair like this was to play well-known songs, covers old and new.
Sienna did put her own spin on most of them though, using her guitar skills to change the rhythm or take a lively song down to a slow number with more emotion.
In the distance, smoke from a barbecue rose into the sky, and Sienna stood back from the microphone to get the audience to clap along with her, knowing they’d join in when she sang the chorus again.
Sienna couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she stepped up to the mic again. What she wouldn’t do to be able to sing for a living. God, she lived for this.
A light breeze lifted her blond hair away from her eyes as she held the last note, drawing it out as the audience burst into applause and cheers.
“Thank you!” Sienna knew her time was nearly up. “You’ve been an amazing crowd. Thank you for coming out. I’ve had a great time, and I hope you guys did too.” She paused for a few more cheers. “So, I’m going to leave you with a favorite of mine. Maybe you know it too.”
Sienna let her fingers glide over the frets. She’d been playing this song for so many years that she didn’t need to think about it. She watched the crowd instead, soaking up the last of this show. Dark clouds painted the horizon, the evening air heavy, the threat of thunderstorms moving in, but thankfully, Sienna’s set would be finished by the time that happened.
If she had her way, and she got the chance to record her own songs and go on tour, she’d probably never play here again. Even though it was her hometown, it was too small, too casual, and a logistical nightmare for a security team.
It was a problem she’d love to have.
She’d been singing here for the last ten years, and every time she played her final song of the night, she looked out at the crowd just like she was now, doing her best to commit this feeling to memory because maybe it would be the last time she played to just a few hundred people.
Sienna’s eyes fell on a woman with dark hair moving through the crowd on the left, coming from the back up towards the front row, the deep reds and browns of her wavy hair vibrant under the glow of the string lights.
As Sienna went into the final chorus, making eye contact with as many members of the audience as possible, she found herself turning to find that woman again, and for a few seconds, Sienna only sang to her, drawn in by the intensity of her stare and the woman’s stunning features.
The song was over far too soon and then Sienna was waving to the crowd, taking her time acknowledging them before leaving the stage.
She didn’t have fans as such, but she did take a few photos beside the stage, mostly with local politicians and the event organizers, although a few family friends waited to take a photo with her, knowing they’d probably end up in next week’s newspaper.
Her parents were there too, and she gave them both a hug.
“You were great,” her dad, James said.
Her mother was waving someone over, and Sienna didn’t have to look to know who it was.
“Caleb,” her mother said, pulling Sienna’s best friend from high school in for a hug.
“Always good to see you Mrs. Kent,” he said as he moved to shake her father’s hand.
“Pauline. Please,” she said with a smile. “You’re not sixteen anymore.”
Caleb had been the starting quarterback for the football team, and he fit that stereotype perfectly. With his dark hair always a little messy and a grin on his face, he was charming and funny, and just about every girl in high school wanted to be his boyfriend.
Except for Sienna, of course, and unfortunately for her, she was the only one he wanted.
“Honey,” Pauline said softly to her husband, “Let’s go get something to eat and let these two catch up.”
Sienna wished she could join them, but she forced herself to smile and give her parents a wave, leaving her alone with Caleb now that most of the crowd had left.
