Love Spells Magic

Racing through the backstage, it was hard to keep my balance as I had to be careful not to trip over the wires and other technical equipment on the floor. Mixes of emotions were running through my heart and I couldn’t really identify any of them.

We had just finished the finale and had rushed off stage in order for the tech crew to set up the Jonas Brothers stage. The thought of Jonas was enough to trigger a new set of emotions. My mind kept replaying the kiss over and over again as I robotically walked with the other dancers back to the dressing room.

Reiley was by my side clad in the same exact outfit I was in, our silly poufy skirt with our matching tanks. Bending down, I began to unlace my shoes as we got closer and closer to the room. I could feel eyes on me as I cast my eyes down to the floor. Most of the dancers, I assumed, had seen the soon to be infamous kiss and were waiting to pounce on me as soon as the door would shut.

Voices could be heard behind us as everyone who was previously on stage was now in the cramped area meant for only few people now filled with almost a hundred people. I could hear Selena, Nick, Kevin, and Joe a few feet behind us. Selena mentioned something about a quick interview before I heard a loud clatter of feet moving in the opposite direction. At least I wouldn’t have to face her tonight. Knowing Selena, she would come in super late after the concert and meet and greet when we would all be asleep.

“Cady!” Nick called out. I cringed when I heard him say my name. I was pretty sure Nick wasn’t aware that I had seen the kiss because right after he walked back to his previous position, he had sent me acharming smile. Out of my peripheral vision, I could see Reiley slightly turn her head and glance at Nick before quickly turning back
around.

“Cady?” He tried again. I could feel his presence almost inches away from me but I still kept my mouth shut. Looking up ahead, I could see the dressing rooms coming into sight. Brushing a piece of hair behind my ears, I began to quicken my pace.

“Cady? What’s wrong?” Nick’s voice changed into a worried tone as I continually ignored him. I wasn’t ready to talk to him and definitely not in front of almost everybody who joined us on tour.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I came into a distance where I could reach out and touch the door handle. I could see the older dancers already inside watching the rest of warily. I paused a moment to let all the other dancers walk into the room before me so I was the last one standing outside.

Sharply, I turned around and came face to face with Nick. His eyes bore into mine as he watched me with ‘confused’ written all over his face. “Do not talk to me.” I seethed. For a split second, I let my eyes wander past Nick’s body and to his brothers and his band who were wearing stunned expressions as they were waiting for Nick to go back to their own dressing room. I snapped out of it, and stepped back into our dressing room and closedslammed the door shut.

Silence welcomed me as I took me eyes off the floor and met the eyes of all the other dancers. “I’m fine.” I meekly said in hopes that no one would try and come to talk to me now. They seemed to get the message as they went back to their previous conversations. Reiley came up behind me and gave me a small hug before leaving me to drown in my thoughts.

As I was undressing and changing back into my normal, comfortable clothes, I pondered on what the hell I was supposed to do now. Let me set one thing clear. I wasn’t mad at Nick because Selena kissed him. He had no control over that. It was all Selena’s effort and decision to kiss him. And it was only a kiss on the cheek. But that kiss sparked lot more that it probably was intended to.

There was only one tiny thing that bothered me, and really what set me off. The fact that he smiled right after she kissed him. It would have only bothered me a little bit if he had sent her a disgusted look, or even a “What are you doing?” look. Oh, but no. He sent her a smile. As if he enjoyed it.

That thought sent my heart crashing again causing me to quickly shut it out of my mind. I had no idea what I was going to say to him when I would next see him. Glancing at my cell phone, I realized both him and his brothers, and the band would be in their second lockdown by now before they had to back onto the stage for their set.

I wasn’t really sure how I was supposed to be feeling, and if I should even be mad at Nick. I may have been a little too harsh on him just now, but I was just so frustrated with the situation that I didn’t know what to do.

I collapsed onto an empty one seat sofa and closed my eyes. All I wanted to do now was sleep and never wake up. Or at least as long as I could. I let my eyes droop so I could drown out all the mess that was going through my mind.
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My mind seemed to wake up as someone nudged my shoulder prodding me to get up. “Wake up, Cady.” I heard a voice say. Opening my eyes slowly, I saw the outline of Reiley’s figure in my line of vision. Disorientated, I sat up and immediately wished I didn’t. I could feel pains in my body after sleeping in a weird position on a not so very comfortable
sofa.

“I’m up.” I grunted. I stretched my arms out slightly hoping to regain feeling in it after my nap. My eyes blurred for a moment before my contacts readjusted themselves. I could see Hannah and Jenny still in here packing up the last few things that were in the dressing room. I assumed that the concert was over and it was time to head back to the buses for the night.

I turned around looking for my jacket before Reiley poked me. “Here’s your jacket.” She said with a small smile.

“Thanks.” I said gratefully putting the jacket on blocking out the coldness. “Reiley?”

“Hm?” She asked looking up.

“Thanks for being there for me tonight.”

She smiled. “No problem. Just come to me if you need anything.” I nodded and proceeded to walk out the dressing room. Chaos was outside as everyone was packing up for the night. I heard the door shut behind me as Hannah and Jenny stepped outside the dressing room. Nervously, I scanned the area looking for one specific person and was relieved when I didn’t see him there.

Following Reiley, Hannah, and Jenny, we walked to the back entrance where we had entered previously today. Our shoes echoed through the hallway as we entered back outside. The fresh air hit my face as soon as I stepped outside. The warm breeze made me hug my jacket tighter as we came closer to the bus.

Hannah opened the door and motioned us to get inside so the draft wouldn’t enter the bus. I
waited for the other girls to go in first before I did. Crossing my arms, I rubbed my hands up and down my arms trying to staying warm. “Cady!” I closed my eyes. I knew that voice.

Debating for a few seconds if I should answer, I slowly turned around to see Nick frantically making his way towards me. My hair blew with the wind annoyingly falling in front of my face. I tried brushing it out of my face, but it kept coming back taunting me. Nick was approaching me closer. I glanced behind me and saw the door had been shut giving me privacy.

I shifted my eyes towards the ground trying to delay the confrontation for at least another few seconds. My eyes landed on green Converse instantly making me freeze. My eyes trailed all the way up his skinny jeans and eventually connected with Nick’s own eyes. “What?” I asked quietly.

Nick tilted his head while shoving his hands into his jacket pockets. “You’re asking me what? I think I should be the one asking you that.” Silence answered him. A couple of people were still lingering around outside before we would have to leave in a few minutes. I figured we would have about fifteen to twenty minutes before we would have to leave. “What did I do?” He finally asked.

I scoffed causing him to look up at me. “Please. Do you really not know?”

He shook his head slowly. “If I did, would I be asking?”

I rolled my eyes. “I can’t believe I’m actually explaining this to you.” He looked at me prodding me to continue. “You know Nick, when I auditioned to be one of Selena’s back up dancers, I knew what I was getting myself into. I knew you two had dated very briefly. You told me that. But you also told me that your relationship with her had been over for awhile with you being the one who ended it. So I expected her to do what she did tonight. I mean, it must be hard for her, having her ex boyfriend’s girlfriend on the same tour bus with her.”

Realization dawned on Nick’s face as he figured out what I was talking about on the stage tonight. “So let me get this straight. You’re not mad at her for kissing me. On the cheek, which I may add. You’re mad at me for something else.”

“Ding ding ding! We have a winner.” I said sarcasm dripping off my voice.

“Alright then what did I do?”

“I’m not even sure if I should be mad at you for this. So I do apologize for yelling at you earlier in front of everybody. It was uncalled for. But the thing that does bug me is, the fact you smiled, Nick. You smiled right after she kissed you. It seemed like, I don’t know, you somewhat enjoyed the kiss. Like you saw it coming and you didn’t mind it all.”

“Baby, you know that’s not true.” Nick said softly. Pulling out his hands from his pockets he rested them on my arms. I hesitated before shrugging of his touch and removing his hands from my arms. Nick sighed. His hand reached to the back of his neck like he always did when he was upset.

I bit my lip before adding one other detail. “There’s one other thing.”

Nick groaned. “What now?”

I frowned. “You’re doing it right now.”

“What am I doing?” Nick asked exasperated.

“Not caring. Even after the kiss you came near me and smiled like it didn’t even matter. Like it didn’t faze you at all. And you’re doing it right now since you’re not even looking at me.” I accused. He lifted his eyes off the ground and looked into mine.

“Well what do you want me to do?” Nick snapped.

“Gosh Nick, I do not know.” I yelled. My voice grabbed the attention of a few stranglers who were still left outside. I lowered my voice. “Look, I really don’t want to fight with you right now.”

“Fine. We can talk to tomorrow.” Nick exclaimed. He stared at me for a few more seconds before turning around and proceeding to walk back to his own tour bus.

“Nick.” He stopped and looked back at me.

“What, Cady?”

“I really don’t want to go to bed mad at you.” I said softly. Nick was a few feet away from me
and seemed to have no intention of moving.

“Neither do I.”

When I realized he wasn’t going to say anything more, I nodded slightly before opening the
door to my tour bus and shutting it gently behind me. Keeping my eyes down, I strolled to my bunk and quickly stripped down to just the boy shorts and tank that were on underneath my clothes and crawled under the covers.

Needless to say, sleep didn’t come much to me tonight.

Baby, I know sometimes it’s going to rain
But baby can we make up now?
‘Cause I can’t sleep through the pain
Can’t sleep through the pain