Don’t Forget To Take A Breath Before You Fall

Joe squeezed her hand for support as their publicist was announcing their introduction. He didn’t let go. She was grateful for that.

God, she was so nervous. Her hands were sweaty. Why? Well because this wasn’t just some kind of press conference. It was a press conference filled with a crowd people that were going to throw words at her and boo her off stage when she came on.

“Just ignore them,” Kevin advised her, reading her mind. “You have us anyway.”

The host’s voice took over. “And now coming onto the stage we have the Jonas Brothers,” there was a cheer when the band was mentioned, “and Katherine Jonas!” and suddenly, just as Katherine had feared, the screaming cheers immediately turned to boos.

“C’mon, Kat,” Joe said, trying to drag his sister onto the stage.

She didn’t move. “No,” she argued. “I-I don’t want to.”

“It’s okay,” Nick assured. “It’ll be over before you know it. Just remember what we planned before, don’t make eye contact.”

Katherine nodded, and inhaled through her nose and out her mouth. She stood a little straighter and nervously walked onto the stage. By now she was squeezing the life out of Joe’s hand.

Don’t make eye contact.
Don’t make eye contact.
Don’t make eye contact.

She repeated the phrase to herself over and over again, but as soon as she stepped onto the stage, journalist started throwing questions to her and the crowd started booing her. And immediately, Katherine’s head fell and she found herself looking at the floor. She tried to block out the noise around her but she couldn’t.

“Why are you holding Joe’s hand?”

“Are you going out? I thought you two were siblings.”

“We are siblings,” Joe snapped.

“Does that mean you’re not related to the Jonas Brothers?”

Nick chuckled.

Then there were the hate messages.

“FAKE!”

“You don’t belong on the stage!”

“You can’t sing.”

Katherine could feel tears building up. Every time there was a press conference with her brothers there was always uproar. Katherine’s fans were always in the same room as her and the journalist were always asking the same questions over and over again, like they didn’t believe her.

As soon as Kevin, Joe, Nick and Katherine sat down the crowd quietened down. They were obviously interested what they were going to say – especially Katherine. Was she going to stop everything? Was she going to pull a bombshell on them? Was she going to break?

“Today we’re going to announce the Jonas Brother’s World Tour dates for two thousand and nine,” their publicist declared.

“Who’s the opening act?” a journalist asked immediately.

Their publicist was about to open his mouth but Katherine got there first. She leaned forward into the microphone and opened her mouth. “I am,” she said.

Suddenly the room had gone all silence. It wasn’t the nice silence anyone would sit in easily – definitely not. It was the kind of silence Katherine May would want to punch in the face.
But she knew very well why it was awkward.

No one believed she could hit the right note.
No one believed she could write a song.
No one believed she could even sing.

“YOU’VE GOT TO BE JOKING!” a hater yelled from the back of the room.

“No, I’m not joking,” Katherine said.

“You can’t even sing,” another said. “So how can you be their opening act?”

Katherine looked down at her lap, and tears started forming around her eyes. She was right. No one believed she could sing. They all thought she’d just squeak through every song she sung.

“Alright, no more questions,” the publicist ordered, as soon as he saw Katherine’s head lower. “Tour dates will be posted on the Jonas Brother’s website.”

Kevin, Joe, Nick and Katherine stood up and walked off the stage as the crowd made uproar. As soon as they were off stage Katherine felt the tears rolling down her cheeks again.

“Oh, Kat,” Kevin hushed. “They didn’t mean a single word they said out there.”

“Yes,” she hiccupped. “Yes, they do. They’ve been saying it for ages now. I never should have stepped into the music industry in the first place.”

“No, the music industry is grateful for you,” Kevin said, pulling her into a hug.

Once again, she felt safe in his arms. It was what she needed.

Yes, safety.