Keep the Fire Silent

After a while of Elise crying with my arm around her, Pretty Boy made an appearance.
And I was not happy to see him.
“What do you want?” I almost – almost – snarled at him.
He flinched and rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. “Er, my cousin was wondering if I’d like to invite you backstage.”
Elise raised her head slowly, blinking.
“B-backstage?” she asked, frowning in that adorable way she does.
“Yeah. Kind of like payback for ditching you earlier.”
Even I had to think that this was major payback for a little ditching. But he did make Elise cry …
“How can we be absolutely sure that you are related to him?” I asked, checking my nails in that bitchy manner.
Elise’s eyes had widened, and I could almost hear the gears in her head whirring at the possibility of meeting William Beckett.
Oh God, I think I may give in, just this once …
“My name is Adam Beckett.”
Sold.
Elise looked up at me, begging me to stop being a bitch and let her live.
I shut my eyes, and every time she had looked at me like that flooded up behind my eyelids and replaying over and over. And each time Elise had been teased, bullied, and pushed to the ground.
“Ah, hell,” I muttered and Elise’s face lit up like a Christmas tree.
Even Adam seemed rather pleased. He helped Elise to her feet, and then offered his hand out to me. I took it and pushed myself up.
“Let’s get this show on the road,” I mumbled.
Adam slipped his hand into Elise’s and I rolled my eyes.
Oh, what did I put myself in to?
Adam – still pretty boy to me – pulled a card out of his pocket and showed it to the security guards.
I saw their eyes flicker over Elise and I, and I resisted the urge to glare. Elise remained oblivious, singing under her breath to the music that leaked from under the doors.
“My friends,” Adam said with full honesty.
I couldn’t help myself as my eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. Elise smiled and walked right through the open door like she owned the place.
Adam followed, not before pulling on my jacket.
Things started to click …
We were backstage now, after some check-up where I’m positive that the guards got off on patting us down to check for weapons.
Yeah, because I totally keep a metal bat in my back pocket for safe keeping.
Adam made himself comfortable on the couches, kicking his shoes off and throwing his legs up.
Elise walked around the room, looking at photos that had been put up randomly, set lists that had scattered and cases left open.
And I stood awkwardly in the door way.
“They’ll be off in a minute. A few more songs and then you can meet them,” Adam said, his eyes trained on Elise.
I took a long, hard look at him, rather shocked with what I found.
Not only did he have that ‘elfin’ look that Elise owned, his own eyes were starbursts – those blue eyes with a white lacy pattern around the pupil.
I swallowed. As I started comparing his facial characteristics to those of Elise, it started becoming that much clearer.
The friendliness, the way he had looked towards the amps when music started pouring out from them, and when that static hit, I didn’t doubt for a second that his hyperacusis had been acting up as well.
“Something wrong?” he asked.
I realised I had been staring and blushed lightly.
“No just curious …” I trailed off, not knowing how to openly say that I thought he had Williams Syndrome.
“Curious about what?”
Now Elise was paying attention. Her mother had sat me down and told me when we were little that Elise was different, but still the same. I told her I didn’t care and would look after her like a sister should. And when we were older her mother told me what to do in different situations. They had never warned me about this.
What ever happened to the statistics of one in twenty-thousand? I was trusting that in some weird way.
Before I could answer, there was a loud roar from the crowd, and you could hear the screams of ‘encore, encore, encore’.
Adam snorted. I leaned against the wall and sighed. One last song, and then we’re home. Elise was fidgeting, and moving closer to the door. She wanted to hear the music.
I thought this was a rather stupid idea, moving in here when there were still a few songs to go.
The song finally ended and you could hear every one screaming. Both Adam and Elise flinched with the noise. Elise didn’t resist and clamped her hands over her ears. Adam made a movement to, but caught my staring and sat on his hands.
The door opened and the band walked in. I had no clue as to who everyone else was apart from Mr Beckett, and felt a bit overpowered by all the testosterone.
Okay, he was all right looking. All sweaty and smelly, but Elise had hearts for eyes.
“Adam, I take it these were the people you were motioning to?” Mr Beckett asked.
Adam nodded enthusiastically. William smiled and Elise nearly fainted.
God dammit girl, don’t leave me alone in this room now!
Mr Beckett smiled at Elise, and I was pretty damn sure he picked up on the way she looked similar to Adam.
The other members of the band went into a separate room, slightly equalling out the testosterone-oestrogen but not quite. You could still smell them.
Mr Beckett’s eyes darted to mine, and I think he noticed I didn’t own a starburst.
With a knowing smile, Mr Beckett and Elise started talking. I tuned it out, not caring enough, only thanking him when he handed me a signed set list.
Yep, I didn’t even know half the songs. Thanks anyway.
“Angieee! Come on!” Elise was waving at me now, motioning for me to follow.
I frowned and noticed Adam hadn’t moved. I raised a hand and walked over to where he was supposedly sleeping.
Elise left, following Mr Beckett and once I was sure they were gone, I kicked Adam’s leg reasonably lightly.
He jumped up, looking like he had been shocked. His starburst was very clear now.
“I thought so,” I muttered.
He looked horrified. “Please, don’t tell!”
This was supposed to be a serious situation.
I was not supposed to laugh.
But I couldn’t help it. I did it all the time during the serious parts of movies and television shows.
I laughed and laughed, eventually falling backwards and landing on my behind.
“What’s so funny?” Adam asked.
“You honestly think that Elise is going to be upset?! Oh, Lordy, Lordy! She will be thrilled!”
I laughed again.
Adam cracked a small smile.
And then the seriousness slammed down on me. There was no way I was standing for him hurting her though.
“Get to know her first before you make any, any, decisions to go out with her. Or I’ll be on your case faster than you can say ‘winner, winner, chicken dinner’,” I threatened.
He nodded, his smile wiped off his face.
Elise decided to make her appearance at this moment, looking down at me, all confused.
“Ang, why are you on the floor?” she asked, a small dent forming between her eyebrows from frowning.
I smiled up at her and pushed myself up slowly. “Adam and I had a little chat, didn’t we?”
He nodded. Elise’s frown deepened.
“You’re going to get wrinkles that way.”
She instantly relaxed, as the girly-girl hidden inside started panicking. Predictable.
“Let us go then, a party awaits us, no doubt?” I inclined my head towards Elise and she nodded.
“Ooh! You should see it! The balcony is all dressed up and …” she trailed off, her eyes shining.
Adam pushed himself up and walked over to her. They walked on and I ran a hand through my hair.
Oh boy, aren’t we lucky people tonight?
Mr Beckett popped his head in the door now.
“Angela, aren’t you coming?” he asked.
“Sure,” I said, quickly walking to the door.
Oh yes, it was a very strange, lucky night.