Part of Your World

The roar of the crowd, the harsh glare of the stage lights, the sweat that dripped down her back and thumping of the music that pumped through her—she was in her element—this is what she loved. Her bangs were plastered to her forehead, the rest in tangles and drenched in sweat—but to some she would still seem beautiful. She let her fingers dance effortlessly over each and every chord and rift, giving it her all.

She glanced over at her long time best friend, smiling at his enthusiastic vocal performance. He was awaiting an answer from her—he had asked for a DTR talk after the show. She didn’t really know how to determine the relationship between them. Well she thought she did; they were best friends, siblings practically. However, they both noticed they were a notch above that kind of closeness—something was there, they just didn’t know what.

She turned a little to the left, sparing a glance back at the one boy who was like her older brother—coming from a family of sisters only, she was more than happy to have two best male friends. His dark skin glistened in the glow of the stage lights as he beat on his kit, his eyes closed—she knew he was lost to the music before them. She turned back around, a smile splayed across her face as she gave everything she had into their final set. As soon as the last note was strummed, beaten and sung, she opened eyes she hadn’t realized she closed and just smiled into the overly joyous crowd before her.

She blew a kiss to the crowd before unstrapping her guitar and handing it off to one of their roadies and grabbing the bottle of water he offered. She smiled and nodded thanks as she turned and waited for her counterparts. A mass of sweaty limbs enveloped her in an overheated hug. Smiles all around as they congratulated each other on another show well done; she let them lead her down the side hall to the room they were allotted for the evening. They let her clean up first. As she stripped and stepped into the shower stall in their ensuite bath, she began to think about what was to happen now.

Her blue haired companion, she knew was in love with her and he had been for some time. She loved him, but she didn’t think she could quite love him the way he wanted her to. Now she had to figure out how to tell him without breaking his heart. Perhaps if she gave him the song she’d been writing off and on the past year they’ve been on the road—no, even then he’d be too stubborn to take no as an answer. She quickly dried and dressed in clean clothes and headed out to her boys. She smiled at the sight of them; Sebastian sprawled over the floor, his dreads fanned out above his head and Flounder lounging on the couch draining a bottle of water as if it was what he needed to breathe instead of air.

She knocked on the wall beside her, both boys startled and grinned over at her. Sebastian jumped to his feet, claiming the shower next. He grabbed his backpack and rushed into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. She bit her lip as she reached for her notebook that was on the table next to the couch Flounder had now sat up on to give her room. She looked at him and didn’t know how to interpret the look of desperation on his face. She gently sat next to him and began writing as he just started talking. He told her everything he felt and she could only feel her heart sag under guilt for what she was about to do.

She was good at multi-tasking—she had to be; especially in her family—musical prodigies, every single one of them. Her father was well known in their city, everyone went to him for lessons; his talents varied to many instruments (if not all of them she surmised). Her sisters were spread over the country, each holding their own in various choruses, orchestras and symphonies. She was the only one to stray from the classics. She picked up the electric guitar at six and hasn’t put it down since. She bit her lip once more, re-reading the words she had just written, so heart felt in their own way, just as his had been. She handed over the notebook and curled into herself. She pulled her legs up onto the couch, her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them and waited.

She watched in a sense of morbid fascination as his face flashed with so many different emotions at the words she had given him. She was delighted that despite the sorrow evident, recognition and understanding were prominent. She bit her lip once more as he looked over at her, his bright blue eyes meeting her own and a smile slowly spread across his lips. He gave her a small nod and pulled her into his arms. He told her no harm was done. She was relieved there wasn’t any awkwardness between them—overly relieved. Not too long after, Sebastian came out of the bath, clean jeans slung low on his hips and a towel draped around his neck.

He replaced Flounder’s spot and curled his arm around Ariel, pulling her to his side. He asked if she was ready for the fans that waited to meet them, she nodded. She loved meeting the people that adored their music. Respectively, the three of them wrote and produced their albums, each doing their own portion and neither trying to take more credit. They had been close since they were born. The two boys’ parents worked for her father, assisting in lessons when he was too swamped. One could also place blame for her “wayward” expulsion into modern music—of course no one did.

She showed him her notebook, the page that she had shared with Flounder, nerves coursing through her, awaiting his reaction. He told her he knew and that he knew how both of them felt and that it wouldn’t be a problem when she rejected him. She heard her cell going off, she recognized the specific tone and she smiled to herself. Sebastian reached over and grabbed her phone, handing it over without an issue. He smirked down at her and she just nudged him with her shoulder. How’d the show go? Well I hope! :) She replied accordingly. Moments later another tone; Your father’s letting me stay for the weekend…is that okay? Plus I have a surprise for you! ;)

Her face erupted into a massive grin and she showed the message to Sebastian who grinned down at her. She knew he knew how she felt about the boy on the other end of this conversation; she also knew she didn’t tell Flounder that there was (almost) someone else. She just hoped he would understand like he did earlier. She replied, telling him that she couldn’t wait to see him—twelve hours, forty-three minutes and she would be home. Flounder exited the bath, jeans and a tee hanging off his wiry frame, his eyes amplified by glasses he wore outside of shows—she knew he’d find someone to make him happy one day.

Scuttle, their manager knocked on the door, poking his head in—she smiled at him; his hair was always askew and he always looked like he was frazzled. He asked if they were ready and gave them a smile and a five minute warning. She was excited, for the next two hours they would meet and mingle with some of their fans. Pictures and autographs and conversations—she enjoyed the enthusiasm and support they received. The first round to enter was a mixture of teenagers, almost all ages she assessed. She got hugs all around, two stuffed animals, signed a slew of memorabilia and took lots of photos. She gave her warmest and brightest smile and her nod of appreciation.

The second group of people to let in, she charged through and wrapped herself around the grinning raven haired boy that stood in the midst of them. He wrapped his arms around her, twirling her around as he smiled down at her. Without thinking she leant up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his in a chaste kiss—she was tired of waiting on him to make a move. She realized where she was the moment she heard the catcalls and cheers around her. Her eyes automatically searching out her two counterparts—brown eyes were full of amusement and happiness for her while the blue shined with a forced joy and hidden betrayal.

She turned back to her companion and hugged him once more, her eyes shining with the utmost happiness that was reflected in his own. She stayed tucked into his side as he answered questions about her for her. She smiled and nodded, acknowledging the truth behind his words. She noticed brighter smiles at the actual vocal facts about her, instead of what everyone reads about her. The two hours flew by and before she knew it, Sebastian and Scuttle were herding the stragglers out and as soon as the door shut, she felt three sets of eyes on her and the boy she had her arms around. She ducked her head into his chest, his arms instinctively tightening around her.

He immediately began explaining why he was here, she silently laughed into his chest. Her father had sent him and that was all the rest needed to know. Sebastian and Scuttle ruffled his hair; Flounder just stared at him before busying himself with gathering their things to load up in the car that would take them to the airport. She trailed her hand down Eric’s arm, interlacing their fingers together as they both carried her things to the car he had waiting for them. She could feel the stare boring through the both of them—she just wished he’d understand. She knew he would come around eventually, he was stubborn but even more so he was a loyal friend first.

On the drive to the airport she was content to just stay curled into his side, their hands knotted, his breath flittering across her face as he leant his head against her own. She smiled as his other hand toyed with her hair, twirling and running his fingers through it—it was relaxing. Once they arrived, checked in and headed to their gate, she motioned for Eric to go ahead of her and she turned and waited for Flounder. When he looked up from the ground and noticed her standing in front of him she was pleased to see he was slightly afraid.

She grabbed his wrist and led him towards the nearest wall, out of the flow of “traffic” and abruptly pinned him to it. She let her gaze settle on him, everything she couldn’t say was flashing through her eyes. His small, pathetic I’m sorry was enough. She knew he meant it; he was hurt, she knew that, but she didn’t think he had to act like a jealous pre-teen about it. She let go of him and held her arms open, inviting him in for a hug. He swiftly enveloped her into a hug and breathed into her neck, uttering an apology again. He pulled back and smiled down at her and asked that of all the guys in town she had to pick that one. She slapped his shoulder and they laughed as the walked together to meet their party.

She fished out her cell phone and opened up a saved file of messages, all from Eric, all of which dated at least two years back. She showed them to him, hoping he understood why she could only ever love him and not quite be in love with him. He put his arm around her shoulder and began to dig through the messages, poking fun at both she and Eric and questioning why it took them forever to finally kiss—even then it was her that made the move first. She knew they were going to be okay—that he was going to be okay. He let her go once they arrived at the gate and gave her shoulder a soft squeeze before she was out of arms reach. She tossed a smile over her shoulder and took the empty seat next to Eric.

He handed her her notebook and she glanced down, noticing it was on a blank page with something written in his scrawl. She folded her legs beneath her and placed the book on her lap and finally looked and reading and seeing exactly what he wrote she froze. She never realized four small words could mean so much. Now she understood his being here, his slight pause of seeing if it was okay for him to stay the entire weekend they had off before heading out Tuesday once again. She glanced over at him, wide eyed in surprise to find him with his bottom lip in his mouth, his cheeks tinged pink and his eyes seeking a desperate positive response. She tossed the book to the ground and tossed herself at him—well the best she could given they were both seated in airport terminal seats—and threw her arms around him, placing kisses all over his cheeks and finally meeting his lips.

She lent her forehead against his and simply stared into his blue, blue eyes. She could see everything she felt staring right back at her. The longing for each other, the adoration, the fear that they didn’t want to lose the other, but most of all, she saw the passion and honesty of the love he holds for her. She smiled at him and nodded in response. She turned away to glance at the others in their party, noticing that Sebastian was holding her notebook and grinning like a fool. She nodded and his grin widened. He showed the book to the others and both smiled at the two of them.

She knew most people would assume they did everything too soon, but she knew that most people didn’t know that she and Eric had known they were it for each other the very moment they met. He was in the kitchens, and had she not chosen to get a snack that moment, he would have choked—on what she couldn’t recall. He learned a week later that she was mute, but that didn’t dieter him from trying to impress her and “pull her pigtails” as her father called it. It took him two years to—and her making the first move—get some form of relationship and now that they had one, they were going to do their best to make it work.