Dance in the Dark.

[[Alice's POV]]

By 2:47a.m. I had figured out the songs I'd be singing. I decided on seven;

Falling Down, by Selena Gomez
Arise, by Flyleaf
Saviour, by Lights
Can't Be Tamed, by Miley Cyrus (good song, just not her.)
Lithium, by Evanescence
Starstruck, by Lady Gaga
and This Close, by Flyleaf.

Monday I'd have my practice, and Tuesday I'd be performing. Now all I had to do was think of some pretty good excuses for my absences...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I woke up by myself the next morning, surprising mama and Daddy as I went downstairs. I smiles at them, grabbed a chocolate fudge poptart, said my goodbyes, and ran out the door. I had a lot to do today, and a lot of excuses to make up.

At the end of our street I met up with Lucky and Aster. They smiled and ran with me to the school, wanting to get there early to help me with practicing and excusing.

"What songs are you singing?" Lucky asked me when we were near the school.

"I guess you'll find out, won't you?" I replied, sticking my tongue out at her.

We ran into the auditorium early, finding the Principal, Vice-Principal, and some members from the Drama Club there.

"Ah, Alice. Where have you been lately?" The principal asked me.

"Oh, uhm, after the dance I somehow twisted my ankle, I can be such a klutz. Then just as that was getting better I started coming down with something, turns out it was the flu. I'm all better though, ankle and all." I smiled big, hoping they'd buy my story.

"Oh? That doesn't sound good. Are you sure you're well enough to perform?" The vice-principal asked me.

"If I know Alice, she's better than okay." Lucky answered.

"Mhm!" I tried to push all my energy forward. After everything lately, I needed to do something fun.

"She's even been attempting to practice while she was ill. It was actually amusing sometimes." Aster added, teasing me.

"Ah ha ha, very funny, Aster." I said.

"Well now that everything seems to be all set, just say what you want everything to look like and we'll try our best. Lucky told us you like the colour blue." A girl from the design crew for the Drama Club said.

"Uhm, yeah. I suppose anything is okay. I really don't mind." I just wanted to get practicing over with.

~*~*~*~*~*~

[[Tuesday]]

"Alice, you'll be fine." Lucky said, handing me my water bottle.

"Have you seen how many people are out there?! It looks like the entire high school and another high school!" My nerves were getting the best of me right now, I was just hoping it wouldn't screw with my singing.

"Alice, you're part Siren. I'm sure you'll be fine." Lucky attempted again.

"Alice being part Siren has nothing to do with it, Lucky." Aster argued. "She sings fine on her own."

"Says her boyfriend." Lucky stuck her tongue out at us as our faces both turned red.

"We're stuck together all eternity, there's n-no avoiding anything..." Aster said, seeming taken back and unsure of how to respond.

"Y-yeah, we're together for the eternity...so shut up, Lucky!" I added.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're on. Go!" Lucky said, shoving me behing the final curtains.

I could feel the butterflies flapping around in my stomach just waiting for the big, red curtains to slowly open in front of me. This was it, the end of the year, my final songs for my first year in Mystic Falls.

I had my family together, great friends, sure none of it would be normal to anyone else, but it was to me and I love it all.

I took a breath as the curtains began to open and I walked up to the mic, lights in my eyes, everyone waiting for some kind of circus screw up.

The music began to play, and I smirked, ready for the show.

"Oh-Oh Oh-Oh OooOooh... Oh-Oh Oh-Oh
Oh-Oh Oh-Oh OooOooh... Oh-Oh Oh-Oh

You walk and talk like you're some new sensation
You move in circles you don't need an invitation
You spent your money You can't get no satisfaction
You play it right so you can get the right reaction.

It won't be long my darlin'
Pick up the phone nobody's on it
Where are your friends now baby?
All of the ones supposed to be there for...

You, when you're falling down, the worlds starts spinnin''round
You, when you're falling down, no it's not all about
You, when you're falling down, you know I'll be around
When you're falling down, falling down.

(Falling down, you're falling down, falling down.)

What's out of place when you look into the mirror?
The truth is blurry but the lies are getting clearer
Your eyes are fixed, your smile is so elastic
You gave me roses but they're all just made of plastic.

It won't be long my darlin'
Pick up the phone nobody's on it
Where are your friends now baby?
All of the ones supposed to be there for...

You, when you're falling down, the worlds starts spinnin' 'round
You, when you're falling down, now it's not all about
You, when you're falling down, you know I'll be around
When you're falling down, falling down

Smile for the camera, everybody's looking at you
Smile for the camera, 'cause they're all about to trash you
Smile for the camera, (camera, camera)
Smile for the camera, who's gonna catch ya?
Uuuuuh, oooooooh, uuuuh
You (you)

You, when you're falling down, the worlds starts spinnin' 'round
You, when you're falling down, now it's not all about
You, when you're falling down, you know I'll be around
When you're falling down, falling down

Smile for the camera, everybody's looking at you
Smile for the camera, 'cause they're all about to trash you."

Once the music had completely ended, there was a pause, and everyone began to clap. I smiled and went on with my next couple of songs, each better than the next as my nerves kept fading. After 'Saviour' (which I had detacated mentally to my family because that's what Salvatore means ironically), I decided to say some things to my audience.

"It seems like you guys have been enjoying the last few songs, eh?" More claps. "Well the next song some of you may and may not like. I like the song, just not the artist. Anyway, I just hope you guys enjoy the show, 'kay?" More clapping and the music began.

"For those who don't know me, I can get a bit crazy
Have to get my way, 24 hours a day
'Cause I'm hot like that
Every guy everywhere just gives me mad attention
Like I'm under inspection, I always get a 10
'Cause I'm built like that

I go through guys like money flyin' out their hands
They try to change me but they realize they can't
And every tomorrow is a day I never planned
If you're gonna be my man, understand

I can't be tamed, I can't be saved
I can't be blamed, I can't, can't
I can't be tamed, I can't be changed
I can't be saved, I can't be (can't be)
I can't be tamed

If I see my question about my intentions
I'll tell ya I'm not here to sell ya
Or tell ya to get to hell (I'm not a brat like that)
I'm like a puzzle but all of my pieces are jagged
If you can understand this, we can make some magic
I'm wrong like that

I wanna fly I wanna drive I wanna go
I wanna be a part of something I don't know
And if you try to hold me back I might explode
Baby by now you should know

I can't be tamed, I can't be saved
I can't be blamed, I can't, can't
I can't be tamed, I can't be changed
I can't be saved, I can't be (can't be)
I can't be tamed

I'm not a trick you play, I ride a different way
I'm not a mistake, I'm not a fake, It's set in my DNA
Don't change me
Don't change me
Don't change me
Don't change me
(I can't be tamed)

I wanna fly I wanna drive I wanna go
I wanna be a part of something I don’t know
And if you try to hold me back I might explode
Baby by now you should know

I can't be tamed, I can't be saved
I can't be blamed, I can't, can't
I can't be tamed, I can't be changed
I can't be saved, I can't be (can't be)
I can't be tamed."

With each song I kept getting cheered on for more and I felt great. I felt like I could really do this. Seeing my friends and family up front wasn't so bad either.

The show kept going on with everyone really loving 'Lithium', and dancing to 'Starstruck'. The final song, I knew I loved the most and was fit so perfectly to my life.

"This one last song I chose because I love it, I love the band, and as soon as I heard it I just knew I had to sing it because of how I fit into it. So I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I have."

The music began once more for the final time, and as I sang, everything that's happened in the last few months played before me like a movie in my mind.

"Had a dream that we were dead,
but we pretended that we still lived.
With no regrets we never bled, and we took everything life could give
And came up broken empty handed in the end." Trying to escape from Andy and Dylan...
"In the hearts of the blind,
something you'll never find is a vision of light
With the voice of the dead, I'm screaming

I don't know who I am anymore
Not once in life have I been real but I never felt this close before
I've been looking in your window I've been dressing in your clothes
I've been walking dead, watching you, long enough to know I can't go on." Trying to find ways to save mama...

"Had a dream that fire fell from an opening in the sky
Someone warned me of this hell," My crazy nightmares...
"and I spit in his naive eye
And left him crying for my soul he said would die
In the hearts of the blind something you'll never find is a vision of light,
With the voice of the dead I'm screaming" Annalissa and the Voice of the Dead...

"I don't know who I am anymore
Not once in life have I been real,
but I've never felt this close before
I've been looking in your window,
been dressing in your clothes,
I've been walking dead, watching you long enough to know I can't go on." Being in the Spirit Realm...

"In the hearts of the blind, something you'll never find is a vision of light
With the voice of the dead, I'm screaming

I don't know who I am anymore.
Not once in life have I been real,
but I've never felt this close before
I've been looking in your window,
been dressing in your clothes,
I've been walking dead, watching you long enough to know I can't go on.

I've been looking in your window, I've been dressing in your clothes,
I've been walking dead, watching you, long enough to know I can't go on." Aster saving me and...Everything finally being...better...

I saw everyone going backstage for me as I thanked my audience, and wished them a good summer.

"I couldn't have done anything that I have in the last few months without my amazing family and friends and for that I want them to get out here too because I know they're backstage. Come on guys!" I called them out. I hugged everyone, holding back my tears from every feeling I had right now, and Lucky decided to be a smartass.

"Everyone," Lucky said, taking my mic. "How many people in here, by clapping, think Aster Shaddix and Alice Sterling-Salvatore look absolutely cute together?"

"What the hell are you doing?!" Aster and I whisper-yelled at her in unison. Lucky just grinned as everyone, everyone in the room clapped.

"Okay, and how many of you guys would just love to see the cute couple kiss?"

"Lucky!" Aster and I yelled at her as, once again, everyone clapped. Even mama and Daddy.

Shouts of 'kiss her!' and 'kiss! kiss!' came from the audience and I could feel my face getting red and hot. What took me by surprise was that Aster actually spun me around and kissed me sweetly, causing everyone to 'awh!'.

[[Backstage]]

"Lucky you are such a bitch sometimes." I joked, sitting on Aster's lap backstage.

"Yeah, but see? It ended well, for everyone!" Lucky's smile of sunshine never left her face.

"I suppose..."

"Oh, Alice sweetie," Mama said, coming over to us. "We have some news to tell you."

"Good or...?" After everything, I never wanted to hear any bad news. Ever.

"Good, Alice." Daddy said, wrapping his arms around mama's waist. "We're getting married next month."

I covered my mouth from shrieking happily. "Congrats, guys!" I said. Lucky and Aster said the same to them.

"We want you to sing, sweetie." Mama said.

"Yes, because I'm totally going to turn that down." I joked when my phone rang.

"Who is it?" Aster asked.

"Text. And dunno, it's unknown somehow..." I said, opened the text.

"Well, what's it say?" Lucky asked, coming over as well. My face fell when I read it to myself. I could sense the same for Aster who was looking over my shoulder.

"It's not over. Enjoy being happy couples now, because it won't last forever. What pretty little liars you all can be. -V"

Every mood in here dropped from happy and excited, to scared and on edge.

Just as everything seems fine, you know it won't last long if you're living in Mystic Falls. But...what now...?