We'll Dream This Night Away.

Okay, I was definitely shaky all over. I know I don’t usually get nervous like this but I just can’t help it.

After introducing John to Byanca, he went to the bathroom. I walked over to where Byanca was strumming with her guitar and smiled as she looked up at me.

“How’re you feeling?” I asked her knowing that her nerves were sorta in control right now but I knew a little push would make everything fall right into place – or at least I hope it does.

“Um, okay I guess?” she replied making it sound more like a question than a statement.

I sat beside her and placed a hand on her back and rubbed it up and down to comfort her. “You’ll do fine,” I said reassuring her but as I comforted my best friend, I thought about myself. Was I going to do well knowing that my Dad might make an appearance? Was I going to do great performing in front of my best friend who was better at this than I was in so many ways?

I started shaking at the thought as chills ran down my spine. “Look, I have something to tell you,” I started and Byanca looked to the side so we were seeing eye-to-eye. “If ever I choke tonight, I want you to sing in my place, ‘kay?” I said doing some breathing exercises.

“Are you crazy? I can’t do that!” she exclaimed getting up as she paced around the stage. There were about 30 minutes until the show and the place was starting to fill up.

“You can, I believe in you,” I said getting up so she wouldn’t be able to think of some comeback that would tell me that she really couldn’t do what I just asked her.

I walked over to John who was waiting patiently for me to finish talking. He gave me an encouraging smile and parted his arms for a hug. He always knew what I needed. He was the best friend anyone could ever have really.

I pulled back from the hug and he told me that the rest of the band had already arrived. I think I might have turned into a really pale shade of white because he started to get alarmed.

“Um, it’s okay Aly,” he said rubbing my bare arms. “You’ll do great, I know you will.”

By now I was already on the verge of crying as a group of guys came in. John greeted them all with man hugs before he introduced them one by one to me.

“Aly, these are my band mates and best friends. This is Kennedy, Jared, Pat and Garrett,” he said pointing from right to left. “Guys, this is Aly and she’s performing with her friend, Byanca tonight.” He said and they all smiled and waved.

I looked at each of them with a smile but stopped once my eyes landed on Garrett. If he was far away from me right now, maybe my jaw would drop and I’d totally just stare at him since he was drop dead gorgeous but I was right in front of him so once he smiled back, I looked away.

“So, how’re you feeling right now?” Kennedy asked breaking the ice.

“Well, I’m nervous but I think I can deal with it,” I’m such a good liar but sometimes, that’s a bad thing.

“Well you should’ve seen John over here on our first show. He was sweating like a pig,” Jared said and we all laughed as I released the tension that was buried deep in me.

“Shut up man,” John said through clenched teeth. I laughed at him and then looked back to see where Byanca was.

Once she looked my way, I motioned her over and she got down the stage hesitantly and walked towards me.

“Guys, this is Byanca,” I introduced to them and they all said their names.

We were all just there making the time pass but it wasn’t really one whole group. John, Kennedy, Pat, Jared and I were talking about something while Garrett and Byanca totally hit it off. To tell you the truth, I was sorta jealous but that’s a feeling I have to push far away right now.

“Um, Aly, I think we should start heading to the dressing room now,” Byanca whispered with a little more confidence.

We said goodbye to the guys and they wished us good luck before we walked off to the backstage.

What I noticed about Byanca was that she had a bounce in her step. Was Garrett some kind of confidence giver or something? Did he put some kind of spell on her because I think I might need some of it.

I started with my hair and just brushed it since I already curled it a while ago.

“Shall we practice one more time?” I asked her as she fixed her make up.

“Nah, we’ll do fine,” she said and I looked at her with both my eyebrows raised.

“Are you sure?” I asked gulping.

“Yes,” she said with a gleaming smile as the manager called us out.

I took some deep breaths in and out as I rubbed my hands together.

“Are you coming or not?” Byanca asked me impatiently. I can’t believe she was actually prepping me up for this.

I exhaled one last time before walking with Byanca on stage.

All the tables in the coffee shop were occupied by people of various ages. I saw Byanca’s father in the audience and it reminded me, was my father going to be here too? I looked around as we both took our guitars and sat on the stools that were set on stage before microphones.

“Uh, hey, we’re Crash&Break and we’re here to play you some songs,” I said into the make and people started to cheer softly but John and the guys started hollering like hooligans which caused people to stare at them.

I stifled a laugh as we started the first song called Break Me Down. I was nervous as I sang the first verse. It caused me to stop strumming at one point just so that I wouldn’t make any unnecessary and unwanted mistakes.

But as I made eye contact with people, it seemed like they were actually digging it so I started strumming with Byanca and we were in perfect synchronization.

"Why pretend when it's so obvious
You love to hear me beg
Broken down, on my knees
Feeding you what I would've never dared to have said.

I ran to find some answers
But the road was all I found
It may have led me to an intersection
But at least it's all clear in my head now

You were here to break me down and murder me sweet
As you made the time your own
I never thought you'd be the one to break me apart
When your heart was what I called a home
So now I'm out here on this road standing my ground
Looking up as I let this hurricane break me down

I should've listened when they told me to let you go
But I was too naive to understand
I never really knew you were one to promise
And cross your fingers on the other hand

I can’t say I spent every second regretting
I can’t say I loved what you did
I can’t say that I adored your foolish selfishness
But at least now I can finally let you go.

You were here to break me down and murder me sweet
As you made the time your own
I never thought you'd be the one to break me apart
When your heart was what I called a home
So now I'm out here on this road standing my ground
Looking up as I let this hurricane break me down
Oh break me down, just break me down
Let this hurricane roll over me and break me down
Break me down.”

It felt good to actually let that all out. It was like the world got off my back. But this was a mere warm up. I was ready for more. So once we ran through Break Me Down smoothly, we sailed through the rest of the songs namely: Laugh at First Sight and Love in Second, Sweet Addiction, Coursing Through My Veins and You Missed It.

I never thought I’d feeling this way by the end of the night but I just wanted to play more. It was sad thought that I didn’t get to use the piano but I didn’t really care. All that really mattered was that people clapped for us and some of them were even nodding their heads and tapping their feet. It made me ecstatic to see their reaction.

We said goodbye to the crowd before packing up. The manager came out and gave us an envelope. I looked at him confused because he told us that we had to play for free but I guess he had a change of heart. I thanked him for it and then continued packing my guitar and the keyboard I brought but didn’t use.

Byanca and I stuffed in our cars before splitting the cash. We actually earned a lot. Talk about five grand each.

We walked back to the coffee shop and people rushed over for our autographs. They made us sign cups ad stuff like that which was weird, really. I didn’t expect people to actually ask for anything from us but I guess I shouldn’t be complaining because it’s actually a good thing.

The people filed out of the coffee shop. How cool is it to know that they were here just to see us play? It was so awesome.

I looked for John and spotted them already in a booth with Byanca. They were talking and chatting and laughing. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to go there.

I looked around for Byanca’s Dad but he was already gone. I checked my phone in my pocket and saw that there was a message. I viewed it after asking a bottle of water from the bartender who kindly asked me not to pay since he said that we played really well. I thanked him for it before looking to my phone.

I was drinking water when I read the message but just as I was about to swallow, I read through the whole text and then almost choked but luckily I was able gulp it all in.

My father, the one who told me would be here for the show didn’t show up since he was screening some other band that he wanted to sign. It broke my heart to know that he’d rather watch some other band play live than watch us. Maybe he thinks I’m not serious about this whole music career but I am.

I turned to look at John who was in the booth. He was looking right at me with a smile but stopped when tears were brimming in my eyes. I ran out of the coffee shop and into an alley.

I cried my eyes out and sat against the wall not giving a damn about what the world might think of me if they saw and heard me.

I didn’t want to be found. I wanted to just rot here. I can’t believe my father for promising me things but breaking them in the end. I hate how this tears me apart but I have to deal with it somehow like how I’ve dealt with broken promises my whole life.

“Excuse me miss, are you okay?” An unfamiliar voice called out to me.Shit, someone found me.