Keep Your Heart Wide Open.

Gianna continued to stare at John, a puzzled expression permanently on her face. John chuckled and placed his hands behind his back, shrugging his shoulders innocently. She still held her gaze, trying to make John uncomfortable enough to spill whatever secret he was keeping from her. John’s arms dropped to his sides and he stuffed his hands into his pockets. “What?” Gianna rolled her eyes. “You’re up to something.” John scoffed and wrapped his arm around her neck. “Who, me? Why, can’t I enjoy the show with my best friend without being up to something?” She studied his face for a moment, not convinced. “No.”

John stubbornly stuck out his tongue, much like a brother would do to a sister in a situation like this. They were both silent as they then focused their attention back on the concert, listening to Austin’s set. Gianna fell back into the sway of things and just went along with it. She helped people coming to the merch table and acted cheerful as she was forced to play photographer for everyone who wanted to take a picture with John. Soon enough Austin’s set was over and the curtain was down once again, the audience anxiously awaiting This Century.

John looked at Gianna and playfully shoved her shoulder. “Why don’t you let me take over and go watch this set?” Gianna coughed and looked away, trying to shield her face. “No thanks, I’m perfectly fine right here.” Gianna continued to arrange the merchandise, completely ignoring John. He grabbed her shoulder and spun her around, forcing her to look him in the eye. “You miss him. And don’t even try to convince me that you don’t, because I know that you do.” Any hint of humor in his voice had disappeared, and their conversation took a serious turn.

Gianna ripped her arm away from his grip and stared right back at him. “You don’t know everything, John.” She cleared her throat and looked down, not wanting to fight with John. He sighed and spoke once more, his voice taking on a new, softer tone. “No, but I know you.” He bit his lip, hoping to finally get her to see what she needed to do. “Please, just go watch the set. Really watch it.” She sighed and tried to keep her composure as her lip quivered slightly. She looked up at John and nodded silently, before walking away from the table and joining the large crowd out on the floor.

Her heart raced as the background music played between sets. The people around her talked rapidly and her breathing was getting heavier with each second that went by. Sooner than she would have liked, the curtain began to rise and she could see them. Alex, Ryan, Sean, and of course, Joel, were set up on the stage, smiles on their faces. They immediately broke out into an upbeat song and as much as she wanted to resist, Gianna could not take her eyes off of Joel.

After a few more fast-paced songs, Joel grabbed the microphone as the other three members of the band put their instruments down, walking off stage to retrieve a large piano, bringing it to the center, right behind Joel. Joel bit his lip and spoke into the microphone, his smooth voice radiating throughout the room. “Would you guys mind if we slowed it down a bit?” The crowd erupted in cheers of encouragement and even Gianna herself could not help but smile a little bit. Joel’s eyes scanned the crowd as if he was looking for someone and Gianna’s heart rate quickened. She moved further into the crowd to where she was clearly visible.

Her breath caught in her throat as their eyes met for the first time in a while and Joel smiled a tiny smile. He cleared his throat and spoke into the microphone once more. “So, I wrote this song for a girl.” Cheers and yells filled the room along with sounds of admiration. He chuckled and continued on. “To put it simply, I screwed up. The girl of my dreams walked out of my life because I screwed it up. So this song is my apology to her. Gianna, this one’s for you.”

She bit her lip as he spoke her name and she moved closer to the stage, pushing people aside. She could see people starting to whisper as she moved closer to the stage, but she didn’t care. She watched as Joel took a seat at the piano, placing his hands on the keys that he knew far too well. Her heart swelled up as she heard the familiar melody of the very song he had taught her that very first time. He took a deep breath and began to sing, causing Gianna to almost forget everything and everyone around her.

“No I don't got money, but I got the time, honey, if you'll wait for me to turn this all around. I'm in debt to you always, as we make the same mistakes. Just know jealousy's no longer in the way.” Gianna’s heart sank as she thought of her dancing with Garrett, realizing how unfair it was to play that game with Joel’s heart. Joel continued to sing his heart out, winning Gianna back with every note that came out. “Let's learn to put the past behind us. Let love push through the door and find us. Just keep your heart wide open, so I can fix what's broken. Stay around, maybe I can be a better me.” By this point, Gianna was on the verge of tears, a range of emotions raging inside of her.

“We could sprawl across our floor, staying up until it's four; make your eyes my entertainment for the night.” Joel’s eyes burned in to Gianna’s as he took his eyes off the keys and stared directly at her, causing the girls surrounding her to flip their heads around. “Make a home to call our own, I know it's nothing yet, but we can make it great, because we would never be alone.” He belted the chorus another time and somewhere along the way, Gianna began to sing along.

“Don't want to let you go, I can be a better me. Do you think you will know, I can be a better me. If we could take it back, I can be a better me.” The last note rang through the room and Joel took his hands off the keys, taking a moment to just stare at the piano. The crowd went wild and for a moment, Gianna was frozen in her spot. Joel stood up from the piano and smiled at the crowd, walking back up to the crowd. “Thank you, you guys have been incredible tonight! Please hang out and enjoy the rest of the show!” The crowd cheered and This Century walked off of the stage.

Gianna eventually became able to move and she turned around, pushing her way through the crowd once more. People were yelling at her but she didn’t even notice, knowing there was only one thing she needed to do at the moment. She finally broke free from the sea of people and ran over to the merch table where John still stood with Taylor. She slammed both of her hands on the table and looked at John, breathing heavily.

He chuckled and shook his head. “Backstage is that way.” He pointed to the far corner of the room and Gianna took off, not speaking another word. She knew what she had to do. It was what she had to do all along. She didn’t care how stubborn or angry she was, she loved Joel Kanitz, and that was that.