Something to Remember

SARAH:

“Girls do what they want! Woah woah, boys do what they can!”

I was jumping around back stage, singing at the top of my lungs and dancing to the guys' music when I felt my hand connect with something plastic. It wasn’t the first time I had hit something but this time it gave away and I immediately paused.

“Dammit Sarah!” When I looked at Tyler I burst out laughing. His face and shirt were dripping with beer and he was not happy.

“I’m sorry!” I said with my hand over my mouth. I tried to sound sincere but between the gasping for air from laughing so hard and the smile I couldn’t wipe off my face, it wasn’t convincing.

“Yeah, sure you are.” He rolled his eyes at me before rushing away to the bathroom. I honestly felt bad but couldn’t control my amusement.

“Duuude!” Ryan grinned at me once he was gone and we fist pounded. Apparently he had seen the whole thing and found it just as funny as me.

I sighed, calming down, and Ryan wrapped his arm around my waist as John finished his last verse in the song. Watching him sing made me smile. He was flawless, from his old converse to the way he raked his fingers through his hair. I loved him so much and couldn’t keep my mind off of meeting Rainer. John said that Mary was going to bring him to the show tomorrow. Since we were playing in Nevada and she only lived two hours away from there, it seemed like the perfect time.

“Alright, alright, alright San Francisco! How’s everybody doing out there?” John reached his arm out to point to the crowd and I laughed at the screams he got in response. He chuckled and took a drink of his beer. When he spit it out of his mouth into the audience the place went crazy again.

I was having the time of my life. There wasn’t anything more I could ask for; I was surrounded by my closest friends, my music career was more successful than I had ever dared to hope for, my boyfriend was perfect, and I was positively the happiest I had ever been.

Jack appeared next to me and I smiled at him. He squeezed my shoulder.

“Fucking awesome show tonight, huh?”

“The first one and it was incredible. Did you hear how many people were screaming our lyrics?!” I shook my head in complete awe. The feeling of so many people knowing your name and dancing to your music was something I’d never forget.

“Ok, so this next song is for somebody very special standing back stage, it’s called Don’t Stop Now.”

There was a chorus of “awe’s” from the crowd. John glanced at me and I couldn’t help but stand there and smile like an idiot. Despite the few mistakes he had made in the past, he always knew exactly what to do and say. When he quickly looked away from me and nervously rubbed his hands on his pants though, I cocked my head. What was that for?

I felt someone behind me and I turned around to find Tyler, in a new shirt.

“Hey babe.” Hey looked at me with this weird expression on his face and I narrowed my eyes.

“What’s up?”

He shrugged and I rolled my eyes. Realizing my entire band was standing with me except my bassist, I looked around.

“Where’s Zac?” Tyler shrugged again and I stuck my tongue out at him before turning back to watch the guys. I sang along, knowing all the words, and felt myself grin wider during the chorus. As silly as it was, the fact that John chose to dedicate those lyrics to me meant a lot.

Oh, you can rough me up,
You can break me down,
Baby don’t stop now.
You can use me up 'til it all runs out,
Baby don’t stop now.
I’m all yours,
I’m all yours somehow,
Baby don’t stop now.

I was about to wail out the next verse when John stopped singing and the music became a mellow background noise. I waited in confusion as John placed his microphone back in the stand and looked out to the crowd. He wiped his forehead before speaking.

“Now, I’ve got something really important to do tonight and I was wondering if all of you beautiful people out there would be willing to help me out. What do ya think?” I watched as John nodded at the shouts of approval.

“Alright, thank you, thank you. Now, before I do this, I need you all to understand two things. One, right now I’m fucking nervous as hell.” There were more screams and he shook his head, closing his eyes.

“And two, if I fuck this up, you all better not post it on the internet or I will hunt you down. Got it?” More cheering.

John looked up at the ceiling, gripping the microphone stand in his hand. After a moment, he lowered his gaze and looked over to me, angling his body so he could meet my eyes.

“I’d like to ask Miss Sarah Blake to join us on the stage out here. Sarah?” He stared directly at me and I shook my head. What was he up to?

“C’mon Sarah, you were just out here for Christ’s sakes. I need you for a moment.” His eyes pleaded with me and I heard the crowd beginning to chant my name.

By that point, I couldn’t have moved from the spot if I had wanted to. Picking up on this, Ryan, Tyler, and Jack all grabbed ahold of me and began to pull me towards the spotlight next to John.

All the people in the crowd clapped and screamed. I looked at Jared, who grinned, then to Garrett who winked at me. Pat gave me a thumbs-up and Kenny just stood there looking extremely happy. As I finally looked to John, I felt myself blushing bright red.
He smiled at me, looking terrified, and grabbed my hand. After kissing my forehead (which earned even louder encouragement from the audience), he turned away to talk into the microphone again.

“I’m gonna make this fast before I vomit right here on all of you,” he said and there was a collective “ew” from the audience. John chuckled before continuing.

“In short, this pretty lady right here is everything to me. I wouldn’t be who I am today without her.” He looked at me.

“We’ve had our share of mistakes and fights but we’ve always found a way back and it’s something I thank God for every day. Sarah, I love you, more than anyone, even myself, will ever be able to fully comprehend and I need you forever. I don’t want anyone but you and I know I never will. So please,” he took the microphone out of the stand and as he began to lower himself to the ground, I covered my mouth with my hands and tried my best to see him through my blurry vision.

“Please, promise me you’ll never leave. Promise me that we’ll always work it out and that we’ll make it through. In return, I promise to never abandon you or give you reason to doubt my love. I will always be here for you and will always protect you. Please, Sarah, do me the incredible honor of marrying me.”

He pulled a ring out of his pocket and I stared at him in shock. The crowd was dead silent and I tried to wipe the tears from my eyes. John was getting paler by the minute so I smiled at him. I nodded and I watched as his eyes started to grow watery too.

“Yes?” He whispered it so quietly that I could only tell from the movement of his mouth. I got down on my knees too and held out my hand.

“Yes.”

He quickly slid the ring on my finger and pulled me in for a kiss, holding on to me just as hard as I was to him.

“She said yes!” Garrett stole the microphone from John and the entire venue went wild. There was more noise than there had been all night and I pulled away from John. We both smiled at each other.

Jack pulled me off the ground and into his arms. He and Ryan lifted me up into the air and ran around while I laughed and stared at John, who was looking at me in complete contentment and disbelief. After a moment, I was put down and received hugs from everyone on stage before my fiancé (ahh!) and I faced the crowd.

John took the mic again and grabbed his guitar.

“I think this calls for celebration, how about you guys?” There was a huge rumble of noise and he smiled at me.

“This next song is called Take Me Dancing, featuring the lovely Sarah Blake!” I looked at him in surprise but grabbed a guitar anyway. I knew the song well and was too happy to be worried about screwing up. He counted us in and we both began to play, sharing the microphone.

Our voices blended together perfectly and the crowd sang along too, just as loud as our amplified voices coming through the speakers. I stared at their faces and they seemed to be glowing, experiencing the magic just like John and I. The smile on my face was there without my conscious thought and I looked down at the ring on my left hand.

This night was fucking perfect.

****************

“Thank you.” John looked at me in surprise and scrunched his eyebrows.

“For what?” he shouted to me so I would understand him. I leaned in closer so he wouldn’t have to strain to hear me over the noises of the crowded bar. The guys had decided to take us out for drinks in celebration before we had to get on the bus to leave.

“For asking me to marry you.” I smiled at him and he chuckled.

“Thank you for saying yes.” He said and I kissed his cheek through my grin.

“Anytime.”

John and I hadn’t broken physical contact since the show and I loved it.

“Are you still up for meeting Rainer tomorrow?” he asked me after a moment and I nodded enthusiastically.

“Definitely!”

John beamed and kissed me, I could tell he loved that I was so excited about his son because he clearly was too. I checked my phone again and sighed when there was no alert on the lock screen.

“Still no answer?” John asked, beginning to look worried too. I shook my head and he pulled me tighter against him in the booth.

“He’ll turn up. He’s bound to be around here somewhere.”

I knew he was trying his best to reassure me but it wasn’t working. Nobody had seen Zac since our set and that was over four hours ago. He hadn’t even showed up to meet the fans afterwards. I was very concerned.

It wasn’t until we were walking back to the tour bus that I felt my phone vibrate. I ripped it out of my pocket and quickly unlocked it to read the message.

Bro’s in trouble, had to leave. Sorry, not sure when I’ll be back. Hope you’ll forgive me. -Zac

I stared at the message in shock. Zac was gone? And he told me in a text, after I had sent him one first? What the was going on?