Even If You Don't

Mari’s POV

“Where’s Luke?” I heard Zoe ask.

“Present and accounted for,” he announced as we walked back into my dressing room.

“There you are,” she breathed out, flicking her gaze between him and myself as he put me back on my feet, “Have you guys finished soundchecking?” I glanced up at Luke, but he didn’t even look at me.

“It’ll be fine, Zo,” he assured her, “It’s not like we don’t know the song.” I couldn’t help but snort softly, making him grin in response.

“Well, you know, since Mari’s taking the second verse, it’s not like Calum has to rack his brain to try and remember the words this time,” Kaylynn snickered. I laughed a little more loudly that time, leaving them to their conversation to go to the bathroom. By the time I came back out, Luke and Zoe had left and Gabrielle was now in their place.

“You girls all ready?” she asked, to which we obviously nodded. “Great,” she said, “You’re on in 20.”

30 minutes later

“Look at all these beautiful people!” Kenzie beamed as her eyes scanned the crowd while they screamed in response.

“Hey, Mar,” Vanessa said into her mic as she looked back at me, “Do you know any of them?”

“Ah, let me see,” I grabbed my own mic from its stand and got up to stand on top of my drum kit, “I know a lot of them, yeah.”

“Don’t you wanna say something to them?” Kaylynn asked, making me smile.

“Yeah! So since I’m sure you guys all know Indy is my hometown, I know there’s a lot of people I went to school with here tonight,” I announced, “And I just wanna say that this song is for you guys!” I couldn’t keep myself from grinning as the crowd cheered, clearly having no idea what song was coming up – or...maybe they did.

[Kenzie]

Dear whoever, do you remember?
It's me, old whatshername
Can't believe it, you ain't dreaming
I don't look quite the same

But history repeats itself, I kept making a scene
I kept raising hell, now they call me a queen
And you're under my spell, so tell me how does it feel?
Well...

[Kenzie, Vanessa, Kaylynn]

I'm looking down from the skyline
Dancing on the moonlight
Can you see my name in the stars?
Yeah, I bet you won't forget me now

My voice on the air waves
It's echoing louder and louder
I bet you won't forget me now
I bet you won't forget me now

[Vanessa]

Hey whoever, it's been forever
I know you know my name
I heard you’re still trying to steal my throne
I guess some things never change

Always knew I'd make it out
Live a life you dream about
Now the world's in my hands
According to plan

[Kenzie, Vanessa, Kaylynn]

I'm looking down from the skyline
Dancing on the moonlight
Can you see my name in the stars?
Yeah, I bet you won't forget me now

My voice on the air waves
It's echoing louder and louder
I bet you won't forget me now
I bet you won't forget me now

[Mari]

Said you were gonna run this town
Now you get high and just drive around
It didn't happen like you thought it would, yeah
Hit me up like “Hope you're good
And can you put me on the list tonight?
And by the way, I got this clothing line”
Trying to talk like we're old friends
But you don't even know who I am

[Kenzie, Vanessa, Kaylynn]

I'm looking down from the skyline
Dancing on the moonlight
Can you see my name in the stars
Yeah, I bet you won't forget me now

My voice on the air waves
It's echoing louder and louder
I bet you won't forget me now
I bet you won't forget me now

I bet you won't forget me now
I bet you won't forget me now

[Mari]

I bet you won't

~

Calum’s POV

Another 10 minutes passed and it was finally time for what we all had been preparing for all day. Mari was just sitting at her drum set as Kenzie introduced one last song – she didn’t seem suspicious of anything, which was exactly the way I wanted it.

“Since Mari wrote our last song of the night and this is a hometown show for her, we wanted her to do lead vocals,” Kenzie explained, “So we’re actually going to have Ash come out and play on this one. Is that cool?” The crowd cheered in response and Mari smiled slightly, getting up and stepping out from behind her drum kit. As Ashton passed her, he gave her a small smile, kissing the side of her head briefly before sitting in her chair while she made her way to Kenzie's microphone.

“Before we start this, I just want to say I’m sorry if I start crying,” Mari laughed shyly, her fingers gripping the middle of the mic stand, “This song does that to me.” She missed the rest of her band as well as the boys and I’s smiles as the girls started playing, eager to see her reaction to the plan.

Like a small boat on the ocean
Sending big waves into motion
Like how a single word
Can make a heart open
I might only have one match
But I can make an explosion

And all those things I didn’t say
Wrecking balls inside my brain
I will scream them aloud tonight
Can you hear my voice this time?

This is my fight song
Take back my life song
Prove I’m alright song
My power’s turned on
Starting right now, I’ll be strong
I’ll play my fight song

And I don’t really care if nobody else believes
‘Cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me

Losing friends and I’m chasing sleep
Everybody’s worried ‘bout me
In too deep, say I'm in too deep

And it’s been two years, I miss my home
But there’s a fire burning in my bones
Still believe, yeah, I still believe

And all of those things I didn’t say
Wrecking balls inside my brain
I will scream them aloud tonight
Can you hear my voice this time?

This is my fight song
Take back my life song
Prove I’m alright song
My power’s turned on
Starting right now, I’ll be strong
I’ll play my fight song

And I don't really care if nobody else believes
‘Cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me
A lot of fight left in me

Like a small boat on the ocean
Sending big waves into motion
Like how a single word
Can make a heart open
I might only have one match
But I can make an explosion

It was then that Mari was made aware of my plans, watching the crowd hold pieces of paper in the air, each one with a different message written on it but the meaning all the same: Thank you for saving me.

Mari tried to continue singing – she tried so hard not to fall apart in the middle of that stage – but she just let go, knowing nothing she did was going to work. Her face was in her palms and her head was down, obviously already in tears.

Mari had once told me that when she joined this band, all she wanted to do was help people. She wanted to be their escape from their daily lives and their problems and she just wanted to make them happy. She was given a taste of that every single time a fan asked for a hug or a photo or an autograph, but I don’t think it ever truly hit her until now. Now that these people were in front of her – their signs in the air for her to read – it was real; They were alive and she was helping them stay that way.

The moment Mari stopped singing to cry, the other girls had completely planned on finishing the song for her. But when the entire venue began singing the words in unison, they simply settled with just stepping away from their mics, signaling for Ashton to stop playing, and mouthing along with the fans with smiles on their faces as they sang acapella.

This is my fight song
Take back my life song
Prove I'm alright song
My power's turned on
Starting right now, I'll be strong
I'll play my fight song

And I don't really care if nobody else believes
'Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me
No, I've still got a lot of fight left in me

When the song was over, the crowd cheered at Mari’s reaction – some of them even crying as well. Their screams got louder as I came up behind her and snaked my arms around her waist. I held her for a moment, my face pressed to her neck as I kissed her skin softly every now and then.

“You see that, baby girl?” I murmured in her ear, “You did that – your band did that. You four are doing so much more than writing songs and making albums. You’re helping people see how special they are. You’re reminding them that they’re loved and cared for and worth it. You’re showing them the reasons they should keep living.”

I felt Mari let out a breath, a new wave of emotion hitting her. Tears began falling again as she turned around in my arms and wrapped her own around my torso, hugging me tightly.