Chapter 24
Alara
W hat am I doing here? The longer I stay in this room alone, the more I regret agreeing to this stupid idea. How could I let myself get caught up in the fantasy? Why would they agree to take me on tour with them if they can't even be in the same room as me for more than two minutes?
Arrogant rockstars. That's all they are. Literally all I did was introduce myself, and they freaked out. That is not a normal reaction, and it's making me feel more insecure than I should.
I don't think I can do this.
I take a step forward, deciding it's time for me to go, but a shuffling sound behind me stops me in my tracks. Slowly, I turn to see four sets of eyes fixated on me. There's something about the look each of them has that’s a little creepy, and it makes me even more uncomfortable.
"I'm going to leave." I point my thumb over my shoulder in the direction of the door.
"You're not going anywhere." Nix shakes his head, walking toward me. "You haven't played your song yet."
Is he out of his mind ?
"Look, I'm not sure what I walked into, but clearly there was some sort of disagreement."
I recognize each of them from the articles I read online, so when River steps forward and extends a hand in my direction, I'm taken aback. "Hi, I'm River. Sorry about that. You have our full attention now."
I eye him carefully before slipping my hand into his to shake it.
Out of all the men in the room, he looks the most different.
He's dressed more colorfully than the rest, with light brown pants and a purple shirt that matches my hair. His own hair is longer and blond, falling to his shoulders, and he’s the only one to have a nose ring. Look at the two of us being similar.
Even the way he carries himself is different. He's softer, sweeter. The hard exterior that the others have doesn't seem to apply to him. Maybe that's why he was the first one to extend a grapevine. I smile, part of my nerves calming when he lets go of my hand to step back in line with the others.
Lane introduces himself next. He's wearing black. That seems to be a theme here, but he's got something the others don't. His nails are painted bright green. His hair is black with almost white streaks, and when he smiles, I can't help but fixate on how perfect his teeth are.
"Maybe I'll have to have you add some purple to my hair too," he jokes as he offers his hand for me to shake.
I grin, nodding and feeling slightly more at ease. When he steps back, I expect Ender to introduce himself like the others, but he doesn't. Instead, he pulls out his phone and focuses on that while saying, "Time to hear you sing."
Okay, dickhead.
I look at him for longer than he deserves, and he still won’t acknowledge me. It's like I make him uncomfortable.
"Ignore him," Nix says, shaking his head. "He's in a mood."
I don't say anything because, for all I know, this is how he is all the time. If that's the case, I'll make sure to avoid him as much as possible. Honestly, I'm not sure if I even want to do this anymore. There's so much tension.
"I think maybe you should get someone who has more experience."
"Nix claims you love the way music makes you feel. Is that true?” Lane asks.
My brows furrow as I consider his question. Of course I love the way the music makes me feel. If I didn't, I wouldn't be here having one of the most awkward encounters of my life.
"Alara," he says, making my eyes shoot up to meet his. "Does it make you feel free?"
The way he says my name is almost familiar. I sigh before nodding and giving him the answer he's after. "It does. And I’ve discovered I love being on the stage."
"It's as simple as that. When you love music, it doesn’t matter how much experience you have. You just put your heart into it and share your art with others. I mean, it also helps if you’re actually good, but at its core, it’s about sharing the passion. ”
I've never really thought about it that way.
I picked up the guitar on a random urge to sing, but there was history there.
I had memories. I know music was part of my missing years; I just don't know to what extent.
There was an underlying passion I secretly craved.
Huh. This guy actually has some brains to go with those good looks.
I walk over to the guitar Nix leaned against the wall and snatch it up before turning to the group of men. "If I sing, you're all going to listen. Otherwise, there's no point, and I'll just leave."
The corner of Ender's mouth tilts up in a sly grin, and he slides his phone in his pocket. He still doesn't look at me, but I guess this is progress. It’s enough for now. We can circle back to why he's such a dick later.
They all return to their original seats, with Nix taking the spot on the couch next to Ender. One last deep breath later, my eyes fall closed, and I forget about where I am.
"This is called Whispered Wings," I say as I strum against the chords.
I get lost in the song, wailing as I sway to the beat. One word at a time, it spills out. My chest heaves while the weight of the world feels like it drips from every word. Finally, as I finish up, I stand there for another moment before blinking open my eyes.
River is staring, Nix's jaw has fallen open, and the one person who has been avoiding eye contact with me is finally looking in my direction.
His strikingly rich brown eyes peer right through me, and despite how standoffish he's been, his gaze feels like home.
He has this underlying comfort that I could be consumed by.
No. That's crazy. I dismiss the thought before leaning the guitar back against the wall while waiting for feedback.
"You can say you hated it. I just appreciate the opportunity. You probably need some time to decide whether or not I'm a good fit for you. Nix knows where he can find me."
And just like that, the entire room bursts out in laughter. What the fuck? Was something I said funny somehow?
"We don't need time to decide. You've got the job if you want it, Alara." Nix smiles.
"What do you mean I got the job?"
"Everyone in this room knows you have talent. We don't need to debate that," Nix replies, leaving me even more confused.
"So you don't need to talk?" I don't understand.
"We don't," River confirms. "We agreed before you started that if nobody had any protests after you finished, we would offer you the opportunity."
"You're amazing." Lane smiles.
I thought getting the opportunity was a possibility, but for some reason, it was coated in a layer of doubt. There are a million other singers out there who can provide a more refined performance than I can.
"Stop doubting your talent." River catches my attention, like he was reading my mind.
"Are you sure about me?" I ask with a shaky voice .
"Yes. Ender will talk to our manager about setting up a meeting, signing paperwork, and all the official stuff. Won't you?" Nix asks.
I wait nervously to hear his response. The others have all been verbal about their approval. In a way, this is him saying yes to me, too.
"I'll deal with it," Ender grinds out, pulling his phone out again.
"Great." Nix brings my attention back to him. "There's an NDA, amongst other things, that we can talk to you about when the official offer is put together, but if you want the opportunity, it's yours."
I blink, slowly, while nodding. A huge grin spreads across my face as reality sets in. Holy shit. I'm going to open for a huge rock band… on stage… in front of thousands of people. Rayne is going to lose her ever-loving mind!