Page 67 of Before We’re More Than Friends (When We Faced the Music #1)
Dallas
I f I’d known that Battle of the Bands would be one of the biggest events in town, I wouldn’t have been on the verge of passing out right now.
We’d come here this morning for a sound check, and everything had gone well. But hearing the commotion from outside now worked up my nerves. I’d look like a sweaty pig before we even got on stage.
“You’ll be fine,” Kami said as I paced backstage. “Does that ‘imagine people in their underwear’ trick work?”
“I already tried that,” I said, tangling my fingers through my curls. Was I making my hair look better, or was I making myself look like a wild animal? I checked myself in the mirror. Yeah, it was the latter. I groaned and adjusted my open button-down.
“Are you sure I look good?” I asked Kami, my blood roaring in my ears.
I could see Kami rolling her eyes in the reflection. “You don’t need my validation.”
“It’s just nice to hear.”
“Fine.” She smiled. “You’re going to crush it, Dallas.”
“Hey.” Hayden leaned over to glance at himself in the mirror, running a hand through his neat braids. “I spent all of yesterday at the barber. I almost brought a suitcase.”
I chuckled. “Your hair looks as good as always.”
“Just making sure.” He gritted his teeth to check for food. “I don’t want a single thing to be out of place.”
“Gosh, are you two going to obsess over your appearances the entire time?” Sienna asked, randomly appearing from behind us. It was strange to see her without a cup of coffee. Someone probably had to surgically remove it from her right hand.
“That’s what I’m wondering,” Kami said at the same time Hayden said, “Why wouldn’t we?”
Sienna shook her head with a smile. “Caleb will make fun of you guys the whole night.”
“Okay, and how long did you girls spend on your makeup?” Hayden asked, facing her with pursed lips.
She held up her hands. “It’s not a competition.”
“Where are Raina and Arielle?” I asked Hayden. “They’re the only ones who aren’t here.” It wasn’t unusual for them to be the last ones to show up, but I couldn’t contain my excitement to see how beautiful Raina would look tonight.
“They should be here any minute,” Hayden said, checking his watch. His gaze went over to Joker Avenue, who were laughing about something. If they were nervous, they didn’t show it at all.
Eddie caught his eye for a moment. His lips tilted into a smirk.
Hayden looked away and grumbled to himself.
“We’ll crush it,” I said, rubbing my hand along his jacket sleeve. “Whether we win or not.”
“I know. I just don’t want them to win.” He crossed his arms. “And I especially don’t want to lose.”
“Who would want to lose?” Caleb said as he fluffed Oliver’s floppy hair from a few feet over. Oliver had let his honey-blond hair grow out the past month, and it suited him. He’d definitely win over a lot of girls.
Meanwhile, I was still waiting for mine.
“Only two things matter tonight,” Oliver said as he looked at himself on his phone screen. “That we look hot while performing and have fun looking hot while performing.”
“Oh, gosh,” Sienna said, rolling her eyes to the highest heaven. “Of course that’s the only thing on your mind.”
“Why so surprised?”
We spent another minute talking about our looks when the girl I’d been waiting for finally came.
Raina strutted backstage like royalty in purple wedges, her silver earrings dangling like raindrops.
Her rhinestone bra sparkled underneath her sheer black top, and my cheeks flushed as I thought about Penrose’s “gift.” A dark purple skirt and black fishnets completed her look.
My stomach fluttered at the sight of her beauty, every curve reminding me of how blessed I was to have someone as stunning as her in my life.
Black and purple are so her colors.
“Don’t have too much fun staring,” Raina said, her beautiful eyes teasing me.
Blood rushed to my cheeks. How long had I been eyeing her like she was a dessert? “I-I—sorry, you just look very?—”
“Beautiful? Sexy?”
“Both.” I pressed my lips against hers for a few moments. “And everything in between.”
Gosh, I couldn’t wait until the competition was over so I could give her the gift I couldn’t contain my excitement about. I knew it would melt her heart the way she melted mine whenever she looked at me.
“There’s something I have for you after our performance,” I whispered as she wrapped her arms around me in a hug, my chest pressing against hers. “I think you’re going to love it.”
“Really?” She pulled back, her eyes lighting up. “Because I have something for you, too.”
My stomach leaped. “I can’t wait.” And I really couldn’t.
Man, as fun as this would be, I wanted to get this anxiety fest over with.
“Keep yourselves under control now,” Arielle said as she walked up behind us. She wore almost the exact thing as Raina, only with red and gold. The Vermonts really were the most stunning twins on the planet.
Hayden swallowed near me, probably fighting hard not to stare at Arielle.
“We will,” Raina promised, though her eyes said other things. “We have business to do.”
After what felt like centuries, Battle of the Bands finally started.
We were the sixth band to perform, which meant we still had a while before we could relieve ourselves from this torture.
During our wait time, we played UNO until we got tired of Sienna beating us, made bets on how many girls would ask for Oliver’s number, and took selfies.
But the hardest part was restraining myself from pulling Raina into that corner to make out.
Just when I thought the wait couldn’t end, Everett Tate, the lead guitarist from Somewhere in the Sky, came out with his clipboard while Joker Avenue performed. “Like Airplanes, you’re up next.” His hazel gaze traveled to us. “Good luck.”
“Thank you,” Hayden said with a smile. “We’re huge fans of your music. We love all your performances.”
“Nice.” Everett barely cracked a smile before going into the crowd again.
“Ouch,” Hayden said. “Guess he’s busy. ”
“Don’t let it get to you,” I told him. “I don’t think he’s a people person.”
When we got on stage, where our instruments were, Ivan introduced us to the crowd. My hearing was muffled from how hard my pulse was pounding in my ears, my head dizzy. How the heck did Somewhere in the Sky do this every week with such a big crowd?
Then again, I doubted they had been in a competition like this. And if they had, they’d aced it.
When I focused on the audience, I recognized the familiar faces in the crowd.
Mollie and Bella held a sign up that said “ FLY LIKE AIRPLANES ” with pictures of airplanes around the words.
Their parents both had big smiles and waved at us.
It was the first time I’d seen Mr. Landers smile, and I could tell that Oliver hadn’t only gotten his warm grin from his mom.
Beside the Landers were the Rowans, Sienna’s family. Adam and Emma—she had no problem correcting me when I’d called her Eve—also held up a sign that said “ LIKE AIRPLANES’S #1 FANS .” Two men and a woman, who I assumed were Sienna’s aunt, uncle, and dad, stood near them with smiles.
My gaze went over to my family, and that was when I noticed a boy with brown hair and eyes wave at me.
No freaking way.
“Toby!” I shouted, forgetting that I had my mic on. A static sound rippled through the café. My cheeks flushed, and a few of my bandmates chuckled. “Sorry,” I said to the audience as they covered their ears.
Toby chuckled and saluted me.
When the lights dimmed, I drew in one last breath and strummed on my rhythm guitar before singing the first verse. Instead of imagining the audience was in their underwear, I focused on the lyrics and the emotion .
Before I knew it, I reached the first chorus. I took better control of my voice as I sang from my chest, channeling my old feelings for Raina in the moment. We’d kept the old part of the song, Caleb’s keyboard taking the lead, but I knew the happier part was coming.
“Because I’m such a disaster.
Why would you ever fall for me?
Why would you ever fall for me?
We’re only meant for disaster.
Why can’t I stop falling for you?
Why can’t I stop falling for you?
It’s a road to disaster.”
The next verse was Raina’s. As always, she blew me away with her voice. The instrumental was more balanced now, Arielle backing up some of Raina’s vocals, and I couldn’t fight the grin that stretched across my cheeks as she transitioned into the chorus.
“I thought I was a disaster
But you still fell for me
But you still fell for me
And you fell even faster
Than I’d fallen for you
Than I’d fallen for you
Is this my happily ever after?
It feels too good to be true
It feels too good to be true
Is this my happily ever after?
Because I don’t want another disaster.”
Raina and I shared the bridge, belting out each word like it took no effort.
My gaze rested on her wide smile and flushing cheeks as she hit her tambourine.
Warmth flooded my chest as I sang straight to and with her, unable to believe that I was really doing this.
Not only had we come so far in our relationship, but we were performing on a freaking stage.
A heavy prize loomed over us, but as I sang these words, none of that mattered.
And even though there was a large crowd in front of us, the only person who existed was the girl who’d saved me from disaster.
“I thought I was a disaster
But you still fell for me
But you still fell for me
And you fell even faster
Than I’d fallen for you
Than I’d fallen for you
Is this my happily ever after?
I believe it’s true
I believe this true
Is this my happily ever after?
Because I thought I was a disaster
Until I met you.”