8. Apology

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.   APOLOGY

 

     I WENT TO OUR SUITE AND CHANGE. I KNOW THAT I SHOULDN’T BE the one mad right now, since it was first my fault. But the rest was his. All I wanted was to say sorry and ask for forgiveness, not being called as a diva. I guess Shane will be here soon, or maybe tomorrow, since I know that he won’t forget what I last said to him.

     I decided to watch the TV instead, just to cool my head. I guess Shane’s right; I do can’t quit the band but...

     “...is Alyson Smith dumping Adam Cyrus for Jacob Faro? This is so false, but according to Paramount film, this two will be starring together in a new movie called ‘Last Dance’, directed by Rebecca Winfred. Is Nate Cyrus getting married? Our sources say, so true... according to US magazine, out tomorrow, the eldest of ‘the unknown’ band is tying the knot with his long time girlfriend Kyla Bloomwood, though no dates had been said on when’s the wedding. Is Sophia�"” I turned off the TV as I heard a knock on the door.

     “Can I come in?” Shane asked.

     I opened the door. “Come in,”

 

 

♦72♦

     “So, are you really leaving?” he sat on the couch as I sat beside him.

     “Yes, I already made up my mind,” I lied.

     “C’mon, fans want you,”

     “It’s fine...” I sighed, “I don’t know, I just can’t do the show when he’s mad and I am too,”

     “He’s not mad,”

     “C’mon, like you don’t know him... calling someone, and I don’t care if it’s me or anyone else, a diva is not part of the upset type...”

     “I know him because he’s my brother; he just had a rough day, since he’s the one organizing a little of everything... but he’ll cool off tomorrow,”

     “I don’t know,”

     “And, he’s just worrying on how he’ll say that the next album will be release three months earlier, which means more guesting, touring, concerts...”

     “So? We already agreed that I quit the band,” I said stubbornly.

     “But�"”

     “Besides, you guys were already famous even before I joined, right?”

     “But we hit our longest top chart when you joined us,”

     “C’mon, that’s not that long,”

     “thirty weeks, fifteen weeks on number one, and another fifteen on number two,”

     “So?”

     “Do you know how long our old record was without you?”

     “What?”

     “Eleven weeks on number one,”

     “It was just a coincidence that I joined the band the same time you guys wrote a great song,”

     “Is it a coincidence that the song that hit the top chart was written by you?”

     “Maybe,” I sighed, “I’ll talk to you again tomorrow; I’m going to sleep now,”

 

 

♦73♦

     “It’s too early,”

     “So?”

     “Well, unless you’re going to do the concert,” he flashed a smile.

     “Your concert is eight in the evening,” I emphasized the your, instead of having the word our.

     “Please, I’m begging you,”

     I didn’t answer. Why does Shane need to own such an angelic face?

     “I know that look,” he smiled brightly, “That’s a yes, right?”

     “Go out, you’re like your brother... I need my sleep,”

     “Fine, fine...” he stood up, “But I consider that look as a yes, though I’m not yet telling them, until you literally say yes,” he said, then went out of the door.

     I need to practice my poker face, especially to Shane. I was about to climb to my bed when another knock disturbed me. But now, I’m sure that it’s not Shane, nor Kyla nor Nate.

     “Alyson, it’s me,” Adam said.

     I didn’t answer and headed to my room.

     “C’mon, I’m already sorry, I didn’t mean any of what I say, can I come in?”

     I climbed to my bed and put my eye mask and ear muffs, then covered my body with the comforter to make sure that I won’t hear nor see him.

     “C’mon, you can’t be asleep this early,” he took off my ear muffs.

     “I’m sleeping!” I took off my eye mask, “Who let you in? Don’t you know that this is trespassing?”

     “Yah, sure,”

     “Go away!” I tried to push him, but he’s too heavy.

     “Stop acting like a kid,”

     “So now I’m a kid? Back in the coliseum you called me a diva, and now a kid?” I shrieked.

     “So, did Shane convince you?”

     “No,” I stood up and pulled him then pushed toward the door.

     “Why?”

 

 

♦74♦

     “I don’t know, and you don’t care,”

     “Why are you so bitter?”

     “What! So now I’m the bitter one?”

     “Yes, if you’re not bitter, then you should have forgiven me by now and won’t quit the band... Alyson, I just had a hot temper back then, since the lights were displaced, the sound system broke, though it’s fix now, and the stage almost collapsing, and yes its fix now as well...”

     “Then fine, I’m bitter for being sensitive enough to be hurt with your harsh words,” I pushed him out the door.

     “Well, I’m not leaving here until you decide to do the concert,”

     “Fine, suit yourself,” I shut the door and went back to sleep. I didn’t mind on pursuing him to go any longer, since I know that he’ll get tired and go back to their suite sooner or later.

 

 

     “Alyson, wake up...” my mom said, shaking me. It’s like I’m back at home again.

     “What?” I yawned.

     “Adam is outside, sleeping,”

     “What?”

     “Look and see,” she pushed me down the bed. Does she always need to do that?

     “Ouch,” I said as I stood up. I put my sleeping robe on then took a peek to see if Adam’s really there. Great, now I’m guilty for letting him sleep outside of our suite. “Adam, wake up,” I said, putting my hand on his shivering shoulder.

     He opened his eyes slightly, and then shook his head. “So, are you now going to the concert?”

     “No, I made up my mind,” I sighed, “The concerts starts on eight pm, right? You need to prepare now...” I crossed my arms, and made my voice firm as possible.

     “C’mon,”

     “Go,”

 

 

♦75♦

     “I still won’t take what I said about you being bitter,” he stood up and went back to his suite.

     “Yah sure, I accepted that already,” I watch him walked away then look at the time. It’s already nine am. I really overslept last night.

 

 

     I ate the breakfast requested by my mom then used one of my sundress and boots.

     I went straight to the coliseum again and asked the crews if there are somewhat kind of entrance from beneath the stage. So maybe I’m really a liar. And it wasn’t just because Shane begged yesterday or Adam sleeping beside my suite door�"though the sleeping kinda made me guilty�" but because Adam was right and I can’t miss another concert. I made my plans perfectly simple. I’ll make my entrance on the halfway through the second song, to surprise them. I remembered Shane telling me that he’s the only one who uses the entrance from below, since Adam is too accident prone and Nate already had trauma with it.

     I rehearsed it thrice, since it’s not that hard. Adam was right, the stage was already fixed, and doesn’t feel like collapsing anytime soon. I rehearsed the song too, and like them, I made some sound check to see if my voice is clear.

     Now, all I need to do is find the perfect dress. I didn’t bother to ask Emma�"my personal assistant, who I haven’t spend much time with�" nor Kyla nor my mom, since I know that if I tell one of them, the news will reach Adam and my plans will be ruined.

     I went to their suite after my own rehearsal, to pretend that I’m about to leave now, though I said that I’ll leave first thing in the morning. “Hey, just want to wish you guys luck, break a leg...” I mumbled. I’m already wearing my green shimmering dress beneath my long cream coat.

     “Oh, fine...” Adam said. “Bitter,” he murmured, too low, though meant to be heard by me.

     “You’re really not going to change your mind?” Nate asked.

 

 

♦76♦

     “Sorry, made up my mind,”

     “Well, good luck with your trip,” Shane whispered.

     “Right, bye,” I went out and took the cab again. I’m pretty sure that, knowing Adam and Shane, one of them might be staring at the window to check if I really did leave. I headed to the coliseum once more, and walk to my dressing room, not expecting Kyla to be there.

     “Hey, I thought you’re going to be back in California?” she asked.

     “Nah, I changed my mind, but please don’t tell them... well, not until I perform,”

     “Sure, my lips are lock,” she closed her lips and pretend to zip it.

     “Um, what do you think of this dress?” I took off my coat and placed it gently on my black furry chair.

     “It looks stunning,”

     “Thanks, it’s so hard to find the perfect outfit,”

     “Why are you surprising the boys anyway?”

     “No good reason actually,” I admitted. For once, I actually thought about it, why am I doing this again? All I wanted to do was do the concert. But of course, it’s fun to have some surprises on stage, right?

 

 

     After a few minutes, the crowd of girls began to cheer loudly. I guess the coliseum is already full right now. Okay, I know I can do this. I can’t mess up. I told Adam I won’t mess up, and I know I won’t. When I heard Nate and Shane talking as they go nearer to this dressing room, I decided to hide in the bathroom, since I have no choice anyway.

     “Hey Kyla, what’re you still doing here?” I heard Nate asked.

     “Um, I was just looking for my... lip gloss, I thought Alyson borrowed it before, then didn’t notice that it was just in my bag all along.

     “Well c’mon, the concert is about to start, you should be sitting on the VIP section right now,”

     “Right, just give me a minute, ‘kay?”

     “Fine,”

 

 

♦77♦

     “Good luck,”

     “Thanks, love you...” I heard their footsteps began again then fade away.

     “C’mon, you need to go already,” she approached me.

     “I’ll go on the second song,” I explained.

    “Oh, okay,” she said then left.

 

♪♫♪

 

     I heard the crowd applauding as the opening act started to perform. It didn’t take too long until ‘the unknown’ went out and made the fans’ cheering louder. I took two deep breaths then went beneath the stage,�"where the entrance was already settled�"since it won’t take long until the first song is finished.

     “Um, this next song was composed by our other lead singer who’s not here tonight, but, the show must go on...” I heard Adam announced. He started singing the first part until the chorus, until my cue.

     “Hey, London!” I shouted as I went up. I started singing as the fans screamed louder. I suddenly remembered how great it feels when you’re performing in front of thousands of people. I definitely don’t regret doing this.

 

 

     The show ended swiftly. I didn’t forget a line and I also recalled some other events. We were caught in three consecutive interviews before we finally reached the hotel and into their suite.

     “So, what was that?” Adam asked.

     “What?” I asked innocently.

     “You know what I mean,”

     “Hey, you’re the one who asked me to do the concert, right?”

     “You totally humiliated me!”

     “What?”

     “Hey, hey, no fighting... the concert went great...” Nate said.

 

 

♦78♦

     “Fine, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that I was really planning to do the concert... the truth is, I’m not really planning on doing that if it weren’t for Shane’s puppy dog eyes,” I lied as I lowered my voice, I don’t know why, but I think I’ve been doing that before when I did something wrong.

     “Yah sure, whatever...”

     I hugged him tightly. At least some memories of me trying this trick�"and yes, it works every time,�"came back.

     “Hey, let go...”

     “I love you,” I murmured.

     “C’mon, you’re unfair,”

     “How did I become unfair?” I said, still keeping my arms around his neck.

     “When you won’t forgive me, I need to sleep and freeze outside your suite, and you, you’re just going to hug me? That’s not fair,”

     “Who told you to sleep outside anyway?”

     “You,”

     I didn’t answer again.

     “Let go, now...” his voice stiffed, but I can still hear him bluffing.

     “Make me,”

     “I guess with or without amnesia, Alyson really has a charm,” Nate chuckled, and Shane joined in.

     “Let go of me,” Adam repeated.

     “Forgive me first,” I squeezed him tighter.

     “No way,”

     “Then I won’t let you go,”

     He tried to take my hands off him, but I clutched it harder.

     “Hey that hurts,”

     “Then let go already,”

     Neither of us spoke a word. I already feel weariness climbing to my body but I didn’t want to give up, though I can’t stop yawning.

     “You’re already sleepy, go to sleep now,”

     “I just need to hear you say that you forgive me already,”

     “Fine, you’re forgiven, just go and rest...”

 

 

♦79♦

     “Okay,” I let go of him, “Thanks for forgiving me,”

     “Nah, I crossed my fingers...” he smiled crookedly.

     “You’re unfair!”

     “I’m like you,” he ran to the other room and locked it. And he told me I’m the one acting like a kid. Yah right.

     I looked at Shane. “Can I borrow the key?”

     “Sure,” he tossed me the key.

     I went to the door and unlocked it. “Very mature of you,” I said ironically as I saw him lying on the bed.

     “Sleep already,”

     “Forgive me already,”

     He didn’t answer.

     “What do you want me to do? Sleep outside like you?”

     “Kiss me,”

     “What?” I almost shrieked.

     “C’mon, you asked me what you need to do,”

     “But,” not that I don’t want to kiss him, since he’s my boyfriend.

     “You can’t do it?”

     I sighed; I pulled him and quickly kissed him, “There, happy now?”

     “Nope,”

     “What?”

     “That’s not what I wanted,” he smiled mischievously.

     “You’re pushing it...”

     “Hey, who’s asking for forgiveness here?”

     I took a pillow and started hitting him.

     “Hey, stop it!”

     “Nah, I’m kinda enjoying it...” I admitted.

     “Well I’m not...”

     “That’s fine with me...” I hit him harder.

     “Alright, alright! I forgive you!”

     “Thanks,” I stopped, “See you tomorrow,” I winked.

     “Yah sure,”

     “Love you...” I threw the pillow to his face and went out.

     “Sure, that’s how you show your love...” I heard him mutter.

 

 

♦80♦

     “He already forgave you,” Nate said, not as a question.

     “Yah, I guess...” I smiled. I went back to my suite and change. I guess tomorrow I’ll be spending some time with my band mates. I still don’t know all their names, though I kinda remember them by their faces.

     I remembered Robert and Dave, my two personal bodyguards, Emma, my assistant, Bubbles, my organizer�"though I’m not sure why I need one�"and Monique, my make-up artist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

♦81♦

 

Reviews

[elyza0926]

hahaha.. i like the parts where they fight like cat and dog would do.. :)