Strung (Seaside 0.5)(30)
Author: Rachel Van Dyken

“This Alec?” I asked; sweat trickled down the side of my face.

“The one who seduces girls on the dance floor and puts Justin Bieber to shame… hey, um, can I have your autograph?” She fluttered her eyelashes.

My mouth dropped open, I cursed, “You suck.” I hated it when she brought that guy up. Way ta kill the moment, Nat.

She winked.

And I lost it.

We both threw back our heads and laughed. The music switched to a slow song; she rested her head on my chest. I couldn’t help but sigh, and just enjoy the moment. Because I knew it would be over way too soon.

“Nat, I—”

The lights flickered. That was my cue.

I grinned. “I’ll be right back.”

I ran backstage and met up with Demetri. He was shaking his head at me, “Dude, did you have to show me up and go and dance like a freaking maniac?”

“Yup.” I nodded.

He was still laughing. I almost asked him if he was on drugs because old Demetri would have been pissed that I was flirting with his girlfriend, instead, he looked… overjoyed.

It grated my nerves.

Because it made me think that maybe — things were going to be great between them, and I’d gone and ruined the one thing that had kept a smile on his face for longer than six hours.

“Sorry about that, folks. The dancing will recommence after this special performance,” the principal announced loudly.

“You ready?” Demetri asked.

“Always.” I nodded. “Let’s do this.”

A surge of adrenaline rocked through me as I made my way onto the stage.

“It is my pleasure to announce, AD2!”

The stage went dark.

And then lit up like a Christmas tree. Demetri moved to the middle.

“Nat,” his voice rumbled in the microphone. “This one’s for you.”

I moved behind him with a guitar and stood in front of the microphone.

The tune Demetri had used to write the song was haunting, it started on sharp notes, slowly pulling the listener in with its eeriness.

“Torn Like Rain,” I said into the microphone staring directly at Nat.

Brown eyes, blond hair, I can’t help but stare. She’s got me hypnotized. I need her, like oxygen, I can’t explain the way she makes me feel inside. Like rain, washing my fears away, she makes me feel like I can say all those things I’m too scared to say.

Breathe in, breathe out, sometimes you just gotta shout your love. Shout your love. Inhale, exhale, the beauty of your love will always be enough. Enough.

Demetri sang the first verse and chorus. I was in charge of the bridge. My voice was different from his; it had a type of rasp to it where as Demetri sang so clear it was ridiculous. I didn’t realize I was still staring at Nat until her eyes flickered from me to Demetri. His body tensed next to me, as if he saw the raw expression of hunger on my face.

I could never hide my emotions when I sang. That would be like trying to put a shield over the sun, eventually it burns through, singing everything in its path.

Demetri belted the chorus with a desperation I’d never heard him use before. Almost as if he was willing it to be true, willing her to love him forever, willing her to be his and not something he had to share — something he had to give up.

When the song ended the entire room exploded into clapping. I trembled with each clap. How would I ever say goodbye to this life? To the rush music gave me? I couldn’t. And by the look on Demetri’s face he couldn’t either. We had to fix us — fix what was going on so we could do what we were born to do.

We walked together off stage.

“Don’t tell me.” Demetri’s voice was raspy. “I don’t want to know.”

“Know what?” I asked with a dread-filled voice.

“Or maybe I do,” he whispered. “Did you…” He swore. “Do you realize how much I hate having this conversation?”

“Demetri—”

“Did you sleep with her?” He sounded so calm, as if he didn’t just ask me if I slept with his girlfriend.

“No,” I whispered. “Besides, this is Nat we’re talking about. I could be the most famous person on the planet… and she’d still see you.”

“Yeah.” Demetri sighed. “I know she sees me, man. I just wish that when she looked, you weren’t the first one she looked at. Always number two, hmm?” He slapped me on the back, “I’m going to go dance with the prettiest girl in the room, see you later.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Demetri

THE HARDEST PART about loving someone? Not knowing if they love you in the same way. I mean how do you measure that type of thing? You can’t. I couldn’t measure it. All I knew was that every time I saw her, my heart leapt, it physically pushed against my chest. I mean, that wasn’t normal right? And then I would get all nervous and I don’t know, I just, I mean I just wanted to touch her. Was that weird? That I needed her touch so desperately that I’d forgo kissing, sex, anything just to have her skin pressed against mine? However brief it may be?

Nat was in the middle of the dance floor still staring at the stage.

“May I have this dance?” I whispered in her ear wrapping my arms around her body. Man that dress was beautiful. I wasn’t one of those guys that usually go super tongue tied, but damn, my tongue? Tied. So tied it was ridiculous.

Nat surprised me by turning around in my arms and throwing herself against my chest. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

“I wasn’t sure I could.” I held her, memorized her, and kissed her mouth softly. “I found out around noon that I could make it up here, but I’ve gotta fly back out in a few hours.”

“You flew here for me?” She gulped.

I laughed and nuzzled her neck. “I would do anything for you. Don’t you see that already?”

Immediately her eyes fluttered closed, and when she opened them, they weren’t on me, but across the room at my brother. Well, that was as much of an answer as anything. They didn’t’ sleep together, but did he kiss her? Did he touch her? Would I blame him even if he did? Because no matter what I did with Nat, no matter how much of my heart I gave her, it still wasn’t enough. Sucked, to know that I could give her my everything, and she’d still be starving for him — starving for Alec.

When she looked back at me, it wasn’t with love, but hate, rejection. Shit. I knew that look; I basically created that same look.