My Personal Hell, D. Richardson [ebook reader browser txt] 📗

and continued the singing as though she weren’t in midair. The song ended when, as one, they all reached for their ankles, unhooking their equipment and landed easily on the floor. Even I applauded after that one.

Then everyone settled down while an energetic girl performed. Then tension ran high again, as the curtain rose for the new song. I recognized three of my enforcers on the stage, and three more enforcers that were not mine. In fact, all of them were wolves.

Females took one side of the stage, while males took the other, they faced off, all of them holding a weapon of some sort. And all of them in leather armor. The music started and Ailith appeared from the back. She made a show of walking amidst the females, straightening their backs, correcting their stances. And not one of them so much as flinched. Until the song climaxed and Ailith was standing like a general in front of her female soldiers. Next thing I know they all charged each other.

It had several of us on the edge of our seats, though the scene was obviously choreographed, they made a good show of it. They all moved quickly, almost too quickly to be seen, until the last note played and each pair ended up in a stale mate. I had to meet the man that choreographed that. It was impeccable. I noticed several people in the audience start to fan themselves with their programs, though the temperature was comfortable.

After that we were allowed a cool down by a strong voiced girl. But then we were metaphorically thrown back. It seemed like they were coming quicker with every rise of the curtain. The stage was different this time. Various platforms were about four feet off the ground. Christine, Ailith, and a girl I didn’t know stood on the three platforms closest to us, while several others littered the ones further back. Even more dancers were placed along the floor.

The music started with the girl I didn’t know, then Christine added hers, and then Ailith began. When the chorus picked up flames erupted out of the damn floor. Again most of the audience reacted physically. But it became apparent quickly as all of them danced in the flame that they weren’t harmed. When the song ended, the flames disappeared, leaving nothing but a group of sweating, smiling teenagers. Then the curtain dropped again.

When it rose it was too a sparkling scene. The stage was used to it’s full potential, the design was beautiful with a single girl standing in the middle. I didn’t know her name but she was dressed in a gorgeous dark blue gown. As the instruments began the orchestra was lit up, and she began to sing. The girl did an amazing job and I felt Becca grip my hand. I smiled over at her before we both looked back at the stage. A choir joined in, right before Jake’s band was lit up, showing off his skill with his guitar. The whole thing was very passionate, and very well done. It was one of those moments that I conceded to their skill.

When the curtain rose again, it was too an even more impressive scene. The entire stage was decorated as a ballroom. At least a dozen couples littered the stage, between two small stair cases.

“Where did Sadler go?” Becca whispered to me. I glanced over and didn’t see him, but I just shrugged, distracted by what was going on in front of me.

 

 

 

 

Sadler

 

 

 

 

As everyone was distracted by Tracy’s performance I left. Making my way, almost at a run to the backstage area. As soon as I appeared I was ushered into a changing room, which was really only a bunch of curtains hung up for a semblance of privacy. Once I was in there I was handed a more elaborate jacket than I had worn in, and a mask that would hide half of my face, and part of my chin, leaving only my mouth and the bottom of my left cheek showing. My hair was pulled back in a soft pony tail and tucked into my jacket. Then a hat was placed on my head to both hide me further, and make me more noticeable. I was the male lead after all.

When I stepped out I had three girls I didn’t know very well look me over, making sure everything was perfect. I heard the applause from the last song and the girl that sang it came rushing backstage, her face flushed, a smile stretching from ear to ear. It took them less than two minutes to change the stage and I was being pushed to a small stair case. I was supposed to stand at the top and wait for the music to begin.

I was halfway up the six stairs, finally able to see above the landing, when I froze. Ailith stood at the top of the other staircase. Her gown hugged her body in all the right places, though the skirt went down to the floor. The midnight black matched my own suit, but with sparkling jewels decorating the bodice. The sleeves reached her knuckles and the neckline was modest. Her hair was tied up off her face, with soft curls barely touching her cheeks and her eyes were sparkling as she laughed at something Chris said. She was beautiful.

“Sadler, what are you doing? Get up there!” Jaeger snapped, he was helping with the performance by making sure everyone was in the correct spots.

“Uh, yeah,” I stumbled trying to clear my head. He gave me a weird look and stepped up next to me. He saw Ailith across the stage, his expression lit with understanding.

“I know, dude, I know, but you can gawk at her later, come one, she’s counting on you to play your part.” I nodded again and took the last two steps to the top. She saw me across the stage and gave me a small smile. Then the curtain rose, and the music played.

 

 

 

 

Drake

 

 

 

She sang beautifully, while she and a male I didn’t know weaved around the dancing couples. It was all strictly ballroom dancing with enough of a twist to make it semi original. They all moved smoothly, as one, it was wonderfully done.

When Ailith and the male got to the middle it was like the dancers created a wall around them. No it was more like they were in a world of their own. Everyone waited with bated breath, waited for the portrayed lovers to meet. They danced the same as the others for a few measures, until he spun her out, and the other couples disappeared into the shadows. Suddenly it was just the two of them, staring at each other from a few feet away. The song never halted, as far as I could tell not a single note was missed.

And then they were together again. Moving as one, separate yet the same. It was so passionate, so enthralling, tears welled up in my eyes. When the song ended, they stood facing each other, as if only they existed. It was by far my favorite piece of the evening.

 

 

 

 

Sadler

 

 

 

The music stopped and I stood staring. I didn’t want to walk away. But the plan was simple. This time they wouldn’t drop the curtain. Since it was the final performance they wanted it to be upbeat and happy. So after it was over, several of the performers rushed onto the stage, circling those who had performed the previous piece.

Ailith looked up at me and smiled as they unwrapped her skirt to reveal a short one underneath, that went down to just above her knees. The sleeves came off as someone undid her hair, letting it fall around her shoulders. Where she had been in an elegant gown, now she stood in a very pretty black dress. As planned I used the chaos to sneak off the stage.

I ran as hard as I could to get back to my seat. I was just supposed to tell people that I had been in the bathroom. I had to admit all of the cloak and dagger the teens had come up with was kind of fun. I sat down only a few seconds into the song. They were all jumping around the stage. Every single one of the performers, even most of them that didn’t perform, but just worked backstage. This last song was simply supposed to be fun, and from the looks of it, it really was.

Ailith held her hands out at one point and a violin landed in them. I leaned forward when she started playing. It was violin I had given her for her birthday. She was actually playing it, and loving it by the look on her face. When she wasn’t playing she was dancing with Jen, Camilla, Chris, and Stacey, all of them laughing and smiling. She even sang along with Jake at one point, making her way over to them.

The entire picture was heart warming. And when it was all done they were laughing. Ailith took center stage and listed out every job that every group performed. Except her own of course. And then came the last bit.

“This performance was funded, choreographed, planned, and executed by the students of our school. We understand that the school board and City Hall only wish to help the towns economy. But we feel that investing in our futures would be more appropriate. Look at us, so many of you said that we were just kids, we didn’t know what we wanted or what was best for ourselves. But we did this, together. We were told that there wasn’t anything special about our school. They were wrong. We are what is special about our school.

“The school itself is in some disrepair, and that’s why we’re here tonight. We want to raise enough money to cover the expenses to have it fixed. Then maybe the school board, and City Council will take us seriously. Will allow us to stay in a place we feel at home in. Thank you for coming tonight. And thank you for showing some support. We all hope you enjoyed the performance.” After that she walked off the stage.

The audience, the entire audience gave them a standing ovation. Several of the students just stood there, marveling at what was in front of them. It lasted enough time that we were just starting to leave. I was last in line, behind the rest of Drake’s family. When Jake started talking. We all paused, I was just up the stairs from center stage.

“We forgot to give someone the credit they deserve. Or rather, she forgot to give it to herself. Ailith kept us all together. Kept us from fighting, taught us to work as a team. Without her we would have fallen apart long before we reached this point. So can we get some applause for her? Maybe she’ll be willing to come back out,” he grinned at the side as we all clapped. Even Drake, who had stepped down to stand next to me.

She came back out, dressed completely different. She had changed into a pair of jeans and black knee high heeled boots. Her shirt was long sleeved and the neckline went straight from shoulder to shoulder. She wore a leather choker that Lori and Kadi had given her, and her hair hung loose. Even without the nice dresses I though she looked more beautiful than ever as she gave Jake an ironic smile. The applause increased as she took a mock bow. She tried to leave the stage again, but Keira and Chris stood in her way.

“You know, you never got to perform a fun solo,” Jake said, keeping his microphone on. She shot him a warning look, but he just grinned. “The rest of us got to have some fun up here, you didn’t, all of your numbers were stressed. What do you all think? You think we should let her