Chasing Princess Charming

Chapter 61

As I played the song, I looked over at Nick’s direction. He was staring at me with a grin on his face. I bit my lips because I couldn’t help but smile back at him. Then I had to turn away from him so I could play properly. By the second chorus, the people were already singing with us. We were bringing the house down.

Blaze took a short breather after the song. People were still on their feet, cheering for us to play more.

Blaze went back to the microphone and said, “This is our last song for tonight.”

There were boos from the audience.

“Come on, now, guys. It’s my brother’s birthday. I gotta party with you, too, okay?” He took a breather and then he said, “This is the first time I will sing this next song and I hope I do pull it off. But it’s a significant song because it reminds me of something important about Nick that not many of you knew about him—maybe not even you, Tyler.

“Two years ago, my father’s company sponsored an event to make us aware of a pressing problem in our country. Depression, self-inflicted pain, suicide. My father put up the Dorothy Meyers Foundation after Dorothy, an employee in my father’s company who committed suicide a couple of years ago when everybody thought she was the sunniest, happiest person on earth. Many of you came to that event, I’m sure. But not all of you knew that it was Nick’s brains that worked that out.

“He was the guy that made it happen. And it wasn’t because he wanted people to think he’s a good person. My brother has a devil-may-care exterior, but if you really knew him, this guy’s got heart. And a big one at that. He doesn’t seem like it, but Nick’s a bigger person than you know,” Blaze said, looking over at Nick. “Happy birthday, big bro. This song will always remind me what a good soul you are.” Then he turned to me. “Sing with me, Ken!” He strummed the first notes on the guitar.

The song was called “Hold on ‘til May.” It was one of my favorites to play not just because of the intense drum works, but mostly because of the meaning behind the lyrics.

I got lost in the rhythm and in the complicated drum work that I have challenged myself with in the past. I must admit that Blaze was doing a pretty good job singing the song. There were some serious high notes on it. Nick was right. Blaze was very talented in his craft.

During the bridge part, the drum work slowed down. I and the rest of the band members sang backing vocals for Blaze. Then there was a solo part for the girl. Blaze didn’t sing with me. I sang the part alone while rolling on the tom-toms. It was difficult to sing and play drums at the same time. But this was only four lines and I have done this plenty of times with Bailey.

When I finished singing, I immediately went to the difficult drum rolls. I heard the crowd cheer louder. I smiled to myself. I’d bet that would make Nick proud! Or at least make his friends stop wondering why I was the one sitting beside him at his party.

When the song ended, we have an encore again. I heard Blaze saying, “Oh my God, I cannot believe we pulled that off. Trust me, guys, I took her by surprise. Absolutely no rehearsals before the show! Amazing! I think I just fell for my brother’s girl and I was never a fan of his taste.”

The crowd cheered louder. Some even said, “Oh my God!”

Damn! Did Blaze forget that Margot was right there? Or maybe he simply didn’t care.

I stood up from my seat and arranged my skirt to make sure it wasn’t riding up. Then I bent down to pick up my sandals on the floor.

Blaze was holding his arm out for me. “Come here, baby girl,” he called out.

When I reached his side, I said to him, “You had to choose the difficult ones, huh.”

He laughed. “Of course. How else can I show them that you can kick some ass behind the drum kit?” The he took the mic in his hand so everybody could hear what he was going to say. “I really wish I met you first, sugar. I’m probably your biggest fan right now for what you showed us tonight.” Then he turned to the audience. “Nick, do not make a mistake, bro. Because I promise you, I’ll be there to catch her.”

“Yeah! Me too!” some guys shouted from the audience.

“Mackenzie Clarke, everybody!” Blaze took my hand and raised it along with his. The crowd went up to its feet and gave us a standing ovation. I was all smiles and did a curtsy while holding Blaze’s hand on one hand and my shoes on the other.

Blaze guided me to the stairs. Somebody took my hand midway. When I looked up, I found Nick smiling from ear to ear at me. I felt like crying because I didn’t think I’ve seen him smile like that since we landed here yesterday.

I was still barefoot as I walked down the stairs. It was far too awkward to put them back on while on stage. Before I reached the last step, I felt Nick put his arms around my waist and then without warning, he scooped me up and carried me in his arms. We passed by Margot and Beatrice’s table. They were quiet as they watched us pass in front of them. Nick didn’t notice them at all.

Nick settled me on my chair. Tyler was there looking at me with awe on his face. I put my shoes on the floor and slipped my feet into them. As I bent to tie the straps, Nick kneeled down and took the straps in his hand, tying them around my ankles.

Tyler watched us with narrowed eyes, as though he was seeing Nick for the first time. I looked up at him and smiled.

“You owned that stage! Blaze was just mere props. You were amazing,” Tyler said to me.

“Awww! Are you finally changing your opinion of me?” I asked him in a teasing tone.

Tyler smiled. “You are extremely talented, I give you that.”

“Thank you. I wanna kill Blaze for putting me on the spot though.”

“You passed that with flying colors. I wouldn’t peg that for being impromptu at all.”

“He chose the songs I already knew,” I said.

“The minute he handed you the drumsticks, I relaxed. I knew what he was planning to do then. And I knew you’d bring the house down,” Nick said to me. Then he turned to Tyler. “This girl, man. Better than any drummer I’ve ever known.”

“I agree,” Tyler said, and I could really hear the admiration in his voice.

Another band set up on stage and had already started playing. Blaze finally went up to our table. He patted Nick on the back. “Hope you liked my surprise, bro.”

Nick pretended to look mad. “I could still kill you for putting her on the spot. And I definitely want to kill you for showing her off. Before, I only had to watch out for you. Now, there’s more than a dozen guys here that I needed to guard her against. And I seriously hope you were joking when you said you fell for her.”

Blaze stared at his brother innocently. “Joking? Oh, I was serious about that.” Then he winked at me. Nick playfully jabbed his brother on the abdomen. “Oww!” Blaze yelped. “I’m still not joking!”

Nick shook his head and then he took my hand in his. “Come on, kitten. I want to get some drinks at the bar and I can’t leave you here with these balookas.” Nick took my hand and then he led me down to the bar. “I’m thirsty. I’ll just have a Coke and then we’re going.”

“Home?”

He stared at me for a moment then he replied, “No. I vividly remembered telling you that we needed to talk. And I don’t want to do that at home.”

My heart pounded inside my chest. In all the excitement and hoopla that happened all afternoon, I forgot that Nick and I still had to do ‘the talk.’ Some moments, it felt as if he wanted to move forward with me. How much he wanted to move forward and how far we will go, I still don’t know. And I did not want to get my hopes up too much. The higher they are, the more they will hurt if his decision is not in my favor.

I took a seat on the bar stool. Nick ordered a glass of diet coke with ice and he ordered a virgin margarita for me.

We sat there in silence for a couple of minutes while we waited for our drinks. My heart was pounding wildly inside my chest. I wanted to go now, so we could finally have that talk and for once, I would know the real fate of my relationship with him.

If he decided to go for Margot, or stay single while he sorted his feelings out, then I should plan my next move. Because there was no way I would continue living with him if he decided to be with Margot, or to only be friends with me. I would be heartbroken for sure and I would not be over him if I see him every day and be reminded of all the things I loved about him.

“Nick,” I suddenly heard Beatrice call him from behind. Nick and I both turned to her. Nick raised a brow at his sister. “Can you come with me for a moment?”

“Why?” he asked.

“Just… please.” There was a trace of desperation in her voice. She looked at me for a moment, as if she was asking me to help her out.

I turned to Nick. “Go.”

He gave me a bewildered expression; the same one he gave me when I introduced myself to his family as just his friend. But I stood my ground. I cocked my head toward Beatrice. “I’ll be okay. I’ll wait for you here.”

Nick heaved a sigh and said to his sister, “You get five minutes.”

I turned back toward the bar, more worried than I was five minutes ago. What was Beatrice and Margot up to?

“Virgin margarita courtesy of that guy over there,” the bartender told me, pointing to a good-looking guy with blond hair and blue eyes sitting a couple of seats away. I raised a brow at him and shook my head.

Instead of feeling discouraged, the guy grabbed his whiskey and approached me.

“Hi,” he said, extending his hand. “I’m Simon.”

I stared at his hand and then looked at him straight in the eye. “And I could afford to pay for my own drink. And even if I couldn’t, I’m pretty sure the guy I came here with could.”

He looked surprised by my response, but instead of apologizing, he retracted his hand and chuckled. “It’s okay, you do not need any introductions after your show with Blaze Maguire. You’re pretty good. I’m very impressed.”

I turned toward the bar, pretending not to hear him. I didn’t care if he was hot; Nick was way hotter. I didn’t care if he was friendly; guys are usually friendly when they are flirting with a girl.

“It’s amazing how fast Nick had moved on. Just last year, I thought he would propose to Margot. And yet, here you are. And I must admit you’re a pleasant surprise, Mackenzie,” he said. I continued to ignore him. “Nick’s a great guy. Maybe Margot is not the right girl for him.”

I just kept pretending that he wasn’t there, that I didn’t hear anything he was saying.

“Did he mention that we were pretty close? Nicholas was like a brother to me,” he continued. “We were best friends, the three of us. Me, him, Margot.”

Wait, what?

He said his name was Simon. Sai-mon?

I stared at him, raising my brow. Tyler did say their friend ‘Sai’ was going to show up tonight. Was there any chance that this was him?

“Get away from her,” I heard Nick’s cold voice behind us. I turned around to face him. The fury on his face and the venom in his voice was unmistakable.