Living to Loving

Chapter 10

*Gemma POV*

It's the day of the Solo Fest.

I grip the neck of my guitar, my hands sweating nervously. Fear swells inside of me. I haven't performed in front of a crowd in years. Not since Jade died.

"Hi Gem," Daniel runs to me and gathers me in his arms. "Are you ready?"

I take a deep breath. "I think so."

He smiles. "I hope you are." He squeezes my shoulders. "I love you."

"I love you too," I call as Daniel walks off. A sinking feeling in my stomach sets in when Joanna walks in.

She stands in front of me with a sickly sweet smile. "Hi Gemma."

"Hi," I say quietly. I reach down, feeling Bella's soft fur.

"Are you nervous?" Joanna asks.

I shrug. "Are you?"

"Oh, I think I'll do fine," Joanna says. She gives me a glinting smile and walks off in the direction Daniel went.

"Hi there," Joanna's best friend Lizzy says, stopping in front of me.

"Hi," I mutter quietly.

"Can I talk to you?" Lizzy asks.

"I need to stay here," I say.

"Please?" Lizzy asks. "I need to talk to you." She glances behind her as a woman passes by. Lizzy leans forward and hugs me. I go stiff as a board. "You don't have a choice," she whispers in my ear.

When Lizzy releases me she takes my hand. She smiles patronizingly. "Come on!"

I glance around. "Um, I need to drop my guitar off with someone."

"It'll be fine," Lizzy insists. "You can leave it here."

"I really don't think that's a good idea," I say. I pick up my guitar. "It'll only take a second."

I twist my arm out of her iron grip and walk to my guitar. I throw a glance over my shoulder and her teeth are gritted as she waits. What was she planning on doing?

I pick up my guitar gently, hand it to Crystal, then walk off with Lizzy.

Lizzy takes me into the bathroom and shuts the door behind her. She whirls around. "Alright."

I suck in a breath. Fear collects in my stomach. What's going on?

"Look, you already took Joanna's boyfriend," Lizzy says.

"Daniel was never Joanna's boyfriend," I say.

Lizzy's eyes are wild. "Yes he was. And you know he was."

"No he wasn't," I say.

"Yes," Lizzy says. "He was. Anyway, that's not the point. You already took her boyfriend from her, and now you're taking her music too?"

"What?" I ask. "I'm not taking her music."

"Her guitar," Lizzy says. "That blue one. It's hers and you know it."

"No," I say. "It's not."

Lizzy lets out a fake sob. "Yes it was. It was her sister's. Her sister died when she was young. It was hers. You know this and you still stole the guitar."

"I didn't steal a guitar," I insist. "The guitar is mine."

"No," Lizzy says. "I'm just trying to help my friend. Why are you being so stubborn? Just give back the guitar."