Opening Act | Book #1 TRACE Trilogy

three | apollo

I THINK I'M SUPPOSED to be speaking right now. But Calla is stood before me and I can't breathe, let alone form words. The sound of her voice is bouncing around my mind, haunting me like an echo and it's all I can focus on.

She was fucking beautiful up there. I can't wrap my head around how it's possible for someone to be that talented, that incredible.

I take a deep breathe and try to bring myself back down to earth. Glancing up at the guys, I find them already staring at me, besides Silas who seems to be hiding his identity by keeping his head down.

My eyes finally drift back to Calla and oxygen decides to screw me over. I splutter and cough and frantically reach for the drink before me, only to freeze when my hand makes contact with soft skin instead of glass.

Everything in my body ignites at the simple touch and I fight my the urge to hold her hand, pull her close and steal her away. Too soon.

Calla pulls her hand away quicker then I'd like and offers me a shy smile before she speaks. "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to startle you. Are you okay?"

Sir?

Griffin snorts. Loud. And all eyes dart to him. He tries to swallow a laugh by slapping his hand against his mouth, but the movement makes his fake beard slowly peel off his jaw. 

Ryder takes a sip of his drink as he looks seconds away from bursting out laughing too, but when Griffins beard lands flat in his lap all hell breaks loose between dumb and dumber.

Ryder spits his drink all over Silas as he uncontrollably laughs.

Griffin is desperately trying to reapply his beard but the task is pretty impossible considering he's still giggling and the damn thing is upside down.

Silas looks seconds away from killing them both as he glares from beneath his hat and I can't help but roll my eyes at the scene.

How the fuck did this happen?

A body suddenly leans over me and I realise it's Calla. Her chest brushes against me as she hands napkins to Silas, who takes them with a grunt.

From him, that's a thank you.

But as she stands back up and glances at him for a second too long, recognition crosses her features. She scans over Griffin who smiles awkwardly, still trying to fix his beard. Then to Ryder who is staring at the table like it's the most interesting thing in the world as he obviously tries to calm down.

Then, her eyes meet mine.

I take her in, letting my eyes fall over her body greedily.

She's wearing jeans that torturously wrap around her legs and hips like a second skin. I imagine us together. Me peeling them away and kissing up her thighs while she watches me with those piercing fucking eyes. She'd say my name in that same gentle, yet raspy voice that she sings with and the sound would ruin me.

God, she's unreal. Truly.

Letting myself indulge in her beauty online was one thing. Allowing myself to admire her music and passion was another. But having her in front of me... I don't think I will ever get over this moment.

Calla Campbell isn't the kind of girl that you forget.

I snap back to reality when she speaks again, "Sorry if this is a weird question and please pretend I didn't even ask if I'm wrong. Actually never mind, there's no way that you guys..." she pauses and looks us over again before shaking her head and muttering, "no way."

She tugs on her sleeve nervously as she speaks and I notice it's something that she has done before in videos whenever she's not performing.

The jig is up and we all know it. She knows it. But I want to hear her say it. Need to hear her admit that she knows who we are, who I am.