Mr. Brightside's Daughter- Ruby Flowers

Chapter 9 - Tana I'm Not a Star

~ five months later ~

August 21, 2015

Tonight was the big ward talent show that everyone at church had been talking about for months. We always did one right before school started, and every year I ended up being a huge part of everyone's focus.

It always happened unintentionally. This year, I was doing a routine with the 14-15 year olds, and I was front and center. When we would be rehearsing, I would always be positioned in front of everyone, and leaders would always say things along the lines of , "Just watch Ruby." I didn't get nervous performing since I had been around it for my entire life. So I didn't really care, and I didn't think any of the other girls did either.

I had kind of grown apart from my circle of friends. I mean Ethan and Rose I was fine just completely ignoring, but with Ellie and Parker it happened over time. With me being gone on tour and just getting a tutor so that I could stay at home, we lost touch. But I was actually alright with it. I got closer to this girl Rachel who's my age at church. I mean we had always talked, but we just recently starting developing a close friendship.

~

"Why do you put that black stuff on your eyes?" Gunnar asked me, resting his head on my bathroom counter.

"It's mascara. And it makes me pretty I guess."

I expected him to just shrug and leave without saying anything, but he surprised me.

"You're already pretty Ruby. Even when you wake up."

"Well thank you buddy. Keep being sweet like that to girls and they'll love you!"

He just gave me a confused look as I got out my Naked 3 palette.

Ammon peeked his head in and declared, "We're leaving in ten minutes!"

He was dressed in a leather biker outfit since the kids his age were doing a little dance to a something from Teen Beach Movie. He was really upset about it at first, but when he found out he got to dance with this little brunette Sydney, it became all he could talk about.

Gunnar wasn't doing anything, and Henry wasn't either. I wanted my dad and Tana to do something cute, but my dad didn't want the night to be about him or have fans show up out of respect for everyone else. Oh well. I was going dance to "Dancing in the Dark," by Bruce Springsteen with the other girls. Rachel wanted to do Somebody Told Me but I refused. That song might be bad luck for me. I mean I would jam out and so would everyone else, but did they really want me to throw up all over the place? I did not need a repeat of 2004. So, this girl Taylor who is obsessed with FRIENDS told us that we should do Dancing in the Dark since Courteney Cox (who plays Monica) is in the music video. Whatever. It was a cool song and I figured my dad would like it. And all the other adults.

"You ready Rubes?" I heard my dad call from what sounded like the front door.

"I'll be out in a minute!" I respond, pulling on my black Converse. Our "80s" outfits were just white t shirts and tutus made out of tool over black leggings and black shoes. And then of course everyone was either crimping or curling their hair. I found some huge pink hoop earrings at the dollar store a while back and decided to use those tonight. The performance wasn't going to be anything close to professional, but it would be pretty hot, or amusing at the least.

I grabbed my phone and joined my family at the door and we headed out. Tana looked beautiful as always, and much to our entertainment, my dad's hair was getting longer and longer. It was the longest it's been since it can remember. Well it might be close to some of those early Hot Fuss.

~

When we pulled up to the church, you could just tell that it was going to be an exciting night. And you could kind of get an idea of what the different acts were going to be by seeing kids get out of minivans in all sorts of costumes. It was always fun and I didn't see why it would be any different this year.