beyond the monotonous city

fourteen

"I'm doing it Dinah."

Those words were enough to lift the Polynesian girl's spirits the whole day. She crushed Lauren in a tight hug and spoke non-stop about how she wanted the gig to be perfect for Lauren. Shawn looked at Lauren with uncertainty, his look asking if she was gonna be alright.

Lauren reassured him otherwise. She spent the past few week trying to sing again slowly ever since Shaun visited her, it sparked something in her to follow what her heart wanted. She knew she wanted to sing, but her own fears were just stopping her. In front of the mirror at first and then to her mom. She decided that she was ready enough to perform in an actual gig much like the old days.

"I'll introduce you to a friend of mine, she'll play the piano for you." Dinah said.

Lauren looked at the lunch table where Camila sat and their gazes met and Camila smiled at her. Lauren felt her spirits go even further up. She told Camila beforehand that she was performing and she immediately said she would be there to support, without even asking. That gave her the confidence to really go through with it.

The thoughts of a possible flashback still crossed her mind but she realized that if she just looks at someone she knows, it would stop her mind from wandering. And she knew her friends were coming so she felt reassured at the least.

When school was over, she was whisked to Dinah's house via Shawn's car. The Polynesian girl wanted to do her makeup for her and Lauren obliged. Dinah lived a bit farther from their school, their house was a bit run down but the first thing Lauren noticed were her younger siblings milling around.

They all called out Dinah's name when they saw her. Shawn high-fived some of her siblings and Lauren smiled at them.

"This is my friend Lauren, you be nice to her okay?" Dinah called out threateningly to which her siblings laughed.

Lauren saw Dinah's mom together with her grandma and greeted them. They made their way to Dinah's room which is actually a room she shared with her younger sister. It was jam packed with various items and clothes but it seemed to match the girl's personality.

"Okay Lauren sit," She motioned to the chair in front of the dresser. "Let's make you beautiful."

"Are you saying she's ugly?" Shawn teased, sitting on Dinah's bed. Lauren giggled at the banter.

"Nah I meant beautiful-ler. Now keep quiet Mendes, this is girl stuff." Dinah ordered as she started with the primer then the foundation.

Lauren was quiet and kept still, she didn't even realize almost an hour passed as Dinah started spraying hairspray on her. Lauren coughed and looked in the mirror and she saw someone she forgot existed. Her eyes had dark eyeliner and eyeshadow on that made her green eyes look electrifying. Her lipstick was a shade of dark red that she thought looked like wine. Her make up, together with her jet black hair made her seem more intimidating than she ever looked.

She turned to Dinah. "Dinah who am I?"

Dinah smiled proudly, "Badass singer Lauren Jauregui. The one and only."

Shawn looked at her and widened his eyes. "Wow Lauren, you got stage presence already."

"Oh look at the time, we have to get to the bar. Shawn the keys to your car." Dinah said as she kept all of her makeup paraphernalia. They all said goodbye to Dinah's mom and siblings as they went into Shawn's car. The sky was dimming as afternoon started to turn to night.

They arrived at the bar and it was called the Sound Garage. There were already some people outside, smoking. Shawn parked near the back exit. Lauren followed behind Shawn and Dinah.