Seven Seas of Rhye || Ben Hardy || COMPLETED ||

Love of my Life

Carol could feel butterflies on her belly, not only for the fact she was about to perform with her band, but mostly because there was a small possibility Ben would show up. It was weird for her to have those sorts of feelings, it had been a long time since she got this excited about a boy. Carol checked her hair once, twice...then took a second look on her clothes, she was wearing a tight, short black dress, which made her look incredible and also a leather jacket she got on her 15 birthday many years ago. Make up wasn't really her thing but Carol put a nice dark red lipstick, put some eyeliner and some concealer to hide the big dark circles under her eyes, oh and some mascara that made her eyes pop.

The high heels were definitely uncomfortable, Carol had been avoiding them for years now, even with her mom insisting on her wearing, since she always used it and well, Carol was stuck on snickers and oxfords. But after many years of insisting, she bought a pair of beautiful red boots, with a small heel, that she just fell in love. Once again, she looked in the mirror, being stopped by her friend, Maé.

"Girl, it's the 50th time you look at yourself in the mirror, why are you so obsessed with how you look" Maé joked.

"I-I'm not obsessed, I just thought I had something on my teeth I don't know " Carol answered, trying to come with an excuse.

"Okay I will pretend I believe in you" Maé checked her phone " I should be working".

"You're working nonstop for weeks now! Chill, go get a drink"

"Fine!" she said, typing on her phone, probably something about work.

Carol was left alone with her insecurities, her hands shaking, she hated her anxiety so bad, it never leaves her alone. She put a strand of her hair behind her ear, looked at her pretty boots , getting distracted with all the memories. These boots meant a lot to her, her mom got her, just like the one she had when she was just a little kid.

"C'mon Carol, we gotta play to get paid" Michael said, the bassist of her band.

"Oh, yeah, I know"

"And you know red dead redemption 2 is out and I really wanna buy it"

"I know Michael " she laughed, looking at her videogame obsessed friend.

Carol walked into the small stage. She looked at her band mates getting ready, then to her friends watching her in the front table, all of the girls were there, Crown, Maé, Josie and also Jose, her only latina friend in that so far away country. She smiled a bit, knowing she wasn't alone. She looked around, trying to find Ben or any of his friends, but he wasn't anywhere. At that moment, carol just accepted he wouldn't come and it was time to get over him. She knocked her red boots three times, just like Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz and they started playing a sort of rock version of "These boots are made for walking" by Nancy Sinatra.

When Carol was on stage, her mind could finally relax, she felt like she could be herself, freeing her from being just a foreigner without a home. She would shake her head, making her hair fly around, she'd shake her hips in a way only Brazilians know how, she'd feel completely empowered and she just loved that. Also, she just loved singing that song, I mean, she had those red boots, just like Nancy Sinatra, it was perfect.

A couple songs in the show, there was a piano on the side of the stage. Carol learned how to play the piano when very young, at the age of seven. She felt so proud of herself when she learned how to play Bohemian Rhapsody, but she never had the courage to actually perform it. She started playing Death on Two Legs and then just letting her heart out. Carol danced all around the stage, she'd hug her guitarist, then sing around the table with her friends.

After other two songs, she sat close to the piano. She hesitated for a moment, she was about to sing a very especial song for her. It was her mom's favorite song. She grew up listening to it, watching her momma trying to sing it along, but never really knowing the words, because, well, she didn't speak any english. She would never forget the tears dropping from her mother's face, everytime she talked about Freddie Mercury and the chills she got from holding her hand and they danced around the room. God damn she missed her mother so much. And very calmly, she started playing the first notes.

"Love of my life, you've hurt me, you've broken my heart and now you leave me, love of my life can't you see...bring it back, bring it back, don't take it away from me because you don't know what it means to me... " she sang, almost hearing her mother's voice on her ear.

'Bring her back to me' she would think 'bring back my momma', but they were miles and miles away. She couldn't help to let one tear drop and when she realized, her face was all wet.

She finished the show with that song, walking towards her friends and they all gave her a big hug. Josie wiped up her tears with a napkin and soon Carol was already smiling again.

"I love you all, truly" Carol said as Jose stroked her hair.

"I love seeing you out there, playing, you seem so happy" Jose said.

"When are you inviting me to sing with you, ruh? " Josie joked " it was so nice Carol, I'm proud you decided to put some Queen songs in there, by the way, how's your tattoo? " she kindly asked, referencing to the tattoos Carol got a couple weeks ago, "galileo" and "figaro" one on each side of her ribs.

"oh they are doing fine" she smiled "I love you guys! Damn! " she gave Josie a hug " I'm just gonna go get a drink, I'm still shaking a little bit".

Carol walked to the bar, asking for some beer. She got her cup and as she was about to drink it, a voice scared her.

"That was very beautiful, Carol"

And the glass crashed on the ground, making a big mess with all that beer.