Lynne

Chapter 15

 My second concert was much better than the first. Everything seemed much more laid back, and I knew exactly where to go and what to do during the several hours before showtime. Whether it seemed more organized, or indeed was more organized, I didn't know. Or care, really. We had an effective rehearsal. I felt prepared.

We still had an elevator to ride up, but this venue was indoors, and the stage was in the center of the event. It was a hexagonal platform raised only a few feet from the main floor with small walkways extending from all six sides. The idea of being completely surrounded by fans made me jittery with excitement. This stage felt much more open. Our lack of staged choreography only increased my freedom to run around the platform and down the walkways.

There was no ledge for the Vocals to sit when they weren't performing. Instead, we had a area on the floor below the stage, roped off from the rest of the seats. It was almost like the waiting room from our last concert. A few seats and a coffee table facing the stage. Bodyguards stood at the ropes to keep the fans out. There was a small door against the stage, leading back below the stage, where we would make our exit after the show.

"Dude, this is gonna be sick," Miku looked over the setlist one more time. She leaned over to Gumi, showing her. "Check out what we're opening with."
She nodded in approval. "The remix, too. I always liked it better, honestly."

"I dunno." Miku leaned against the wall. "The original is pretty awesome, too."

"It's so old."

"The old stuff is the best."

I grinned. The whole crew was waiting in the room below the stage. There were no seats, so we stood aimlessly around the room. It wasn't too big of a deal. We would be going on stage much earlier this concert.

I had butterflies, but they weren't even comparable to the dread I had felt before. Len and I were the last ones on, once again, but the others were also entering the show as pairs.

He stood behind me, his back against the wall, reading the setlist one more time. I stared at the elevator excitedly. I just wanted to be back on stage.

"Five minutes!" Someone yelled at us from the hallway.

Gumi and Miku stood giggling over the setlist closest to the elevator. Len was preoccupied with the list, clearly lost in his own thoughts, while Gaku, Kaito, and Meiko were chatting across the room. Luka stood alone. She was looking down at her setlist, but I could tell from the blank stare in her eyes that she was somewhere else entirely.

I hadn't really spoken to her since our scare a few days ago, and I decided to end that streak now.

I left Len's side and crossed the room. "How are you feeling?"

She looked up from the list. Her bright eyes blinked at me a few times, and she looked away. "I'm fine."

"Excited?"

She shrugged. "It's just another concert."

"But this venue is sweet." I propped myself on the wall, my hands attempting to center the bow in my hair.

She smiled. "Yeah, it's pretty cool."

"What's your favorite place you guys have gone to?"

She lowered her eyes as she thought, and the small smile grew a bit wider. "Probably this one."

I rolled back and forth on the balls of my feet. "Tonight's gonna be awesome."

"Yeah," she answered. "It should be fun."