You Are the Reason 1/2

A request for Jusheto ❤️❤️

"Okay...what's the big deal about him going? Not like you don't keep in touch," Natali casually tosses out, watching on a propped elbow as Stefani's helped into her wardrobe for the evening; a black leather dress, heels that bring her tiny stature up six inches. "Don't you guys text or whatever? I know his mom and ours talk all the time."

"We're friends," Stefani says hurriedly, by way of explanation. "And you know why it's a big deal, Natali."

The long zipper gets carefully pulled up and she thanks the wardrobe assistant, a frown crossing her carefully made-up face. "Text messages aren't the same as seeing him in person for the first time in six months."

"Mmm," Natali demurs, watching as the assistant exits the dressing room. "Six months because he has a girlfriend or six months because you were both single last year when you and Michael split up and neither of you did shit about it?"

The question doesn't sit right but that's only because she's pretty much on the money. For being the younger sibling, it happens an extraordinarily ridiculous number of times but then again, Stefani silently acknowledges as she surveys the finished product in the hanging mirror, Mouse has always been wise beyond her years. It's both admirable and irritating. 

"Six months because life is insanely busy for the both of us," she settles for a semblance of the truth. "It's a weird situation, that's all."

She doesn't add that the last time they'd seen one another in person, Bradley had awkwardly broken the news over dinner that he was dating someone and for a good while, neither of them knew what to say so they both jumped in to change the subject as quickly as possible. It was painful and strained and the fact that it was so painful and strained was unbelievable to her; not when everything came so naturally.

It helped that they both had projects to shoot, things to keep them occupied so that while they certainly still spoke, the contact wasn't as frequent. She'd seen pictures of his girlfriend, another beautiful model and the images made a massive lump form in her throat, which in turn, made her angry at herself.

Staring at her reflection, she straightens, peers at her phone. "Bobby says five minutes or so. Tell me why I'm doing this again?"

"Because you have an amazingly big heart and you care about this charity," Natali reminds her, standing to kiss her cheek. "You look stunning, so go out there and do your thing, okay? Don't think about him or anything else."

Natali, for the second time that evening, is right. The charity concert was something that Elton had asked her to do and not only is it for a wonderful cause, there is no way she'd ever say no to him; not after everything he'd done for her. The event was by exclusive invite only and if the number of influential people that were set to attend were any indication, she was certain it would be a success.

"LG?" Bobby pops his head in the doorframe, "you're on."

As she steps out onto the stage to thunderous applause to begin her set, she makes a little speech; what this particular charity means to her, how much Elton means to her. 

Just past her, the white piano gleams invitingly in the spot light and she goes to it, sitting down and preparing to get lost in the music, allow it to carry her.

But what she's not prepared for are the memories, which sweep in and nearly sweep her up with them. Memories of an evening not unlike this, many years prior, where she'd stepped onto a similar stage and sang the song that would end up changing her life.

Where she would meet the man who would end up changing her life.

To sing, one needs an open throat so that the notes can trickle out and into the air. The panic takes over when the tears lodge and stick; wedged somewhere in the base of her larynx and for a good thirty seconds, she's terrified that no sound will come out and she'll be a deer in headlights.