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“You couldn’t have picked something a bit more...?”
“More what?” she asks, raising a brow.
“Just more, Lys. As in more fabric. Are you sure that’s not actually lingerie?” I hold up some spandex thing that I think was the top, but truly could probably be worn as a pair of panties.
“You are Juliet 2.0 tonight, baby!” She laughs and thrusts the clothing in my direction.
When I finally look in the mirror, after a bit of a struggle trying to figure out how to even put the top on, I barely recognize myself. Alyssa is a miracle worker. It’s like she’s Frenchie from Grease, and I just got my badass Sandy makeover.
A black leather mini skirt clings to my hips, and a halter neck leopard print top shows the tiniest bit of my stomach and a moderate amount of cleavage. The top actually covers more than I expected, if I’m being honest. Lys decides on a pair of black boots and loads of layered jewelry to top it all off.
“Perfection!” she squeals.
Her outfit is just as daring. She slides on a dark maroon bodycon mini dress with fishnet tights underneath. When she walks out, I whistle.
“Damn, you look hot, Lys.”
She winks. “We both do.”
???
The arena is packed so tightly with people that I can barely move. Alyssa’s tickets are in the front row, but even then, we are shoulder to shoulder. The smell of sweat and alcohol permeates the space already, thanks to the close proximity. An electric feeling pulses in the air and I try to adjust to the loud overlapping conversations happening all at once.
The opening act is nothing spectacular; in fact, I can barely make out anything they are saying. The lead singer’s mouth is so close to the microphone that it comes out as a muffled mess.
Beams of light circle the band members as they play, and Alyssa jumps up and down, singing with them.
"Who is this?" I yell to her over the noise.
"Velvet Summer!" she yells back. "Aren't they great?"
I nod my head unconvincingly, and she just rolls her eyes.
When they finish their set, the stage is cleared quickly. A crew comes in and completely transforms it within a matter of minutes. So far, this has been the most fascinating part of the night. The massive backdrop featuring the Velvet Summer band logo raises back into the ceiling and disappears from view as dozens of stagehands push their equipment off to the side. Striking the stage is what the drama teacher called it back in high school.
A voice comes over the speakers and begins to introduce the main event. The crowd goes wild as all the lights in the place shut off. It’s pitch-black, and I reach for Alyssa's hand. She gives it a squeeze in return.
A single spotlight suddenly focuses on the center stage, where a figure slowly ascends from beneath the floor. Screams erupt as the crowd begins chanting the lead's name, "Ryan, Ryan, Ryan!"
When he is fully visible in all his glory, you can almost taste the angst from every person in the arena. The air seems to vibrate with it. My mouth goes dry and goosebumps break out over my skin when my eyes fully take him in.
Like the photos I saw online, he is shirtless and looks like someone slathered him in oil before taking the stage. The contrast of the black leather against his tanned skin is sexy, and there is no denying it. He has dark hair and deep-set eyes that are the color of emeralds. Those eyes seem to scan the crowd before him, but he doesn't smile.
Slowly the stage fills with smoke, backlit with spotlights revealing the other band members.
The guitarist and bassist begin to strum, and I recognize the song as the one from the video. The drummer enters, adding to the beat, slinging his long hair as his head bangs in sync with each note.
As soon as Ryan Knox begins to sing, I can't seem to tear my eyes away from him. Though all the band members are magnetic, he has something else that draws you in just a little more. It's the eyes.
This time when he scans the crowd, his gaze seems to meet mine, and I am reminded of how I felt watching the video. Like he was singing to me, and only me. I get the allure now. He knows what he’s doing. There is no telling how many men and women have left one of these shows convinced Ryan Knox saw them.
I expect him to move on to the next girl in the audience, but he doesn't. I feel the heat rising to my cheeks, knowing I must be blushing.
"Jules, he's looking at you!" Alyssa screams. She grabs my hand and raises it into the air. "Dance with me. Let loose for once!"
I let the music fill me and allow my body to find its rhythm. Alyssa and I sway and laugh as she attempts to twirl me during the guitar solo. When my attention returns to the stage, his eyes are still on me and a smirk plays on his lips.
They continue to crank out songs, the beat getting faster as the crowd gets louder and louder. Ryan pauses to take a sip of water before speaking into the microphone.
