Page 18 of Rebel

She’s a star through and through.

She was made for the stage, and we were made for her.

When she spins back to us, she offers me her hand with a hopeful look in her eyes. The crowd starts to chant, and I lay my hand in hers. She grips mine, the warmth giving me confidence as she tugs me up onto the stage before turning to Chase.

He narrows his gaze on her, so she rolls her eyes and grabs Trav. A server appears and gives us more mics as we join in. I move around the room, the natural feel of the stage loosening me up. I sing to tables and laugh with them, and when I glance back, Beck is before Chase, and we trail off, letting her hit the chorus. Her back bows as she drops back for the high note. She stills then, offering the mic to Chase.

There’s an audible sigh, and then he leans in, singing the next line with her.

Grinning together, they climb up onto the stage as we join and work our way back until we stand in a line, with Chase and Beck singing into the same mic, their bodies pressed together. When the last note fades, people leap to their feet, chanting and clapping for more.

We stand there grinning, and when I glance at Beck, she is smiling so broadly my heart leaps.

Oh yes, she was made for us.

Beck Danvers was born to be a Dead Ringer.

TWELVE

The sound of my phone ringing wakes me from a deep sleep. Hitting my side table, I search for it blindly and drag it back under the covers, leaving my face pressed into the pillow as I hit it until a voice sounds.

“Beck!”

I just grunt.

“Great job!”

I groan, half asleep.

“Beck, are you there? It’s Michael.”

“I’m here,” I mutter, trying to force my eyes open, but they won’t, so I just relax as he speaks again.

He sounds way too chipper for this time of morning.

“You guys did a great job. The videos of you guys dancing and singing at that diner have gone viral. Tickets sold out, and we upgraded venues due to the interest. You guys are going to do amazing on tour! Get some more sleep.”

I blink as the call ends.

What videos?

Rolling onto my back, I hold my phone more securely. I crashed as soon as we got back last night. We performed for a while at the diner, and then we took pictures and signed autographs, which was a surreal feeling. I tried to just let the guys sign, but they weren’t having that. After they showed me some tourist traps in the city—places I’d never visited—we stumbled back here in the middle of the night, sober but happy.

Loading up TikTok, I search the band’s name and gawk at the millions of videos and reposts. The top one shows us singing “I Need a Hero” while we dance around the diner with the guests and have fun. I saw the phones, but I didn’t expect . . . Jesus.

I scroll through them all. They captured everything. There’s even a video of me flirting with Trav to get him to come dance with me, and I hit the comments, ready to swallow my pride and be destroyed. There are a few negative ones, since Trav is looking at me, but there are some really nice ones that confuse me.

Wow, she’s so beautiful :)

Is she the new lead singer?

Who is she? She’s so talented!

Wow, look at the way they look at her, BookTok anyone?

BookTok? I tilt my head but keep looking.

She better be their new singer. She’s so good! I’d hit that!

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