Page 4 of Movers and Shakers

Fans are awaiting her next album, which is expected to be as shallow as this one. I’ll have more news as it develops.

4,658 comments

Babytali: Leave her alone. Her music is so catchy!

ATwistedTheory: No, this article has a point. She’s all dance moves and pop now. She used to release stuff talking about fear of fame, feeling alone, and being left behind. Where are those songs?

Bambi: Not everyone wants to be fucking sad all the time . . .

IsaIsa: All of this arguing is missing one thing. Does SHE look happy with her music? I mean, she does all the interviews and stuff, but when was the last time she actually looked proud of what she was singing? Even in concerts, her eyes look dead.

Babytali: You don’t know her so stfu

Ifinished the final song to the sounds of thunderous applause. It was eleven at night and I was on my second encore. I should have stopped, but the cheering fans kept begging for more and I’d always had one extra song for them.

Blaze was in the crowd and people’s phones went from me to him, filming his overzealous reactions to my ending.

“Please give it up for my wonderful band,” I called into the microphone, “who’s played amazingly for you all night. And for my backup dancers too!”

This would be where I would give a shout-out to Blaze in the audience. It had been a tradition since my first concert when I’d been so overwhelmed with nerves that he had to be in the front row, cheering me on.

I could feel the crowd waiting for me to mention him, as if they were collectively holding their breaths.

But I couldn’t. The image of his lips on another woman’s a few weeks before flashed in my mind. When it happened, we’d been on a break from shows, though I’d still been practicing with myteam. This was the first time we were back, and I was expected to perform as usual.

“Thank you all!” I said instead. “Have a great night!”

I exited the stage without another look at him.

My scalp was itchy from wearing the wig for so long. I was ready to get out of this bright minidress. I wanted my fake eyelashes off, but I couldn’t do that until I was completely alone.

I took an unsteady breath. I could still hear the audience cheering. The band played the closing notes as the door to my dressing room opened.

“Are you kidding me?” a voice asked. “Way to add fuel to the fire, Lila.”

Blaze had come after me.

I’d barely talked to him since I found out. We both knew the final shows of the tour would be hard now that I’d seen him with someone else. So far, none of the fans were aware that anything was wrong, but I expected speculation after this.

“Post the photos of us from spring, then,” I said. “It’ll distract from the rumors.”

“We can’t break up,” he replied. “You know that you have to get over this, right? There are engagement rumors that wehaveto fulfill. The fans expect it.”

I knew. I knew better than anyone else, but I had nothing else to say to him.

“The silent treatment? Really? You better have this together when we go to the next show tomorrow night.”

I still didn’t answer.

“You’re always so immature. I need to find Mia. She’ll talk some sense into you.”

When he finally walked away, I could breathe again. I needed him to stay gone so I could figure out what the hell I wanted to do.

But Mia was coming and she’d reiterate everything Blaze had just unnecessarily reminded me of.

The fans would be disappointed. He would be disappointed.Rickwould be disappointed if he were alive. And considering Mia was his daughter, she knew what he’d feel.

It was all too much. My throat was closing up and my chest ached. After shows, I was always a little jumpy, but the reminder that I was about to get lectured made it all worse.

---