Page 4 of New Year's Faye

"Nine!"

"Eight!"

He pulled me onto the stage.

"Seven!"

"Six!"

He pushed me toward Justice, accepting his guitar back with a seamless transition from the trailing tech. Justice wrapped an arm around my neck holding me in place between them as they both leaned forward, screaming the final lines into the microphone.

“I’ll break the walls, I’ll tear apart?—”

"Five!"

"Four!"

"Three!"

“I’m a storm, I’m a spark, I’m a wild heart!”

"Two!"

Sam struck a final chord on his guitar as the lights all around us went black.

"ONE!"

The crowd erupted as fireworks burst from behind the stage shooting into the midnight sky. The light show bathed everyone in streams of gold and silver, as confetti and streamers exploded from the front of the stage, covering the laughing, kissing, celebrating crowd in shimmering paper.

Sam's warm hand caught mine, tugging me close. His soft lips gently brushed my cheek completely at odds with the heaving chaos surrounding us.

"Happy New Year, Faye," he murmured, his breath tickling my ear.

My heart skipped, fluttering with a mix of nostalgia and something softer, sweeter, almost unreal—like we were reliving an old memory that had never happened but somehow felt inevitable. I closed my eyes, dizzy with the thrill of a perfect show, a closing chapter, an new year of possibilities.

I leaned into him enjoying the fireworks show. "Happy New Year, you annoying pest."

His chuckle was lost as Justice launched into "Auld Lang Syne" with the crowd quickly joining in. Felix and Radley fell in, providing the instrumental backing. I stepped back as Sam let me go, adding his guitar to the mix.

Justice wrapped an arm around me, thrusting the microphone into my face. With a laugh, I shoved it away, but let him pull me close as we sang.

Their set wrapped a few songs later as I quickly uploaded some footage to their socials and hit send on their pre-recorded New Years message.

“Faye! Put down the phone!” Radley ordered, wrapping one sweaty arm around my shoulders and carrying me along with them as they tumbled through the backstage area. “It’s New Year’s Day!”

“Just one more?—”

She plucked the phone out of my hand, tucking it into her bra. “Try me.”

I snorted, hip-bumping her. “Babe, if you think that’s gonna stop me you have another think coming.”

We walked down and into the churning crowd, being swept along with the revellers as security kept us safe.

I hunched my shoulders, pulling my coat tighter around me, grateful I’d thought to grab it before leaving the warmth of the stage. Winter had settled over the city around us, biting and unforgiving—but beautiful. My breath still fogged faintly as we moved through the crowd, stopping here and there for the band to sign autographs and take pictures.

Around us, the remnants of New Years’ celebrations hung on snow-dusted buildings mixed in with forgotten pieces of mistletoe and Christmas lights, and the occasional menorah in a window.

We followed security around to the back of the stage, weaving through the tight area and out onto a back alley.

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