Page 97 of Wasted Oil

But my brother interjects before she can get a word out. “no me parece.”

Then Sailor, “The what?”

I’m still giggling when Alex blows out raspberries.

"You both wish you were cool enough for that title."

We all toss our crumpled papers into the fire and watch them turn to ash.

I wanted to put down that I would let go of Rhett Parker, but I’m just not ready to.

Not yet anyway.

So instead I decided to put I’m not a failure. I look up to the sky praying mama is watching from above. I whisper to myself, I miss you.

It’s showtime.

Let’s go rock this shit.

Chapter twenty-eight

Did I miss something?

Melanie

“Hello Nashville, how are we all doing tonight?” The crowd rumbles through the stadium at Alex hyping them up.

"Guys today has been too great for words.”

The jitters have found their way back. I shake my hand out to my side feeling a wave of nervous excitement come over me.

“Hey, you’re going to be great out there. Just breathe, you got this.” A soft voice says. Emma who is apart of the classic pop trio with Avery and Cora walks in front of me in the most beautiful purple dress I’ve ever seen. She reaches out to hold my shaking hand in hers giving a gracious smile.

Clay from Blue Horizons walks up behind her wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"Yeah, you’re gonna kill it, Mel.” He adds to her words of encouragement.

I smile at the both of them in admiration and a little jealousy. If only Emma knew.

Before my nervousness takes over and I accidentally let something slip I say thank you and head up the stairs into the wings with the rest of the band.

"Guys I’ve waited far too long to be able to hear my best friend's name be announced. Now. I’m here being the one to announce her and the crew who completed her into the rockstar light. Ladies and gentleman, Melanie Alvarez and The Druthers.”

The stadium goes dark with the crowd thundering with applause and screams. I walk to the center of the stage with my guitar in hand. As I look out past the mic stand into the crowd I see small specks of light from glow stick wristbands and lights from phones. I close my eyes and take a deep breath in through my nose. My heartbeat, which was once beating in my ears has come to a steady pace. I blow out the air lightly exhaling when the strum of my guitar echoes with David’s following. Shades of orange and yellow start slowly appearing behind me with spot lights shining bright.

"Good evening Nashville, how's everyone doing tonight. If y'all don't know me my name is Melanie Alvarez and we are The Druthers and we want to thank y'all for coming out and spending the day supporting so many small businesses and food trucks, and well, just for being here to help spread the word and support Mental Health Awareness. Tonight, we've got an amazing show planned, so tighten those buckles and hang on tight it's gonna get wild in here."

Oohh Oohh Oohh

Ooh ooh ooh

They say time flies when you're having fun

But they don't know how wrong that was

I was young and so were you,

we didn't know a thing or two about love

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