Page 58 of Beautiful Noise
“And as much as we love this person and are honored to have them with us tonight, we understand and respect that sometimes people simply want to be…”
Oh thank God.
“However, if they wouldn’t mind spending a little time on stage, we wouldn’t turn them away. The choice is yours, so Ms. Cyan Indigo Bleu, if you’re willing to bless us this evening, we would be humbly grateful. You have a lot of fans here tonight.”
Cyan Indigo Bleu.
I repeated the name in my mind over and over again because how? I surely thought someone had recognized Ezren, not me. There would be no way for them to recognize me. I never posted pictures of myself on the site and there were no images attached to my name other than my logo for Bleu. I knew this with certainty because I checked religiously and was careful which meant…
“You told them I was here?”
Ezren’s eyes were on me, intense and unwavering. “I might have given a heads up that you would be in the building tonight. That was it.”
“That was enough. I’m not going up there.” I frowned hard.
“Why not?”
“I can think of a million different reasons but let’s start with people know my face. It’s been all over every blog and social media outlet that has any decent following for the past week. They’ll know Cleaning Lady Kori is Cyan Indigo Bleu and they’ll rip me apart…”
“No they won’t. Your poems are good as hell, Ri. Anyone that speaks against them is going to look crazy. These people have love and respect for Bleu.”
“Maybe but weren’t you the one who said I would be terrible because I can’t sing.”
He smiled smugly. “I was only fucking with you. I have a feeling that when you get on that stage, and the words begin to flow, everything will fall in place. I know what that’s like.”
“You know what it’s like foryou. You’re a performer. I most certainly am not.”
“You can be but even if you’re not, I’m being selfish. The smile you’ve had all night is only a small part of the ease you’re experiencing being here. You have half a million followers on your page, and they show love, but until you stand on stage in the same room and feel that love? You’ll never truly know just how great you are.”
“Or I’ll totally bomb and ruin their image of me.”
“That’s possible…”
I narrowed my eyes and he laughed, leaning in so our lips were a breath apart. “But it won’t happen. Trust me.”
I groaned. “That’s not fair. You can’t saytrust mewhen you’re asking me to completely expose myself.”
“I just did, so what’s it gonna be?”
“Well looks like she’s not going to accept our offer, but that’s okay, love. We’re simply honored to have you in the building tonight. It’s all love.”
My eyes darted to the stage, then circled back to Ezren. “If I mess this up...”
His smile blossomed. “You won’t.”
With my heart thumping at a dangerous rate, I lifted from my chair and began navigating through the crowd. I had no idea why I was doing this other than the small possibility that maybe, just maybe, he was right. Everyone needed balance and this could be mine.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Ezren.
Kori was scared to death. I was damn sure going to have to make this up to her but I wasn’t worried in the least bit. To express so much passion and emotions in her poems there was no way the same passion and emotion wouldn’t take over as soon as she leaned into the mic. She would kill this…
Or bomb exactly like she said and never forgive me.
I followed her hesitant movements as she reached the side of the stage where she whispered something to the emcee who smiled too damn big for my liking before he hugged her and motioned to the stage, giving his approval for her to address the audience.
As soon as she was positioned in front of the microphone, Kori’s body locked tightly with nervous energy. I seriously regretted the gentle push I offered to get her up there until she finally spoke.