Chapter 67 BEAUTIFUL ONE
\[OUTSIDE\]
"Do you think we should go and check on her? She's not back yet," Ixora asked.
"Give her time, getting rid of ice cream is not that easy," Audrey said, and just then they saw Nelly walking towards them, her gaze lowered.
Ixora and Audrey furrowed their brow, staring at the leather jacket she was wearing.
"If I'm not wrong, you went to the bathroom to clean the ice cream stain, right? How come you came back with a jacket? Did you... perhaps meet your boyfriend and he..."
"That's not what happened," Nelly said, cutting down Audrey's assumptions.
She flashed Ixora a smile, going closer to them. "I tried to get rid of the stain, but you know my clothes got wet. I thought of what to do because I couldn't come out with wet clothes. Luckily, I met a guy, he took pity on me and gave me his jacket."
Ixora and Audrey stared at her, speechless for a second.
"You are sure a random guy gave you this? It looks too expensive to be given out just like that," Ixora said, scrutinizing her.
"Why would I lie to you? If you want, I can take you to see him only if he's still there."
"No, it's fine. Should we head back, or you guys wanna try out the amusement park?" Audrey asked.
"What do you think?" Ixora asked, making funny faces.
"Pardon me for asking then." Audrey held her ears dramatically before rushing to the park with Ixora.
A text notification chimed in Nelly's phone.
~What a nice lie to tell your friends.
Nelly raised her lid, remembering what happened in the bathroom.
\[FLASHBACK\]
"We meet again."
Nelly tried releasing her hands and legs from his grip, but his hold was stronger than hers.
"What are you doing here?" Nelly asked, not wanting to meet his gaze.
Maddox released her leg, slowly tracing his index finger on her cheek, causing her to meet his gaze.
For a second, Nelly forgot how to breathe. He was breathtakingly handsome, with his hair that fell on his face. She looked away, catching hold of his slightly exposed chest.
"Isn't a kick too feisty for a girl that claims to be naive?" he asked, using both his hands to hold her hand above her head.
"Are you stalking me? What do you want from me?" Nelly asked, picking her words.
She felt intimidated by his gaze, and her clothes weren't helping matters.
"Yes. I am stalking you, and I want answers, Nashira," he said, dragging the Nashira part.
Nelly froze, feeling her heart skipping erratically. Her breathing turned uneven as she tried to calm her fast-beating heart.
"Let go of me," she muttered, feeling her eyes turning misty.
"Answer the question." He tightened his grip on the hold, slightly hurting her.
"Please let me go," she pleaded, tears clouding her eyes.
He brought his face down, keeping their faces a few inches apart.
"Answers."
Nelly met his gaze, looking away almost immediately.
"Nashira... was my friend," she began, telling him the same story she had told Ixora.
When she was done, the tears had begun rolling down her cheeks.
Maddox released her hand, bringing his thumb to wipe her tears while making sure they held gazes.
He was done and brought his face close to her ears.
Nelly shifted on her spot, feeling the tingling sensation of his breath.
"Lies," he whispered, stepping away from her.
Nelly exhaled, her heart thudding against her chest.
He took off her glasses, staring at them as if they had the answers to the question.
"Lies," he muttered, again. "Your eyes are okay. No eye defect." The way his words were coming out, you'd think he was reading it directly from his phone or a book.
Nelly's heart once again did the wild thud. The fear of him uncovering her truth sent unending shivers down her spine.
"You. Are. Scared." He trailed along her arm, feeling the goosebumps.
"You are... lying...I... My... clothes are..." she bit her bottom lip, realizing she couldn't make a meaningful sentence again.
His eyes found her body, slowly running them along her.
Nelly went back, her foot reaching the wall as she thought about why he was staring at her.
He put back her glasses before unzipping his leather jacket.
Nelly couldn't close her eyes as they beheld the loose white singlet he wore underneath.
He wore the jacket and zipped it up, without looking at her again.
"Make sure to return it," he ordered, the smirk disappearing from his face as it turned point-black.
He walked away without even sparing her a single glance, making her wonder what was wrong with him.
\[PRESENT\]
"Why are you standing here? Come on," Audrey dragged her to the amusement park.
From the other side of the park, the hooded guy tapped on his earbud.
"I've found her."
\[TWO DAYS LATER, CONCERT HALL\]
As expected, the hall was filled with lots of fans, screaming and shouting their hearts out. They were all waving their fan bomb in the air, expecting Blake's appearance any moment now.
At the VIP table sat Ixora, Audrey, Nelly, Skye, Bonnie and Stacy. Skye had invited Bonnie, and Bonnie had to drag Stacy with her. But that didn't stop them from rolling their eyes at every opportunity they got.
Ixora, Nelly and Audrey were among the fans shouting their hearts out. They'd fall on each other while laughing when their voices crack or when they run out of breath.
Among the huge fans that came to watch Blake's concert, Joanna was there. She made sure to wrap a scarf around her neck so that no one would recognize her.
This would be the first time she's attending Blake's concert, and she couldn't contain her joy. She might be hiding herself, but that's enough for her.
She looked at Audrey, happy to see that she was with Ixora. She'd reveal herself to them very soon.
Audrey glanced at Skye to see him staring at her. "What?" She raised her brow.
"Is it me or you look beautiful today? I think this look suits you more," he said with a smile.
"I've always been beautiful." She flipped her hair backward.
Skye nodded. "True, but exceptionally beautiful today." He focused on the stage again.
As Audrey stared at his face, she didn't know when a smile appeared on her face.
Bonnie got a text and peeked at Skye before opening the text. It was a video message from Mark, and in the video, he was masturbating. He shoots his sperm all over the screen while saying, 'All for you, baby.
"Fuck," Bonnie muttered, sliding her fingers inside her clit.
She moaned slowly, fingering herself while watching the video over and over again.
Thanks to the shout, they were able to mask her low moans.
Stacy shook her head, concentrating on the stage.
The 5-second countdown appeared on the big screen, and their shouts died down. They all joined the countdown, and at exactly 0, colorful smoke clouded the stage, creating hues of perfect symphony. The stage control slowly turned the stage's smoke gun to the fans, spraying smoke all over the fans.
They screamed, cheering happily as the smoke slowly cleared from the stage, revealing Blake from his face down to his shoes. Blake had always been handsome, but today, it was extraordinary. His hair was dyed blue and fell on both sides of his face. The gold stud dangled in his ear.
He was wearing an armless loose blue shirt and left the first three buttons undone. His necklace was beautiful around his neck, and then to his blue grey pants and blue shoes.
"What's up, Blues?" His fandom name and his outfit symbolized his fandom.
They shouted, waving their bombs high in the air. Some confessed their love to him.
He smiled as his piano came from the ground. He sat, adjusting the mic and fingers on the keys.
Their shouts stopped, everybody connecting their souls to the soft beats of the tunes.
Ixora watched him with a proud smile on her face. He managed to grow so much fandom in a span of three years.
Joanna sniffled her tears as she watched him. They were crying because of the song, while she was crying because he had made her proud.
Bonnie was still fingering herself, and this time she was using both her hands.
Soon, the song came to an end, and their shouts filled the air with confetti pouring from all corners of the stage.
Blake stood, and the piano was lowered to the ground. He took a mic, using his hand to calm the noise.
"Thank you, Blues."
They shouted again, and he had to wait until they stopped shouting.
As he stared at the fans, he felt his eyes getting misty. It reminded him of when he had started with just 100 people attending his concert, and today, it's millions.
He wiped his tears before continuing his speech. "We've become one big family, always standing and ready to support each other. I love you so much, and each time I think about how I started and where I am today, I always feel like crying. Thank you all so much for being part of the Blues family. And to those who never gave up on me, my sister, manager and the company that saw my talent, I'm sending my special thank you." He lowered his head, bowing to everyone present.
They all clapped while shouting out their lungs.
"That's my Blakie!!!" Audrey shouted.
"So, Blues, are you ready for the second performance tonight?!"
They all screamed a very loud 'Yes!!!'.
Blake smiled. "This one is for a special someone titled 'BEAUTIFUL ONE'. She was the one who gave me the courage to follow my dream without doubt. She has a special place in my heart, and this song is dedicated especially to her," he said, and the lights went out.
Soon, only the stage spotlight came on, and he was sitting in a swirling chair, holding a guitar. He slowly raised his head, emotions clouding his eyes.
The thunder rumbled loudly in the sky, and almost immediately, a heavy downpour started, pouring heavily on Blake. The stage was an open roof, making the rain fall only on him.
Audrey screamed from the stage, feeling proud that he had listened to her wish.
Despite the smile on Ixora's face, she felt her palms turning sweaty. She knew Blake was singing the song for her. He was telling her he loves her, and she... what if he decides to do more than just the song? What was she going to say?
Nelly held her hand. She must have noticed her nervousness. She gave her a slight nod.
Blake concluded the song, and someone from backstage took the guitar. He stood, trailing his gaze to the side where Ixora was sitting, the rain still pouring heavily on him.
"Ixora," he called, and the spotlight shone on Ixora.
Ixora stilled, aware that they were the only visible people on the stage.
He slid his hand behind his pocket and brought out her hairpin.
"My lucky charm," he chuckled lightly.
"I can't even express my feelings to you, because no matter the weight of my words... or the sound of my voice, they can't match up to your beautiful soul," he paused and let out a slight chuckle.
"I never thought I'd fall in love, but who was I kidding. Growing up, I only had my twin sis. We were left behind as kids—not just by our parents... but the world also turned its back on us. It was then that I realized that life isn't a bed of roses. We have to keep pushing... until we find our way through."
"There were a lot of times when I thought about giving up, but Ixora never let me do that. I can still remember the first time we met. 9 years ago, at Green Lake Park, I had failed my first audition because of my nervousness. And then Ixora came, she wiped my tears and told me not to lose hope. Then she gave me this hairpin and said; that if I cried again, the hairpin would be a source of hope, and I should remember that a lot of people are looking up on me... and she is one of them." He stopped and smiled.
"I'd never forget that day. Audrey is my only family, friend and partner, and now... I want you in my life as well. I knew from the first day we met that my heart would choose you, and it did. Though you may have grown taller and more beautiful, your heart never changed. Your rich Hazel eyes—I want you to intoxicate me with your deep stare. You have become an essential part of me. The beauty of your soul. Your hair. The deep color of your lips. The way your eyes smile, and your lips move in rhythm with your heart. The angel inside your pure soul—I want all those with me. I want your love and your heart. I want you to be mine."
He exhaled, dropping on one knee. The rain poured heavily on him, damping his clothes and hair. The whole fandom was already crying their eyes out, and Joanna kept cursing herself for leaving them.
He continued. "I know I'm so stupid for proposing like this, but I'm sorry I can't wait any longer. I don't want to lose you, Ixora. Please... accept this foolish man right here. I love you a lot... with everything in me. I love you," he said, his lips broadening into a large smile as he fixed his eyes on her.