Graceful Deception

Chapter 4

I had this written anyway so I figured, why not post it? So here it is :)

Chapter 4

“You look like you’re going to puke,” I swallowed hard and straightened my spine to look Wes in the eye.

“Of course not,” I replied, planting a hand on my hip, feeling my stomach lurch uncomfortably as I tried to keep a straight face. I jerked my head towards the dark stage, spotting a stage hand waving frantically in our direction. “They’re waiting for you.”

Quin, George, and Lucas were already onstage and my father was going to make a big entrance complete with some sort of pyrotechnics shortly. The crowd was cheering so loudly that I had to raise my voice to be heard.

Wes waved at the stage hand and took a step towards the stage, his shadowy figure making the middle aged ladies scream even louder.

If that was even possible.

He paused and turned back towards me, his lips set into a stern line as usual. “Just don’t puke onstage.”

“I’m not going to puke,” I mumbled but he was already gone. “I’m not going to puke,” I said again, this time working on convincing myself. I spotted my dad at the other end of the stage, still out of sight from the audience as he went over his last minute checks, making sure his microphone was in place and his pyrotechnics were timed right. Then, pasting a brilliant smile on his face, he lurched out of his hiding place just as streams of fire rose from the corners of the stage.

The smell of burning was what did me in and with my hand plastered to my mouth, I raced to the bathroom that was way too far from me for my liking.

I made it just in time to lose my lunch. “Graceful, Grace,” I muttered once I was done and the toilet was flushed. I sank onto the floor, letting my long legs straighten out and stick into the stall next to mine as my head landed against the flimsy bathroom divider with a thunk.

I glanced down at the dress I was wearing, watching as wrinkles started to form. It was a nice dress, a deep blue colour in a soft material that swirled delicately around my legs when I walked. I was more of a t-shirts and jeans kind of girl but I could appreciate a nice dress when I saw one. I just wished I wasn’t wearing it at the moment.

With a sigh, I stood up, giving my stomach a moment to adjust to the new position and when I felt like I wouldn’t puke again, I exited the stall.

I winced when I saw myself in the mirror, thinking that those make-up artists were really something. My skin looked like it had a sun kissed glow when beneath all that make-up I was probably about as pale as Marilyn Manson.

“Having fun?” I asked my reflection, making a face before turning my back on the mirror and pulling my phone out of a hidden pocket in the dress.

I dialled my sister’s number and listened to it ring and ring until the answering machine picked up. “Leave a message!” Raina’s voice said.

“Raine. It’s me, your big sister calling...again. I’m going to keep calling so you might as well just answer.” I ran a hand through my hair, wincing when my fingers got caught in bobby pins and hairspray. “Don’t be mad, okay? Being with him, doing this tour, it’s not my idea of a good time. I just,” I swallowed hard, squeezing my eyes shut tight. “I just needed to do it. I’m seventeen and I barely know my father. I think I’m having a midlife crisis so call me, okay? We both already have daddy issues, let’s not add sister issues to the mix, all right? Talk to you soon.”

I turned my phone off, wishing that things had gone better between Raina and me. To say she didn’t like the thought of me spending quality time with my father without her, would be an understatement.