Thread: The Musician's Overture [GGentleman x Soft Strokes]

Cecilia's eyes pinched out a well of more tears, tearing her eyes off the audience for a moment, her eyes a mess of red streaks and outlines. The wrinkles of pain and sorrow around eyes and across forehead, made her look far more mature, then she actually where. A young woman in her early twenties sat on stage, looking like she'd seen a lifetime of sorrow and hurt. And once they opened, and the wrinkles smoothed back out, her face was more of a hurt child. Abandoned by friends and family. Left to cry for hours, until no more tears where available. The sting in her eyes was familiar. Comforting, even. It made her forget the judging, analyzing eyes that befell her. The audience, all considering her story. Wondering what she'd been through. But none of them could know. None of them could imagine, that this had all been her life, painted by music and expressions. No one could. No one, but... She cut mid rhyme, a gasp, and then deep surprised inhale, followed by the click of her throat as she swallowed. Her eyes had locked on Vivians. The pain. The sorrow. It had all been poured upon Vivian. Cecilia's eternal muse, abused by the very words off of Cecilia's lips. The strum of her Guitars strings. The bang of the Piano's hammers. Those instruments, that had once filled Vivian with glee, when practicing together. When playing new songs for each other. Expressing their love. Expressing all emotions they'd felt. They'd made each other cry before, but never in malice. This, had been malice. This, had been an attack, directly aimed at Vivian, and though not all dots might have connected, it was obvious Vivian understood enough. Cecilia's lips trembled, ash er fingers wavered, but stuck to the melody, just slowing it down. Her expression turned apologetic, eyes pinching closed as she lowered her head, her blonde hair stroking against the microphones pop filter in the process. Cecilia's fingers did the singing for a short while, before head head slowly raised, her green eyes looking out from bellow her hair. Her expression was had turned from anxious, pained and apologetic, to instead an entirely new emotion of the act. Or rather, the lack of it. Her expression was gone, as she straightened up her back, ending with her final two lines Just help me understand. Help me see. Why our love was not meant to be. Then.. Then, you can leave! Then.. Then.. Then, you can leave! But.. I'd really rather you stayed. Yes, I'd really rather you stayed. Our instruments, once again to be played. Together... The last lines was sung with the melody picking up again, only to end in the final sentence, and then word, whispered silently close up against the microphone. There was nothing practiced, or refined, with those last few rhymes. Those last few lines. The pleading. It was improvised. Imperfect. A horrible end to an act, was the audience not already sold. Her fingers strung a few more finalizing notes, before her arms stroked across her guitar, giving it a loving, lose embrace. Like Vivian, she had an end to her acts. That, was it. Her expression finally got back some life, as it tilted slightly, eyes begging as much as the lips did. Cecilia gulped silently, as she attempted to raise to her feet. Her legs wavered bellow her, causing her to stagger for a moment, before finally raising with her back straight. She held her arms out, one hand clutching hard onto her Guitar's neck, as she bowed deeply. Right on queue, the crowd started clapping. It wasn't a wild roar, like the one at the concert. But the hands clapped together a song of it's own. A song of appreciation. Of petty. Of love. Several in the audience raised to their feet, rushing over to the stage, tears welling down their eyes as well. The three girls who came up, was Cecilia's closest friends. They all hugged, and cried along with each other, desperately attempting to comfort the actor, as if the entire act, had been entirely true. They knew. Cecilia smiled to them, giving silent thanks to each of them, as light started welling into the rest of the Tavern, and chatter started very slowly picking up again, as people started trying to pick each other up from the emotional roller-coaster. Cecilia herself, had turned her eyes back towards Vivian. Her expression, as well as eyes, almost seemed demanding, now. The begging, had been mixed with a bit of anger, as they demanded that she stayed. The tears of one cheek had been stroked nearly away by a handkerchief, the black tears of the other only having gotten smeared, before the cleaner had been stopped. Her friends had been surprised, but when looking where she did, they all started walking towards the bar, leaving the actor alone. Cecilia started walking, with purpose, towards Vivian's table. She carried her Guitar along, as she walked around the chair by Vivian's side, slumping into it with a thump. She sat with her knees together, feet apart, and wrist's resting on the knees, looking into Vivian's eyes, her expression emotionless once more. She sniffled lightly, before a whimper escaped her lips, fingers letting go of her guitar, letting it tumble to the ground, as she basically fell towards Vivian, pulling her into a heartfelt embrace. She cried out in sorrow once again, as she rested her cheek against Vivian's neck, hiding her face in her hair. I.. I'm sorry.. You had to sit through that. I.. I hadn't.. I'm sorry. She apologized. While she was still angry at Vivian for leaving, she'd never meant to attack her like this. It wasn't meant for Vivan's ears. For Vivian's heart, which it had stabbed. Her anxiety was gone. She didn't care. In fact, she could not care less, what anyone else thought. Right now, Vivian was the only one she cared about.