(A/N: Song to the side)

The talent show took a drastic turn at the end. No one could have expected that. No one in the entire crowd that watched everything take place. No student, teacher, or family member knew that a simple show would end so horribly. Maybe that's why it hurt so much.

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"You ready?"

Evanee looked to David, who was currently retuning his guitar for the third time. Even under his cool exterior, she knew that he was nervous. Maybe even more nervous than she.

This rarely happened. She didn't have stage fright, but the more she though about performing, the more she wanted to dive off a cliff.  

The show hadn't even started yet, but the school auditorium was almost full. Gemma couldn't make it that night, but Evanee saw that her boyfriend was sitting in the front row with Tyler and Jonathan. She didn't want to embarrass herself in front of them either. Another thing to add to her long anxiety list.

Students were running around like crazy behind the stage. Some were dressing up, some were practicing. It was loud. Obnoxious even. To hear so many voices at once. Though, when she checked, the crowd didn't seem to hear it.

She fiddled with the charm on her necklace. The little angel wings could keep her calm. Maybe if she fucked anything up, she'd be able to fly away. She shook her head at the thought.

"Evanee." She physically jumped. "You'll be fine. We've practiced for so long and you were perfect each time. I have faith in you."

David hugged her, but then he didn't let go. They stayed there for a tiny while with him lightly rubbing circles on her back with his finger. Evanee figured this would calm him so she went along with it. Thankfully, they were near the edge of the backstage so no one saw them. That would end in a bucket full of rumors.

Somehow, she didn't feel as nervous when he let go. A bit of the tension she felt from being up on stage faded away.

There was a short silence. "We can do this."

One of the students, in charge of the performers, approached them with a hardened face. He seemed very serious about his job.

"You two are last. Report to the front after your names are announced," he recited perfectly. Then with a few quick steps, he was gone.

Evanee figured that most people would do something musically related. She wasn't wrong. There were many singers. Some good, some great, some bad. And then there were the few who were cringeworthy.

Luckily, the person before Evanee was one of those cringeworthy people. A freshmen who didn't realized that rapping was definitely not for him.

"And for our last performance, a very special one. Give it up for David and Evanee!"

That was their cue. Each step towards the center of the stage felt like agonizing torture. So many pairs of eyes were on them at once. The performance before them didn't even help calm her down.

Her eyes found Evan's. He was sitting down,wearing a black button up and jeans. His dark brown eyes were looking up at her in admiration and she wanted to sing for him. She believed in herself.

There was already a piano on the center of the stage and they took a seat. It was sideways so that the audience could see them. David gave her a reassuring nod before the song started. David took a deep breath before singing.

I walked across an empty land
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand
-

The beginning was over. Then came the chorus and Evanee joined in.

Oh simple thing where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin

Evan sat up staring at Evanee with admiration. She began to sing by herself. David's eyes never left her.

-
Is this the place we used to love?
Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?

Singing felt so natural. The audience didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was the music at the tip of her fingers and the two voices echoing throughout the auditorium.

And if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
Somewhere only we know?

Then a rush of shouting and whistling and clapping replaced the soft music. Evanee's eyes scanned the crowd to see her friends cheering and so many others smiling up at them. It felt amazing.

David, on the other hand, wasn't staring at the crowd. His mind was focused on the beautiful face and voice in front of him. The cheering didn't feel amazing. No. It was seeing Evanee smiling so brightly that made everything about this moment perfect.

The two stood up and simultaneous bowed to the crowd and walked off the stage. It would take five minutes for the judges to make their decision on the winner. The judges being the principal and two other teachers.

"We did it!"

David smiled and hugged as they jumped around like children. Now the only thing they could wait for was the answer.

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"And the winner of the talent show and winner of this $25 gift card to in-n-out goes to...drum roll please," there was a short pause, "Evanee and David!"

With smiling faces, both of them walked to the stage. The gift card was given to them along with a handshake from the principal. Then the unexpected. In the middle of the ecstasy, the shouting, the cheering, a single action left everyone in silence.

A single kiss.

Evanee pushed him away as soon as she realized what was going on. Then her eyes turned to her friends in the front row. They all looked surprised. Though Evan looked furious. David stared at her with a sorry expression.

Her lips still tingled from the recent contact. This was wrong. He was wrong. But that didn't mean he needed to endure Evan's wrath.

She was too late to stop anything though. Evan was on the stage in seconds and the audience silenced as a sickening sound was made when his fist made contact with David's cheek.

"You asshole!" Evan tackled him to the ground.

Without a second thought, Evanee took action before Evan could kill him. She grabbed him by the torso and physically tried to pull him away, but he didn't budge. The principal stood on the side of the stage dumbfounded. Nobody was helping her as she tried to stop both of them.

David was already bleeding and she knew he couldn't take much more of Evan's punches. Instead of trying to stop Evan, she defended David. As Evan raised his fist for the next punch, Evanee pushed her way in front of David.

Then pain. A burning pain.

"Evanee!"

She felt two hands grab her. Her eyes looked around lazily. It was David holding her with fear in his eyes. Evan was staring down at her with tears in his eyes. He looked torn. Sad. Hurt.

"It's not your fault idiot. Stop crying," Evanee coughed out. The punch was to the side of her head and everything seemed a bit blurry. "Evan?"

He was no longer looking at her. His eyes were locked onto his hands. He stared at them in disgust.

"You idiot. Listen to me!"

His eyes snapped down to hers.

"It's not your fault."

Then two more faces filled her vision.

"Tyler, call the ambulance," she heard Jonathan talk. "You're an idiot. You know that you couldn't defend yourself against him. Come on, look at me. Try to keep your eyes open okay?"

Jonathan shook his head when he looked at her blank expression. "How hard did you fucking punch her Evan? She can barely focus her eyes. Fuck!"

Tears began forming in his eyes.

It's not fair.

She wore the same blank expression as his sister when she was close to dying. Evanee couldn't be dying. It was a single punch. He refused to see that as true. Jonathan felt the pain of having someone close to him die in his arms.

It can't happen again.

"She's losing consciousness! Evan! Tell me how hard you punched her and where? If that punch was strong enough, it could kill her." Evan couldn't look at him. "Do you hear me? I'm telling you she might not survive."

Evanee was much smaller than Evan. There was a small chance that his attack could have a very lethal impact on her.

"Her head. The side of her head."

Jonathan glared at him. Out of all the places. Her head. The most sensitive part.

His arms were fully wrapped around Evanee now. She was important to him. He didn't show it as much as the others. Though, he liked her. He could admit that now, seeing her in a state like this. If only he had helped her.

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Wow. I'm a horrible person. I'm so sorry. Vote and comment who you ship
#Eevanee
#Devanee
#Jevanee

And as always, I hope ye enjoyed(:)