Brielle’s P.O.V.

I fiddled with the microphone in my hand. I was at a Starbucks, which I didn’t even like, performing songs. I glanced over at Addie. Before I could even open my mouth, she said,

“Don’t even think about backing out now. You promised you’d perform and now is not the time to back down. Remember the dare!”

I scowled as I remembered the stupid dare Addie made me do. The deal was, I perform at Starbucks. Three songs, nothing else. If I didn’t, I’d have to run around my town in a bikini screaming ‘I love sex!’ for everyone to hear. Needless to say, I chose to sing. I enjoyed it more.

“Cheer up Bri, you brought this on yourself,” Addie said cheerfully.

“Shut up Addie,” I grumbled.

I messed with my mic again. “I’m nervous,” I confessed.

“Bri, you’ll do great. I’ve heard you sing. You’re amazing,” Addie said confidently.

I wish I shared her confidence.  

“Brielle, you’re on,” the manager popped his head in the room I was waiting in. I nodded weakly.

Addie grabbed my shoulders and made me look her in the eye. “Sing your heart out,” she said.

I swallowed and walked on the stage. It wasn’t big, and there were barely any people there. Good.

“Hi, guys, I’m Brielle and I’ll be singing some songs for you today,” I was surprised how strong my voice was.

“Like the murderer?” a man from the back yelled. “Didn’t you kill your brother?”

I semi-panicked, but then I met Addie’s eyes. You got this, she mouthed. If anything, it gave me confidence.

“That’s me,” I said as I grabbed my guitar. “First I’m going to play You Won’t Feel A Thing by the Script.
I began playing the beginning. For a while, I didn’t look at anyone because I was focusing on my fingers. Then, I started to sing

I’ve been kicked right down I’ve been spat in the face

I’ve been pulled, weighed down  To the lowest place

I’ve been lied to, shamed I have been disgraced

I have been ex-communicated from every holy place

I’ve been beat up and robbed

I’ve been left for dead

For the way I look  For the things I said

When trouble thinks it’s found us

The world falls down around us

I promise baby you won’t ever

You won’t ever feel a thing

Cause I will take it on the chin, eh, for you

So lay your cuts and bruised over my skin

I promise you won’t feel a thing, no

Cause everything the world could throw

I’ll stand in front and take the blow for you

For you

I’ve cleared on the street I’ve been left in the cold

Had my dreams held up Had them shot full of holes

I’ve been laughed at, burn, beat and butt of the joke

I’ve been lit up in flames I have gone down in smoke

I’ve been stabbed in the back While they promised the earth

Tried to keep my head high For all I’m worth

Outside our double glazing I know a war is raging

I promise baby you won’t ever You won’t ever feel a thing

Cause I will take it on the chin, eh, for you

So lay your cuts and bruised over my skin

I promise you won’t feel a thing, no

Cause everything the world could throw

I’ll stand in front and take the blow for you

For you

Yeah and if I fall here

At least you know my dear that I would die for you

Promise you won’t ever feel a thing

And if I fall here

At least you know my dear that I would die for you

Promise you won’t ever feel a thing

Cause I will take it on the chin, eh, for you

So lay your cuts and bruised over my skin

I promise you won’t feel a thing, no

Cause everything the world could throw

I’ll stand in front and take the blow for you

For you

Yeah everything the world could throw

I’ll take the sticks; I’ll take the stones for you

For you

I strummed the last a couple chords and glanced up. Addie was smiling broadly, and a couple people looked surprised. The man who had yelled earlier still looked unimpressed. I felt a sudden urge to make him smile, to make him clap for me, like everyone else was doing. I jumped straight into the next song, which I hadn’t planned on playing, but it was one of my favorites. I knew it by heart. In fact, I had played it today.

Never win first place, I don't support the team
I can't take direction and my socks are never clean
Teachers dated me, my parents hated me
I was always in a fight 'cause I can't do nothin' right

Everyday I fight a war against the mirror
I can't take the person starin' back at me
I'm a hazard to myself

Don't let me get me, I'm my own worst enemy
It's bad when you annoy yourself so irritating
Don't wanna be my friend no more
I wanna be somebody else

I wanna be somebody else, yeah

L.A. told me, "You'll be a pop star
All you have to change is everything you are"
Tired of being compared to damn Britney Spears
She's so pretty, that just ain't me

Doctor, doctor won't you please prescribe me somethin'
A day in the life of someone else?
'Cause I'm a hazard to myself

Don't let me get me, I'm my own worst enemy
It's bad when you annoy yourself so irritating
Don't wanna be my friend no more
I wanna be somebody else

Don't let me get me, I'm my own worst enemy
It's bad when you annoy yourself so irritating
Don't wanna be my friend no more
I wanna be somebody else

Doctor, doctor won't you please prescribe me somethin'
A day in the life of someone else?
Don't let me get me

Don't let me get me, I'm my own worst enemy
It's bad when you annoy yourself so irritating
Don't wanna be my friend no more
I wanna be somebody else

As I sang, I focused on the guitar notes. It was kind of hard, but nothing I couldn’t handle. When I finished I glanced up. I almost started laughing, because Addie’s mouth had fallen open in a perfect O. The guy looked mildly impressed in spite of himself.

“That was Don’t Let Me Get Me by Pink, one of my personal favorites. Now, for my last song, I’m going to sing one by one of my favorite bands, Fun. It’s called Be Calm,” I said.

This song was hard to sing. It needed a lot of breath control, which was hard to do while playing the guitar. But I’ve been practicing and I think I’m going to be okay.

As I walk through the streets of my new city
my back feeling much better, I suppose
I've reclaimed the use of my imagination
for better or for worse, I've yet to know
but I always knew you'd be the one to understand me,
I guess that's why it took so long to get things right.
Suddenly I'm lost
On my street On my block

Oh why, Oh why
Oh why haven't you been there for me?
Can't you see, I'm losing my mind this time?
This time I think it's for real, I can see

All the tree tops turning red
The beggars near bodegas grin at me
I think they want something
I close my eyes, I tell myself to breathe

and be calm. Be calm.
I know you feel like you are breaking down.
Oh I know that it gets so hard sometimes.
Be calm.

I'm scared that everyone is out to get me.
"These days before you speak to me you pause."
"I always see you looking out your window."
"After all, you lost your band, you left your mom."
Now every single crack, every penny that I pass,
says I should either leave or pick it up
But with every single buck I've made
I'm saddled with bad luck that came

the moment I was baptized
or when I found out one day I'm gonna die
if only I could find my people or my place in life
a when they come a'carolin'
so loud, so bright, the theremin
will lead us to a chorus
where we'll all rejoice and sing a song that goes:

Oh be calm. Be calm.
I know you feel like you are breaking down.
I know that it gets so hard sometimes,
Be calm.
Take it from me, I've been there a thousand times.
You hate your pulse because it thinks you're still alive
and everything's wrong
It just gets so hard sometimes
Be calm.

I don't remember much that night,
Just walking, thinking fondly of you
Thinking how the worst is yet to come
When from that street corner came a song
And I can't remember the man,
The panhandler or his melody.
The words exchanged had far exceeded any change I'd given thee.

Oh be calm. Be calm.
I know you feel like you are breaking down.
Oh I know that it gets so hard sometimes,
Be calm.
Take it from me, I've been there a thousand times.
You hate your pulse because it still thinks you're alive
and everything's wrong
It just gets so hard sometimes
Be calm. Be calm.

I took a deep breath and stared out at the crowd. Addie stood up and applauded, and soon people followed. I smiled and bowed, then backed off stage and into the little side room where I warmed up. Within five minutes, Addie burst into the room.

“The manager offered you a regular job!” she exclaimed. “You were amazing! I had no idea you could sing like that!”

I smiled, and for the first time in a long time, it was a real smile. And even more incredible, I actually felt proud of myself.

So yeah! Long chapter, right? How many of you know all three songs? These songs are actually some of my favorites in real life, so Brielle will probably be singing songs that I like. If you know all three songs then you're awesome and we should totally talk about music! And does anyone know how hard that the picture is? Seriously, single eighth notes and then a whole note? Messes up my brain. BTW, I play tenor saxaphone in band, so I know something about music