The television is playing behind my back with some news about politics as I move here and there in my hotel room, packing. My one and only duffel bag sits on my queen-sized bed wide open, as wide as when Danny packed my things up when he wanted me leave a week ago. It haunts me then, it haunts me now, but I try to shake it off of my head. At least for now, though I know it's going to haunt me later forever.

It's very bright outside. The sun is blaring, but in a good way. It's surprising to see people down there walking without their coat on, but it feels quite odd too. They look happy either with their friends or they're alone. I smile to myself, thinking how cool if my bestie is here with me. Usually, when the weather is good, we would be laughing all day long until the weather changes.

Once I am done packing my clothes, I go to the toilet to get my toiletries. I dry them down before I throw them inside my bag and get ready for the day.

________

It's good to know that my hotel costs not over the budget. As much as I want to get away from Danny for ... days or you can say a week, but I am always concern about my money. I am unemployed. I mostly receive money from online writing competition, that could hardly accommadate my weekly expense, to be honest. I would probably live by the street if I am not living with Danny.

"Thank you! Have a good day," says the blond receptionist behind the counter with a big smile, showing her perfect white teeth.

I didn't say anything except returning her sweet smile, nod and mouth her a thank you.

My smile quickly vanish as soon as I turn my back to her. I grip on my bag tightly, dragging my feet as fast ad I can towards the elevator as people around me take a glance up at me with their sympathetic eyes. I know my face looks so exhausted because the lack of sleep last night. And I've been sick since the date with Danny.

Quietly, alone, I start the engine, counting the time by seconds until my car's ready for the ride - something that I do whenever I am so bored. I don't really have any agenda today that could make myself rush except the concert. Yes, The Script concert. The one that Danny begged me to go. I am anxious to think of any surprises Danny has planned, but I am excited to go, at the same time. My stomach churns when I think about it.

First place I stop before I get to breakfast is a laundry shop. I get to the counter and show the receipt to the same woman I sent my clothes to three days ago. She skims through the receipt for my name, I guess, and then walks behind the store and comes back with a bag of clothes.

She sets the bag on the receptionist table. I take my chance to check the clothes inside the bag to make sure she didn't misplace my clothes and glad when I find that they're mine. I quickly mutter a thank you with my rough voice though my voice barely comes out.

"You're welcome," she says with a short laugh, but there's a concern in her eyes when she heard my voice.

I turn around and head to my car with the bag under my arm. I just put it inside my car when my phone in my jeans rings.

"Yeah," I greet the caller breathlessly. I struggle to close the boot with one hand before getting back to the driver's side with my eyes squinting under the shiny sun.

"Hey, you ... sound breathless. What were you doing? Jogging?" She asks with that usual sarcastic voice of hers that I've been missing.

I softly chuckle. A wide smile spreads across my face as my heart instantly gets happy with her always-enthusiastic mood. It's been a long time since I last talk to my best friend, Lilian. I miss her just like how I miss my family.

"No!" I deny, still laughing. "Loading my junks, just that," I tell her. My voice comes in and out from my throat, followed by cough once in while which I hate it the most. "How are you doin, Lily? Long time no hear about you. How's your Mom?" I ask, practically in one breath.

"Ew, where's your voice?" She asks in a digusted voice.

"Gone. Boom. Push," I reply, intending to make an explosive sound effect.

"You're sick!" She states angrily. I can feel her disagreeing, annoyed look because of how I rarely call her or my own parents for updates on myself. "You didn't ring me of it! Did your parents know?" She asks with worry this time.

"Yeah, I've told them," I tell her lazily.

She let out a sigh of relief. "It's good then," she mutters lowly, as if it's not meant for me.

Silence fill the air between us (though she's breathing the different air) as the environment between Lilian and I changes. The happy, blooming mood change into gloomy. It becomes tense and saddening as I try to find the perfect words to ask about Fiona, Lilian's mother.

"How's your mother?" I finally ask my friend about Fiona with the sofest voice that I doubt Lilian could hear because of my illness.

To my surprise, Lilian chuckles instead of answering my question with a sad voice. "Your voice makes me feel like I am deaf, did you know that? I have to ask you again: what was it you were asking?"

I can't help but to laugh at her statement. "It's good to know that you can still laugh even when you're kind of hectic, did you know that?" I mock her, letting my voice out as loud and I can. "I asked you about your mom's condition. How. Is. She?" I ask one by one to make it clear to her ears.

Lilian laughs, ashamed with herself. "She's stable now," Lilian answers ny question that really soothes my heart. "She's still in a coma, but she's stable. Doctor says she'll be awake like in two days or something."

"Well, let's hope the doctor's right," I say with a small encouraging smile as if Lilian is in front of me.

"Yeap, let's hope," she repeats, but her voice sounds releived.

Fiona had gone into an accident that didn't throw any of us a perfect shock. She has a high blood pressure desease and it's normal for someone who has that illness to fall anywhere, especially in the toilet. The theory was that Fiona suddenly got dizzy as soon as she stood up after washing her face at the sink so she stumbled in the toilet, slipped and hit her head hard against the toilet bowl.

After diagnosed, they found out that there was a lump of blood behind her head and Fiona's skull actually cracked so they quickly sent Fiona into a surgeon room and quickly do the operation. Everything's fine I supposed because I didn't get the chance to call Lilian to know about it and now she's stable.

Fiona is my best friend, too. She's the best second mother I've ever had and my love towards her is unconditional, as cheesy as it sounds. She and Lilian are my second family. That's how I care for her a lot. I freaked out when Mom told me that Fiona was dragged into a hospital, but as soon as I knew the reason it relieved me a little. At least, she didn't get into a ward for an unknown reason.

My train of thoughts about Fiona suddenly being cut out when I hear someone just beside my ear calls my name. I almost forgot that I am still on the phone with Lilian.

"Hey- hey, Lily, I am sorry," I mutter under my breath, embarrassed with my daydream.

"What happen, Kayla? Something bothers your mind?" Asks my best friend with worried voice. "Does it have something to do with Danny?"

I am surprised she asked that question. I see she's been very concentrating on her mother all the time that she didn't spend a time on gossip which - do I have to emphasise - it's her thing, her favourite. But whatever her reason is, I am actually glad she didn't know anything that happened between Danny and I. Or else, she would bombard me with infinity questions.

"Err," I suddenly stutter as I think of an excuse to hung up, "you know what, I have to go," I tell her. "I- I have tons of works to handle and-"

"Don't lie to me, Kayla, you're unemployed."

"You're right, but I have a lot to handle," I tell her one more time, emphasising the word handle to make her understand.

"Are you running away from me?"

"Bye, Lily," I say in my casual voice. At least I tried.

"You're so going to regret it!" Was the last word she says before I hung up the call.

________

It's late. The concert started 45 minutes ago and I just arrived. I do it on purpose, but I feel guilty for arriving here late. First, I know I let Danny down. I make him think I won't be here and he's probably under the clouds of rain while performing. Second, I am mad at myself because my favourite song might had passed and I didn't get the chance to hear it live.

I walk quickly towards the entrance - the main entrance where the fans got in and out, ignoring that Danny actually gave me a backstage pass for crews for me. I didn't try to dress myself up for the concert. I am sick. All I want to do is lay down somewhere and enjoy the comfortness of the mattress under my body. But, I didn't make myself ugly and it's a good thing, right?

The roaring cheers of the crowd can be heard even I am under the stadium. The loudness makes me think twice either to enter or not because I am afraid I couldn't handle the fangirls' screams with my head pounding.

"Kayla?" One of the guards, who stands near the entrance gate, calls me in confusion when he sees me jogging towards the gate. "What are you doing here?"

"To attend the concert, of course, what else," I say sternly. My voice still fading in and out.

The same guard that talks to me chuckles. "You're unwell."

"Just let me in," I say quickly before he could comments anything more about my condition.

"I thought Danny got you a backstage pass," he says as he looks at me over his shoulder with an eyebrow raised. He leads me towards the gate, and I have to step wider to follow his pace.

"He did," I tell him, pause as I watch him open the gate for me. "I just decide to be the fangirl this time."

The guard gives me a knowing smirk. "Have fun," he says before I enter.

I stand in front of the door astounded. I manage to keep my mouth ungape as I stare at the stadium with my eyes wide open. The crowd aren't just cheery, but they are very excited and almost crazy in my eyes. Though I know how they feel, but I still let out a chuckle behind my throat and silently shake my head.

Still standing in front of the door, I turn body, thinking if I should get back out and just wait Danny in his changing room. The stadium is so loud. The thudding drums Glen is playing almost explode my brain. The stinging sound of electric guitar Mark is playing probs my ears. I can use the reasons to tell Danny why I wasn't in the crowd, but as soon as I hear Danny's voice singing my favourite song, I know I don't want just to wait him in the changing room.

It takes me a few seconds for me to move my lips, syncing with the song. One line by one line pass and I didn't realise I've been taking one step by one step away from the door, deeper into the crowd. I didn't realise that my ears have shut the screaming noise, the loud music and only focus on Danny's melodic voice.

Of all of the things that she's ever said,
She goes and says something that just knocks me dead.

I can't help but to think of the moment Danny firmly asked me to get out of the house. It is still vividly playing in my mind - his mystic words, his unexplained reactions, his scary voice. Even now when I am happy to be here while listening to Science and Faith - miraculously playing right on time - still haunts my mind.

Then my mind drifts to his birthday party at the farm when he looked at me in the eyes in fromt of the cameras to say that he's sorry after everything and he's happy to see me there at his birthday party. And then I can't help but to think at the moment when he sent me to my hotel room after we got back from the clinic. He has been nothing but nice and sweet and caring to me like he used to.

Chorus comes. It's the favourite part in the song that makes generally sense. You can understand that part without doing a research because the meaning is obvious. I am still enjoying singing along with Danny, didn't realise that fans around me turning to me with a shocking look while they whisper to each other, while they give me a path to walk towards the nearest part to the stage.

I don't know how they recognise me in the dark, while I am covering my face with the hood over my head, and keep my head down. I keep my hand inside the pocket, though I am not cold, self-conscious with the stare around me.

Suddenly I stop walking, suddenly get dizzy and a little of enxiety attack when people keep staring at me with their eyes wide-open in shock. And then suddenly the music dies down, the crowd goes silent, too. I realise that Danny made it stop.

"Wait, I got something," I hear Danny says through the microphone. "What?" I watch him push one of the ear-piece. "K-Kayla?" He calls my name. "She's-" his voice was cut when he let his microphone away while he bends down and talks to one of the guards down the stage.

News spread so fast, aye? Though I am always surrounded by it, but I am still adjusting to it. The 'how fast news are spread,' I mean. Sometimes, it's beyond your mind how paparazzi or even the fangirls do their way to spread the news.

"Kayla, you're here?" My mind thinking about the 'how fast news are spread' was cut off when I hear Danny's voice calling my name echoing through every angle of the stadium.

I keep myself still on my spot. I am just glad that I didn't fall or stumble as I feel my knees shake.

"Kayla, if you're here, please come forward," he tells me. His eyes are searching me among the crowd though people around me have encircle me. "Kayla, please."

I want to move. I feel like my body has moved, but I am actually not. My mind made the vision of me moving, but I am actually not. I am still standing in the small circle the fans made for me. Move Kayla, I tell myself. And repeat.

Just then, I feel a hand - a feminine hand - gently push my back while saying, "Go ahead."

And that's all it takes.

I start to move. One step by one step. Though I am walking painfully slowly as if the clock has stopped ticking, but I am moving, that's what relieved me. One, two, three, I count my steps. Four, five, six, seven, I continue. Eight, nine-

"Kayla!" Danny calls me in surprise when he spots me. I jerk my head towards him, also in surprise.

I stop for a brief moment just to regain my strength back after a shock. My legs are shaking harder, the result from my fast heart beat.

I continue walking, but already forgot how many steps I've counted.

"Get her up," Danny tells the guards when I reach the fence nearby the stage.

"Are you crazy?" I shout at Danny for the stupid idea. But I doubt he heard me because of my rough voice. And because he ignores my angry face.

The guard, who stands in front of me, gives me a sad smile before he orders me to get up from the fence and jump over. He hold my waist, gentle enough so I won't fall.

"Get up," Danny asks me, well, mostly orders me. He bends down, offering his hand in front of my face to help me up. I glare at him, but he simply shrugs it off.

The guard that helped me to get by the stage stands in a position against wall of the stage. He bends one of his leg and put both of his hands on his bent thigh, with palms up. He gives me an encouraging look and nod.

I put my leg on the palms, silently apologising to the guard as I push my weight up the stage. My hands on the stage's floor, struggling pushes my body up.

"You- are- going-" I stop when I get onto a sitting position at the edge of the stage. Danny helps me stands up and I quickly let my anger out.

"You're going to regret this, Daniel!" I scold him, scowling at his face in front of everybody.

The crowd continues to keep quiet, waiting patiently for us, two little actor and actress, to start any scene Danny directs.

"What's wrong with your voice?" He asks, looking at me in concern.

"I'm-" I clear my throat. And then just shrug, give him a look.

He chuckles softly through the microphone, causing the fangirls to laugh to his small, cute laugh.

"Anyway," he raises an eyebrow, "I won't," he answers my question.

"Remember you have an explanation to make to Lilian," I remind him about my chatter-box friend.

Danny's face immediately falls into trouble.

"Glen can handle her," his face shanges into triumphant as he says through the microphone again. I am glad they didn't prepare an extra microphone anywhere around the stage.

I turn to Glen with my arms crossed across my chest. He's sitting so far behind his favourite instrument, but I bet he's blushing.

"No, you're going to explain to her." I tell him. "Now, why do you want me here?" I try to be serious.

He gives me a crooked smile, something that I know what is the smile about.

"I want you-" the expression on his face changes into a serious one, "-I want you back," he says.

The crowd begins to aww.

"You're not doing this here," I warn him through my greeted teeth, but it rather sound soft than stern as I wanted it to be.

I don't care about the crowd, but I thought Danny loves to keep everything to himself.

"I am." He nods. "I am saying it in public that I want you back. I want you back into my arms; I want you back in my house; I want you back into the band; I want you back here-" he touches his chest, where his heart is located, "-forever."

I look at his hand and then back up to meet his eyes. "I thought I am already in your heart." I look at him with an eyebrow raised. A hurt expression cross my face.

"It means home, honey," he says with the nickname through the microphone.

He leaves me speechless. He leaves me on the stage frozen. I literally becomes numb on the stage after he said that. Home. It's what he said. Home. I feel something wrong because the only home I have is my hometown yet it feels right because he is my home. His house is my home.

I continue to stare into his mesmerising, small, dark eyes and I try to make words come out from my mouth. Thousand of words are forming inside my head simultaneously that I find it hard to find which one to say first. At the end, only my tears drop.

"So what do you say?" He raises his eyebrow. "Do you accept me as your boyfriend ... again?" He asks, stretching one hand out for me to take.

I change my gaze to his hand - his perfect hand that I've missed to hold. It's hard not to take it, to be honest. Spontenously, I link our hands together, quickly mutter a yes. It barely come out. Only my mouth moves that it makes Danny laughs.

And then he kisses me. In public. At concert. Around the crowd of more then 50,000 people.

-- THE END --