Catch My Breath (34 page)

Chapter 18

“E
L
,
YOU
’
RE
gonna be great out there,” Danny said, his voice soothing.

Elliot listened to the dull roar of the crowd on the other side of the curtains. “You don’t know that,” he groaned.

Danny rubbed his back. Webb looked around the corner, concerned. “You okay, bro?” he asked.

Elliot thought he might puke. Puking could only help, he reasoned. “Not okay. Can’t you guys just go on without me?”

“El, these people love us. They love
you
. You’ll be fine. It’s just like that radio show we did three weeks ago only a few more people.”

Elliot rolled his eyes. “There are hundreds of people out there.”

“Close to a thousand,” Webb said with a grin.

“I hate you.”

Danny’s touch helped a little though. It always did.

“You love me,” Webb informed him. “And you’re gonna love performing as soon as we get on stage.”

“Aren’t you nervous?” Elliot asked. He had no idea how Webb could look so freaking cool when he felt like he were about to tremble out of his skin.

“Of course I am. We all are. But that’s how you know you’re alive. You ready?”

Ohgodohgodohgod…. Noooo.
“We’re on?”

Just when he said that, the lights went down and the screams rose. Bile shot up in Elliot’s throat. He wasn’t gonna make it. He sprinted for the closest trash can and threw up, head down, heart racing. Danny came up behind him and petted down his back, soothing him.

I can’t do this. I can’t. A little too late for that….

“Love, you okay? You’re amazing.”

“Danny, I’m scared.”

Danny grinned. “Me too. But it feels kinda cool, doesn’t it? Those people are screaming for
us
. Let’s go out there and make them happy.”

Elliot didn’t remember walking on the stage, but he must’ve, ’cause the next thing he knew lights were on and there they were, in front of a huge black screaming mass. He couldn’t see the people beyond the spotlights, but he supposed that was a good thing. He could barely hear the intro chords for the first song on their set list over the screaming, but slowly adrenaline started to take over the fear.

I think I can do this.

T
HE
audience loved their dorky dance moves, they laughed at their jokes, screamed when Reece took his guitar and strummed the intro for “One More Time” while they all sat on stools and grinned at each other. It was perfect. Even better with Danny smiling at him from across the stage. After a few songs, he started to love it. Being on stage made him forget all the shit they’d been through for months. It was all about him and his friends together making people happy.

Elliot skipped across the stage during one of their faster songs, “Your Sun,” and even did a little jumpy twirl that wasn’t part of the choreography. Reece laughed, and Danny grinned at him like he was the best thing in the world. Elliot couldn’t help it. He saluted Danny and walked by him to tap him on the hip. Danny hip bumped him back, and his smile, if anything, widened. Elliot wasn’t sure if he was imagining it, but he thought the screams in the audience grew just that much louder. He loved it.

“Fool for Love” was scary. They saved it for last. Elliot knew it was their first and biggest single, knew it was what the audience had been waiting for, but his solo made him nervous. It was a little high, and he’d always had a hard time staying on pitch when he pushed himself to the top of his range. Plus he was alone. Elliot liked it better when he got to sing with the other boys.

When the crowd recognized the intro chords, they went wild.
Here we go.
Elliot started the song. It wasn’t his best moment, or his worst, and the crowd cheered and sang along with him so loud, he wasn’t even sure if they heard him. And then it was his turn to sing with Danny and they did their little dance move toward each other on the stage. Instead of just high-fiving and going their separate ways like planned, Danny slung an arm around Elliot’s shoulder and winked at him. They finished their part linked together and grinning at each other like fools. It was perfect. When they had to separate to give the stage to Webb, Elliot let his hand drag down Danny’s arm until their fingers dropped apart. Then he chuckled and moved away.

There really was no way around it. He and Danny were
flirting
onstage. But the audience seemed to eat it up. They cheered and laughed when Reece flung his arms around Tate and gave him a loud smacking kiss on the cheek, laughed even harder when Webb feigned jealousy until Reece came over and kissed his cheek as well. When Static took their final bows, the screams were deafening. The boys hugged, one huge five-part hug, and waved to their audience as they jogged off the stage.

They’d done it.

“Holy fuck! That was amazing!” Reece crowed. And then he saw Elliot’s mom standing in the wings waiting to congratulate them. “Oh, Jesus. Mrs. Price. I’m sorry!”

Elliot’s mom laughed and opened her arms to hug Reece, then Webb and Tate as they came off the stage. She saved her longest hug for Elliot, who was still buzzing on the highest high from the show.

“You were wonderful, darling.”

His face split apart in another huge grin. “Yeah?”

“You know you were.” Danny came up and put his arm on Elliot’s sweaty back. “Hi, Anna.”

“You were wonderful too, sweetheart. Come here.” Anna had become Danny’s surrogate mother sometime over the past year. Elliot was more than happy to share. The three of them hugged, and Danny pressed one bashful kiss to Elliot’s lips before he turned to follow the other three.

“I’m gonna go change. See you back there?”

Elliot nodded. He hugged his mother again. The hug was about more than the concert. It was the high of performing, yes, but also everything else. He’d
missed
his mom with everything that was going on. She knew the womanizing rumors weren’t true, and about the Danny and Chelsea charade—and wow, she’d really hated that—but she didn’t know exactly how hard things had gotten for him. He didn’t want her to worry.

“How are you, El. Really?”

Elliot smiled. “Better. Things have been good lately. I really like performing. I’m looking forward to this summer.”

“I can’t believe that was my little boy up there. You’ve gotten so confident. I barely recognize you.”

Elliot laughed. “I’m pretty sure I’ve changed a lot less than you think. I puked before I went on stage.”

His mother shook her head. “Maybe it’ll be easier next time.” She cupped his cheek. “I just wanted to come back and congratulate you, love. I’m going to go find your father and let you get changed.”

“Are you coming to the party?”

She nodded. “Of course.”

StaticBand @Official_Static

Thanks to the fans for making our first concert great!!! Big Love <3

Maya J @ReecesPiece

OMG!! Last night was amaaaazziiinngggg!!! I <3 Static 5evah. Plz follow back @SouthernBoyReece

Cara D @Dellyisreallove

Did you buy tickets @Ellysbaby @Rateisgreat?? @DannyBoy94 and @EPriceisRight were adorbs on stage. Flirty flirty pants :) #TeamDelly

Staticgrl4life @Ellysbaby

@Dellyisreallove Yessssssss!!!! July 17th baby!! I’m so excited!!!!! #TeamDelly

#StaticFTW

StaticFan#1 @Rateisgreat

@Dellyisreallove @Ellysbaby Me too!!! I can’t effing wait. Ten days for me!! <3 #TeamDelly #StaticFTW

Alyssa Jones @ILuvStatic

@Dellyisreallove @Ellysbaby I was there last night too!! I never got it until I saw them together. They are SO omg in love!! #TeamDelly

T
HEY
’
D
just gotten on the tour bus to San Francisco when the call came. All of the boys were still riding the high of their first concert and already getting nervous for their second. Danny had curled into his bunk to do some reading and had been listening to Webb and Tate fight over the TV remote when his phone buzzed against his thigh.

“Rebecca? What’s up?” Danny asked.

“I saw the footage from last night’s concert. You boys were great!”

“Thanks.” Danny still liked Rebecca for the most part, but he was wary of her. Her phone calls rarely brought good news. “Hey, I was about to take a nap, was there something?”

“Just….”

“This is about Elliot and me again, isn’t it? What did we do this time?”

Rebecca sighed audibly. “You boys were wonderful on stage, entertaining. The fans loved the return of the bromances, we just need to watch it a little. And no more retweeting those girls when they take it too far. You’re encouraging them.”

“Rebecca, I swear sometimes you believe your own propaganda. They’re not taking the ‘bromance’ joke too far. They’re
right
. El and I
are
together. Besides, the other three retweet jokes about their love affairs with each other.”

“Of course they do,” Rebecca said. “But that’s the thing. With the other boys, they’re just jokes and everyone knows that. With you two there will always be that question of whether or not it’s for real. We don’t want that. Just… keep it to a certain level, okay? Last night was great. More would be too much.”

“Fine. Can I go to sleep now?”

“Yes. I’ll see you in Portland.”

“You’re coming to Portland?” Most of their team was already with them, from Peter to their stylist Brenna, the makeup artists, the backup band and security guards who’d become more like friends than employees. He didn’t see a point in adding Rebecca. “Is Leslie coming as well so she can confiscate the phones of anyone who might post a picture of Elliot and me online?”

“She’ll be in and out.” Apparently, Rebecca didn’t feel like arguing anymore. “Go to sleep, Danny. I’ll see you in a few days.”

Danny hung up and flopped back on the small, cramped bunk. He didn’t realize until Elliot curled around him that he was even there. “What was that all about?”

“Us keeping a lid on the stage gay. Some is fun, too much is obvious.”

Elliot snorted. “I thought even us playing soccer in the park was obvious? What’s the point of trying to hide it?” He kissed Danny’s neck and ran his hand up under Danny’s shirt. “Besides, if we act all awkward and stiff on stage, the fans will know. And for us, not touching will make shit awkward.”

“I know.”

Elliot slid his thigh between Danny’s and tightened his grip around Danny’s middle. Danny loved how secure with them Elliot had been lately. It was like some invisible corner had been turned. He wasn’t sweet, shy, unsure Elliot from the beginning, or new to romance Elliot who didn’t know how to be with someone, or even the sad and jealous Elliot he’d been since Christmas. He was new, and sexy, and every day he looked more and more gorgeous. Danny reached up and tugged on one of the curls he loved so much. They’d gotten long, the weight pulling them out into waves that slid off to the side of Elliot’s face and framed his ridiculously huge eyes.

“What?” Elliot asked.

“Nothing. You’re hot. I just like to look at you,” Danny said quietly with a grin.

“You’re hot too,” Elliot whispered. “I like to do more than look.”

“Don’t even think about it!” Reece called from the couch at the other end of the bus. He’d been laughing at Tate and Webb’s argument, but he clearly had Spidey senses if he’d just heard that.

Elliot and Danny burst into laughter. “We’re not,” Elliot called out. “Just taking a nap.”

“That better be the kind of taking a nap that doesn’t have air quotations around it.”

“Sleeping only,” Danny assured him. “Unfortunately,” he mumbled under his breath.

Elliot pulled the curtain to the bunk closed. “I think there can be a
little
bit of kissing.”

Danny nodded. “Shhhhh.”

S
AN
F
RANCISCO
was fun, Portland and Seattle even more fun. By the time they caught a plane to Miami to start the East Coast leg of their tour, the guys had their stage show down. The nerves still fluttered before they ran onstage, but Danny figured that’s how they knew they were alive, and by the time the first song was over, they’d always caught their stride. Every night, they added more jokes, let more of their personalities out on stage. The fans loved it. They loved it. It was quite possibly the happiest Danny had ever been.