The second set of doors were closed and security stood watch in a black suit and an earpiece.
“Bossman’s here,” the man announced.
Demi nodded, and Charlie was clueless.
“Everything is yours, Charlie. The whole damn world if you want it,” Demi whispered in her ear.
She frowned and smiled at the same time, confused at his sudden salutation of his love for her. “What’s going on, Demi?”
Before he could respond, the security guard pushed open the door.
“SURPRISE!”
The crowd scared Charlie so bad she jumped out of her skin. She turned back to Demi instantly; her overwhelm forcing her to tears or happiness as she hid her face in his chest. The sound of her album playing in the background made her look up at him in awe.
“Is that me?” She asked, her wet cheeks beaming as a smile illuminated her face.
“That’s you,” Demi answered. “Let the people love you.”
She didn’t want to. She wanted to stay facing him. His embrace was a safe space. Nobody would appreciate her music like him. No one would appreciate her like him.
“I don’t need them. It’s you for me, Demitrius,” she said.
They were in their own world as he reached down, gripping her ass as he snatched her closer to kiss her.
The catcalls, whistles, and boisterous cheers of the people watching made her laugh before she finally turned to them.
“Yo, yo, yo.” Day’s baritone hushed the crowd and pulled Charlie’s attention to the stage.
“I know this is not what you expected, Charlie, but ya boy is proud of you. You been grinding in the studio, it’s time to step out from beneath them covers. They made you viral, your music, the shit we sat in them sessions for hours writing, and recording will make you famous. This party is for you. The Dynasty family is proud of you. You deserve this, sis. Come up here and say a little sum’n for the people.” Day was like a proud big brother. Besides Demi, she had spent the most time with him over thepast year. Studio sessions lasted days sometimes, and he was so musically inclined with her that it didn’t even feel like work. He was a great producer and even colder rapper, and after all the time they had spent together, she would call him a friend. Demi’s brother from another mother, it was only right that she trusted him with her art.
“Get up there, baby,” Demi whispered in her ear.
She blew out a nervous breath and then slowly made her way to the stage. She passed Stassi on the way and stopped to hug her. “I’m so nervous.”
“You’ve got this,” Stassi told her.
Day reached his hand down to help Charlie up the steps and then took a few steps away from the mic as she stepped up to it.
“I can’t even believe I’m standing here right now,” Charlie said. Her first single played softly in the background, and she put her hands over her mouth in disbelief. “Like, that’s me.”
Charlie charmed the crowd with her humility alone. They laughed with her, cheering her on as she snapped her fingers and began grooving to her track.
“Thank you to everyone who showed up tonight. You didn’t have to. I’m sure you have better things to do than to come out and support me, but here you are. I’m so nervous,” Charlie whispered. “I can’t believe you set me up like this.”
Those last words were for Demi, and her eyes sparkled as she looked at him.
“Sing to me, Bird.”
Every woman in the room swooned as they witnessed a love story right before their eyes.
Day signaled for the DJ to restart the track, and then he stepped up to Charlie to whisper in her ear.
“The people in this room can make or break your whole career with one review. Put your fucking soul in this shit, sis. This ya shot. Don’t miss.”
She nodded. In her feelings, nerves ate her alive as she stood there. She was trembling and wondered if everyone noticed, but as soon as she opened her mouth, it all went away. The room stilled when Charlie sang.
When her song faded, Charlie kept singing, belting the love song like her life depended on it. Acapella. Pure talent. The crowd ate her up.
