[center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/qGl1rmv.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/x08pUeR.png[/img] [/center] [hr][hr] [center][h3][b][color=lightgray]“One more song! One more song! One more song!”[/color][/b][/h3][/center] [indent][color=lightgray] The crowd’s chant gave her such a rush, and as Charlotte looked between her fellow band-mates a smile spread across her face. Her eyes flicked between Ben Miller, their vocalist; Stefan Beaumont, their drummer; Joaquin Hernandez, her partner in crime and secondary guitarist; and then finally Damian Smith, their bassist. In that moment it was as if they all shared a collective brain, further reinforced by the fact that their drummer began playing the rhythm of the exact song Charlotte had been thinking of starting. A song that truly fit the mood of the amazing day that it had already been, and that it was going to be when she arrived at the reunion. One More Time. This feeling never got old. From the days she had toured with Bring Me the Horizon all the way through to today, seeing the crowd absolutely enthralled with their music was nothing short of intoxicating. The feeling was only ever dwarfed by the demand for just one more taste of the music before the show came to a close. Charlotte looked out across the crowd of almost 20,000 people that stood before them, cheering them on. Then, as if an automatic response, her fingers began to strum the opening notes of [url=https://youtu.be/QixAGbll8j8?si=88oq1wSmWRqQeKkJ]One More Time[/url] when the drummer stopped the beat. For those brief moments, only the sound of those notes was heard in the Kaseya Center as the crowd went silent. And then as if on command, the crowd went wild as the remaining members of the band took up their roles once more following Charlotte’s lead. The characteristic fast-paced kick-drum beats, upbeat vocals and heavy guitar riffs once again filled the stadium through enormous speakers that flanked the band on all sides. [/color][/indent] [center][color=DARKTURQUOISE][i][b] Sometimes you gotta go down swinging Get up, get up feel the kick drum beating One more time One more time, tonight Sometimes you gotta fight that feeling Get up, get up feel your heart still beating One more time One more time, tonight [/b][/i][/color][/center] [indent][color=lightgray] Charlotte’s fingers flew a cross the fret-board of her guitar with the precision of a military sniper and the speed of a first-time meth-user, now playing face to face with Joaquin as they entered the chorus. The two of them matched each other’s energy, staring each other in the eyes with shit-eating grins on their faces as they mouthed the words to the band’s favorite song to play. As the song came to the bridge before the last chorus, Charlotte paced up to the very edge of the stage playing directly to all of the cheering fans in the front row, singing harmony into the tiny headset as she did. [/color][/indent] [center][color=DARKTURQUOISE][i][b] I don't wanna feel down down down When nobody's around round round I don't wanna feel down down down When nobody's around [/b][/i][/color][/center] [indent][color=lightgray] For the final chorus she moved alongside their vocalist and once again sang in harmony as her heavy guitar notes rang out across the crowd. As the final lyrics came to end she jumped up onto the speakers in front of them, hanging precariously off of the edge of the stage as she played the final notes of the song. Her right hand picked the strings effortlessly as she closed her eyes. A brief silence fell over the stadium as the song ended, before the roar of the crowd’s cheering returned once more. [/color][/indent] [center][h3][color=DARKTURQUOISE]“THANK YOU, MIAMI!!!”[/color][/h3][/center] [indent][color=lightgray] Ben Miller’s voice rang out over the crowd’s cheer as Charlotte removed the guitar-strap from her neck and rested the instrument on its stand. Her heart pounded in her chest as she paced to the front of the stage, sweat running down her forehead. She ran a hand through her hair before calling out across the crowd once more. [/color][/indent] [center][h3][color=DARKTURQUOISE] “THIS WAS THE PERFECT END TO OUR INTERNATIONAL TOUR, RIGHT AT HOME!” [/color][/h3][/center] [hr]   [indent][color=lightgray] An hour later, the red-head flew down the interstate on her Yamaha R6 sport-bike. They had finished a bit later than she had expected and Charlotte was now a fair bit behind schedule. In the short time since the end of the show, she had managed the time for a very brief shower and redoing of her makeup, before grabbing the bag she had pre-packed and rushing out the door once again. Donning her favorite white jeans, a matching white crop top and a white and red leather jacket overtop, she almost matched her bike’s color scheme perfectly. All be design of course. A light ringtone rang through her helmet, answered with the tap of her finger on the Bluetooth module on the side of her helmet. [/color][/indent] [color=DarkTurquoise][b]“Hey Dad, what’s up?”[/b][/color] [b]“Hey honey, just wanted to congratulate you on yet another incredible tour! I was able to catch the last 20 minutes or so after finishing up at the studio and once again you nailed it. The sound techs also did yet another fantastic job with your audio, you could really feel the kick drums.”[/b] [indent][color=lightgray] In the background, Charlotte’s mother could faintly be heard yelling out a congratulations.[/color][/indent] [color=DarkTurquoise][b]“Thanks dad—and thank mom for me, I heard that!”[/b][/color] Charlotte stifled a laugh. [b]“Anyways, I know you’re occupied for the next little bit. Have fun and we’ll see you around the studio to start working on that next album. Love you kiddo.”[/b] [color=DarkTurquoise][b]“Love you too guys.”[/b][/color] Charlotte smiled under her helmet before hanging up the call. [indent][color=lightgray] Charlotte mulled in the comfort of her parents’ words for a moment, smile still ever present on her face. [/color][/indent] [color=DarkTurquoise][b]“Hey Siri, play [url=https://youtu.be/asSnpF6vJAI?si=1MIBgDPZ_BruiwdN]Running Miles by Hippie Sabotage[/url].”[/b][/color] [indent][color=lightgray] Charlotte backed off the throttle as the calm song began playing through her helmet speakers, enjoying the evening sun as she cruised down the interstate towards Miami harbor. The warm breeze blew across her sending a subtle chill up her spine. The polarity of her evening began to dawn on her now, going from a high-octane performance in downtown Miami to a calm, gentle cruise where she felt completely at ease. Charlotte felt like a different person off-stage, but not in a bad way. It was almost like living two different lives. Being famous enough to have recognizable face on stage, but being also being able to change clothes and makeup before disappearing into the background. Sure, a few superfans had seen past her guise in the past, but it had been many years since the media had followed her around. As she left the interstate, [i][url=https://youtu.be/FLE7AhTkbrs?si=kAYY_NfKCgM-83f3]Safe with Me[/url][/i] began playing and she couldn’t help playing a gentle air guitar with her right hand as she guided the motorcycle with her left. The harbor quickly approached, the backdrop a beautiful scarlet sky with some easy-going clouds to provide a bit of drama. The perfect night, truly. She pulled her bike in next to an unfamiliar F-150 before dismounting and removing her helmet, taking a moment to straighten her hair in the truck’s side mirrors before removing her jacket. After all was packed into her bag—and her helmet ever-present under her arm, she walked out onto the dock to the only boat that could possibly be [i]The Thousand Sunny.[/i] A deep breath and a minor heart flutter, Charlotte’s nervousness about this reunion suddenly reared its head. All she’d hoped was that at least Beckett would be present. Barring that, she had brought her Les Paul guitar and a mini-amp through some precarious packing on her bike. Then maybe she could provide some vibey tunes and give her ex-classmates a new impression of her. Another woman had beat her to the ship, it seemed, as Charlotte paced up behind Priscilla. Something was familiar about her face, but more as a deja-vu type feeling. A stranger met in passing many years prior, kind of feeling. She paced up next to Pris, placing her bag, guitar, and helmet down on the dock before staring out to the water. [/color][/indent] [color=DarkTurquoise][b]“I feel like I’ve met you before, but my brain’s giving me some mixed signals about that thought. Are you here for the King’s reunion?”[/b][/color] [hr][hr]