Chapter 2

I have finished yet another spectacular show and the crowd loves me. I can hear them chanting my name as they want me to come out again. I want to come out again. I would love to stay on the stage for the rest of my life but my body can only take so much at a time.

I know that we have a song prepared as an encore and everyone is waiting for me to say whether we should do the song or not. I struggle to breathe as we just did a very intense dance but I breathe a bit of oxygen in and hear the crowd, and I know that I need to get out there.

They put on some final touches on my makeup and they comb my hair again. I get into a new outfit then I am ready. I take a deep breath and I nod my head as I step out onto the stage. The crowd goes wild and I can feel my heart filling with their praises. They make me feel like I want to do what I do and I never want to stop.

Then I start to sing but this time it is a slower song. There isn't a lot of dancing involved because I am afraid I might not be able to keep up with it. The amount of adrenaline running through my being when I perform completely destroys my body when I rest afterward. But I do not show the crowd any of that.

I keep on performing. I keep on smiling and I keep on dancing. They paid a lot of money to see me and I'm not about to disappoint them. I quickly make my way back to that woman that caught my eye earlier on but to my disappointment, she is gone.

Suddenly, I start to wonder whether Bruno has got hold of her to see me after the show or was he too late. I will be very disappointed as I really want to see this woman. I continue to sing and wave to my fans and I am happy that they are happy.

Finally, I take my final bow and the crowd never stops cheering. But this time when I enter that backstage I fall to the floor. My body just can not take it anymore. Immediately there is a lot of people around me helping me up and putting wet towels on me. Oxygen is not too far away either but I just lay down on the floor.

I have a big grin on my face and then I hear my manager say.

"You did good Jake, you did really good"

Those are the words that I am looking for. I want to know if I did what they expected from me. I want to know if I am worth their time and I'm happy to hear that I was. But there is something else on my mind tonight.

The face of that woman doesn't seem to leave my thoughts. I turn to my manager and say.

"Where is Bruno? I need to talk to him"

"Sure, buddy. I'll go get him"

I lay back down again and just try and breathe as normally as possible. It does not take long when Bruno is right next to me. I pull him closer and then I say.

"Did you get her? Did you get that woman?"

"I got her, sir"

I smile as I fall back down again and then I say.

"Great. Well done. Tell her I'll be with her in half an hour. Thank you"

I'm usually not this happy to have a date with a fan but for some reason, this woman is drawing my attention and I can not wait. I open my eyes and I look at the people around me, then I say.

"You guys have to help me look presentable again, please"

Everyone is very willing to help me up and try to make me look good again. I have no energy left in my body but I want to go and see that woman now. I need to find out why I feel the way that I do about her. I need to get a date with her.

Finally, I am up again and even though I do not feel a hundred percent I look like a million bucks. They give me a mirror and I am happy with what I see. My intense blue eyes and my snowy white hair works perfectly with my black and gold suit that I have on. I make my way back to the waiting room and when I open the door my heart starts to race.

I know that I am sometimes nervous before I get onto the stage but this time it is even worse. I do not understand what kind of hold she has on me but when I open the door she sits there in a beautiful white dress. She is not even bothered with whoever opens the door as she is busy with the straps of her golden shoes.

Then I clear my throat to get her attention and she looks at me with those hypnotizing green eyes. She gives me that smile that I looked at all night and I struggle to walk without stumbling.

"Thank you for coming backstage"

She's not freaking out like every other fan and she holds herself perfectly. Then she stands up and sticks out her hand so that I can give her a handshake. All I know is that I need to get to know this woman. I reach for her hand and while we shake hands, she says.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Jake, my name is Madeline"

I kiss her hand and then I say.

"The pleasure is all mine"

I am so completely captivated by her that I do not even know what to say. As I am stumbling through my thoughts she gives me a smile and lifts her eyebrow then she says.

"Were you going to ask me on a date?"

How did she know I'm going to do that and yes I am not going to let her slip through my fingers.

"I am glad you brought that up because yes, I would like to ask you out for dinner tomorrow night if you are available?"

She walks even closer to me and then I can smell her scent. Her scent completely devours me and I can not seem to break eye contact with her. Then she says while her mouth is next to my ear in a whisper.

"I would love to"

I can feel my knees are actually growing weaker not just because I am exhausted but because she has me wrapped around her finger. I clear my throat again trying to get some sort of normality back and then I say.

"Good. I mean that is good news. Can you please just leave your address with Bruno and he will pick you up?"

I start to stumble backward because I know that I should get out of this room. If I spend any more time with her I might never leave.

She just stands there in complete control, unaffected, and then she says.

"Sure. It was nice to meet you, Jake"

"Yeah, same here"

I open the door behind my back and then make sure to close it. I walk back to my room and then close the door behind me. This is the only place where I can be alone for a minute behind the stage and so I slide down the door as I have closed it.

"What was that?!"

It was as if I was hypnotized and not even in control of my own actions but for some reason, I want more of that. It is as if I have used the drug and I can not get rid of the addiction. I have never met anyone like her in my life before and I know that tomorrow night will be unforgettable.

There is a knock on my door and I almost jumped as I am so busy in my thoughts that reality sort of escaped me.

"Yeah?"

"The car is ready when you are, sir"

Maybe if I get a good night's sleep I'll feel better tomorrow and she will not consume my thoughts like this.

"I will be right there. Thank you"

I get all my things together and then make my way to the car. I need to get into my bed and just forget about her for a little bit. I know that it is not good for me to think about her the entire time as every thought is consumed by her.

After doing all the things that I need to do I get into my bed, completely exhausted. I know that I will sleep so well tonight. As my head hits the pillow and my eyes fall close, all I can see is Madeline. It is as if she is right here next to me and I can touch her and feel her.

But as soon as I reach for her. She is gone like mist before the sun. I open my eyes wide, breathing rapidly and I know that tonight I will probably not get any sleep for she has completely absorbed me.