As Charlie and Richelle retreated to a quieter corner, away from the mesmerized crowd, a nervous energy filled the air. The lights dimmed slightly, and the soft murmur of the audience created a cocoon of privacy around them.
"Fred, you've just given a remarkable performance," Richelle began, her voice filled with warmth and genuine admiration. "That song you sang, it was so beautiful. I can't help but wonder, was it about someone you know , someone that matches the lyrics of the song."
Charlie hesitated, his eyes meeting Richelle's with an earnest sincerity. "Richelle, I can't deny that meeting you today has been a truly special moment in my life, and that song was inspired by someone really dear to my heart. But it's not just about that person; it's about the essence of inspiration and the magic that moments like this create. I wanted to convey the feeling of meeting someone extraordinary and finding the courage to share my passion. It's about my special person, it's about Chloe, it's about all of those that help he get here."
Richelle nodded, her eyes glistening with understanding. "I appreciate your honesty, Fred. You have a unique way of touching people's hearts through your music. You're incredibly talented."
Charlie's heart swelled with gratitude. "Thank you, uh.....Richelle. I'm truly honored to have met you and your family today."
As they continued their conversation, back on the stage, the audience's excitement reached a fever pitch. The spotlight was now on a musician known as Steve, and they were eager to hear more. They anticipated for an even more spectacular performance than Chug's.
As Steve took the stage, the audience's excitement reached its zenith, anticipation stirring as they hoped for a captivating performance to surpass Chug's. Spotlights illuminated Steve as he walked up to the stage, the audience buzzing with expectation.
Upon hearing Steve's name, Charlie turned to Richelle, his curiosity piqued. "Steve?"
Richelle noticed his sudden interest and asked, "What's wrong?"
Charlie hesitated before responding, "Nothing, just a friend that I remembered."
Steve reached the stage and snatched the microphone from Richard King's hand, shock rippled through the audience. His abrupt behavior left them baffled, and they watched in anticipation of what he would deliver.
Steve introduced himself and began to sing. The audience's initial excitement turned to disappointment as the opening notes of his song grated on their ears. It was the polar opposite of Chug's mesmerizing performance. There was no melody, no rhythm, no vocal control, and certainly no pitch. Steve's amateurish delivery left the audience bewildered, and his voice wavered through the notes, seemingly without direction.
Dissatisfied grunts, shouts, and booing erupted from the crowd as Steve finished his performance. Charlie couldn't help but smile beneath the mask, recognizing that Steve's voice had become even more grating than he remembered. His lackluster performance made it abundantly clear that he had no place on the same stage as Chug.
Madam Gizel, who stood at a corner, watched her son's embarrassing display with a deep frown. She grumbled, "Look, he can't do anything right." Her frustration and disappointment were evident.
Charlie and Chloe, who had witnessed this spectacle from their vantage point, couldn't contain their laughter. Steve's performance had turned into a comedic interlude, and they laughed.
After Steve's woeful performance, Richard King returned to the stage. He was supposed to sing one of his songs, but he couldn't resist a playful jab at the prior act. "Well, what should I say here? That was quite a performance," he quipped, earning laughter and applause from the entertained crowd.
However, Madam Gizel's anger was palpable, and she seized Steve's hand, leading him out of the venue. Her disappointment in her son was evident, and she couldn't hold back her frustration. "After all the training you had from me?" she lamented.
Steve, still seething from his mother's expectations, retorted, "Oh, you mean the one you *forced* me to go through?"
Madam Gizel tried to justify her actions. "But it's for your own good."
Steve's patience had worn thin. "For my own good? Really, I don't think you care about my good."
She gasped, hurt by his words. "Don't say that, Steve. I care about you more than you know."
"No, you don't. I never wanted to do this thing anyway, but no, who am I to deny your selfish needs? I'm your son, aren't I?" Steve's frustration boiled over.
Madam Gizel attempted to defend herself, "No..."
But Steve interrupted her, his anger uncontainable. "All you ever want me to be is like Charlie, like he's some kind of enemy. He's supposed to be my brother. But no, because of your jealousy, he has to be my enemy. He's his own person, and I'm my own person. No matter how hard I try, I can't be like him. I have dreams, Mom, and I need to try and fulfill them instead of trying to fit into somebody else's shoes."
These words stung Madam Gizel deeply, and she retorted, "Fine, then. Fine, if you want to side with him, fine. That's what I get for trying to be a good mother."
Steve remained resolute, unwilling to yield. "No, Mom, you're not a good mother. A good mother wouldn't have one son do all the work while the other does nothing but follow you around and play video games. She doesn't force one son to be like the other. She doesn't make one son lock the other in a dark room just for her selfish gains."
Madam Gizel was outraged by Steve's boldness. "He's not my son and he'll never be!! . If you care so much, why don't you go home and unlock the door for him? At least that would make you feel better."
Steve didn't hesitate. "Watch me." With that, he climbed into a car that had arrived to pick him up. As the vehicle pulled away, he felt a mixture of relief and apprehension. He had finally stood up to his mother.
As Steve's ride pulled away from the venue, Madam Gizel quickly hailed a cab and instructed the driver to follow the vehicle that Steve was.
Back inside the venue, the atmosphere had transformed. Richard King had taken the stage and the hall turned into a lively dance floor. Couples swayed to the music, and everywhere Charlie and Richelle looked, they saw people lost in the rhythm of the moment.
Charlie suddenly realized that he had left Chloe waiting for too long, and he didn't want her to think he was ditching her f or Richelle. He leaned over to Richelle and said, "Hey, let's go find Chloe before she starts to think I'm ditching her for a girl I just met today."
They both Richelle let out a smile and made their way to the spot where they had initially left Chloe. To Charlie's shock, he found Chloe dancing with Ryan, leaning on his chest as if they were a couple. A surge of jealousy and anger rushed through him, and without thinking, he strode over to them and pulled Chloe away from Ryan.
"Come on, let's go. It's already late," he said with a mix of irritation and concern.
Chloe, momentarily disoriented, looked at the big clock on the stage. It read 12:24, and the realization hit her that they needed
leave soon. She turned around and kissed Ryan on the cheek. "I'm sorry, I have to leave. We'll talk later."
Ryan was left baffled by the sudden turn of events, and Richelle and Charlie wore similar expressions of surprise. Chloe held Charlie's hand and said, "Fred, let's go. We don't have much time."
As they rushed out of the venue, Charlie had a sudden realization. "I have to give her something to make her find me easily." The idea struck him like lightning. He quickly separated the magnetic necklaces he was wearing he held one in his hand, and wore the other around his neck before he ran back into the venue.
Battling through the lively crowd, he eventually stumbled upon Richelle and handed her the necklace. "Find me. I'm right here," he repeated before running back outside. The Limousine was waiting, and they quickly boarded, instructing the driver to hurry. Upon hearing their urgency, the driver pressed a mysterious button, and the Limousine transformed into a sleek Bugatti Chiron, speeding away.
Back in the venue, Richelle was left puzzled by Chug's words. She now held a piece of the necklace and wondered what he meant by, "Find me. I'm right here." Meanwhile, Ryan couldn't get Chloe's peck out of his mind, and a series of thoughts swirled in his head.