Page 76 of Falling for Nicole
The longer we sit chatting, the more I feel Nicole relax, and I know it’s the right time. She’s had another two glasses of prosecco. It’s now or never.
Excusing myself from the table, I head towards the toilets. I make a little detour on the way back when I see she’s engrossed in conversation. I’d already put Nicole’s name down to sing tonight, but I didn’t give a time.
I hear her name announced, but because she’s not expecting it, she’s not listening. The room quietens as everyone waits to see who’s next.
“Nicole? Don’t be shy, you’re up next,” the man with the microphone says.
Her back stiffens the second reality hits, and she turns to me. I get a death stare I’ve never experienced before. I start to think maybe I’ve read this all wrong. Is her fear greater than I thought?
“I dare you,” I mouth, and her eyes narrow to slits.
“I hate you,” she announces, getting the attention of the rest of the group, who’re oblivious to what’s going on.
“She loves me really,” I say with a laugh.
“No. No, I really hate you right now.” If all the words weren’t slurred, I might have believed her, but she’s more up for this than she lets on. She might not be as drunk as she was at my house that night, but she’s so ready to get up on stage.
She gives it a few seconds to compose herself before she stands and smooths down the front of her dress.
“Woohoo, go Nicole,” Lilly sings. She’s almost as drunk, which is unusual for my sister.
I can see the mask Nicole pulls on, but pride swells in my belly as I watch her approach the stage. She chats with the guy for a few seconds, I guess telling him what’s she’s going to sing before she stands at the mic.
I hardly ever get nervous, but as I wait for her to do something, butterflies start up in my belly. My palms start sweating, and I’m on the verge of getting up and going to her when she closes her eyes and nods for the music to start.
My heart soars when I hear the first note of her voice. Everything around me disappears as I watch her, utterly enthralled by how incredible she is. She looks totally at home up there. Her voice is perfect; no one else in this room would have any clue about how nervous she is right now.
The first song she sings completely passes me by—I’m too enthralled watching her to notice. But I do notice when the song changes and Miley Cyrus’7 Thingsstarts blasting through the speakers. As I focus on her words, I realise they’re different. Instead of the original lyrics, Nicole is singing something very different, yet something very familiar. She’s singing about us. The second she starts on the chorus, I burst out laughing as she tells me everything she hates about me. Her eyes open for the first time and she focuses only on me. I feel everyone at our table turn to stare at me, and when I glance over at them, they all look bemused. Everyone apart from Lilly, of course—she understands every single one of Nicole’s words almost as much as I do.
The cheer that goes up around the room when the song comes to an end is incredible. I’m not sure if it’s just for Nicole’s impeccable voice or the fact she clearly has a hidden talent, but the noise is deafening.
She stares down at me with excitement in her eyes, and I know for a fact that no one is getting her off that stage tonight. She chats amicably to the guy in charge of the music before another song starts, then another and another. Each and every song has me laughing because they have a theme.I Hate You, I Love Youby I’ll Cheat You Nash,I Knew You Were Troubleby Taylor Swift, and of courseHate That I Love Youby Rihanna.
Someone else eventually kicks her off the stage. As she bounces back towards us, she’s totally buzzing. The excitement in her eyes is infectious, and everyone starts talking about what they want to sing. That is, everyone apart from me. I may have organised tonight to get Nicole up in front of a crowd, but there’s no fucking way I’m going to be doing the same. I’ve got a reputation around here, and making a fool out of myself singing karaoke is not part of it.
I can’t hide the shock on my face when Nicole gets up again and Lucas follows her. I swear I have to pick my chin up off the floor. He always comes across as a serious businessman; I never in a million years would have thought I’d be sat here watching him perform Tinie Tempah’sNot Letting Goalongside Nicole as Jess Glynne. I’m even more shocked when he’s actually pretty good. Looking over at Lilly, I don’t see the same shock, but she does have a look on her face that hints towards him having a good night. The thought turns my stomach.
Liv has her moment in the spotlight, followed by BJ and Liam, who butcherTributeby Tenacious D. It’s so bad it’s almost good.
I know exactly what’s coming next from the looks on everyone’s faces. “No fucking way,” I argue.
“Nope, you don’t get to drag me here against my will, make me sing and get away with it yourself. Everyone else has done it. Even Lucas,” Nicole says, clearly as amazed by that performance as me.
“You need a push in the right direction.”
“I don’t need pushing anywhere.”
“You really think you’re getting away with this, don’t you?” Lilly asks, amusement filling her features.
“Yes. I know for a fact I’m not getting up on that stage.”
