We got backstage, and for a minute, no one said anything. We just stared at each other in shock.
“We killed it,” Shane said finally, breaking into the biggest smile I’d ever seen on his face. “We really did it.”
“GROUP HUG!” Madison shouted again, and we all grabbed each other and held on. I felt like I was having a weird dream. It was over? That was it? I couldn’t believe we’d gotten up there, rocked it, and now all our weeks of practice were done and we could just…well, I wasn’t sure what we could do, but my not waking up with a giant ball of panic in my stomach was certainly top of my list.
“I didn’t throw up!” I shouted, squeezing everyone extra tight. “Yeah, us! You guys were all so amazing.”
Ms. Sherf came up to us. “Listen to your fans,” she said, actually sounding excited. “Great job!”
Then she shooed us back into the audience. “Now, go sit and listen to the rest of the acts and don’t forget to applaud.”
We went back to our seats. The yellow tulips were waiting, perched on top of my jacket, and there was a yellow tulip on the chairs where Madison and Heidi had been sitting before too. Mom must have snuck them down and put them there for us.
Ethan was in the aisle too. He shoved a slightly squished red rose in a plastic wrapper into my hand. It was the most perfect flower ever.
“You were great,” he whispered.
“Is that for me?” I said, as Shane and Madison squeezed in past us. “Thank you.”
Wow.
“Sit down!” we heard someone say behind us, and Ethan and I grabbed the two seats at the end of the aisle. I held onto my flowers on my lap, the rose laying carefully on top of the bouquet of tulips. I felt like a star.
Someone behind us patted me on the shoulder and said, “Good job!”
I turned around. It was an eighth grader I didn’t know.
“Thanks,” I said, beaming.
The final act finished (“Dog Tricks with Almond and Paisley”), and then Principal Fontella was thanking everyone for coming and asking us to please be careful exiting the parking lot.
“Now what?” Tiernan said, turning to us.
“Um, now I go home and pass out for the rest of the weekend. That was intense,” Heidi said, laughing. “I’m exhausted.”
“No way, we’re doing a victory lap. Let’s hit that Halloween party,” Shane said. “My dad can give us a ride; he’s got the van he uses to load his equipment.”
“No, no, no,” Madison said. “I don’t want to hang out with Shelley and Brianna. They’ve been walking around for weeks acting like they invented costume parties. They are going to be unbearable to be around.”
“Yeah, anyway, I don’t have a costume,” Ethan said. “We should skip it.”
So it was officially official. Ethan wasn’t into Shelley. Otherwise he’d definitely want to go to her party. And he gave me a rose.
Could my night get any better?
“I think we should go too,” Tiernan said. “Shane’s right—we deserve a victory lap and it’s either that or go to the diner and order fries. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.”
“Did everyone get amnesia and forget that I told Brianna off? And that she hasn’t spoken to me since?” I said.
“I’m not going if you’re not,” Ethan said.
“I’m not going if they’re not,” Madison added.
“Come on! It’s the only after party around. We’re going. I can’t go home after a show. It’s epically lame.” Shane even added a pathetic sounding “Please? This is our big night!”
Shane never says please.
Everyone looked at me.
“Stop staring, guys!” I yelled, half laughing.
Mom and Dad and Jackson came through the crowd.
“Thanks for the flower, Mrs. Simmons,” Madison said, hugging my mom. Mom looked surprised—but in a nice way.
“Yeah, Mom, thanks,” I said. I reached over to hug her and Dad and even Jackson.
Dad wiped his eyes. Was he crying? Oh, no!
“Dad!”
“I’m fine. I seem to have come down with a slight head cold,” he said, blowing his nose on a tissue. He was lying though.
“That was amazing. The EpiPens were the best of the whole show,” Mom said. She looked proud.
“Right?” Tiernan said. “So, Nina, are you coming with us to that party?”
Mom looked at me. “Whose house? Will their parents be there?”
I shrugged. I knew Shelley must have parents, but she seemed so sophisticated I kind of imagined her living on her own, or maybe she’d hatched fully formed, or been sent by aliens to infiltrate and take over our civilization.
“My dad made me check,” Heidi said. “Shelley’s mother will be there.”
Mom looked at Dad. Dad looked at Mom. Finally, she shrugged.
“Well,” she said. “Do you want to go? We can give you a ride.”
“No, that’s okay. Shane’s dad has a van that fits everyone, right?” I looked to Shane for confirmation. “I mean, if we even decide we’re going.”
I realized, as I was talking, that maybe I did want to go. I wanted Brianna to see that I was fine. And I wasn’t afraid of what she’d say anymore.
And that way the night didn’t have to end. I was in a band that rocked and a boy that I’d liked for what felt like forever, miraculously, seemed to like me back. Who could go home after that?
“Is that okay?” I asked, looking at my parents.
“It’s fine. Call us when you want to get picked up. Before eleven thirty!”
Eleven thirty? Way to make me look cool, Mom.
But all I said was, “Got it, Mom.”
She resisted giving me a second hug. I could tell it took all her willpower though. When my parents and Jackson walked away, I heard Jackson ask, “Could I take drums too?” It was nice that he actually wanted to copy something cool I was doing instead of copying getting attention from a doctor. Hopefully he’d stop talking about weird illnesses now, although that wasn’t likely.
“So we’re doing this?” Shane said. “Awesome. Let me find my dad.”
“I’m not wearing a costume,” Ethan said. “I hate costumes.”
“It’s fine, none of us are,” Madison said.
“Yeah, but you guys look like rock stars,” said Ethan, high-fiving Tiernan.
“Well, you can tell everyone you’re dressed as a roadie, then,” I said.
Like Shelley would care what Ethan was dressed like. She’d never give him a hard time for showing up uncostume-y. I hoped Brianna wouldn’t be mad if I came. Although if she was, I’d just avoid her and hang out with the band.
“You don’t feel weird about coming with us, right, Nina?” Tiernan said, only loud enough for me to hear.
“Not at all, Tiernan. I promise.” And I meant it.