Back to me

Jade's voice soared through the nightclub , the crowd’s energy fueling her performance like wildfire. She was in love with the crowd , she loved her fans, and she felt so alive . Music meant everything to her , she was on fire , her soulful melodies captivating everybody in the room . As she belted out the final notes of her set, the audience erupted into applause cheering and urging for more . Backstage , Jade beamed with pride. Her eyes were full of excitement. She always looked forward to this moment, she had made it she was finally getting the recognition she wanted and felt she deserved. Micheal , her boyfriend and collaborator , handed her a glass of champagne. He looked proud he had this expression on his face , and then he pulled her in for a hug. “ You were amazing , baby, “ he whispered , his voice husky in her ear. She adored him so much. “ I’m so proud of you.” Jade’s heart swelled with love for him. She had met Micheal in music school , and he had been her rock, her partner, and her best friend. She loved him so much and had complete faith and trust in him. Together, they worked tirelessly to make their dreams come true . As they made their way through the crowd , Jade’s eyes met with Erica’s. She was a rival artist who had been trying to outdo her for years. She stole her idea of a song some time back which left Jade in a state of confusion she wondered how she had gotten a hold of it. She later blamed it on her not being careful or something . Erica’s gaze was cold, her smile was weird, but Jade didn’t pay much attention to he , she wasn’t going to allow Erica to ruin her night. Jade just smiled sweetly, feeling a sense of satisfaction. She had won tonight. She turned looking for her lover , but met and witnessed something instead , something that made her heart skip a bit . There was a flicker of…something…in his eyes , a flash of guilt which he quickly covered up with a smile . Her instincts pricked at her , but she pushed the feeling aside . It was just her imagination, she told herself . Micheal would never ….. The champagne glass in her hand suddenly felt slippery as she raised it to her lips, the bubbles tickling her nose as she took a sip . She was being paranoid , she thought , she had nothing to worry about. But as they made their way to the VIP area. Jade couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was off. The music was too loud , the laughter felt way too forced, and Michael’s smile obviously seemed fake. She pushed the thought aside, lost in the celebration of her success. It was her night. She had earned this night, and she was going to enjoy it, She received a text from her best friend Rachel :“ Girl, you killed it out there! Meet me at the Bar for a celebratory shot?” Jade smiled, feeling a surge of excitement. She had her mind set on celebrating and having fun tonight , but as she turned to Micheal to tell him about the message, she caught him glancing at his phone , his expression was tense . He quickly hid the screen , forcing a smile. Jade was obviously not buying anymore. “Are you OK?” She asked, giving him a very stern look. “ yes yes," he replied, still smiling. Jade’s doubt resurfaced. What was Micheal hiding? She decided to just push it aside again and focus on the night. Little did she know the night was far from over. She told Micheal about the message, and he urged her to go, saying he would meet her later after she was done having drinks with her best friend. She agreed and then they parted ways. Micheal stood and watched Jade as she walked away, eventually getting lost in the swarm of people. Jade’s night was a blur of champagne toasts and congratulations, but she couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was wrong. Micheal’s smile seemed forced, and his eyes kept darting down the room like a trapped animal. She tried to brush it off and reassure herself that everything was OK, but the sound still lingered. “Are you OK? “ Rachel asked Jade because she noticed a worried expression on her face . “ ohh yes." Jade forced a smile on her face and looked at Rachel, who was obviously not buying it at all. “Remind me how long we’ve known each other again," she took a pause and then continued.” You can’t lie to me, Jade, I know something’s up so tell me “. Jade was about to open her mouth and say something when her phone suddenly buzzed again. .” Wake up , Jade , he’s not who you think he is “ coupled with some images she hadn’t looked at yet. Her mind was racing, she didn’t have the courage to look at the images yet. “I’ll be back”. She said as she stood up and walked away to look for her lover. She searched everywhere but couldn’t find him. She decided to go to her dressing room and try to call him there. As she approached the door she heard voices from inside. She leaned towards the door to figure out who it was. “ I’m tired of that stupid b***h, Micheal, when are you going to tell her? “ That voice, Jade couldn’t believe it, it was Erica’s. “We don’t have to be in haste, my love. You can’t deny that we have. No, you have benefited a lot from her. That song idea I gave you really gave you a lot of advantages and opportunities, and I made her turn down that record deal so you can get it. I know what I’m doing. We need to be close to her. “ “ I knowwwww , but I miss you and I want you all to myself , I want her to disappear already. “ Jade couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She stood there frozen, couldn’t move, couldn't speak , she slowly lifted her phone to her face with tears building up in her eyes, she clicked on it and her eyes went wild . Then it became clear to her , the whispers , the secret , the late-night phone calls. Micheal was cheating on her , with Erica, of all people. She pushed open the doors and saw Erica, her rival , was sitting on the couch , her legs crossed, a smug smile on her face . Micheal’s eyes met Jade's, and for a split second , she saw guilt, shame, and something else — something that looked almost like relief . She was confused, her breath shaky, her world came crashing down.She felt like she had been stabbed multiple times , she couldn’t breathe or even think properly, she just stood there completely frozen,as Micheal and Erica exchanged looks, their faces twisted in a mixture of shock and panic.