Black Hurricane

11

When my friends and I walked into the concert hall, my armpits were sweaty and my steps were sluggish.Maybe it's okay for me to dress like a bum, but I like to dress up when I'm out and about.Tight, shiny low-slung faux leather trousers hugging my hips, a dark red crop top, leather wristbands on the wrists, and a pair of buckle-laden black leather boots on the biceps , with a studded belt hanging around the waist.And don't forget me, Benji, Eric, Kal-El and Terry, we all go out with makeup on.Black men's eyeliner, dark eye shadow, and some contouring powder to make the contours of the face more three-dimensional, and the lips are painted shiny, intending to be a group of actors.Kal-El did our hair for all of us, mine was a little smoother and styled around my face.Let's admit it: me and my pals dress in style and are hot.People in the venue seemed to think so too, because they kept staring at me, or maybe because they saw that YouTube video, checking to see if it was really me.I did hear "Is that him?" several times as I walked through the long line with my VIP pass in hand.

The venue was extremely crowded and we had to squeeze through the crowd to get to the VIP area.Benji didn't like crowds, so we made our way through the crowd in a V formation and found an open space on the edge of the grandstand area so that Benji and Eric could see the stage.Even the VIP area was packed.

Needless to say, Eric was already very excited.He had never been to a "Black Hurricane" concert before.The same goes for everyone else.They were already looking forward to it before going out, but they still acted very calmly to show that they were on my side.They're a good bunch of friends, and I don't blame them for their excitement.My stomach crows, not only from nervousness, but also from a little curiosity to see the band perform.At the moment I kind of wish I'd heard "Black Hurricane"; if you haven't already heard those songs, you'll have a lot more fun in concert.If you know every beat, you can rock along and sing along.

The opening band was playing some songs that I had heard, but I still didn't know the words.They acted well and all looked young.Eric said that they are a local band that started to become famous on YouTube a year ago.Looks like YouTube is a great place to be famous.We took some time to get dressed, and by the time we got here we were late and missed most of the opening act.

After the young female lead ended on a powerful note, the band members gathered at the front of the stage and waved off.Then everything went dark, and the whole venue was plunged into darkness.After a few seconds of dignified pause filled with anticipation, excited murmurs of fans spread across the field.For the 15 minutes before the next band was ready, Eric babbled on and on.

A heavy drum beat sounded from the stage, fast and powerful, and judging from the cheers around me, everyone knew what the song was about to be performed.A whizzing electric guitar riff, accompanied by bass and more screams.Eric was already going crazy next to me, jumping up and down.When a high note burst from Dean McQueen's throat, the lights came on and the audience went wild.For a minute, I feared the roof would be blown off by the loud noise.This song sounds heavy and powerful, slow and fast, as far as I have heard of their songs, this is their usual musical style.

God, Dean's voice really sounds amazing.After an initial high-pitched opening, he returns to his deep, husky voice, his whole body in it.The huge screen next to the stage clearly showed his strong muscles under the leather vest. He was wearing ultra-low-slung leather pants, his fingers were spread under the bracelet, and his black hair was wildly draped over his slightly twisted body. Enter Junrong.He is truly captivating.

After the pleasant lingering sound fell, the last words I heard before my ears were deafened were his "Hello Boston!", and the voice of the crowd drowned out Dean's speech.Dean seemed used to it, just smiled and moved the mic away from his lips, letting fans frantically express their die-hard love and admiration for him.

"Welcome, my fellow Bostonians." He bowed to the crowd, drawing another round of cheers.Dean reveals himself to be a Bostonian, and people go wild again.

"Are you ready to rock and roll?" Dean asked in a low voice when the field fell silent.When he heard the enthusiastic response from the field, he asked again with a slightly louder voice. "Ready to rock and roll?" came more screams. "Ready, ready, ok, rock, roll, are you—?" He roared, his voice getting low, and the last word had a heavy metal flavor.His voice made my body tremble.The control and range of his voice is astounding.

The band hits a new strong beat, and even though I try to stand up and watch, my hips can't help but sway.I do have something to learn from Dean. Although my heart still stubbornly hates his performance, I also know that this resistance is futile.

I could vaguely hear Eric singing along, so I looked over to the others and they all seemed to know the song, even Kal-El looked at me and shrugged apologetically.Then when the rhythm became more cheerful, he couldn't help but start jumping up and down.

Fuck, Dean wants me to sing something like this?It's true that I can sing rock, but I don't think I can sing... that kind of thing.Besides, how could I sing with him?Why didn't I see the show first before I signed the damn contract?

By the time they switched to a slightly slower tune, I think I sort of figured it out.I guess what I should sing is this type of song.They are slightly slower, but not really slow either.The lyrics are very touching, and I feel that the untouched place in my heart has been touched.Like before, I haven't heard any of these songs, but I know the titles of some of them. "Tangerine Kiss" is fast and deep.A "slow" tune "Farewell to Felicia" made me feel stuck in my throat.The song is about remorse, grief, and a final goodbye—a teenager who makes love to Felicia, kisses her as tenderly as possible, and says goodbye. "Turquoise Moon" is also very "slow", about a man who wants to fall asleep, but the turquoise moon in the night sky makes it difficult for him to sleep, so he tells the moon his love.Dean is not only a great singer, but the way he sings is just amazing.It's like putting your whole being into the lyrics.His brows frowned into such a sad shape, together with the lyrics, it took my breath away.Eric, Benji and Terry also seemed deeply moved, wiping away tears during the song "Turquoise Moon."

The stage went dark, and when it was turned on again, Maxim was the only one left beating the drums like crazy, and no one else could be seen.

"Is it over?" I asked Eric.

"Just halftime."

***

When "Black Hurricane" returned to the stage, Dean changed into a white shirt with the front open.He chatted with the fans, talking and laughing.Off stage, he may look like "I'm living every day", but I can see that when interacting with fans, his eyes are full of joy.He was born for the stage.

"When I was a teenager, I fell in love—the river," he draws out, strolling around the stage. "A beautiful boy stole my heart."

A group of female fans screamed, obviously excited because they imagined that Dean was with a man.I wasn't too excited, because if what he said wasn't a lie, he was pointing at me and stating for the second time that he loved me then.I don't like that at all.

"That boy," he went on, "has the most beautiful turquoise eyes. He tastes like sweet oranges when kissed, and he likes peaches best. This man has been my muse since I met him, All I think about is him."

He focused on the few words that appeared in his song title, which fans seemed to know very well.The girls went crazy, yelling and yelling at him, completely bowing down at Dean's antics.Unfortunately for him, I wasn't so easily impressed.

"You know what?" he continued after a long pause. "I learned that he is here today!" After he shouted this sentence, the fans became extremely crazy, and I was pushed forward by someone behind me.Kal-El puts an arm around me, steadying me.

"But I hurt him. Hurt him deeply."

I gritted my teeth tightly.The scene was so noisy, no one could hear his words.What is he trying to do?

"I was a stupid kid at the time, and I didn't know what I was doing. I hope he can forgive me slowly. Do you think he will?" "Yes!" came from the crowd in unison. "Really?" Dean asked, sounding hopeful.I know he's acting again.He is playing with everyone.But I'd be really pissed off if he actually told people that the person he's going to be sharing the stage with in the next two charity shows is his original fake love interest.If so, he is taking advantage of me again.Fuck, why did he have to tell people this?

Another wave of unanimous "yes!" sounded from the venue.

"I hope so too, because he will be performing with me at an upcoming charity show. You can find the dates on our website," he shouted to his fans. "That's right," he added with a broad smile. "You already know who he is. He's the handsome guy on YouTube."

There was more shoving and screaming in the crowd, and I was pissed off in Kal-El's arms.He hugged me tighter, probably because he knew I was going to explode.

Dean looks straight at the camera, pointing forward. "Jace, this song is for you."

Then he sang "The Whore of Hades," the song I wrote the lyrics to.God, he's so rotten.First, he just blew me out in front of thousands of people, then he made up a shit about me, and now he's singing songs with lyrics I wrote.Kal-El hugged me tightly as I started to tremble.All I can do now is wait to punch that bastard in the face.

As soon as the show was over, Eric led us backstage, looking at me worriedly all the way.He was right to worry.I don't even know what I'm going to do backstage.Not only did the bouncers check our passes, they insisted on a body search.Can we hide a gun in our tights?But we still let him take pictures of our whole body up and down.They took the camera and cell phone and gave us a tag with the number on it.We are not allowed to take pictures.Let us be very curious about what the background looks like.

I took a deep breath, trying to suppress the anger swimming around my body.Why did I sign that damn contract?Will they really sue me if I break the contract?I don't even want to be near Dean, let alone sing on stage with him.

When we stepped into a small room, Yoon and Lucas were chatting with the girls and signing autographs.Maxim and Dean were on the other end, chatting and laughing with a group of boys.When I saw the scene where Dean stroked the arm of the "player boy" up and down, and the showman leaned on him, it felt like someone had twisted my stomach.Yes, he kept saying that he wanted me, but he couldn't keep his hands from groping the showman.The way Dean smiled at the showman made me angry.Suddenly, the hand that was stroking the showman stopped, and I raised my head to find that his eyes were fixed on my clothes first, and then on my face.He frowned, closed his mouth, and stood a little away from the group of boys.

"Jace?" he said tentatively.

Can he see that I'm about to explode right now?

"Baby, what's wrong?"

baby?Good shout.

By the time I realized what I was doing, I had already rushed forward and punched him on the jaw.Dean's head was turned to the side, his hair was disheveled on the side of his face, and the boys behind him tried to hold him but couldn't.There were exclamations and discussions in the room.I snorted like an enraged bull, biting my lips tightly.A group of men in black ran over, and some of them grabbed me with their backhands.I stared at Dean, shaking violently, as if out of consciousness, as if I was about to go out of my body.I clenched my fist, ready to punch him again.

Dean fell to the ground with his chin resting on his back, his green eyes staring at me in surprise.

"It's okay, guys," he said to the security guards. "You can let him go."

Yin, Lucas, and Maxim all surrounded him and helped him stand up.

"What the hell did you say to him?" Yin quietly asked Dean.

"I didn't say anything."

Seriously?Did he feel like he had done nothing wrong on stage--said nothing--and that it was all right for him backstage to mess with other boys?Didn't he feel that he used those gifts to bring back my memories, and it was as painful as adding salt to my wound?And his stalking?I've sworn never to let him hurt me again.I've sworn I won't let myself fall in love with anyone again.

And regardless of other things, why am I jealous of that little golden retriever?Why would I want to go up to this skinny little slut and break his arm so he can't smile anymore with that smug face?God, he and Dean are lovers?Is there something in this that I don't see?

When the security guard let go of my arm, I rushed to Dean again, but was stopped by two hands, one of which was firmly in front of my chest.

Yin stood between us. "Well, I know Dean probably deserves it, but what's up, man?"

When I finally got the words back, my glare passed over Yoon and was directed at Dean. "You don't have the right to expose me like that on stage, you bastard!" My voice was high-pitched and thin, and there was burning anger in my eyes.

Eric came over and blocked my view. "Jace," he said, trying to be calm, clearly disappointed at my violent behavior. "Everyone already knows your name. They know he's talking about you, even if he doesn't mention your name."

I want to shake off the arms that are blocking me. "I don't care. You want me to forgive you, huh?" I spat at Dean word for word. "So what? You think I'll still want you? Stop the farting, okay? After this shit is over, I want to live my life well, so take your 'love' away" Regret' ya shit. Clearly you don't really mean it at all." I cast a quick glance at the blond playboy, who was returning the same look, and then looked back at Dean. "Using what you did to me to earn sympathy from fans? Are you still human?"

"It's not what you think." Dean pushed Yin away. "You signed the contract, I thought you—"

"Shut up!" I snarled, trying again to free the arms that held me.Someone came up to Dean with an ice pack and put it on his chin. "Shut the fuck up. I signed that fucking contract because I fucking need money or I'll be on the streets in less than a month. I'll be singing your shit songs and rehearsing with your shit bands .Will do that shitty MV too, but one size fits all, okay? Other than that I don't want to be with you for a second, hear? When it's all over, you hurry up and take your stupid Xixi's little boyfriend, let me go as far as I can, and don't talk to me again."

Dean was still dumbfounded, and said silently: "Boyfriend?"

"What's wrong with this place?" Jack Coleman's voice sounded like thunder.

"It's nothing, Jack," Maxim said, putting a hand on Dean's shoulder.

"What's the matter?" Jack walked to Dean and removed the ice pack. "You hit him?" He glared at me. "Do you want to go to court?"

"Sue me if you want to. I don't give a shit," I said, making eye-to-eye with Coleman this time.He's the one who got me here.Or maybe not, it's all Dean's fault for insisting on performing with me on "The Flying Frenchman."If it weren't for that "youtube" video, I might be "crashing" right now, dancing hard and hooking up handsome guys.

"If you want to sue me, sue me. I don't have any money anyway, so they can put me in jail, so I can have a shelter and three meals a day."

I relaxed, and the arms in front of me also let go.I felt like a deflated balloon, flying around the huge room, letting go of all the air, and now there was nothing left.I also feel like an idiot, yelling in front of everyone and now everyone is staring at me.Even better, wet tears rolled down my cheeks, tears of anger, not tears of sadness.I just want to go home right now, but at the same time I want my friends to be able to stay in the background and do whatever they like.I don't know how I'd get home without Rick's van.

The great white arms blocking my chest turned out to be Kal-El's, and the other pair of arms blocking me were Adam's.

"What the fuck is that, man?" I glared at Kal-El. "Are you on his side now?"

"Of course not. I just don't want you in jail." He stared at Coleman gravely.

"We're not going to sue," Dean said, putting the ice pack back on his chin. "I'm fine, but Jace, what I said on stage before, I really—"

"Don't say that," I gritted my teeth and pointed at him. "Don't say it, okay?"

He stared at me for a while.Everyone looks at me.No one spoke.

"Okay," he said, casting his eyes on the ground.

I turned around and walked towards the exit. Instead of going out, I sat down on the chair next to me.

"Stop sending me those stupid gifts," I added, just feeling the need to break the silence. "They ended up being crap anyway. They meant nothing to me."

Dean had an expression on his face as if I had punched him again.It made me almost feel guilty for what I said.Just barely.