The day had finally come. The much-anticipated fest was happening, and Veronica's heart raced with excitement and nervousness all at once. As the event grew nearer, she found herself with mixed emotions about her role as the anchor. It wasn't that she didn't like anchoring—she did. But with the constant pressure from her parents to be perfect, it felt more like a weight than a passion.
Tomorrow, she would perform in front of the whole school. The thought made her stomach churn, but at the same time, she couldn't deny that a small part of her thrived in front of a crowd. It was just the aftermath—the constant judgment and criticisms from her parents—that made it feel like an exhausting cycle. She was determined to put it all behind her for the next two days, focusing only on the performance.
As the evening before the fest unfolded, Veronica sat in her room, scrolling through messages on her phone. Among the many group chats, her eyes landed on one particular message. It was from Vance.
"Hey, Veronica! So, big performance tomorrow, huh? How are you feeling about it?"
She smiled at the text. He was always so thoughtful, asking how she was doing even when he had a million things to worry about himself. She quickly typed her reply.
"I'm excited, but nervous too. It's always like this before the performance."
Vance's reply came quickly. "I'm sure you'll do great, as always. Hey, um… after your performance, will you be free for a couple of hours? We're planning to hang out."
Veronica paused for a second, her heart skipping a beat. She had been talking to Vance more often lately, but this felt different. The subtle way he asked if she would be free. She took a deep breath, wondering if it was something she wanted to do. It was the first time he was asking to hang out in person.
She quickly typed her response, hoping it wouldn't seem too eager, but also not wanting to disappoint him.
"I'll have two hours free after the performance. I'm definitely up for it!"
There was a slight pause before he texted again, and when the message came through, Veronica could almost feel the shyness in his words.
"Would you, uh, want to hang out with me, Andy, Josh, and Nero? It'll be fun. We won't bite, promise."
Veronica blinked at the message, completely taken aback. She hadn't expected him to ask her to hang out with his whole group of friends. Andy, Nero, and Josh were the kind of guys she knew by name, but had never really spoken to. Andy was the goofy one, always laughing and pulling pranks. Josh was his partner in crime, and Nero... well, Nero was a giant, as his name suggested, and everyone respected him simply because of his size. But Vance? He was different.
"Wait, you want me to hang out with you guys?" she typed back, still in shock.
"Yeah, why not?" Vance replied, his text seeming to reflect a hint of nervousness. "It'll be fun. Just thought it'd be cool."
Veronica hesitated but then smiled, feeling a warmth in her chest. The thought of spending time with Vance and his friends was... strangely appealing. "Okay, sure. I'll be there."
The next day arrived, and the fest was buzzing with energy. Veronica's performance was first on the list, and she stood backstage, preparing herself. She couldn't see the crowd clearly due to her poor eyesight, but she could feel their energy, their eyes on her. It was exhilarating and terrifying all at once.
When it was her turn, she stepped onto the stage, her voice filling the air, confident but also careful not to let the weight of her parents' expectations drown her. She did her job flawlessly, with poise and grace, even if her heart raced with each word spoken.
When the performance was over, she rushed to change into more casual clothes. The event had been a blur, but she was glad it was finally behind her. She was free—at least for a little while.
As she walked out, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Vance.
"We're here. Did you see us? We came to watch!"
Veronica blinked, surprised. She hadn't seen anyone in the crowd, but there they were, waiting for her. She looked around, and sure enough, there they were—Vance, Andy, Josh, Nero, and… Danny. Danny, the school heartthrob, always surrounded by his admirers. He had the looks, the charm, and the popularity, but Veronica never really cared much for him. To her, he was just another guy in the crowd, no more interesting than anyone else. But there he was, standing with the rest of the gang.
Andy waved enthusiastically, nearly knocking over a trashcan in the process. Josh was laughing at Andy's clumsiness, while Nero just nodded, his large frame towering over everyone else. And then there was Vance, his usual shyness evident as he gave a small wave.
Veronica couldn't help but laugh. It was so surreal, seeing Vance and his friends there for her. She walked over to them, a smile spreading across her face.
"You guys actually came?" she said, still in shock but happy to see them.
Vance smiled shyly, a warmth in his eyes. "Of course we did. You did great."
Andy, always the joker, added, "Yeah, we couldn't miss the most awesome anchor in school, could we?"
Veronica laughed, feeling a bit more relaxed now. Maybe this would turn out to be fun after all.