54 — Silver

What a devious, crazy, ludicrous thing to do.

To blindside everyone who has been living their life just fine, who didn't particularly need more than a 5G connection and a simple recipe to cook a delicious meal, and instead tell them, 'Here's a dude who you can fawn over, thirst over, and obsess over. You can have all his songs, his voice, but not his face. Not him.'

It's akin to taking a dog's favorite bone, showing it to the dog, and then tossing it far away where it can't reach.

And the dogs, in this case, were the millions of women sitting at home, in their cars, at work, at bars, and a few lucky hundred or so in the audience seats.

I couldn't see their faces. I was behind the opaque screen, a headlight above me casting a shadow on the white surface. All I saw was the host, Michelle Lia, dressed in a stunning red dress, her hazel eyes staring at me behind the screen with a professional yet wide-eyed fascination.

The music intro started playing, the surround-sound system blasting the deep bassline, a heartbeat of its own. The audience hushed in anticipation. I felt such a surge of adrenaline that I had to take a slow, deep breath to compose myself.

My hands shook a little as they firmly grasped the mic.

I looked to my right.

Calista gave a little encouraging nod. Her eyes weren't nearly as so, though. I really wanted to see what was going on in her mind. 

I looked back ahead.

Then, I let go, my voice rising and merging with the music.

xXx

Sarah

She couldn’t believe she got to hear this live, to see Silver himself, even if just a shadow of his magnificence. 

"Even though we're going through it─♪"

"And it makes you feel alone─♪"

"Just know that I would die for you─♪"

"Baby, I would die for you, yeah─♪"

She'd been lucky to be so close to the capital that she could afford to travel to the show with the free ticket she had won through an online contest. 

Sarah sat in the third row from the front, mesmerized by the surreal spectacle.

Every word that spilled out of the man's mouth caused her heart to flutter and her chest to tighten. The mere sound of his voice sent pleasant vibrations that triggered involuntary sensual reflexes all over her body.

She wasn't the only one, either. 

The entire audience was spellbound, their attention glued to the shadowy silhouette behind the screen, the only thing they could make out was his shape, his tall and slender frame, and the fact that he was indeed a man, from the outline of his shoulders and the teasing swaying motion of his waist.

Oh, the way he swayed to the music. God. He wasn’t dancing as much as he was undulating, waving, and flowing with the beat.

It was incredibly sexy, even more so, knowing that this was a living, breathing, moving creature. And then the next verse came right through.

"I'm finding ways to manipulate the feelin' you're going through─♪"

Sarah bit her bottom lip.

"But baby-girl, I'm not blaming you─♪"

She closed her eyes.

"Just don't blame me too, yeah─♪"

Brought a hand to her chest.

"'Cause I can't take this pain forever─♪"

Oh, my.

Heavenly.

"And you won't find no one that's better─♪"

She wouldn't. No one like him. No one with this voice.

"'Cause I'm right for you, babe─♪"

She blinked rapidly when her vision became blurred. She thought a small trickle escaped a corner, and Sarah quickly wiped it with a finger, smiling to herself.

"I think I'm right for you, babe─♪"

'You are.' She wanted to rush to the stage, climb over the screen, and give this incredible person an affectionate, warm, long hug. A kiss would do too, she wouldn't mind, a real kiss. Whatever he wanted. 

She just wanted to see him, to talk to him, to see what drove such a man to sing so devotedly about sacrificing one's everything just for the love and affections of a woman.

Was this some sort of... acting, maybe? Or maybe she had listened to the lyrics so many times she lost the distinction between truth and fiction, and he wasn't really meaning to portray such raw emotion and vulnerability on camera.

Was he as lonely as the song conveyed...?

'No, not lonely. Devoted.'

What would she, Sarah, be willing to do for something like that...

'.....'

A single question hit her out of nowhere as the music wailed away and his siren-like voice turned her insides to mush.

'What will I have to give so that someone, this person in front of me, will feel like that for me. What do I have to do to be the inspiration behind those words...?'

She wasn't listening anymore, didn't register what words came after, or even the song as a whole, but it all sounded so right and sincere, coming from a voice like that.

And when the song finally came to an end, even Michelle Lia, in front of a full studio audience and with cameras recording, still couldn't hide the enamored daze that had washed over her, like everybody else.

She didn't quite react to the loud, thunderous applause that echoed within the large arena—everyone now standing up—and took a long while for everyone's voice to diminish into a pleasant murmur.

Whistles, whistles, claps, and shouts that demanded an encore.

More music, just a little more, because now that they were there, in the flesh, nobody wanted to leave.

It felt like that, anyway. For Sarah. She didn't want to leave, even for the slightest moment, even for a toilet break. That would require walking to and fro the bathrooms, missing any other glimpse the man would provide, and, ultimately, rob her the possibility of exchanging even a look with him.

If he'd even do that.

She wiped at the corner of her eyes again. 

After the noise finally simmered down, Michelle cleared her throat, tapping the mic in front of her. 

"Wow... and that was... wow." She shook her head. "I'm not sure what to say after that. I'll try to get my thoughts together, but I think the best course of action would be to just talk to the man behind the screen and ask him a few questions, if that's alright with you?"

Sarah perked up.

"Yes...?"

A small, polite cough from behind the screen.

"Of course, Michelle. I'm happy to be here, thank you for having me." His voice was a bit different from the one he used when singing; this one was more subdued and calm, yet, it still possessed a quality that made her feel like a feather floating in a warm breeze.

"It's truly my pleasure, Silver. Can I call you that?"

"You can call me whatever you want."

'Oh, you silver-tongued devil. You can't say that so easily.' Sarah blushed, her cheeks burning as she sat down again, and the others followed suit.

Michelle, however, was a true professional. She hid her embarrassment behind a pleasant smile. "Alright then, Silver it is. First question, one that's on everybody's mind, I'm sure. What... pushed you to write these songs? In all of my years, I've never seen such a thing, a male singer, performing such bold and passionate music. So, what's the story behind it?"

A pause, then the silhouette moved, a little hand gesture accompanied his reply. "Honestly?" A laugh. "I don't know if I have a good story behind it, Michelle. My life is pretty normal. I don't have a tragic backstory or anything of that sort. I just... felt like singing about what was in my heart. I think people can relate to that feeling of wanting to give everything for the person you love, no? Yes... this is what I wanted to express. That, even as a man, I can be that man."

Sarah was holding her breath.

"Wow..." Michelle seemed honestly impressed. "And you're saying there's no special person that inspired this... this unbridled passion?" She leaned forward, almost as if she could see through the screen. "I'm sure a lot of ladies would love to hear that, Silver."

Another chuckle. "Perhaps one day, if I ever meet her, I'll let you know."

'No.'

Sarah wanted to be that person.

She'd do anything for it.

But how?

Michelle grinned. "And what kind of woman do you hope to meet, then? I'm sure a lot of them would be willing to show themselves to you, but what kind are you interested in?"

"Secret."

"Aw, you tease~"

Another wave of light chuckling and laughs erupted in the crowd. It was infectious, and Sarah, with her own bittersweet musings, was a little infected herself.

The questions went on.

"Silver, why do you keep your identity hidden? Is there any reason?"

"Yes."

"Oh? Are you willing to share that reason, or..."

"I'm... embarrassed."

Another wave of laughter.

Sarah found herself immersed in the answers.

"What else can you tell us about yourself, then?"

"There is... actually not a lot to say, I'm afraid." He seemed amused.

"Surely there has to be something." Michelle insisted. "As you can probably imagine, the mystery has driven a lot of people crazy. Many are very, very curious about who you are. Any hobbies, any interests? Something interesting or fun that makes you stand out?"

"Hobbies..." Another contemplative pause. "Music." He paused for another moment, then laughed a soft, beautiful laugh. "Reading, mostly, and being a massive, indiscriminate gym-rat. But that's the thing about me: I'm quite boring, actually. The only remarkable thing, I think, that can be said about me, is the way I view my purpose. The world needs... more positive messages. I genuinely believe that. Whether it is art, music, or entertainment, we need a breath of fresh air. One where we forget the bad, enjoy what is good, and focus on appreciating the precious things in life instead."

Sarah was the first to clap and shout a 'bravo,' which, in turn, spread like wildfire until a thunderous, cheering applause overwhelmed the theater once more.

She kept cheering, louder, for her part.

And Silver, the shadow man, lifted his hand in a shadowy wave that had Sarah's eyes sparkle.

Michelle had to wait an uncomfortably long time for the response to dim, at least long enough for her to say: "I'd agree with that completely, Silver. That's what we're missing these days: hope. And what better way of gaining hope and instilling it within people's hearts than through music, words and expression. Music has the power to express the best and the worst of ourselves, and I eagerly anticipate what you will release next. All of us, in fact, are in the same boat."

"Please look forward to it. I won't disappoint."

Michelle nodded. "Great! Before wrapping up today's show, let's take a few questions from the audience. Now, please note that there are strict, prior rules in place when it comes to questions that can or cannot be asked, so keep it safe, please?"

A chorus of affirmations and acknowledgements shook the arena.

"Now, who shall we have..." She tapped her chin as she surveyed the audience, enjoying how every woman hopped on the spot, begging to be chosen. 

Her grin widened. 

Sarah didn't have anything prepared, at first. Then, before she could stop it, she shot her hand up, like literally everyone in the audience.

"Alright, you."

The spotlight shifted to where she was, a wide, powerful beam of hot white, hitting her.

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