DISCOURAGED

Rain

I’m backstage at the Mellville Memorial Arena, waiting to go onstage. The walls muffle the roar of the crowd, but even that distant thunder can’t reach me. People are out there chanting my name, their excitement building with every second I delay. It should feel exhilarating like adrenaline shooting straight through my veins. But—it doesn’t. There’s nothing: no rush, not even a spark.

My manager strides over, grinning from ear to ear. He’s riding high on the crowd’s energy. “Rain, this place is packed to the rafters. We’ve got VIPs, press, local big shots, the whole nine yards. They’re out there for you, man. This night’s going to be one for the books.”

Nodding, I give him a half-hearted smile. “Yeah. Another one.”

Ignoring the flatness of my voice, he glances at me eagerly. “Hey, I can arrange for some of the local VIPs to meet you backstage after the show. There’s a group of superfans who’d kill for the chance to meet Rain Wild in the flesh. They’re stoked and want to meet you.”

But the thought of having anyone backstage, for any reason, leaves me cold.

“No groupies tonight, Dereck,” I say, my voice firm. “No VIPs. No afterparty. Just me, the show, and an empty room when it’s done. Got it?”

His grin fades, his eyes narrowing. “Come on, man. These people live for this. We’re only here for one night. They’d do anything to meet you in person.”

I meet Dereck’s gaze, unflinching. “I’m not in the mood, Dereck. Make sure no one’s waiting for me after the show.”

He sighs, exasperated, but he knows when I’m serious. “Fine. But, Rain, you need to get over this, whateverthisis.”

“Got it,” I say, shrugging. “But tonight, It’s only about the music.”

Dereck shakes his head, muttering something under his breath as he walks away. I don’t even feel guilty for throwing his schedule off, and I’m not going to change my mind. Once the show is over, I just want to be alone.

A stagehand appears, giving me the signal. It’s time. A cold, steady calm washes over me as I take one last deep breath and step into the blinding light. The roar of the crowd hits me like a wall. I square my shoulders, plaster on the same smile I’ve worn for years, and make my way to the stage and the waiting fans.

The roar of the audience reverberates through the arena, the last notes of the encore fade away, and the crowd chants for more as I step off the stage. Their voices thunder behind me, but all I feel is that strange emptiness pressing down on me. The thrill of the encore used to be my lifeblood. Now, it feels hollow and empty—a reminder of a passion that’s slowly burned itself out.

My manager catches me the second I’m offstage, a satisfied smile plastered across his face. “Rain! That was unbelievable! You’ve got them eating out of your hand. You sure you don’t want—“

“No, Dereck. Not tonight,” I say sternly. “Make sure no one’s back there,”

He sighs, shaking his head before nodding. “Alright, fine. But don’t get too used to this, Rain. You’ve got a role to play, and people have high expectations.”

He heads off, and I turn toward my dressing room, hoping for a few minutes of peace. I push the door open, and the sight that greets me stops me in my tracks.

Two young girls are standing by the far wall, wide-eyed and looking out of place. Pre-teens, if I had to guess. The shorter brunette looks star-struck. The taller one, a blonde, is watching me with a look of pure awe.

“Hey,” I chide them, making sure to leave the door wide open. “Who let you two in here?”

The blonde girl steps forward, looking slightly nervous but defiant. “I’m Rainidy. And this is my best friend, Holly.” Her voice wavers, but she squares her shoulders, refusing to back down.

Rainidy. The name fits her somehow. Her face, framed by a halo of pale blonde hair, stirs something within me that feels achingly familiar. It’s not just the boldness in her gray eyes—it’s an echo of a memory I can’t quite grasp. A strange feeling pulls at me as if I should know her, but I brush it aside.

“Rainidy,” I say slowly, “How were you able to get by security?”

The disappointment resurfaces an empty feeling that settles in my chest, one that I don’t fully understand.

“No, I… I don’t think so.”

There’s a moment of silence before Sam rests a hand on my shoulder, his voice low. “Rain, maybe we should take them both home. Make sure this one gets back to her mom safely. There’s something about all this…”

I nod, unsure of what I’m feeling but trusting Sam’s instincts. “Alright,” I say, trying to keep my voice light. “Let’s get you home, Rainidy.”

Dereck just shrugs when we ask him to have a limo brought around. Neither Sam nor I feel the need to explain our request.

After a quick, tense ride, we drop off Rainidy’s friend, Holly, and watch her disappear safely inside. Next, the limo pulls up to a much smaller house nestled in a quieter, shabbier neighborhood. Rainidy gives me a worried look, her earlier confidence nowhere to be seen.

Rainidy suddenly confesses, “My mom doesn’t know I went to the concert. She disapproved. And we didn’t have the money… so, I, um, snuck out the window.”

Sam and I exchange a glance, but I try to keep my expression neutral.

“I see,” I tell her, not knowing what else to say.

Looking at Rainidy’s young face, I feel something twist inside me. Part of me wants to reassure her, to protect her, but the feeling is so new that I don’t understand it. So, I remain silent but place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

We walk Rainidy up the path to the front door, and just as I raise my hand to knock, Rainidy speaks up. “Maybe I should go in by myself,” she whispers, looking up at me with a flash of uncertainty. “My mom doesn’t like you very much.”

Before I can answer, the front door swings open; the woman who stands in the doorway is tall and slender, with brown hair pulled back in a loose bun and an oversized sweater hanging off one shoulder. She’s about to say something, but the words die on her lips as her gaze locks onto mine in shocked disbelief.

I take in the curve of her face and clear gray eyes. The familiarity hits me like a punch to the gut. My mind races, piecing together memories I thought I’d buried. It’s her.

My pulse races, and I feel like the ground is shifting beneath me. Everything I thought I knew about my life—about my past and future—shifts in an instant.

I whisper her name, barely believing it. “Keller?”