Take My Breath Away

"Good. I emailed you the setlist. Please inform the sponsor and make sure the backing tracks and light shows are ready. I'm not fussy about the clothes, so I'll try them on then before the concert," Debbie said.

Ruby nodded although Debbie couldn't see it. "How's the new album coming along? Done yet? Maybe we could make a special pressing for the concert?" she asked.

"Not yet. I've been depressed for a bit. So no new songs yet." Leaning back in the chair, Debbie closed her eyes wearily.

"What? Never mind. I'll be in Y City tonight. Catch you later."

"Okay, bye."

Debbie hung up and opened her Weibo app to check the comments. She wanted to know what her fans were saying. She had a lot of followers on Weibo. Most of them were stans of her music. But like any industry, she attracted a plethora of haters as well.

Some of the comments were vicious. And the commenters had been at it for quite a while, with threads literally thousands of comments long. Debbie couldn't stand it anymore. It was high time the truth came out. The concert was her big chance.

When the nurse called her number, Debbie quickly came to the exam room, where a friendly doctor greeted her with a smile. It was Niles. Small world.

"We meet again!" Niles observed. Even in the plain white uniform, he looked upbeat and attractive.

Debbie sighed inwardly. "I was in a car accident and got into a headbutting contest with my steering wheel. So I'd like to find out if there's anything to be worried about."

The doctor nodded, agreeing to her request. After a few questions, he reassured her, "Nothing serious. I'll prescribe some ointment. When you get home, you can roll an egg on it, or an ice pack. It'll help with the pain and swelling."

"Got it. Thanks." Debbie was about to leave the office and head straight to the cashier's to pay the bill. She reached out her hand to pull out her patient's card and the registration receipt, but Niles put his hand on the card and asked, "Does Carlos know?"

"Yeah, he does," she answered casually. "It was his car I crashed into."

"You did what? With all the heavy traffic on our roads, you just crashed into his. What a coincidence!

Come on, dish," he prodded. Once again she tried to pick up her medical records, but Niles was not ready to let go. "Probably not a good idea to have me around too long. If your brother knows you talked to me, he'll skin you alive," she said resignedly.

"Think Wesley is that cruel? Actually, he's a good guy. What happened between you two, anyway?" Wesley was Niles' idol.

Finally, Niles moved his hand away. Debbie picked up her things and said, "It doesn't matter. He's not Carlos. I don't care what he thinks."

"Right. By the way, how are things between you and Carlos?" Niles looked up at her expectantly.

Debbie rolled her eyes at him. "Do all doctors have this much free time?"

He pursed his lips disapprovingly. "Free time? Go outside and see for yourself. Some of the patients who check in here barely have a thing wrong with them. Most of them just want a friendly ear. And a lot simply choose me for that privilege." Of course, most of his patients were women. And they only came here to see him.

He was rich, handsome and energetic. It was no wonder that every day the hospital was packed with women smitten with him.

"You chose to be a doctor. I'm sure you'll rise to the challenge." She smiled mischievously. "Bye now!" she said as she left. Debbie intended to go back home. She had work to do.

"Let me walk you out," said Niles, rising up from his chair.

"No need for that. I don't want your brother to kick your ass." Debbie pushed him back into his chair, leaving him confused. 'She seems nice. Why do Wesley and Damon hate her?'

After a nurse applied some ointment to her forehead, Debbie went back to the Champs Bay Apartments.

For the next two days, she was too busy to contact Carlos.

Finally, the day arrived. Debbie's concert was tonight. Y City Stadium was crammed with people. In preparation, Debbie tried on several outfits, matching shoes and some makeup. By the time she was done, it was already 6 p.m. The concert was about to begin.

As usual, the first song was an old mainstay she sang to open each show. The moment she got to the mic, even before she opened her mouth, the fans went ecstatic, drowning all sounds in the stadium with cheers.

The lights on the stage brought out the sparkle of her orange jumpsuit, embroidered with huge bows. Flanking her were twelve male dancers, six on either side. The lights flared to life, bathing the concertgoers in shades of purple and pink. The backup dancers were similarly multi-hued.

As the mortars in front and behind started to belch sparks, she took a few steps forward—she wanted to be closer to the fans who sat in the front row. When she saw who occupied the VIP seats in the first row, she almost sang off-key.

There was Yates, Ivan, Irene, Xavier, Jared, Sasha, Kasie, Curtis, Colleen, Blair, Wesley, Adriana, and Damon. All there, all watching her. All of them were excited, save Wesley, who sat there with a long face.

Sitting on Yates' left was a man, who sat quietly. To that man's left, he had an assistant standing close by. Debbie couldn't see his face clearly, but she figured it was Carlos.

'Good. He's here. It'll give me the emotional fuel I'll need to sing some of these songs properly.'

The song was almost over. And now was the time to interact with the fans for a bit.

Just then, without warning, the big screen changed its view, showing all the guests in the VIP area. The audience went quiet for half a minute or so. When they figured out who those guests were, screams erupted from the crowd.

Most of the guests were celebrities, especially Irene, Curtis and Carlos.

Carlos alone could have excited the audience. But Debbie's loyal fans whispered amongst themselves, "Mr. Huo is here. Are they back together?"

The fans who hated Debbie said, "Dammit, how are we gonna throw the eggs? What if Mr. Huo gets in the middle of it?"

Next, the fans were going to request songs. This was a rare thing that gained popularity in recent months.

So rather than try and defuse a delicate situation, or inadvertently bring a hater up onstage, she chose Kasie as the lucky fan.

Kasie raised her hand. Debbie pretended not to know her. She smiled at her and asked, "Miss, what song would you like to hear?"

A mic was passed to Kasie. As Debbie's best friend, she climbed onto the stage excitedly. "Debbie, we've been friends for a long time, but this is my first time at one of your concerts. I'm so sorry."

The whole venue quieted down. Debbie hadn't expected Kasie to say that. It was spontaneous.

Kasie thrust the lilies she was holding into Debbie's arms. Her eyes were red. "We haven't seen each other for three years. I wasn't a good friend. This is your first concert in Y City and I have to be here for you. I want you as a friend forever. I love you, Tomboy!"

They hugged each other. "I love you too. You guys might recognize this one. It's called 'Miss You in Winter'..."

Before Debbie could finish her sentence, screams rang throughout the venue.

She smiled, "Yeah, this song is about my best friend. Kasie, this song's for you."