ABEER:

I came out in the lawn above the amphitheater with my hands turning ice cold. It was a mild evening and the ground looked beautiful in the floodlights. I tried to calm my nerves down by half closing my eyes and feeling the cool breeze sooth my feverish brain.

I couldn't go in there but I couldn't leave either. I couldn't let him down. With a storm of hysteria, nervousness and emotions going on in my brain, I stood motionless, watching the glow fade from the sky, taking with it the last faint flickers of warmth.

"Abeer", I heard him behind me but did not turn around.

"Come downstairs, the show is about to...." his sentence stopped midway as he came to stand before me.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I raised my eyes to look at him.

"I am just....trying to be normal", I said.

"C'mon, you can do it", he said and I looked back at him, still uncertain.

For a silent moment, he kept on studying my face and I tried to avoid his eyes through the wisps of my hair that lapped on my face from the stronger gusts of wind. I felt like he wanted to say something but was repelled by an invisible barrier.

" Look..... I forced you into this because I know you can do it. Do it for me Abeer. Please", he used the word for the first time and it penetrated my thoughts.

"If I mess everything up in there, just don't be angry at me", I said after letting out a sigh.

"No you won't. Trust me", he said. His words were full of confidence, belief and there was a hint of pride in them that only made me wish to perform up to his expectations.

We were supposed to perform at the third number and the second performer, Drake West, as I was told, was rocking the floor with his last song. A chill crawled up my spine. My breath felt hot in my lungs but my hands were freezing cold.

I felt a warm touch at the back of my hand and looked down at our hands that were entwined. He didn't look towards me and as Debbie, the host, began making the announcement to welcome us on stage, I felt a strange panic well inside me and I think he felt it because he squeezed my hand tightly once before letting it go and ascending the few steps up to the stage.

I felt like my steps would falter or I would slip but I made it up, trying to hide behind him and was intact, welcomed by a deafening cheer of my name.

ASAD:

" See they are dying to hear you", I said turning my face slightly towards her and shooting her a smile and although this was a cheer made  by those who knew me a bit more than a University Celebrity, and that too on my demand, I knew that once we started performing, more cheers would follow up because she....was amazing with vocal chords so finely honed that one had to doubt their reality.

I began moving my fingers on the guitar chords and looked at her who had taken her seat before the piano. She smiled.

I knew that now, we were going to rock the stage.