Meant to Marry Me

"All right--Bree Matthews!" a stagehand shouted, coming over with a clipboard and a headset microphone in front of his face. "Are you ready?" "We are ready!" Bree said for all of them, bouncing on her heels.

"Then, head to your spots." He signaled for them to approach their section of the stage. The band had been prepped on how this would work before the show. They headed to the place where they'd set their equipment up earlier in the week, the guitarists tossing their straps over their heads, Dominic getting into place behind the drum set, and Shawna behind the keyboard. Bree gave them all an encouraging smile and approached the microphone, waiting for the lights to come up on them. They'd hear the announcer say their name, and then they'd start playing.

At the moment, she heard another band playing across the stage and realized it was Backroads. She hadn't seen Sam, but she was glad his band had gotten this opportunity. Now that she was with Trent, she didn't have any room left in her heart for bad feelings for her ex.

The other band played the last notes of their song, and as the lighting shifted, the announcer said, "Ladies and gentlemen, please turn your attention to the fiery Bree Matthews and her band!"

With the introduction, Dominic started the drum solo that began their newest song, "You Are the Reason," and the rest of the band filled in. Bree had a few moments to observe the crowd before she'd have to step up to the microphone. It was difficult to see all of the people with the bright stage lights shining in her face, but she could see shapes and forms. She knew Trent was out there somewhere, cheering her on. The models walking down the stage were wearing red sleepwear as they sashayed by to her left. She saw a few that she didn't recognize, spaced out about fifteen paces apart so each of them would have a chance to show their outfit off to the crowd. The audience either really loved these particular pieces, or their song was making an impression already.

She stepped up to the mic and began to sing the heartfelt lyrics she'd painstakingly crafted in an attempt to give even more credence to the relationship she shared with Trent. No longer was the world around her Bree's biggest concern. Rather, the music and the man she was singing to became all consuming. When the flames above her head began to shoot out, it brought her back slightly. She looked up to see a lot of billowing smoke and the occasional plume of red and orange flames shooting out of the pipes the maintenance men had been working on the first time she was out here during their walkthrough, but there was a good ten feet between the band and the end of the flames, so she wasn't concerned.

Bree hit the chorus and lost herself in the song again.

"You are the reason I'm alive.

You are the reason I can breathe.

You are the reason I survive.

You are the reason I can be

Here to face anything the world throws my way

Your hand in mine, I'll fight another day.

Because you are the only reason that I need."

About the time Zach finished the bridge to the second verse, Bree became aware that it was suddenly warmer. Ever since the incident in the hotel, she'd been overly cautious about heat, so her attention was immediately pulled up to the pipe. Sure enough, something was different. As if a mechanism had been activated, the entire piece rocketed down from above them. No longer ten feet between herself and the flames, Bree backed away from the mic stand, missing her cue for the second verse. The band continued to play for a moment, but then, they, too, realized the flames were much closer than they had been.

It wasn't just the pipe over her head that was moving, though. Across the stage, the others that had been shooting flames, four of them, also dropped. The models scrambled out of the way, many of them heading quickly toward the other side of the stage where the ice and snow was still falling. Bree's bandmates caught on to what was happening, and the song came to a screeching halt, just as a large plume of flame shot out of the end of the pipe near where Bree had been standing.

If you're loving the book, nel5s.org is where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience-all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you!

She wasn't there anymore, but even standing a good four feet behind where the flames were licking the air, she could feel the heat. She heard her name shouted from the crowd and recognized Trent's voice. Zach had his arms around her and Shawna, scooting them backward toward safety.

Screams filled her ears as Bree realized it wasn't just this pipe that had gotten the blast of fire. So had the others, and while most of the models had been able to make it away from the danger, one of them was rolling around on the stage in front of them, near the next closest pipe. Smoke and ash made it difficult to see her, and the smoke around Bree was intensifying as the flames continued to pour out of the wayward pipe.

"Stay here!" Zach insisted as Chase and Griffin moved equipment out of the way so that they could all back further from the flames. Dodging around the flames, Zach ran toward the shrieking woman, the fire extinguisher he'd mentioned earlier in his hand. About the time he cleared the flames, they suddenly shut off, as if someone in the special effects department finally realized there was a problem.

A moment later, the sounds of the fire extinguisher being deployed filled her ears. Bree could hardly see through the smoke, but she could sort of make out Zach's shape and knew he was spraying the woman down. The model continued to scream in agony, though.

Since the fire was out now, Bree ignored Zach's order to stay where she was and ran to where he was standing. The flames had been extinguished but the poor woman still lay on the runway, her hands held up to her head.

It was then that Bree recognized her. Even without most of her long, luscious locks of dark hair, it was clear that the woman lying on the floor was Monica.

"Oh, no!" Bree shouted, looking up at the pipes above them. It seemed evident that it was only the one positioned above her and her band that was supposed to have moved, and somehow, Monica's attempts to harm her had failed--and she'd ended up being the one to get hurt.

A rush of people were headed their way, including the woman running the show and a man carrying a medical emergency bag. Monica had ahold of Zach as she continued to writhe in pain on the floor. From what Bree could tell, besides the missing hair, there wasn't too much damage. She had some burns on her head and her hands, but her face looked okay, and that was something. Still, she knew firsthand how badly burns hurt, so she stepped aside. It took Zach a moment to un-attach himself from the supermodel who didn't want to let go, but he worked himself free with the help of the man who identified himself as a paramedic.

"Bree!"

The sound of Trent's voice had her turning to see him winding through people to reach her. Bree scooted through the crowd, finally reaching him and the solace of his arms. Trent hugged her to his chest. "Are you all right, Bree?" "I'm fine," she assured him. A wave of guilt washed over her as she looked up at him. "Monica wasn't so lucky."

"No, but knowing her, this was all her fault. It looked like the pipe above your head moved first, as if it was the only one that was supposed to descend, and then the others started to come down as well."

Bree nodded, also assuming that was the case. "But... her hair wouldn't have caught on fire if Shawna and I hadn't switched out her hairspray with the can she wanted us to use."

He raised an eyebrow. "Really?" He looked almost as if he was trying to hide a laugh and then shook his head. "How is that not just karma?"

She shrugged. "I still feel bad."

"Don't, Bree. She was trying to catch you on fire--for the second time in your life--and it backfired, leaving her the one to deal with the pain and consequences. You shouldn't feel guilty at all. If anything, you should feel... vindicated." He pulled her back to his chest, and Bree considered his words. She understood what he was saying, but she didn't feel vindicated or happy at all. She only felt bad for Monica and wished it hadn't come to this. Perhaps now, with Monica getting some sort of payback and Cat behind bars, she could finally live her life without always looking over her shoulder.

Or was there a chance this would just add fuel to the proverbial fire, and Monica would be more out to get her than ever before?

Standing there in Trent's arms, knowing she'd avoided catastrophe for herself and her bandmates, Bree felt lucky that she'd sniffed out the attack before it happened and taken the necessary precautions. When she was with Trent she felt completely safe, like nothing in the world could ever harm her. Despite the bustle around them, as people were cleared out so that Monica could get the care she needed, Bree didn't ever want to let Trent go.