Page 67 of Cosplay & Consequences

I have hidden away in the dark

I was broken down and left in parts

Bray’s jaw dropped in amazement. “Damn!”

It hit me like a bolt of lightning, leaving me momentarily breathless. “It’s unfair what that man’s voice does to me,” I groaned.

I have burned my soul and earned my scars

I have run and lost myself among the stars

The crowd called out with encouragement. While Danny seemed to acknowledge it with a smile, his eyes darted around the room, scanning for Faye. It still didn’t detract from the performance. He knew how to engage the crowd and more and more of the audience warmed up to him.

But I won’t let my heart dissolve and rust

I know I’ll find a way to earn your trust

Despite it being a Kismet Sizzle song, Danny made it his own. He stomped his foot in time with the sudden surge of the drumbeat.

This is the story of us!

The crowd cheered and I found myself joining them. Bray danced next to me, swaying with the music, her arms up in the air clapping and snapping on the beat. The noise of the crowd roused Bennet from his drunken stupor.

He blinked in confusion when he saw Danny on stage. “Hey, isn’t this supposed to be my song?”

The crowd went wild as Danny launched into the bridge.

Whoa-Oh-Oh-Oh!

I watched as Danny and the crowd did a call and response before Bray nudged me. “Jess! He found her.”

I suddenly realized that Danny had been staring at me, singing and pointing in a certain direction. I followed his finger and caught a glimpse of a purple wig.

“I see her!” I tried to squeeze my way through, but there were too many people. It was a wall cosplayers, and I wasn’t making any progress.

Bray grabbed my shoulder and shouted at the top of her lungs: “Clear the room bitches! Make way for the fey queen!”

A startled sea of cosplayers parted out of my way, and Bray gave me a slap on my rear. “Go get her, tiger!”

I scurried through the free path Bray had created, making my way to the table in the corner. A bunch of girls in cosplay were chanting along with Danny. I spotted Cameron, dressed in a slinky fairy costume dancing around while holding a cocktail up in the air. Right next to her was my target. Faye’s fantasy-inspired Paloma outfit was stunning. But I spotted another problem as she stumbled around and bumped into other people. “That’s my uncle!” Faye shouted repeatedly in a slurred voice.

“Jess!” Cams shouted and staggered over to greet me with a hug.

I pushed out my arm to keep her at a distance from me. “What did you do with her?” I shouted, pointing at Faye.

“What? We’re having a couple of drinks.”

“She’s fourteen, Cams!”

Her eyes widened, and her mouth fell open. “I didn’t know!”

“How much has she had to drink?” I demanded.

“Just one or two cocktails!”

I turned and took hold of Faye’s arm, who was still enthralled with Danny’s singing. “Hey Faye!”

Faye turned and gasped. “Jess! Hi! You’re here too? Hi!”