you take a deep breath as the spotlight follows you across the stage, the familiar weight of your guitar strap settled comfortably on your shoulder. the roar of the crowd blends into a warm hum in your chest. youve done this a hundred times, pacing back and forth, letting the rhythm of the song carry you. renees voice soars behind you, crystal clear, and you cant help but grin at the power she pours into each note

youre about to step into your favorite groove spot, a little stretch of stage where the lights hit the wood just right, when your foot catches on a stray cable snaking across the floor. time slows and your left knee jolts forward, your guitar tilts, and you feel that sickening lurch in your stomach that only comes with a stumble

“shit.” you mutter, scrambling to right yourself. the chord hits a momentary clank and you glance toward renee, whos just finishing a soaring chorus, and you swear you see her bite her lip

her eyes flick to me and you catch the tiniest spark of amusement shining in them. suddenly the world tilts back into real time, the music pounds again, the crowd cheers, and youre upright, pretending the misstep never happened

renees holding the mic stand like a lifeline, trying and failing, to hide a grin. her cheeks are dusted pink under the stage lights as her hair falls around her face in wild waves. you give her a mock glare, strum a quick flourish, and launch back into the riff, louder and more confidently than before

she tries to stay in character, hugging the final note of her line but as you lock eyes, she breaks. she lets out a giggle, barely a breath, and its infectious. you let yourself crack a small smile, letting the moment become part of the song. the next chord rings out bright and clear and together you push forward, the stumble now just another beat in your shared rhythm