Thursday evening had arrived earlier than any of us had anticipated and let me tell you, it was really hectic.

The show was supposed to start in 45 minutes from now and I was still being dolled up in the dressing room. The Avenue outside was occupied with a couple of hundred-thousand people, fans, and I could hear their excited shouts and chatter all the way back here. Their voices were making me so excited inside that I was ready to bolt for the stage any moment now.

The entire backstage staff was in a frenzy. The security was losing their shit trying to stop the fans from sneaking into the back arena to meet me. My bandmates were already backstage setting up their instruments waiting for me to go through with a final soundcheck with them before the show.

Sophia however, was cool as a cucumber. How? Don't ask me cause I didn't know myself. She was handling everything so very well that I and my entire crew were surprised beyond our senses. With a pen and the concert detail list in her hand, the control headset over her head, she was standing there looking like a damn queen in her deep neck sequined dark blue short dress.

" Tiana, could you stop moving for a minute please, darling! " Caroline, my stylist who was standing behind my chair with her team swarming around her, said in a high-pitched voice. I quickly froze in my place and looked back at her with an apologetic smile on my face.

" I'm sorry, Cara. It's just that this dress is a little too tight, it keeps riding up and I'm just too excited to sit still! " I pouted at her and she shook her head in disapproval, letting out a long dramatic sigh. " You've been away for too long, honey. " She said while clicking her tongue.

Turning back around in my seat, I cocked an eyebrow at her in the mirror and gave her a 'really' look. Rolling her eyes at me, she shouted a few quick instructions at her crew and they instantly started giving my makeup some final touches.

Ten minutes later they were finally done and I stood in front of the mirror, admiring their masterwork. They had done a mind-blowing job. I looked like a pop star again.

I was wearing a thigh-high black dress which had a full-sleeved and high necked upper top and the lower half was adorned with many layers of the silky material giving it a fluffy appearance. The neck of the dress was decorated with beautiful yet simple white stones which accentuated the otherwise plain black dress giving it a graceful edge.

Caroline had decided to keep my blonde highlight since she had liked the work just too much, but had pulled my hair up in my signature high ponytail that reached the bottom of my back. I had on knee-length high-heeled boots and my thin-rimmed cat spectacles completed the entire look.

Can I be cocky for just a minute and say that I was finally looking like the diva I was. What? You gotta hype yourself too sometimes!

" Ev- oh I mean, Miss Sandford, you need to head toward the backstage for the soundcheck now, " Sophia rushed out while scribbling down something in the schedule in her hand. A second later she lifted her head to look at me and her eyes widened in appreciation. 'You look hot' she mouthed at me and then winked mischievously. Rolling my eyes at her with an indulgent smile on my lips, I quickly followed her as she led me backstage.

" Holy cow! Where's that boyfriend of yours, Eve, because he's gonna lose his mind after seeing you in that look. " Fiona exclaimed with a smirk on her face as we reached them backstage. I scoffed and winked at her playfully making her giggle.

Once the soundcheck was completed and we were all confident that we were ready to perform, Sophia gave me my in-ear-monitors and I checked and adjusted them in my ears quickly.

Taking in a deep breath, I squared my shoulder and a wide genuine smile stretched across my face. I was finally going to perform again! I couldn't be any happier. My eyes moved to Sophia. She said some instructions into her headset and then turned around to give me her most beautiful smile and a thumbs-up.

Excited butterflies broke out in my stomach as the platform, that me and my band were standing on, slowly started to rise up towards the stage. For a minute or two complete darkness surrounded us and all I could hear were the excited cheers of my fans which automatically made me giddy inside.

Then slowly the edge of the stage came into our view and my eyes slowly adjusted to the brightness of the room to see thousands and thousands of fans shouting and cheering loudly. The minute our faces came into view the cheering increased a hundred folds and a huge smile stretched over my face.

Once the platform was completely on the stage, I walked forward towards the standing mic in the center of the stage, all the while waving at the cheering crowd, my stride more confident that ever.

I was back in my element.

Adjusting the mic in front of me I waited for the encore to die down but it only seemed to grow more and more.

A small chuckle left my lips and the mic caught it and resonated it throughout the stadium causing the cheers to increase even more. Goosebumps broke out all over my skin as I scanned over this huge crowd of my loyal fans who hadn't lost faith in me even after everything.

My eyes landed at the VIP cabin in the center of the stadium and my smile widened at seeing my favorite people cheering for me. Ryan noticed me looking and lifted his hand up to wave at me with a huge grin on his face. Not being able to stop myself, I lifted my hand and blew a small kiss at him which he made a great show of catching. Dramatic ass.

The other fans saw this exchange and almost every single head turned back to look at them too. As if understanding my actions, the cheers became even louder and another chuckle left my lips.

Taking in a deep breath I smiled, " Good evening New York! " The answering cheer was deafening. Shaking my head in amusement I chuckled, " How've you been? " Removing the mic from it's stand, I walked down to the edge of the stage as the fans cheered their responses.

A collective 'we missed you' sounded through the stadium making me smile again. " I missed you too. So much! " I said into the mic. I saw tears in the eyes of the fans who were standing in the first few rows and I bent down to touch their outstretched hands. I swear some girls even almost passed out as I touched their hands. What will happen to them on the tour when Ryan does the same? I giggled at the thought internally.

" Please wipe you tears. I don't want to see anyone of you crying today. It's a happy day, let's celebrate it with happy smile, shall we? So how are we? " I said and the crowd cheered in agreement this time even louder than last time. Turning my head a little I cued the band to get ready.

" So, have you people been good? " I asked in a tantalizing tone while fixing the mic back in the mic stand and picking up my guitar and adjusting the straps around my shoulder.

The crowd cheered a loud 'yes' but I also heard an underlying 'no' somewhere from the back and lifted my eyes to see Aiden, Noah and Evan smirking at me. Laughing, I shook my head at them, " You guys over there better not be naughty! " The entire crowd went crazy at seeing me interact with them but they just stood there laughing their asses off.

" The first song that we're gonna play for you guys today is called ' Into You' so if you know the lyrics please join in! " I smiled as the crowd broke out into a huge encore. Their voices were so loud that I almost didn't hear Charlotte start the beat.

For the next two hours or so, we sang over twenty or more songs for the crowd and I was feeling euphoric inside. My veins were filled with adrenaline, not blood and I was high on the excitement coursing through my body.

The crowd cheered and sang with me through all the songs. While some shouted the lyrics back to me and swayed along with the music, the others just danced around with goofy smiles on their faces. Seeing them so happy because of something I was doing was encouraging at a whole different level.

Just as the last song came to an end, I lowered my mic slowly and saw the crowd break out into a loud applause. My eyes shining with love and admiration, I looked at my friends and saw Jenny and Mia jumping up and down with excitement and the boys standing there looking so proud of me. Even Aiden looked so proud watching over at me as if I was his little sister too. The thought warmed my heart all over again and I smiled back at all of them.

But it wasn't over yet. Something that I had planned with the band earlier, the new song that I had written for my friends was still left.

" You guys have been an awesome crowd tonight and since it's Thanksgiving today, I'm gonna show my gratitude to you all in the form of a new song. " Hearing the cheers become louder, I turned to look at my VIP occupants again.

My eyes locked onto Ryan even from such large distance between me and his smile stole my breath away. Starting directly at him I lifted the mic back to my mouth, " This song holds a very special place in my heart because the people it is written for are the most beautiful part of my life now. " They all smiled at me and then looked at each other with huge grins on their faces.

" This one is called ' Invisible String'. I hope you guys like it. " Smiling I walked back to the mic stand in the center and fixed the mic back into it. A backstage crew member quickly came on the stage with a high stool and placed it right next to the mic. Sitting on the stool, I adjusted my guitar and looked back at the band to see them all smiling at me.

Stealing one last glance at Ryan, I started
strumming the chords and heard Fiona join me with the guitar while Ray played a basic baseline to compliment the tune.

I smiled and lifted my eyes back to him to see that he was watching me curiously. My eyes scanned over the entire crowd. Instead of cheering, there were all now swaying along with the beautiful music with smiles on their faces. Taking in a deep breath, I started singing along with the music.

" Green was the color of the grass
Where I used to read at Centennial Park
I used to think I would meet somebody there

Teal was the color of your shirt
When you were sixteen at that auto shop
You used to work at to make a little money"

I smiled thinking back at those first few conversations I had with Ryan in his kitchen and then once in his car where he had told me about his part-time job back in LA. We had come so far from that. I looked back at him and saw an amused smile stretched over his features.

Time, curious time
Gave me no compasses, gave me no signs
Were there clues I didn't see?
And isn't it just so pretty to think
All along there was some
Invisible string
Tying you to me?
Ooh

Weren't those words so right? If there hadn't been a string tying my heart to his all this while then why out of the places, would I have crashed in that very bar? I wouldn't have. I wouldn't even have found him. But I did. And it was only because I was meant to.

Bad was the blood of the song in the cab
On your first trip to NY
You ate at my favourite spot for dinner
Bold was the waitress on my trip there
Getting lunch down at the bar
She said I looked like an American singer

I shifted my eyes to Jenny and saw a fresh blush creep up her neck. It was so bright and red that I could easily see it from so far away. I chuckled under my breath as she hid her face in Evan's arm making him and the other laugh amusedly. My eyes trailed over the entire crowd.

Every single person had fetched their phones out and their flashes were on while they were waving them in the air. With the low lighting the team had chosen for this song, it looked like a sea of floating stars in the stadium. It was so beautiful that, lost in its appreciation, I almost missed the beat to my next line.

Time, mystical time
Cuttin' me open, then healin' me fine
Were there clues I didn't see?
And isn't it just so pretty to think
All along there was some
Invisible string
Tying you to me?
Ooh

As the bridge of the song approached, the band switched up their tunes accordingly and I lifted my eyes to Ryan's again, singing the next lines right to him.
His eyes were shining under the light in the cabin, telling me that he had tears in his eyes too. I could feel my own tears sliding down my cheeks.

A string that pulled me

Out of all the wrong arms right into that dive bar
Something wrapped all of my past mistakes in barbed wire
Chains around my demons, wool to brave the seasons
One single thread of gold tied me to you

My throat clogged up a little, I clenched my eyes and lowered my face to control my emotions. A small encouraging cheer erupted from the front two rows as they saw me losing my composure.

This was the first time I had let tears slip down my face at my concert.

Cold was the steel of my axe to grind
For the boys who broke my heart
Now I send their babies presents
Gold was the color of the leaves
When I showed you around Centennial Park
Hell was the journey but it brought me heaven

Thought and memories of every single second that I had spent with these beautiful people ran through my memories making my lips lift up in a smile by themselves.

I had started alone, but ended up with so many loved ones in my life. I had once hated Jack, and now I was sending gifts and blankets for his unborn daughter. I had once devised the name Stella and now she was the dearest to my heart.

I had nothing, but I had found everything.

With twinkling eyes, I looked around at the room which was overflowing with love and happiness, and sang the last chorus of the song.

Time, wondrous time
Gave me the blues and then purple-pink skies
And it's cool, baby, with me
And isn't it just so pretty to think
All along there was some
Invisible string
Tying you to me?

The crowd roared loudly just as I strummed the last chords and looked up at them with a smile. Shouts and encores were cheering through the stadium and I waited for the frenzy to die down. I didn't even have to look at my friend to know that they all had tears in their eyes because my own tears were not stopping.

Once the encore died down a little I unhooked my guitar and took the mic in my hand. A shaky breath left my lips as I looked at all of these people who loved me, " It has been 7 years. 7 long years of knowing you beautiful people and you have all supported me through every single step of my life. You have loved me without asking for anything in return, you have supported me without fail and I can never thank you all enough for that. "
They all cheered back a 'we love you, Tiana' at my words and I smiled, " When I had first started singing for you all, I had no idea of who I was. I didn't know what life meant. I didn't know what happiness was. I only knew what fear felt like. "

The crowd silenced a little and started listening in closely, " I was a little girl, just 15 years old when I had first stepped foot in this industry, scared out of my mind, not sure if I would make it. I had no idea of who I was or what I was meant to do, so I did what I was best at doing. I lied. "

I watched with tears in my eyes as a wave of silence passed over the entire stadium. No one moved, no one said anything. They just pondered over my words and listened in for more, and so I continued.

" I lied to everyone. I lied to the world. I even lied to myself. I made this girl up inside my head who was confident and brave and courageous and I named her Tiana Sandford. I told myself I was doing it because I wanted some sort of privacy but that wasn't the truth. I did it because I didn't know who I really was. So I became Tiana Sandford. "

" But then something happened. I met these wonderful amazing people and they showed me who I was. They showed me that I am a girl who lives for other's happiness. I am a girl who loves singing, not to earn money or to sell records but to convey my emotions. They taught me how to smile again. They taught me how to laugh again. They taught me how to be myself. And so now I am ready to let you all know who I really am too. "

An expectant silence fell over the entire crowd as they all waited for the next words to slip out of my mouth. Taking a deep breath, I risked a glance at Ryan, and he nodded back at me encouragingly.

" My name is Evelyn Rose Johnson, I'm a 21-year-old girl and I love writing songs for you all and singing my heart out. "

A beat of stunned silence passed, nobody moved, nobody said anything and I held my breath in fear and anticipation. But then just like that, the crowd broke out into the largest cheer of the evening and every single face had a huge grin fixed on them.

I looked back at the people who had made it all possible. Ryan folded his arms over his chest and looked at me with the proudest smile ever. Evan look like he would burst into tears any minute. Jenny blew me a large kiss and Mia smiled at me. Noah and Aiden both waved their arms in the air with their hands forming a thumbs-up.

My chest swelled up with happiness and love at seeing all these people accept me with their open arms.

I finally found myself and nothing could compare to this ever.

I am me, and that was enough.

More than enough.

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