The knot came back and it was really big this time. Agate swallowed and nodded. They all grabbed their things and started up to the stage. The chattering voices of the waiting people filled Agates' ears and just filled his heart with more anxiety. They finally got to the stage and the people’s eyes locked on them. The passive chattering of the people had hushed as they all put their attention onto the three of them. Carnelian and Jade both waved and smiled as they got to their respective stations. Agate smiled and walked to the front of the stage, a microphone sat waiting for someone to speak their mind into it.

He looked out into the crowd, it felt like time stopped as he looked into the eyes of the people waiting for him to speak like he always does at the start. Each person looking back into his eyes, an excited silence came over the place. His eyes finally came across his family’s. His Mom, Dad, Stone, and Jack. His dad had a large camera filming the experience, he always did this to keep these moments for as long as they live. His mom mouths “you got this” to him and Stone and Jack give him a thumbs up. He swallowed, smiled, and grabbed the microphone.

He pointed his finger at the crowd and yelled to his heart's content. “Are you ready!? Are you ready to rock out to your heart's fullest, most pure content!? Are you ready, are you mentally prepared for the last and final round with us!? The Jewel Watchers!?” He pointed the microphone out to the crowd as they cheered and set the atmosphere for the night. Pure excitement. The knot felt a bit tighter. He pulled the mic back to him. “That’s the correct and only answer us three wanna hear! And I just want to thank all y’all for coming out to our last and final performance. This means a lot to the three of us.” He spoke meaningfully to the mic, tears slightly pooling in his eyes.

He sniffed and put the mic onto the stand holding it close to him as he yelled into it one last time. “Now! Are! You! Ready!? Ready for the party of a lifetime! The performance of your lives!?” The crowd goes wild as he backs up from the mic. His heart is beating wildly and he feels it in his neck. The heat from the stage lights beam down on him causing him to heat up even more than he used to. The first song in their performance is memorized in Jade and Agate's heads and Carnelian grips his sticks. His palms are starting to sweat as he grips the neck of his guitar. And with the image of the notes that need to be played started flowing in his mind, his fingers, almost seamlessly, played what was needed.

The sound of their instruments filled the bar. The loud noise of the drums fills out the base part of the melody. Jade and Agate's guitars played two different parts that intertwined and formed a melody that energized the crowd. Sweat dripped down Agate's face as he concentrated on the notes and time signature changes and so much more as he clenched the neck of the guitar as he held the strings that made the notes emit from his pride and joy. The stage lights beat down on Carnelian as he reads the beats on the page, what drums to hit when, when to crescendo, and when to hold back. His sticks slam down on them as he steadies his breathing to cool himself from the hot lights above. The crowd's eyes stare daggers into Jade as she aggressively plays her part of the song. She takes a step closer to the mic and their eyes focus on her, aggressive anticipation filled the air and her heart tried beating through her chest. She opens her mouth to sing, to compete with the hungry stares and the sound of her heart in her ears.

This is their last performance. Their last time together to play their hearts out in a musical form. Their last chance to have this kind of moment that makes them stressed but proud of what they’ve done. So many emotions and so little time for them to really express them, this all comes together to form a singular one that they’re all feeling. The desire to make their last performance their best performance.

~~~~~~~~~~

The last song comes to an end, Jade and Agate start to play the climax of the musical number. Carnelian comes in and rounds up the song with the final but most important part of this entire performance. Once he hit his final note Jade and Agate came to a stop. The crowd in the bar starts to clap as the three of them look out at them all.

Agate looked shell-shocked before grabbing the microphone and yelling at the audience. “And that’s all folks! Our last and final performance has officially ended! Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts for coming out tonight to watch us perform!”

Jade and Carnelian get up and quickly move their way to Agate. The three of them smiled and point out into the crowd, “We’ve been the Jewel Watchers, and your life sure a fuck got rocked!” Jade takes the microphone and sticks it back on the stand and they all wave and leave off stage. The audience can still be heard clapping as they made their way back to the set-up room.

Agate's face was flushed from the performance, he couldn’t believe just how good they were.

Jade ran into the room and started to scream and jump around like a fool. “Omg! Omg! Omg! O.M.G! We sounded so cool! How- how did we do that omg!”

Carnelian joins in the screaming and jumping around for once, sharing the same statement as Jades. “I’m so fucking proud of ourselves!” Carnelian in the speer of the moment gave Jade a big smooch on the cheek and pulled Agate into the screaming jumping session. Jade looks flustered as she still jumps around like a fool. Agate starts laughing and giggling just like the other two.

The performance went better than Agate had expected. He wanted it to be perfect, more perfect than he could ever imagine. His cheeks are flushed red with happiness and he feels his heartbeat in his ears. This truly was the best birthday he ever had.