CC read it over and over again. 'Me'. Her. She did this to herself. And now she couldn't speak, sing or scream. He had to ask a question, though. "Isabella, why?"
Underneath, she wrote, "I self harmed when I was fourteen. I couldn't be perfect enough for myself. I tried to slit my throat so that I could die faster, but all I did was damage my vocal chords. I was rushed to hospital. I now have a condition called Aphonia."

CC shook his head slowly. "Well, at least you survived." He contemplated.
Then, Isabella looked at him again with big green eyes, and shook her head.
"I may be alive" She wrote, "But I'm dead inside."
And with that, she picked up a canvas bag from a desk and departed gracefully.

As soon as CC got home, he turned his computer on, and typed in 'aphonia'.


CC woke with a start the next morning, his phone buzzing an alarm for getting up. He rubbed his eyes, a cramp in his neck from falling asleep on a chair. He groaned and arose, switching the computer off.

CC was unusually early to filming, eager to see the others and Isabella. In fact, when he got to the building, she was checking in at reception, the receptionist obviously frustrated at her lack of response.
"Excuse me, miss? I asked you what your name was." She said, impatiently.
"Oh, hi! Can I check in?" CC asked.
The receptionist rolled her eyes. "I'm just checking in this woman here. If you'd wait-"
"I'm here with the band. This is Isabella Crescendo."
"Yes, sir. But I need to hear that from the lady."
"Well, Isabella can't tell you."
"And why would that be?"
Isabella pointed to her throat, and then shook her head. The receptionist looked at CC, as if to say, "What the hell I'd this woman doing?"
Isabella looked at CC and gave him a pained look. "I told you, she is called Isabella crescendo. She has a speaking disorder. Her vocals are damaged through major injury to the throat, meaning they can't vibrate properly to produce sound."
"And you are?"
"Christian Coma. I play drums in Black Veil Brides."
And then they basically just took a dramatic sweep out of reception.

When they were through, Isabella gave CC a quick hug to say thank you, before dashing off. CC would be sad when filming was over.

After final filming, they sat in the green room for the last time, just talking. This time, Isabella joined them, just listening.


Over coffee a couple of days later, Andy got up to take a call, and came back looking pretty annoyed. "Three of our dancers have pulled out of the tour."
Jinxx groaned. "Perfect. We don't have time to find three replacements! And on the first tour we decided to use dancers on stage."
"And even if we did, they have only a week to learn the moves." Ashley added.
Corynne walked over to their table and sat next to Andy. She hugged him. "Hey, what's wrong, guys?"
Andy sighed. "Three dancers just quit the tour that hasn't even had its first show."
Corynne shrugged. "Well, that's too bad."
Andy sighed "Gosh, thanks for the support."
Corynne rolled her eyes and laughed. "You do realise all you have to do is contact Taz, Susie and Isabella?"
A smile appeared on Ashley's face. "Corynne Biersack, you are a genius!"
CC shook his head at Ash. "They won't be able to learn it fast enough... Will they?"

"Well, I'll do it." Said Taz, eagerly. Susie agreed.
"How about you, Issy?" Asked Susie.
Then, for the first time since they'd met her, Isabella smiled.