𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐀

Six

An hour later, I found myself at a bar downtown. I was no longer wearing a dress but instead some black jeans with a leather jacket. In front of me, sat my favorite drink—Gin and Tonic. It was a quiet night, and people were talking amongst themselves.

"Are you Selina Maxwell?" The bartender asked me after staring at me for a while. I nodded, and she smiled. "I love your voice— I saw the cover you did on youtube and I heard your new song. I was wondering if you could sing, Karaoke night isn't going too well," We both looked at the stage, only to see no one on it. After no one signed up, the DJ played music that sucked ass.

"Okay," I said, noticing the way her eyes lit up. My anxiety began to kick it but I didn't care. This place was dead and she wanted my help to bring it alive. I walked past all the people and stepped onto the stage, tapping the DJ. He looked at me, and I held out my hand. "Karaoke, please,"

"Who are you?"

"Selina Maxwell,"

"You're going to sing?" He asked surprised before I rolled my eyes. "No, I'm going to give the microphone a blowjob," I couldn't help it, statements like that just come out sometimes.

"Damn, okay, what song?" He said, handing me the microphone.

"I'll sing Kiss it Better by Rihanna," I said, feeling my throat tighten. A small smile made its way to my lips when I remembered my parents' words. You're made to shine, Selina.

They've told me that all my life but I never really listened.

"I can play the soundtrack or you can play it on the electric guitar if you know how to," He asked, focusing his attention on his equipment. "I'll take the electric guitar,"

"Okay,"

I turned to the audience as the music ended, and people looked at me. I sighed, taking a moment to breathe. "Hello everyone. My name is Selina and I will be singing a song for Karaoke night,"

"Oh please, fuck off," A middle-aged man yelled.

"Okay, but first, I have to pull the dick out of your ass," I said, earning a few chuckles from his friends.

The DJ pulled up a stool for me to sit on, before handing me the guitar which was attached to the speakers. I attached the microphone to the stand and settled it before me. They watched as I began plucking my guitar to the melody of Kiss it Better.

"Been waiting on that sunshine. Boy, I think I need that back. Can't do it like that. No one else gonna get it like that. So I argue, you yell, had to take me back," I sang bobbing my head to the melody, my eyes closed. It wasn't long until I began to feel more comfortable, now singing to full capacity.

"Who cares when it feels like crack? Boy, you know that you always do it right. Man, fuck your pride, just take it on back, boy," Just then, the doors of the bar opened and the dickhead mechanic walked inside. My eyes wandered all over his body, he wore a black shirt with jeans, his brown hair slightly damp from the rain. Tattoos covered his arms—tattoos I could fully see now because of the light.

Fuck.

"Take it on back boy, take it back all night. Just take it on back, take it on back. Mmm, do what you gotta do, keep me up all night. Hurting bad man, and it hurts inside when I look you in your eye," Ricardo sat at the bar, running his hands through his damp hair. Low and behold, he slowly turned his head, connecting eyes with me.

"What are you willing to do? Oh, tell me what you're willing to do? Kiss it, kiss it better, baby. What are you willing to do?" I sang, my eyebrows furrowing together playfully. The electric guitar sounded incredible, adding life to my cover. "Oh, tell me what you're willing to do? Kiss it, kiss it better, baby," 

"Damn," I heard someone say from the audience and it only encouraged me to let loose. People began to stand up, their eyes widened and their lips separated.

"I've been waiting up all night. Baby, tell me what's wrong. Go on and make it right. Make it all night long. I've been waiting up all night. Baby, tell me what's wrong. Go on and make it right, make it all night long,"

"Man, fuck your pride, just take it on back, boy. Take it on back boy, take it back all night. Just take it on back, take it on back. Mmm, do what you gotta do, keep me up all night. Hurting bad man, and it hurts inside when I look you in your eye," I sang, with emotion. Ricardo simply turned his head away and took a sip of the beer that was placed in front of him.

Rude.

"What are you willing to do? Oh, tell me what you're willing to do? Kiss it, kiss it better, baby. What are you willing to do? Oh, tell me what you're willing to do? Kiss it, kiss it better, baby,"

I finished the song with some improvised tunes. I stood up from the chair and bent down on the floor, pulling my body back so I was looking at the ceiling.
The audience gasped listening to me play the guitar like my life depended on it.

"Fuck it up!" A girl yelled. I finally hit the last note, a smile on my face as the audience cheered. "That was so fucking good. Man, she killed that shit!"

"And that was the beautiful Selina Maxwell," The DJ yelled as I stood up, and handed the guitar back to him. After thanking the audience, I made my way back to my seat, and I moved my half-empty drink away from me. My mother taught me better than that.

Ricardo swung the beer bottle between his rough fingers, keeping his gaze on his phone with a bored look on his face. A few people made their way over to me, asking me questions. But no matter how hard I tried, my eyes seemed to keep landing on him.