moonlight {h.s}

meet me in the hallway

Harry

"Acoustic? You're sure?" Jeff questioned, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck.

"Yep." I bluntly replied, using my teeth to pull a cap off my beer bottle.

"Right. Okay. Harry..." He started, trying to convince me to change my mind and focus on crowd pleasers.

I stood up, downed the beer and said, "It's final Jeff. We're singing Meet Me In The Hallway last, not kiwi. It will be acoustic, Mitch and I have agreed."

"You heard the boss." Mitch chuckled, following behind me down the hall and towards the stage.

Life had been recently different. I was trying to stop using, but I was still drinking myself stupid. It made everything a lot less intense, not to say that it was perfect.

Mitch was helping me a lot, trying to get me to write instead of self medicate. We were trying to turn the pain into a passion.

"You're sure about singing it? I know it's touchy especially with everything going on. It has a different meaning now." Mitch asked, strolling beside me.

The music from the venue was loud, I could feel the floor pulsing. We had a playlist on before the show began. I knew what was playing. The same songs were on every night, same order. It was the last song before I came out, Ribs. Sydney's single from her EP.

"Yeah, I want to. It's not about her is it. I know the fans like the song, I do too." I nodded, taking my mind back to the conversation and away from the thoughts of Sydney that had began fluttering into my mind.

"Okay, let's kick ass." He grinned, heading up the stairs to the side stage. I followed, my shoes squeaking on the hardwood floors.

I was wearing a new silk suit, Gucci off course, a lighter shade to Mitch who was in a maroon suit. His hair was short now, shorter than mine.

Lots of things were different now.

***

"Thank you Tokyo! You have been a dream, this has been the most amazing way to finish the year. I can't wait to see you guys next year. Thank you for the love. We have one last song and then we're going, but not for long..." I grinned, basking in the love and screams from the crowd.

"This is, Meet Me In The Hallway."

I pulled my guitar to my front, adjusting the strap and beginning to strum. It was just me on stage now, the lights from the projection giving me an orange aura.

"Two, Three, Four..."

"Meet me in the hallway...meet me in the hallway" I sung, hearing the room electrify and join me.

I had lied to Mitch, the song had taken a new meaning and it felt like Sydney. I couldn't help but think about her and my current situation.

"I just left your bedroom...give me some morphine...is there any more to do?"

Every drink, every drug, felt like a betrayal to her. When I was sober, I was disgusted and disappointed in myself and she was all I could think about. But that was what the drink was for, to make my mind forget.

"Just let me know, I'll be at the door, at the door. Hoping you'll come around."

I imagined my heartbreak like this song, standing outside the door to Sydney's room, begging to see her, talk to her, but with no response. The lack of closure and knowledge of her whereabouts was what killed me the most, I just wanted to know she was safe.

Just let me know I'll be on the floor, on the floor
Maybe we'll work it out

I gotta get better, gotta get better
I gotta get better, gotta get better
I gotta get better, gotta get better
And maybe we'll work it out