Hybrid: The Awakening

Chapter 19-Asher

"I'll get money!" I yelled. "Then I'll be right back!" I thought I heard the lady groan, but I was too busy scanning the area for Tristen to care.

I caught Tristen sitting on one of the chairs in front of the stage. The two people that were playing on stage had gotten off to take a break. They now looked to be talking to Tristen, handing him one of their guitars.

"Hey, Tristen!" I exclaimed, moving over to where he was. Tristen and the singers looked up at me.

"Got any money?" I asked, slightly out of breath. One of the singers smiled at me.

"Is this young lad your friend?" The man directed the question to Tristen. He nodded.

The other singer leaned over to me. "We're tryin' to convince your friend to come up on stage with us. We caught him singin' along to one of the songs and he's got some real talent."

"You should totally do it!" I told Tristen, but he shook his head.

"I don't know that kind of music," he argued.

I put my hand on my chin. "And yet, you knew the song they were singing. Suspicious."

"Didn't you want money?" He said for an obvious subject-change.

"Hey, we aren't leaving this topic just yet! You don't want to sing? Fine. But that means I'll sing. Hm, which song? There's 'Living on a Prayer', 'Billie Jean', 'Amazing Grace'-"

"Just take the money." Tristen shoved the change in my hand. "That's all that's left from the twenty dollars."

I wrapped my fingers around it. "Thanks, I'm gonna go get some food from that stand over there." I pointed to where it was. "But don't think I forgot what I said! It's either you sing, or I sing. And we both know what everyone else would prefer."

Tristen smirked. "So you're admitting you suck at singing?"

I put my hands up. "Hey, I've never heard you sing. So maybe I'll be wrong and it'll turn out that I actually am the better singer, and-"

"Bye, Ash," Tristen told me before facing away.

I chuckled and counted the money in my hand. $1.24.

Hurrying back to the stand, I yelled, "I got the money!" to the big lady, getting a few head-turns. I placed it on the counter and the lady picked it up, annoyed.

"This all?" she said distastefully, counting the coins.

"Well, uh, yes. Yes it is."

The lady snorted before pushing the money back to me. "Not enough buddy."

"But please?" I begged. "I can help you around, y'know. Do whatever you need me to do, say whatever you need me to say-"

"What I need you to do is shut up so I can deal with my other customers that actually do pay. Next!" She turned her attention away from me and ushered the next person forward.

I walked away sulkingly, head down and arms crossed. Still being close enough to hear the lady and her customers, I sat down on one of the fold-up chairs.

From where I sat, I watched the next customer order. They wore a large black cloak with a hood pulled over their face. It was obvious the person was trying to blend in, but their efforts were just making them stick out even more.

I felt a chill go down my spine, as well as a strange sense of Deja vu. I recognised the figure from somewhere. But where that somewhere was, I had no clue.

My heart rate sped up when they turned my direction, and I quickly looked down. I had no idea why I was so afraid. I mean sure, they looked shady, but they hadn't done anything dangerous. And you know what they say: never judge a book by its cover.