Ann stood there on stage wondering why she was about to bear her sole to a bar full of strangers. It wasn't that she had stage fright; well okay she kinda did, but that her lyrics were so personal. Right when she thought she was going to give up and walk off stage, her friend Drew leaned over.
"You can do this," he whispered. "We practiced, like a hundred times. You'll be fine."
She was grateful that Drew had agreed to play her song. He was much better that her when it came to playing the guitar. Drew was an old high school friend who had moved out to New York to peruse his stage acting. He was in a band when Ann first met him. She was amazed that he, a junior, was so nice to her, a freshman. Over the years he had helped her develop her music writing and Ann had finally let go of her school girl crush.
Ann took one more look at the audience and got a thumbs up from her friend Lynn. She turned to Drew and gave him a nod. As he began playing Ann closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and began singing.
Gerards POV:
Gerry was bored to death, sitting alone in his unfurnished apartment. He had, yet again, pissed off another girl with his philandering ways. His love life had become a pattern. 1) Start to date girl one. 2) Get sick of girl one. 3) Go out and get girl two and keep girl one. 4) Keep girl two when girl one finds out. Then start the process all over again. He hadn't had a relationship longer than a month in longer than he could remember. Most of his ex-girlfriends hated him; wanted to watch him die. He got lucky with Lisa. Not only had they dated for quite a long time, but she hated him so little that she became his personal assistant. There were times when he wondered how she put up with him.
To add to his boredom, Gerry realized that all of his friends were out of town for the weekend. 'What to do? What to do?' he said to himself as he looked out the window. As he looked across the street, he saw a little pub that reminded him of one back in Scotland. Thought he didn't drink anymore, he was feeling a bit hungry. He grabbed his coat and was out the door.
When he got to the door to the pub, he saw a sign that said there was an open mic night. 'Great a bar full of drunken people trying to sing.' He walked in anyway, sat down in a booth at the back, and gave his order of a coke with lime to the waitress. She handed him a menu and walked away.
He looked up from the menu and saw her. The girl on stage was beautiful and he couldn't help but stare. She looked to be tall, something he liked in a woman. As he looked her up and down, he thought, 'Damn'. Then suddenly her gaze caught his and he wasn't just looking at another girl he was going to seduce. She was different. The bar was small enough that he could just see to color of his eyes. They were the most beautiful color of hazel with a bit of green in them. She began to sing but kept her eyes on him, as though she was singing to him.
Driving away from the wreck of the day
And the lights always red in the rearview
Desperately close to a coffin of hope
I'd cheat destiny just to be near you
If this is giving up, then I'm giving up
If this is giving up, then I'm giving up, giving up
On love, on love
Gerry felt a little uncomfortable for a while, but he couldn't stop staring. He could feel the emotion in her voice as she sang
"If this is giving up, then I'm giving up, giving up, on love, on love". Finally she broke her gaze from him. She began to say as she continued to sing.
Driving away from the wreck of the day
And I'm thinking 'bout calling on Jesus
'Cause love doesn't hurt so I know Im not falling in love
