Strangers

Part 11

Dan is bold

Will is in italic

**************

-STILL MONDAY-

(4:45pm)
Please forget I said that

***

"I can't do this," Dan said for the tenth time that evening "I feel sick, let's cancel it," he added in a little hysterical tone, to which Ralph only rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, you say that every time," he simply replied, grabbing Dan's hand firmly in his own so he wouldn't flee away like last time. He wasn't feeling up to chasing Dan around London and ending up at the police station again, desperately trying to explain why he was running like an idiot and screaming at the puppy-looking man in the middle of the night.
"It's gonna be fine," he slightly patted his back and dragged him to the bar. Drunk Dan was always willing to follow orders more easily.

"Fix him something strong and please make sure he doesn't run away," Ralph ordered the man behind the bar and slammed a twenty at the counter "I'll be in the bathroom" he added to Dan and gave him another encouraging pat.

Seconds later, a small glass of something vomit-like was placed in front of Dan, who happily gulped the whole thing down and grimaced. The bartender chuckled softly, but his delight was quickly replaced with worry.

"Is the..friend of yours..giving you any trouble?" he almost whispered and looked Dan up and down.

"What? No!" Dan squealed, and laughed nervously under the guy's suspicious gaze.
"You know, I'm up next," he gestured at the stage, where a young woman, Melody Railing or something, was just making out with the mic while her friend played the bass behind her. Horrendously.
"And I'm pretty sure it's gonna be disaster. My bandmate isn't even here yet,"

The bartender chuckled again, and Dan wondered for a while if there was a possibility that he has ever heard him sing before, and was going to laugh at him, because that would probably make him quit the music industry right away.

He was wrong, though, for the reason that the man pointed at the tables, which were over-flooding with people instead. "So you are the guy everyone came to see? What are you scared of? They obviously love you," Dan blushed, hoping the dim light the place provided would hide it. It didn't.

"They are what I am scared of. I've never had this many people at my gig before, what if I fuck up? What if I forget how to play the piano? What if-"

"DAN!" Woody appeared out of nowhere, but already with a smile on. "Sorry I'm late. Have you seen how many people are here?"

Dan's face turned unnatural shade of green and the barkeeper lost all his boundaries and started laughing out loud. Suddenly, as if he realized something, he stopped and took a deep breath, which caused the two to look at him in confusion.

"You are Dan? Dan Smith?"the man asked with wide eyes, which must have looked worse than he intended, as it was Woody who had to answer. "Yes. You know him? See Dan, you are probably not as horrible and infamous as you think,"

The bartender tried to say something more, but was cut off by Ralph, who was running towards the bar, shoving everyone out of his way.

"DAN, FOR FUCK'S SAKE, COME ON!" he screamed, and only then they all realized the weird girl wasn't on stage anymore.
"Uh, right," Dan said nervously as he was trying to hop off the bar stool. "It was nice meeting you,"he waved after the man before disappearing into the crowd.

He was still wearing a puzzled expression when he took out his phone, typing in a message with shaky fingers.

(11:15pm)
Kyle, you won't believe who I just met