Anything But Normal

Both of our dumb asses

It had been a week since I let Cash disappear without calling after him. I wanted to, I wanted to tell him to stay. I wanted to tell him how confused I was. I wanted him to help me figure out what I was feeling. I needed him to stay, I needed him to be there. But I didn't call out after him, and I lost my chance. I haven't talked to him since. 

Chase slid me a beer from across the rounded bar table we were standing at. "Have a beer, Parker. You need it." 

I snorted at his words, taking a sip anyway. Chase and Brendan thought I had been having a tough week because Taite and I were in a fight. I guess they were close enough. 

We were at the Blue Mule, this small concert venue in the downtown of the neighboring city. There was a local alternative band playing that Brendan liked, so we all go tickets. The Mule was essentially a glorified sports bar that would take our fake IDs and provide good music, so a lot of kids from our high school dotted the floor in front of the stage--if you could really call a raised platform of wood a stage. 

We sat talking and fooling around until someone announced the opening act would be on soon. They were some sort of cover band from near by from what Brendan had heard.

I drained the rest of the beer, swishing it around in my mouth for a second, my eyes scanning around the room looking for a pair of familiar blue eyes and a mop of black hair. Just as I was about to swallow, I spotted him. 

He was on stage. With a mic. 

My body erupted into a fit of coughs as the beer came back up through my windpipe. 

"Woah, Matt," Brendan started pounding my back, my body shaking with coughs and the realization that Cash was the local cover band. 

"Is... is that--" I tried to spew out the question, my body still doubled over. 

"We can't fucking understand you sir-coughs-alot!" I gave Chase a look, finally able to stand upright. I took a deep breath and a final cough.

"Is that Cash Ryder? On stage?"

Both of their heads snapped towards the stage. The group had just started warming up. I kept my head down. 

"Huh," Chase said. "I guess it is."

"Weird," Brendan followed up. "I didn't know he was talented."

Images of Cash playing the piano swarmed in front of my eyes. I swallowed down the vomit that itched at the back of my throat. 

Suddenly Cash's voice echoed around me. 

"Hey everyone, we're The Machine and we hope you enjoy the night."

A mediocre round of applause followed his words, but Cash assumed his spot at his piano--right in the front--and began playing instantly. 

He was playing a song I recognized, something popular, up-beat, and definitely top forties. But when he started singing, oh my god.

"Holy crap," Chase was the first to acknowledge it. 

Brendan was next. "Holy. Crap."

I watched in awe. 

"Is anyone else attracted to him right now?" Brendan shook his head, looking at Chase.

"Dude," he responded. "I was about to say the same thing."

I added a "mm-hmmm" not trusting my actual words. If forced to speak, something like "I'm so fucking horny" would have come out, and we really can't have that.