listen to while they drown their sorrows.” He says on a light laugh.
I pick up my guitar case and tilt my head towards the stage, silently asking if that's where he wants me to play. “Yeah, just head on up. Show us what you got.” He says, wrapping his arm around Becca's shoulder.
“Good luck.” She says sweetly, snuggling into Jake's arm. Those two are almost sickening but I can't help but be somewhat envious. I can't remember what it feels like to look at someone the way Becca looks at Jake. The way I used to look at Kyle.
I try to shake off the small bundle of nerves creeping into the pit of my stomach. There's no reason to be nervous. Not really. Considering that I am auditioning in front of a whopping six people.
I climb up the two wooden stairs that lead up to the stage. Figuring I don't need the microphone or amplifier because the bar is so quiet, I don't bother hooking up the wires laid out on the stage. Instead, I take a seat on the stool sitting in the center of the stage and prop my guitar in my lap.
When I look up, Becca and Jake are sitting at one of the tables directly behind the small makeshift dance floor. Both smiling encouragingly at me. I nod in their direction and then turn my focus back to the instrument in my hands. After tuning a couple strings, I begin strumming the intro to “To Whom it May Concern” by The Civil Wars. Traditionally it's a duet but because the parts don't overlap, I am able to do it as a solo act.
Within seconds of hearing the notes float through the room, the very few people watching fade into the background until all that is left is just me. Me and my guitar and the feelings that spread through me when I play.
The song is about waiting to find that one true love. The way that person will feel, look, smell, and taste. It's all about waiting and because of this, I connect to the song on a very deep level. Not that I necessarily connected to the actual meaning of waiting for that one love but more just the waiting. Waiting for someone, something, to come along and make me feel alive again.
As I strum out the last chord, the room finally comes back into focus and my eyes fall to Jake, who is still sitting in the same chair, a dimpled filled, excited smile across his face. Becca is standing, clapping like her life depends on it before she comes skipping over to the edge of the stage.
“Oh my god Grace! You are AMAZING!” She squeals. “Jake! Wasn't she amazing?” She says, turning to address her boyfriend as he makes his way to join her in front of the stage.
“Magic Grace. Pure magic. You have to play here. Please tell me you will take the job. Even if I audition for another six months, I will never find someone as good as you to play in a place like this.” He says, clasping his hands together in a silent plea.
“I'll take it.” I say, without a moment of hesitation. Becca does a happy squeal and wraps Jake in a huge hug.
“Come to the bar, we will discuss all the details over a celebratory drink.” He says, wrapping his arm around Becca's shoulder and ushering her towards the bar. After packing up my guitar, I make my way to the bar. Jake is standing behind it and already has three shot glasses filled with a clear liquid sitting in front him. I take a seat on one of the stools next to Becca and prop my guitar next to me.
“Okay. So here's the deal. Sunday through Wednesday. You will play roughly three hours between ten p.m. and two a.m. It's a hundred bucks a night and all your drinks are free. Well as long as you don't get so drunk that you can't play, that's where I draw the line.” He smiles, clearly joking with me. Obviously I am not the typical drinking, party girl or at least I don't think people would see me that way.
“When do I start?” I ask, an excited smile permanently attached to my face. Jake returns my smile full force before handing me one of the shots. He then hands Becca one and takes the last one for himself.
“You'll start
I pick up my guitar case and tilt my head towards the stage, silently asking if that's where he wants me to play. “Yeah, just head on up. Show us what you got.” He says, wrapping his arm around Becca's shoulder.
“Good luck.” She says sweetly, snuggling into Jake's arm. Those two are almost sickening but I can't help but be somewhat envious. I can't remember what it feels like to look at someone the way Becca looks at Jake. The way I used to look at Kyle.
I try to shake off the small bundle of nerves creeping into the pit of my stomach. There's no reason to be nervous. Not really. Considering that I am auditioning in front of a whopping six people.
I climb up the two wooden stairs that lead up to the stage. Figuring I don't need the microphone or amplifier because the bar is so quiet, I don't bother hooking up the wires laid out on the stage. Instead, I take a seat on the stool sitting in the center of the stage and prop my guitar in my lap.
When I look up, Becca and Jake are sitting at one of the tables directly behind the small makeshift dance floor. Both smiling encouragingly at me. I nod in their direction and then turn my focus back to the instrument in my hands. After tuning a couple strings, I begin strumming the intro to “To Whom it May Concern” by The Civil Wars. Traditionally it's a duet but because the parts don't overlap, I am able to do it as a solo act.
Within seconds of hearing the notes float through the room, the very few people watching fade into the background until all that is left is just me. Me and my guitar and the feelings that spread through me when I play.
The song is about waiting to find that one true love. The way that person will feel, look, smell, and taste. It's all about waiting and because of this, I connect to the song on a very deep level. Not that I necessarily connected to the actual meaning of waiting for that one love but more just the waiting. Waiting for someone, something, to come along and make me feel alive again.
As I strum out the last chord, the room finally comes back into focus and my eyes fall to Jake, who is still sitting in the same chair, a dimpled filled, excited smile across his face. Becca is standing, clapping like her life depends on it before she comes skipping over to the edge of the stage.
“Oh my god Grace! You are AMAZING!” She squeals. “Jake! Wasn't she amazing?” She says, turning to address her boyfriend as he makes his way to join her in front of the stage.
“Magic Grace. Pure magic. You have to play here. Please tell me you will take the job. Even if I audition for another six months, I will never find someone as good as you to play in a place like this.” He says, clasping his hands together in a silent plea.
“I'll take it.” I say, without a moment of hesitation. Becca does a happy squeal and wraps Jake in a huge hug.
“Come to the bar, we will discuss all the details over a celebratory drink.” He says, wrapping his arm around Becca's shoulder and ushering her towards the bar. After packing up my guitar, I make my way to the bar. Jake is standing behind it and already has three shot glasses filled with a clear liquid sitting in front him. I take a seat on one of the stools next to Becca and prop my guitar next to me.
“Okay. So here's the deal. Sunday through Wednesday. You will play roughly three hours between ten p.m. and two a.m. It's a hundred bucks a night and all your drinks are free. Well as long as you don't get so drunk that you can't play, that's where I draw the line.” He smiles, clearly joking with me. Obviously I am not the typical drinking, party girl or at least I don't think people would see me that way.
“When do I start?” I ask, an excited smile permanently attached to my face. Jake returns my smile full force before handing me one of the shots. He then hands Becca one and takes the last one for himself.
“You'll start
Similar Books
