Chapter One
Holt - Saturday
I found my eyes wandering towards the bar where he was sat. All tall dark and handsome and struggled to finish the last few lines of the song I was singing. It was my last song of the night and as I strummed the last few chords on my guitar, my hands stopped shaking. Stop looking at me. I could feel my cheeks turning a beautiful crimson shade. I looked down at Nancy and Soph who were now clapping. I rolled my eyes, said my thank you’s and made my way towards them. I glanced back over my shoulder to the bar where Mr. Mysterious was once sat to find he had vanished. Nancy gripped me and held me tightly in an embrace for a few short seconds.
“You were good tonight,” she paused for the longest time before she opened her mouth again. “Not that you aren’t always good like...” I studied her face with intent and noticed she was suppressing her embarrassment for stumbling over her words.
Nancy had always been the most supportive and caring friend from the small group I had grown up so closely with. I glanced back towards the bar where he was sat and felt the frown creep back on my face. I don’t remember seeing his face in here before. I felt Nancy’s arm dig in my rib and looked back towards her. There was a slightly wider smile stretched across her face now. She was struggling to contain her pride. Her teeth were beaming and a slight sigh escaped my lips. I had always been envious of her smile. It’s that smile. The smile that lights up a room full of people and it was so infectious. I watched as she took her seat just the other side of the table from where I was sat, she tucked her short bobbed bright red hair behind her ear and looked up towards me from underneath her huge lashes.
“Thank you,” I muttered and I studied her expression. “I don’t think it’s my best - Always room for improvement, eh?” She rolled her eyes in unison with Sophia who was now clapping her hands together with excitement.
“I love it when you sing and now you’re doing gigs... you could so sing at my wedding!” I looked towards Nancy who was now trying her hardest not to choke on her glass of wine.
“Who are you getting married to Soph?!” She spluttered. Both Nancy and I laughed, knowing full blown well that the small, still slightly ginger haired girl at heart sat next to us was clearly a dreamer.
“You never know, my Mr Right may just walk through those big double doors any second!” My eyes skimmed the bar in an attempt to find him and I suddenly found myself struggling to concentrate on our conversation. The girls were now in deep conversation about their ideal men and I started to zone out. If I had to hear one more word about a man I would scream. This is your night. My subconscious growled and I could picture her arms folded. I folded my arms in agreeance with her. This was supposed to be my night. I felt an unfamiliar hand pressed against my shoulder. I didn’t have to look at Nancy’s face to know who it was. It's Him.. I couldn’t help but glance at Nance who looked like a little puppy, if her tongue could have been out it would have been and I couldn’t remember the last time I saw her swoon like this over anybody. He must be really hot…
“Can I help you?” The words had left my mouth before I had the opportunity to look at him. I turned around and noticed his big pools of brown eyes staring down at me. They were glazed over slightly and he must have been at least 6ft possibly even taller.
“You’re the singer,” I glanced back towards Nancy and watched as a slight smirk crossed his arrow shaped lips. I couldn’t help but wink at her. She looked like a deer in headlights. “Right?” I nodded in response to his question. Please someone tell me why I’m even engaging in conversation with this guy?
“I am? What can I do for you?” His smirk reappeared and he looked as though he was amused by my question. I received a swift kick from Nance from underneath the table, which hit me right in the shin and I glared at her. His arm had now slipped into mine and I felt him pull me softly from my seat. I watched as Soph winked at me being dragged away and I cleared my throat. A sudden scent of apple cider hit me as we began to walk away from my friends, both left laughing like 2 teenage girls. I’m sorry? I mouthed towards them. There were not bothered in the slightest, in fact neither seemed bothered that I had been dragged away from them by a sleaze ball. So much for safety in numbers hey? I felt a frown cross my face as he placed me on a bar stool. He studied me under his intense glare and I shifted awkwardly in my usual confident seat. I felt too uncomfortable to speak. I waited for a word to leave his mouth.
“So what’s your name?” He questioned me as if was a student in a classroom. It’s been a long time since I was scolded by authority. There was something uneasy about his eyes and I couldn’t make out whether to like or dislike him. He’s not very flirty? I shook my head trying to push my thoughts away from my head. Why would he be flirting with you!?
“It’s Avaya.” Oh god why do you always have to be so defensive!? I rolled my
