“I hate you,” I groaned.
We trawled through the pages and pages of songs before we decided on Brass In Pocket. Bree scribbled our names and song choice down on a submission slip, and ran over to hand it to the DJ before I had chance change my mind.
It would be a while before we were called up so we got ourselves some more drinks and chatted, while being subjected to some of the worst singing I’d ever heard. After a while, Freya and Will came to join us, followed by Miguel, and to my horror, Bryce, Cody and Radleigh.
“I am not singing in front of him,” I said firmly.
“It'll do him good to see you enjoying yourself.” Will pointed out.
“Enjoying myself, yes. But public humiliation? That's different.”
Clearly, my sense of bravery had gone out of the window since I was eighteen. Back then, this would have been a challenge I’d have relished but things were different now. And making an idiot of myself in front of Radleigh was not a pleasant thought.
'Get a grip,' I told myself. 'What does it matter anyway? You pretty much ruined any chance you had this afternoon, you may as well complete the day with a final act of stupidity!'
I was in the middle of a deep discussion about the guy who had taken over my job with Freya, Will and Miguel when I heard the DJ announcing that it was time for Bree and me to sing.
“Oh hell,” I said, standing up. “Where's Bree?”
“She went to the bathroom,” Freya answered. “Too much to drink.”
“Can you please go and get her? I'll delay the DJ, please just find her!”
“I’m on it,” she said, standing up and running towards the bathroom as fast as was possible in her enormous heels.
With a last look of fear at Miguel and Will, I slowly walked towards the stage. Butterflies began to flap around in my stomach. It had been years since I’d sung in front of people. I walked up the steps to the stage and turned to see if Bree was coming. The DJ hadn't noticed me yet, he was clearly searching for our song and I didn't alert him to my presence in order to buy myself a couple more minutes. I noticed Freya returning to our table alone, and she shrugged at me, indicating that she couldn't find Bree.
“Ah, there you are,” the DJ said, making me jump. “You ready?”
“Erm,” I began, “my friend is in the bathroom. Is there any way we can wait?”
The DJ shook his head. “Sorry. No time.”
Panic coursed through my veins as he grinned and handed me a microphone. Terrified, I turned to face the crowd. Some were looking expectantly at me, some weren't taking any notice at all, but my friends were cheering and whistling which made me even more scared.
Relax. Most of the people here are drunk, and if you're awful, people will assume you're drunk too and cheer for you anyway!
I knew this to be true. It wasn't the strangers in the room that bothered me though.
I didn't have time to stress any longer, as the opening bars of the song began. There was almost no introduction before the lyrics kicked. I just had to go for it.
The moment the first line was out in tune, I relaxed, allowing myself a quick glance at Radleigh. He was watching my every move and as the first chorus began, my confidence soared.
I stepped down from the stage and sashayed towards my friends. Without even needing to look at the words, I sat myself on Miguel's lap in time for the second chorus. He grinned as I stood up and winked at him. I moved over to Radleigh, Bryce and Cody for the next part of the song. Standing behind Bryce and seductively running my hand down his chest, I continued belting out the lyrics. He looked up at me shocked, but smiling before I went back on to the stage.
For the first time all night I felt free of the pain, if only for the duration of the song. I wanted to enjoy every second, before it ended and Radleigh found a way to make me suffer for feeling up his friend.
Wild cheers, whistles and screams filled the ro
om as I finished and I laughed at how much I’d enjoyed it. Stepping down from the stage again, I went back to my friends who had been re-joined by Bree.
“I missed it!” she pouted.
I gave her a hug. “Next time we meet up, we'll find a karaoke bar and stay there all night.”
This satisfied her and as I reached for my drink, Will said, “Are there any other talents you're keeping from us?”
“Karaoke isn't really a talent.”