Voice of an Angel

"Trying to catch your heart Is like trying to catch a star So many people love you, baby That must be what you are Waiting for a star to fall And carry your heart into my arms That's where you belong In my arms Baby, yeah" Waiting For a Star to Fall, Boy Meets Girl Jude POV We've all heard it before, that becoming known in the world of modern music, really any music, is tough. You've got to find that break or meet that person that gives you the in, so to speak. So many small local bands stay just that, happily local with a following but still keeping a nine to five job in order to make ends meet. We're not looking to be rich, per se, but we definitely want to be able to travel comfortably, and not spend our whole lives basically working two jobs. We're also not looking to be chick magnets. Well, me and Elijah aren't, but Ashton certainly doesn't turn down beautiful women if they offer him a good time after hours. We just remind him to wrap it up so he doesn't end up with any lasting effects, health-wise, or baby-wise. We're only twenty-one. We've just started our fourth year of college, so over-complicating anything just isn't a good idea. Does that mean Elijah and I wouldn't like a serious girlfriend? Absolutely not. We both want one. We'd both lost our virginity at the same dumb ass party when we turned eighteen, with girls that didn't care who we were or were too drunk to care. In a way that was probably good, because at least for me, it'd been awkward and fumbling. I'd had one girlfriend during first year, and that had been weird. She always wanted to take pictures of us together when I was trying to rehearse. Most likely, she was hoping I'd get famous and she could latch onto that. I don't think she actually liked me. It was when I saw her with another guy in a different band doing the same s**t and making out, I understood. All those nights she said she was studying, she was cheating. I just broke it off, telling her it wasn't working out. Never told her I caught her cheating. I started bartending part-time at a local music dive called Onyx Myriad, hoping I'd get a beat on when they were looking for acts to play. When I started they were full up on their regular acts. The place was popular, and always crowded once the doors opened at five or six PM. They served a handful of appetizers, keeping it simple while still offering some kind of food. It's probably what made people stay longer. The owner, Samuel, was a quirky man that had an obsession for vampire-y s**t, so the place was gothy as f**k. He was a classic nineties-style goth dude, down to the long dyed-black ponytail and elegant attire. It was a large single room with a second floor balcony area around the perimeter, with the exception of the prominent stage area. You could call it the VIP area, but it wasn't really. Only cost an extra ten bucks to get the wristband that allowed you to sit up there on the burgundy velvet Victorian couches. The floor was black marble with gold veins. Samuel said he'd wanted black and white tile, but it was visually overwhelming, and he'd had to change his mind. The furniture and fixtures were all elaborately carved black laquer. The stage had elegantly draped burgundy velvet curtains as a back drop. There was red led lighting subtly lining nearly everything, rather than a lot of regular lights, other than massive black chandeliers with very soft white lighting. There was a disco ball about ten feet out from the stage, though. People like their fancy s**t. Samuel had custom ordered a massive black gargoyle that hovered,wings spread, over the bar. It was creepy but super cool. The uniform was decent. We all had to wear fitted black slacks with chains hanging from the black leather belt. Black buckled boots with studs, black leather studded bracelets, and a stretchy burgundy fitted button-up, rolled to the elbows and the top two buttons undone. The shirt also had this gothy partial print of a skull in black on the back of it, and “Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night” on the front in an elaborate, Gothic script. It was of course, Edgar Allan Poe. The uniform was the same regardless of gender, which made the girls working in the bar happy. No short skirt required. The bar had a regular rotation of musical events. Monday- Live bands, random (5pm to 1 am) Tuesday- DJ Night (5pm to 1 am) Wednesday-Karaoke DUET Night- ladies half price (5pm to 1 am) Thursday- Karaoke Night (6pm to 2:30 am) Friday- Live bands, regular (6pm to 2:30 am) Saturday- Live bands, regular (6pm to 2:30 am) Sunday- Live acoustic, random (5pm to 1 am) It was currently Thursday, and I was giving the counter a quick wipe down between serving drinks mixed by the brothers behind the bar, Amos and Darrell. Amos called me over with an order for one of the tall, round tables people could stand at the sides of the dance floor in front of the stage. I picked up the tray, loaded with shots, and wove my way between handsy patrons calling my name. They knew who I was if they were regulars, and there is never a shortage of women trying to get in the pants of a guy they know is in a band. When I delivered the drinks I noticed something odd. A girl had come up on stage. Well, it seemed like a girl? She wore some kind of disguise, obviously. A half-black, half-white long, curly wig with bangs and pigtails. Straight out of Harajuku or something. She wore a frilly black and white Gothic Lolita dress that covered her neck to wrists, and to below her knees. She had on a black filigree masquerade mask. When she turned to discuss her song choice with the staff member manning the karaoke machine, there were definitely female curves hiding in all that fabric. She also wore black platform mary-janes and ruffly white ankle socks. The small glimpse of female leg was weirdly intriguing. As she cleared her throat waiting for the music to clear, I could hear someone calling me vaguely, but I was transfixed. As the song intro began, I was shocked. She was going to sing Eurythmics? It wasn't even one the easier tracks they had, it was Would I Lie to You? It was gutsy and required a pretty strong set of lungs to carry off. "Would I lie to you? (oh yeah) Would I lie to you honey? (oh, no, no no) Now would I say something that wasn't true? I'm asking you sugar, would I lie to you? My friends know what's in store I won't be here anymore I've packed my bags I've cleaned the floor Watch me walking Walking out the door (Believe me) I'll make it, make it (Believe me) I'll make it, make it Would I lie to you? Would I lie to you honey? (oh honey, would I lie to you?) Now would I say something that wasn't true? I'm asking you sugar, would I lie to you? Tell you straight, no intervention To your face, no deception You're the biggest fake That much is true Had all I can take Now I'm leaving you (Believe me) I'll make it, make it (oh yes, I will) (Believe me) I'll make it, make it (make it, make it) Would I lie to you? Would I lie to you honey? Now would I say something that wasn't true? I'm asking you sugar, would I lie? Would I lie to you? Would I lie to you honey? Now would I say something that wasn't true? I'm asking you sugar Would I lie to you? My friends know what's in store I won't be here anymore I've packed my bags I've cleaned the floor Watch me walking Walking out the door (Believe me) Watch me, watch me (Believe me) Watch me, watch me, yes I will, yeah Would I lie to you?" In awe, I couldn't help but clap with everyone else, as Libby, one of the other servers, pulled me over to the bar in irritation while I still stared at the girl on stage. I craned my neck trying to see where she was going so I could say hello, but she disappeared. I huffed at Libby. "Oh no, you did not just huff at me, Jude. You are supposed to be working and we've all been calling to get your attention!" Libby exclaimed, her brown eyes snapping. She pointed to two trays waiting for delivery on the counter. "Get your ass in gear, buddy." "As if there are no other servers that could deliver two trays, Libs." I said, rolling my eyes. She crossed her arms. "True or not, you are not being paid to listen to some little girl sing." She insisted, then grinned. "Or is that actual interest I'm detecting?" s**t, if they found out they'd give me s**t constantly, especially if the girl did happen to reappear. Interested, indeed. Hell yes I was. A voice like that out of a girl who looked as though she whispered rather than spoke? To avoid further suspicion, I picked up the trays and delivered them, my eyes surreptitiously scanning for the lolita. Nothing. On my break I swung by the door to speak with the bouncer, Kyle. Unfortunately, he could not recall the girl's name, but he did promise to flag me down if he saw her again. He did say that he'd seen a UW student ID in her wallet as she'd offered her ID. I perked up at that. Someone like her would be impossible to miss at school. For the first time in my life, I was ready to do the pursuing. Mission accepted.