A Friend's Childish Wish
1161 Words
Beaming, Chloe sat at the corner of the bar. She had just finished her performance for the night a few encore songs to conclude her life as an indie artist. Quietly, she watched her best friend, Jack, serve drinks to a group of beautiful ladies. She admired his dedication to his work and always found it one of his best assets.
It was past midnight. The party had just started. So, it was extremely crowded.
Sinking in her seat, Chloe averted her gaze when a couple started making out right next to her. She thought about kicking the guy in the shin but decided to put the idea aside. It was not like she owned the place.
“What’s up?” Jack called out loudly.
The music in the bar was rather loud, not to mention that it was heavily mixed. The DJ was hyping the grooving crowd on the dance floor but Chloe couldn’t care less. She normally hated beats like that and it disturbed her when she found herself slightly bobbing her head in rhythm.
“Beer please!” she spoke, almost yelling.
“You seem like you’re in a really good mood.”
Jack shot her a meaningful look as he placed the bottle on the counter. They have been friends since she was eight. If there was a person in the world who knew Chloe more than herself, it was him. So, when she extended her setlist, he knew that something good had happened.
“I am always in a good mood whenever I play my music.”
Jack raised a brow suspiciously but did not prod any further.
“Well, of course you do. What I mean is you looked quite emotional and dazzling during your performance.”
Chloe had no intention of telling him about her meeting with Brandon. She wanted to surprise him and bring the good news after she signed the contract.
“You are spending too much time here in the bar with Mikey. Dazzling? What the heck? Are you leaning on that side, too?”
He rolled his eyes.
“You are avoiding the subject. I just –“
Jack was interrupted by the loud squeals of a group of young girls. “Oh, my gosh! He’s so handsome! Geee. Let’s go get an autograph! My brother was a fan of his!”
When Chloe directed her attention to the bunch, she found them staring at the opposite end of the bar. A man dressed in a black long-sleeved shirt sat there with a glass of what seemed like vodka. Squinting her eyes, Chloe found his side profile sharp as if it was a living piece of a renowned sculpture. The few meters between them did not diminish his oozing magnetic aura. On his lips was a slight smirk that seemed to attract women, bees, and even ants.
Chloe rolled her eyes. She inwardly admitted that the stranger was indeed good-looking. On the other hand, she also wondered if the man was an actor or a model. The girls did mention getting his signature.
“To hell with those girls. Their voices are louder than the speakers! If they could just hear themselves, they’d realize how similar they sounded to a pig in a slaughterhouse.”
Jack eyed her in bafflement.
“You don’t have any idea. He’s very popular to men and women alike.”
“Is he an actor? I mean, he does look like the part.”
Chloe stared at Jack. There was a weird, dreamy spark in his eyes that made her shiver a little. Was her best friend really starting to lean on the other side?
“Come on, Chloe. You don’t know him?”
She shook her head. Was there a need to know him?
“That’s Levi Bowman of Wellington Gladiators!”
Chloe winced, totally not following her friend.
“Football!” Jack exclaimed. “He’s a star in the National Football League, Chloe! Come on! Are you living under a rock?” he went on before letting out a groan of disappointment.
Yeah, right. As if she had the time to watch any games.
In her defense, she was never interested in sports anyway. So, why bother to waste her precious time on something she didn’t understand? She would rather sleep!
“So?” she sneered.
“He’s the hero! He kicks. He rolls. He scores!”
The adoration in Jack’s voice and expression did not escape Chloe’s observation. She found her best friend looking quite silly as he wiped a shot glass sparkling clean with a white cloth.
“That good?” she asked.
“Without a doubt!”
Chuckling, Chloe pushed her beer away. Jack was a boy at heart, and she liked that side of him. He was never shy of showing the childish part of him to everyone. In fact, she thought that was one of his charms. Anyone would want to dote on him whenever he’d put on that silly face of his.
“Do you want me to get his autograph?” she offered.
“You would?”
Jack looked at her with his sparkling gray eyes, blinking furiously like an unsure child. Chloe thought if he were really a five-year-old kid, she would love to adopt him.
“Sure. Come, where do you want him to write it?”
Without a response, Jack turned around and came back after a minute. When Chloe’s eyes landed on the brown leather knapsack in his hand, she felt her mouth twitch. It was his favorite steal from a garage sale down town. She was not even allowed to borrow it.
“Tell him to sign here. Make it big!”
“Aren’t you being a little too unfair? You never let me touch that. Now, you want some random stranger to doodle on it?!”
Jack frowned disdainfully, his nose crumpled.
“He’s not some random stranger. He’s Levi Bowman. He’s a star!”
“When I become a star, would you ask for my autograph, too?”
“Nonsense! When you become one, I’d ask you to buy me a car and house. You will be my benefactor! And I will be singing praises of you wherever I go. But of course, you will also have to give me limited edition merchandise with your handwritten signature.”
Rolling her eyes, Chloe grabbed the knapsack away and rose from her seat. Jack beamed at her, flashing his chipped front tooth. She made a mental note of helping him fix his teeth on her first paycheck. She would love to give him assistance in his education, too. Then, they would be two successful orphans in a few years’ time!
“Deal!” Chloe extended her arm for a handshake with a warm smile, making a vow to never forget her good friend no matter what. She would never cast aside the only person who stood by her all those years.
- Writer
