I'm empty,
I know.
Promises are broken
like the stitches.

W O M A N
-Harry Styles

saturday | october 5 | 6:07 pm

He approached the microphone with great ease, almost as if he had done this a myriad of times before. The heavy thumps of his worn out shoes echoed across the room, silencing those who watched. He commanded attention with the way he walked; his shoulders held back confidently and a determined glint in his eye. He looked like a real star in that moment. Although his apron had unpleasant stains on it and his hair was scooped hazardously across his forehead, he was beautiful.

And there was nothing better in this world than a man who could sing.

She could hear dreamy sighs behind her, and wondered if she joined the chorus of exhales unintentionally. It felt like such a superficial thing to do, admiring him simply for his looks. He looked so self-assured and carried an aura of strength. She couldn't help the lingering gaze she left on his face, and little his stunt from earlier only peaked her interests.

He opened his mouth.

The sound that escaped his rosy lips in a deep croon reminded her of a serenade. He caressed the words as if they were made for a lover under an incandescent sunset. He soothed the war inside her mind with the sweet touch of his voice. He wrapped his words around her throat softly, as she sat speechless in her seat.

He reminded her of home.

It was difficult to understand why she inched closer to the edge of the seat, why she gripped the armrests tightly, why her tongue suddenly became dry and coarse. She could feel herself drifting away, and resisted the urge to close her eyes in peace. Never had she felt this way before, as if his song was a drug, her new glass of alcohol.

He made her feel drunk.

And this comforted her, because she found the most tranquility in her own mind when she was inebriated. She felt connected to a side of herself that weakened when she was sober; a side that was stolen from her without her knowledge. Innocence that she never got the chance to discover.

His eyes scanned the crowd, evoking feelings of astonishment in men and women alike. She didn't want him to catch her ardent gaze as she admired him from afar. His eyes jumped over her, luckily, but he continued to go eye-to-eye with those sitting down. He knew what he was doing, and a small smirk grew on his pretty lips.

Jesse dragged his finals notes out before promptly ending his line. The room was stilled, and Victoria could hear the raging breaths of the people around her. They all felt the same way she did.

Suddenly, a roar of applause surrounded her, and she began to clap with the crowd in a trance. The movement didn't register in her mind, as she still sat in a daze.

He was definitely a witch.

"Alright! What an amazing performance from our very own manager, Jesse Michelson. Next up we have Isabella Smart, with her cover of Your Song by Elton John," The announcer exclaimed gleefully and Victoria didn't even notice that he replaced Jesse. She unclenched her fists from around the seat and tried to control herself.

A petite woman entered the stage following his announcement, taking her place behind the microphone. People began to leave their seats once she started to sing, already bored with her performance. Tough crowd.

"That dude was amazing Vic," a familiar voice spoke in awe. She turned to see Matthew, who stood holding a bouquet of roses. He gestured with his hand if he could sit next to her and Victoria nodded her head slightly. He sat down gracefully with a small smile on his face.

"Hey Matt, and yeah, he was," was all she could mutter, suddenly extremely nervous for her own part. How could she ever top that?

"What are you doing here? I wouldn't expect you of all people to be at an Open Mic," he questioned, setting the flowers down under his seat.

"I'm performing actually. I thought it'd be fun and exciting." The lie almost felt natural on her lips.

He looked at her suspiciously, "But, you hate fun and exciting. You prefer rules and regulations."

"I'm trying out something new today," she shrugged, slumping back in her seat.

"Well, I know you'll do better than him," Matthew assured, "you've been singing your whole life. Maybe not as a professional, but your voice is pretty damn good."

"Thanks," Vic breathed out softly, reaching to clutch his hand tightly. His words didn't soothe her nerves but in fact made them worse because now she knew someone else also enjoyed Jesse's performance.

Victoria met Matthew's gaze and tilted her head, "Who are those flowers for?"

"The first place winner."

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "They haven't even went through all the acts yet. How could you possibly know who's going to get first place?"

"I don't. But, the ladies love it when I give them flowers when they win. It's just part of my charm, I guess," He boasted, pushing out his chest pridefully.

Victoria clarified, "So you do it to 'get the ladies' or make them want you?"

"Yup. Works perfectly."

"Hmm," She hummed, smiling faintly to herself. Matthew was such a ladies man.

Victoria heard the announcer vaguely, "Thank you Isabella for that...liberating performance of Your Song! Although you sang that song last week and the week before, it sounded just the same! So, next up we have Tyler with his poem, Marshmallows."

"Do you know what song you're going to sing yet?" Matthew wondered, and Victoria thought about his words.

"I was thinking about I Dreamed A Dream from Les Misérables."

"Yes!" He exclaimed loudly, jumping out of his seat in excitement. Eyes turned to Matthew at the sudden interruption and people shushed him. He sank back down in his chair after apologizing sheepishly.

"You have to! That song is perfect for you!"

"Isn't it a bit slow and boring?" Victoria intoned apprehensively, wanting to dig into her hangnail. She was so anxious.

"When you sing it, the room will be enchanted. Trust me."

"Once again, thank you Tyler for that...moving piece about Marshmallows. I especially enjoyed the line about your mother turning into one at night. Anyways, next up we have Victoria Samuels. Put your hands together for her!"

Victoria swallowed nervously as the crowd half heartedly clapped. She wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans before giving one final look at Matthew who smiled brightly at her. She slowly rose out of her seat, shoulders hunched forward and eyes cast down. Although there were countless eyes watching her movement, there was only one that really rattled her; gray eyes made with fervor. She could feel it in her bones as she walked across the stage; feel it in her heart when she gripped the mic.

Victoria murmured to the musicians the song she chose to sing. They raised their eyebrows slightly in surprise, but nodded anyway.

The head lights above her shined in her eyes, and she raised her hands to block the painful glow. The crowd disappeared since Victoria couldn't see anything and she was grateful for this, as it calmed her slightly. She could only imagine how her cheeks looked in that moment. The instrumental music began playing behind her, and Victoria closed her eyes at the beautiful tune. She sang this song a lot when she was alone but without a group of trained artists to guide her. This would be a first for her.

Taking a deep breath in, she began to sing.

The ringing in her ear from the loud applause spooked her. When she finished singing, Victoria stood still for a moment, savoring her final notes.

They clapped louder for her than any other performer and her lips broke out into a shy smile at the praise. Cameras flashed as people took pictures of her, joyful about the new found talent. The whole room was raving about her performance and it wasn't because she was crazy or pretty, but because she moved them.

As she walked down the stage, Victoria saw people wipe their eyes as tears fell down their faces. They touched her arm in delight, commending her for her singing. She thanked them humbly as she made her way back to her seat.

"Wow," Matthew breathed as she sat down, "Vic, I never knew you could sing like that. Holy shitballs, that was beyond my wildest dreams. I have no words."

"Oh, shut it," she chuckled, pushing his acclamation to the side. She couldn't have sung that well.

"You have no clue of your own abilities, do you? I don't know whether to pinch you or kiss you."

"Neither, please," she exclaimed, scooting away from him playfully.

"I-I...can't believe this. This has never happened before okay. I just spoke to the judges and they no longer want to see any other performances. Although this is an open mic night and all are able to perform, they decided to cut it short. They've already made up their mind as to who the winner is," the announcer rushed through the mic, no longer his gleeful self. He held a bewildered expression, not use to these change of events.

"Victoria Samuels, please make your way back to the stage."

Victoria sat still in her seat, looking around at all the people smiling at her. She was confused as to why they suddenly cared so much about showing signs of happiness. It wasn't like they're going to care about her performance once they leave to deal with their own lives.

Still, Victoria was utterly perplexed by the news. She won?

"Go on up there Vic! I'm so proud of you!"

Kaliyah's voice traveled across the room, and Victoria was amazed by how loud she could yell over the big crowd. She held two thumbs up and boasted a broad smile in approval. That gave Victoria the boost of energy she needed to get out of her seat and walk towards the stage.

People continued to clap for her, saying she was an amazing singer. The shy smile from before was painted across her lips, and she held her head down still as she moved. Victoria lacked the confidence that everyone else who performed had. They walked with vigor and boldness. She wasn't the type of person to crave attention like them.

She made her way across the stage in front of the announcer. He unexpectedly reached to give her a hug, and she flinched back from his sudden show of affection. Still, she smiled to ease the tension so it didn't look like she was frightened from the movement.

"Congratulations! You are the winner of Delta Max's 2019 Open Mic Night! Your performance was out of this world. Please, do you have anything to say to the crowd?" The announcer held the microphone in his hand towards her mouth, waiting expectantly for her to speak.

"Thank you," Victoria chortled into the mic, waving at Kaliyah who stood in the back shaking her hands enthusiastically in order to gain her attention.

"Victoria Samuels, everyone!" They clapped once more, and Victoria knew that the ringing sound would be stuck in her brain and ears when she traveled to her apartment.

"Well, I did say that whoever won gets these roses, and I am a man of my word," Matthew goofed while stretching out the bouquet, a silly smile on his full lips. Victoria hugged him tightly, the urge to laugh climbing up her throat.

"I honestly didn't believe I'd get this kind of reaction from everyone. It's more than I imagined."

"You deserve this Vic," Matthew hummed, and she stood in him arms, happily.

In that moment, she felt worthy.

•••••

I have to admit, this was my favorite chapter to write hands down. I kept playing the song in the background as I wrote and it was amazing. I imagine Victoria singing exactly like her. I get goosebumps just thinking about it. Listen to the attached song so you'll know how she sang too! I think the song is fitting for her situation, as well.

Q: What's your favorite song?

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