CHAPTER ONE:
Chris stepped off the stage. As he did the patrons at the surrounding tables all cheered and clapped. "That was Chris singing the Bob Segar classic 'We've got Tonight'. Give it up for him!" the disk jockey announced.
Chris could feel his cheeks redden as the crowd clapped for him. He made his way back to the table he was sitting at in the third row of the karaoke bar. Three of his co-workers were seated there.
"Who knew you could sing like that?" Patrick said. He patted Chris on the back.
"What can I say? I'm full of surprises", Chris responded. He picked up his beer and took a long drink. His nerves were on edge. In just two nights he would be in a new town. He was offered a promotion and a new title, but it involved moving. How could he say no?
Chris looked around the room. A lot of his now former co-workers were present. A lot of them were just people he worked with that he didn't consider friends. Patrick was one of the few people he truly would miss when he was gone. After taking another drink of his beer, he saw another of the people he would miss, but for much different reasons.
Since he met McCall Adams, he was interested in her. She wasn't the typical beauty. She had dirty blonde hair down to her shoulders. She was a little bit overweight. She had the softest green eyes Chris had ever seen. Her voice was a little squeaky. But none of that mattered to Chris.
He could never explain why he didn't ask her out. There just never seemed to be the right time. She had never given any indication that she was interested in him in that way. So instead of risking embarrassing himself, Chris just accepted the fact that they were going to be friends.
McCall was a very affectionate person. The two of them would hug frequently, but she hugged everyone. So Chris just chalked it up to that. She was sitting across the room at another table. Every once in a while the crowds would part enough for him to catch a glimpse of her.
Meanwhile across the room, McCall sat with a few of her friends. She wasn't much of a drinker. But she enjoyed being out with friends.
"Come on 'Call. You gotta sing with us", her friend Marcie said. The alcohol was practically rolling off Marcie's tongue.
McCall gave a laugh. "Oh there's no chance of me being up on that stage. No chance at all", she responded quickly. She grabbed the water that was in front of her and sipped it.
"Oh come on! It will be fun!" Marcie slurred. "Come on and do it!"
McCall rolled her eyes. "I will think about it. That's the best I can tell you. I'm a horrible singer. You wouldn't want me singing with you", she said, rattling off excuses. "I'm certainly not a good singer like Chris is."
"He certainly was good. I didn't expect that from him", Kristen said. "Then again, I don't know him as well as you know him McCall."
McCall looked at Kristen funny. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked.
"I just meant that I see you talking to him all the time. I think I've said maybe fifty words to him the entire time", Kristen responded. "Calm yourself."
"I'm calm", replied McCall. "Chris and I are good friends, I guess."
Marcie let out a small laugh. "Speaking of Chris? I couldn't help but notice when he was up there singing, he didn't seem to be looking at the words that much."
McCall shrugged her shoulders casually. "So? He probably just knows all the words. I don't think there's anything wrong with that."
"You didn't happen to notice where he was looking, did you?" Kristen asked. "He was looking at you the entire time."
"No he wasn't!" McCall reacted. She let out a laugh at the thought.
"He was, McCall. I saw it too", Marcie responded.
McCall shook her head in denial. "I'm sure it means nothing. He was probably just looking in this general direction. He could have easily been looking at either one of you", McCall said.
"He wasn't. He was watching you", Marcie said.
McCall rolled her eyes. She didn't say anything as she got up. She walked across the packed floor. As she did she looked up and saw Chris. The two exchanged a quick smile as she disappeared down the hallway into the bathroom. She pushed open an empty stall and unbuckled her shorts. Grabbing both, she lowered her shorts and panties to the ground as she sat down on the toilet.
Her mind was racing with what they were saying. Is it possible that he was watching her when he sang that song? It's a romantic song. There's no way Chris had feelings for her, did he? In her mind she was thinking of the talks they had. He had never really shown an interest in her. McCall shook her head. Her friends were wrong. It was just a coincidence.
She pulled everything up and buckled her shorts. She flushed and opened the stall door. As she washed her hands, she took a good look in the mirror. The shirt she was wearing was a little loose on her. There was a plunging neckline which showed off a little bit of cleavage. McCall would never call herself beautiful, but she wasn't ugly either. Her hands ran through her hair, pushing her bangs off her forehead.
McCall walked out of the bathroom. She walked towards the bar. There was a crowd gathered around. The room was loud with the off key singing of someone else. "He certainly doesn't sing as well as Chris does", McCall thought to herself. As she waited for the bartender to notice her, she looked around the room for Chris. She didn't see him sitting at the table he was at before.
As carefully as she could, she inched herself closer to the bar. She suddenly felt uncomfortable with this many people around her. She felt a hand reach out to touch her shoulder from behind. She was about to yell at whoever it was when she turned around.
"Hey McCall", Chris said. He quickly pulled back his arm as he simply wanted to tap her on the shoulder. "I'm glad you made it out tonight." Now he reached over and gave her a quick hug.
"Hey Chris. Of course", she responded with a hug back. "You were incredible up there. I hope you're planning on singing another song. Or ten more", she said with a smile.
Chris pushed through the crowd a little more, pulling her with him. Finally he rested his arm against the wooden bar. "I might have another song in me a little bit later." Chris signaled for the bartender. "What will you be having?" he asked McCall.
"Just a soda", she responded. She reached for her wallet, but Chris shook his head. "Are you sure?"
"I think I can manage a soda", Chris remarked with a grin. He turned his attention to the bartender. "The usual, and a Coke." The bartender nodded. He walked down the bar and grabbed two glasses.
"Thank you, Chris." McCall commented.
"And what about you? Are you going to take the stage at any time?" Chris said. He tapped his forefinger on the bar.
McCall chuckled. "Oh no. That's not going to happen. I can't sing."
Chris gestured to the guy on stage. "Either can he. It's not stopping him. I was going to suggest we duet together..."
McCall just looked at him with a goofy look on her face. "That's just not going to happen."
Chris shrugged his shoulders. "It was worth a shot on my part at least", he joked. The bartender placed two glasses in front of Chris. He picked them up, handing one quickly over to McCall. "Your soda?"
"Thank you, kind sir." She took a quick sip. They walked together through the crowd.
"Come sit with me for a bit?" Chris gestured over to the table he was sitting at.
McCall thought for a moment. "Maybe a little bit later. I promised them I would be back." He nodded as a reply. "Thanks for the soda though."