Meg hadn't gone out to see a band in years. She remembered a time in college where she and a few friends went to see a band in the city and danced in a crowded bar. Those days were far past, but she found herself at a bar this evening, sipping a margarita. She'd even dressed up a little, wearing a white floral dress and a pair of pink high heels.
She wasn't sure what to expect. After all, she'd only heard Alex in the concert band. He used to hang out with guys in high school who listened to metal in the band room during lunch, music so heavy she couldn't understand a single lyric.
When Alex's band came out, she was surprised to find this music softer, gentler. It was some form of alternative rock, with electric guitar and bass, a grooving rhythm by the drums. The words were poetic.
She found her foot tapping to the beat of many of the songs. She recognized the two young men with Alex as the ones in pictures with him on Facebook. The bassist was the lead vocalist, a skinny guy with black hair and downturned eyes. The guitarist was taller, bulky and muscular, but he had nimble fingers.
Meg ordered a chicken and pesto sandwich with a side of fries, and she was finishing her food as the band wrapped up their set.
After they had packed up, Alex came up to her stool.
"I didn't think you'd come," he said.
"I wanted to hear you play," she said. "You guys were really good."
"Thanks," he said. His smile reached his eyes, momentarily stunning her. "Come sit with us. I want you to meet the guys."
She took her second margarita from the bar and joined them at a booth in the corner. They already had a big plate of nachos on the table.
"Joel, Roy, this is Meg. She's a friend from high school. Meg, this is Joel and Roy."
"Nice to meet you," she said as Alex gestured to each. Roy was the guitarist, Joel the bassist and singer. She slid into the booth next to Alex.
"So you went to school with Alex?" Roy asked. "What was he like, really?"
Meg smiled. "He was sweet," she said. "Maybe not the best student, though."
"No, that was you," Alex said. "You guys, she was in this club called Academic Decathlon, where she chose to study extra subjects and took tests on the weekend for fun."
"I can't believe you remember that," Meg laughed. "Yeah, I won medals in that club. Mostly in mathematics."
"Nothing wrong with being a geek," Joel said. "I was the editor of the literary journal at my school. Even now, on days off, I'll be reading a new book while these losers play video games."
"Best way to spend a day off," Meg said, taking a chip. "What do you read?"
Alex and Roy chatted on their own while Meg and Joel talked about their favorite books. Joel read a lot of dystopian novels, and she preferred romance, but they both liked nonfiction and had read some of the same classics. She was particularly happy to hear him say he liked the last page of A Tale of Two Cities as much as she did.
"I know it's not a romance novel, but that is like the epitome of love," she said. "I tear up every time I read that. I have to read it once every few years, because it's just so marvelous."
She only ate a few chips, and the guys wolfed down the rest. Alex wasn't as skinny as he was in high school, but he still looked like he could eat his body weight and not gain a pound.
"Can I get you another drink?" Alex asked when she finished her margarita.
"No, this is my second," she said. "But if you're getting up, I could use a water. I do need to drive home," she laughed.
Roy rolled his eyes at Alex as he returned with a glass of water and a beer for himself; Joel and Meg were still deep in conversation. Alex spent a few minutes just watching Joel and Meg banter back and forth. He gave up on their conversation as a lost cause and started talking with Roy again.
After a while, with the buzz of the drink gone and Meg's stomach comfortably full from a second round of nachos, she yawned and said, "I need to head out."
"I'll walk you out," Alex said, sliding out of the booth before her.
