Writing in a club is one of the hardest - if not THE hardest - thing to do. Well where Blake writes the club is lowkey and usually doing poetry, a real chill place where many creative people congregate to share ideas. But there's always the one night a month when the club opens to partiers and open mic singers, or what Blake likes to call 'money night' for the club. Most of the time the people who do music are good and the partiers don't get overly rowdy, and she just stays in her corner and watches.
She watches everything. Interactions, movements, faces, how people sit or talk, small movements people make. She's a watcher, not a doer. The only interactions she makes are small smiles and 'thank yous' to the waiters and waitresses.
The club was a nice place, separated bar dining area and stage dining area. The two were only separated by two staircases of six stairs, though. Along the small ledge ran dark wood railings with tables normally pushed against them. The bar dining area was usually packed and had recessed booths on each side, one of which Blake occupied alone. The bar always smelled of spilt alcohol and that melted nacho cheese everyone crazes over during sports games. The stage was always brightly lit and had classic red curtains along with a full set of normal band instruments.
It really all changed one cold winter night in the club, Blake was busy working on her most recent piece, a part romance part action story between a fairy and a human. She had been working for the better part of four hours and only been up once to use the restroom. In front of her was two cups of coffee and one glass of water, and a never-empty boat of french fries. The club was pretty dim and Blake was the only major light in the back half of the club, though she had turned her computer's brightness down quite a lot. Currently a soft rock band was playing a song - something about a hotel in Montana or something. Blake would admit it was soothing.
She looked up for a moment, stretching, and studied the people in front of her and down the stairs. Most were staring up at the stage and the band, some were drunkenly dancing in between the tables, some were too busy eating to look up. One group caught Blake's eye.
There were three girls, one big blonde girl, a skinny fashionable brunette, and a redhead with lots of pink on. It was unusual to see a group of just women in here, especially ones so fancily dressed. The big blonde one seemed to be poking fun at the brunette, Blake obviously couldn't hear them from here. They were talking animatedly and at one point looked slyly over at Blake. She took notice of that but didn't much care for it, besides blushing slightly.
Blake shook her head slightly to get back in the typing mood. She cracked her knuckles and lightly rested her wrists on the edge of her laptop. After a few seconds of thought on her scene she started typing away once again.
"Sooo, Yang...miss us so much we had to come here of all places?" Coco stated offhand.
"Well if you must ask, Coco, yes I did. And I love the atmosphere here!" Yang replied.
"I think it's great here! The food is lovely and bountiful, and the music is just lovely. Not to mention how the people interact here!" Nora spouted. She suddenly perked up. "You should sing a song!"
Yang laughed "Who do you think I am, Nora? Weiss Schnee? I can't sing and you know it."
Nora beamed at Yang. "Then I dare you to."
"What?"
"A dare. I dare you to pick a song and sing it. Ooh! How 'bout this; Coco chooses someone and you have to sing a song to THEM, without them knowing it's for them!"
"Nora I don't think that's the best ide-" Yang began.
"Let's do it." Coco answered. She started to look around at the people near us.
"Coco, come on! You're smarter than her, isn't that a weird dare?" Yang pleaded.
"Well, Yang, if you're too chicken to do the dare, then you can buy us drinks instead." Nora smiled as if she had just won a game of chess.
Yang sighed and stood up. "Fine, I'll sing." She started to walk away from the two.
"Wait a minute, lady!" Nora called after her. "Coco needs to choose your person!"
Coco had been looking around constantly for the last minute or so, but had decided on someone nearly instantly. "That girl up in the corner, with black hair and the cute purple laptop."
Yang looked over to the corner and only saw the purple laptop, but nodded anyways. "Next time we won't be going to an open mic bar."
Coco and Nora giggled to each other as Yang went to set her stage and tell the people running the show.
Minutes went by as Yang walked onto the stage in her white knee-length dress. She tapped the microphone awkwardly and cleared her throat.
"Uh...hello. My names Yang and I'll be performing a song for you all tonight." She stepped back and shook her head slightly. Her two friends looked on in almost disbelief, she actually was going to sing!
She stepped back up to the microphone as the music kicked in, a steady bass beat and a charming guitar.
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He's been waiting around for the weekend
Figuring which club to sneak in
Fancy drinks and fifty-dollar cover charge
Her first lines were a little shaky, as she wasn't used to people staring as she sang.
Lately it's been a big hassle
Heineken and New Castle
To make sure he's fitting in and living large
She started getting into the flow more, paying attention to the bassy beat and guitar instead of the stares.
Disregard the lies that he will tell
And what he's probably like 'cause
It's not hard his charm is gonna
Get him through the night
Yang had started to swing her hips to the music, her dress bouncing back and forth. She actually smiled a bit.
If he wanna rock he rocks
If he wanna roll he rolls
He can roll with the punches
Long as he feels like he's in control
If he wanna stay he stays
If he wanna go he goes
He doesn't care how he gets there
Long as he gets somewhere he knows oh no
Ah na na na na na na na na na na na
Ah na na na na na na na na na na na
She was fully into the swing of the song by now, her eyes closed and her body moving to the music. She had grabbed onto the microphone stand and sang louder.
See her heavy make up and cut t-shirt
Every girl out wants to be her
But they look the same already why adjust
Reading the magazine secrets
Forget the topical regrets
'Cause If she comes home all alone the nights a bust
It's a must the swivel in her hips
And the look she gives
It's all her trust if only in the morning
She knew where she lived
Nora leaned over to Coco "Was this song written about Yang? It seems very much like her.
'Cause If she wanna rock she rocks
If she wanna roll she rolls
She can roll with the punches
Long as she feels like she's in control
If she wanna stay she stays
If she wanna go she goes
She doesn't care how she gets there
Long as she gets somewhere she knows oh no
Ah na na na na na na na na na na na
Ah na na na na na na na na na na na
The whole club had quieted from their noisy conversations by now, and were fully watching the beautiful girl sing and dance her heart out - with the exception of a certain writer currently writing a love scene between a fairy and human.
And in a wink they're on the brink
From drink to drink and at the bar
With cash to blow
From shot to shot it's getting hot
Advance the plot to see how far
It's gonna go
All depends so ditch the friends
And grab a cab
Another chance for cheap romance
Doesn't count cause the room is spinning
Nothing to lose tonight they both are winning
And they fall in love as they fall in bed
They sing
If they wanna rock they rock
If they wanna roll they roll
They can roll with the punches
Long as they feel like they're in control
If they wanna stay they stay
If they wanna go they go
They don't care how they get there
Long as they get somewhere they know oh no
Ah na na na na na na na na na na na…
As the song ends Yang looks out into the crowd with a huge grin on her face. She had enjoyed the singing just as much as the majority of the club had. She got multiple cheers, whistles, and claps all the way till she sat down again with her friends.
"See! We all knew you had awesome pipes and a great voice!" Nora punched Yang on the arm gently.
"Yeah, who knew a boxer girl would be able to pull off such a girly romance song." Coco teased with a smirk on her face.
Yang pouted. "I did amazing and you two know it! Well I think I did good."
"The girl didn't even notice. Probably too wrapped up in Tumblr or her Blogspot or something." Coco rolled her eyes.
Yang shrugged. "Always next month, right?"
"Or...give her your card." Nora suggested, smirking.
"You two are trying to set me up again?! Unbelievable! Just because I'm...y'know...doesn't mean hook me up with every pretty girl you want to!"
"So you do think she's pretty?" Coco asked.
"I've never seen her before! I've never seen her!" Yang argued, crossing her arms.
"Tell her you think she could train well at that stupid gym you go to and give her one of your cards." Coco said. "I dare you."
"What is it with you two and daring just me today?! Fine, but you two are paying for dinner later!"
Nora giggled "Good thing we agreed on McDonald's then! Just go do it, worst comes to worst she says no."
Yang got up once again and fished on of her business cards out of her wallet. On it read the name of the gym she attends 'Ravenwood center'. She walked stiffly up the stairs and over to the girls booth. The girl was busy in her work, typing something and eating a french fry.
"E-excuse me?" Yang started, peeking at the girl.
The girl looked up, almost startled. Her amber eyes got large when she saw Yang.
Blake had no idea why this girl had decided to come talk to her. She was a no one. Not worthy of much attention from anyone.
"Yes? What is it?" She answered the blondes previous question.
"I was thinking...you might fare well at a gym I help run...so have a business card." She held the card out, but quickly backtracked "I'm not saying that… you need to go to a gym, just that you'd benefit from it greatly!"
Blake took the card and gently set it next to her computer and sighed. "Yeah, sure. Whatever."
"Are you working on something interesting? I like your...purple laptop!"
"I'm just doing some heavy writing, alone, or previously alone. I'd...like to get back to it." Blake looked from the girl back down at the now action heavy scene where the fairy lover is defending her caring human from the harm the village eldars could cause their relationship.
"Oh...o-of course! I'll not get in your way!" Yang sighed internally and backed away from the table and went back to her friends.
Blake picked up the card and read it. It had the blondes personal and work number on it, along with her name.
'Yang Xiao Long, huh? Isn't she one of those MMA people? Blake stared at the card for a long while, and when she looked up again her computer screen was off and most of the people had left, including those girls.