The Thirteenth

~Chapter One~

The Thirteenth

Chapter One

 

Five months ago

Amelia

 

I'll see you again

I'll see you again

I miss you like crazy

You're gone but not forgotten

I'll never forget you

Someday I'll see you again

I feel you walk beside me

Never leave you, yeah

Gone but not forgotten

I feel you by my side

No this is not goodbye

I closed my eyes sang with every emotion could possibly render. I always closed my eyes for soulful songs because I could concentrate more and get to the depths of the song. Moreover, this song, I'll See You Again by Westlife was a song requested by the girl in the audience tonight. She thought that my previous song was "super awesome" and requested me to sing this to dedicate it to her dead father. Our band rarely sang covers of other artists but tonight we took the offer. I wanted to because losing a loved one can be hard.

My fingers smoothly pressed the last chords of the song on my keyboard and ended the song. The pub echoed with applause. My lips slowly curved up into a smile as I opened my eyes, only to see a dark haired man standing near the bar counter, clapping slowly.

His slow clapping, almost sarcastic caught my attention when others in the pub did it way more sincerely and enthusiastically. It shouldn't bother me because hate and criticism was a part and parcel of this process. But for the first time, it bothered me. He didn't smile but just narrowed his eyes like he was analyzing me. His claps slowed down and he smirked at me.

The girl who requested the song got up from her stool and ran towards me. She pulled me into a hug and patted my back. Her excitement and smile was contagious. I found myself smiling when she pulled back.

"You have an amazing voice. Thank you so much for singing this song. It meant a lot to me. !" She swept her blond bangs from falling in her tear-filled eyes. "I'm Carla, by the way. Do you mind if you signed my tissue here? Sorry, I don't have a book or anything," she pulled out a pen and handed it to me, "here."

I signed her tissue and gave it back to her. This seemed a little over the top for our band because we always sang, a lot. But we never really had anybody asking us to sign stuff for them, especially in a pub. This was new and this was something I didn't mind doing. Today was blissful. Everything was perfect.

Too perfect.

I removed my jacket, told Jason that I'd get some water and climbed off the stage. Jason announced a five-minute break and I headed towards the counter, looking for the bartender. When he came into my sight, I asked for a glass of ice water. He nodded sincerely and set on his task.

"Water, really? Don't want some alcohol? I could get you some." a deep voice said. I turned my head towards the source of the deep-set voice and found myself looking at the man who did the sarcastic clapping.

 I raised one eyebrow and smirked. "No, I'm fine thank you. Wouldn't want to disturb the already repugnant voice now, would we?"

"Repugnant? I never said that." He said, knitting his eyebrows together. The bartender came just in time and I took the cold glass.