"She's dead!"

Chapter One: His Favourite Song

"Unfold me, and teach me - how to be, like somebody else."...

...The last line of Lost and Found by Lianne LaHavas, the penultimate song on my Tuesday set list. I'd always loved singing, but I was starting to realize that my career was not taking off in the way I had expected. I couldn't help but cry each time I sang Lost and Found, because it made me realize how lost I was. I dreamt of performing at Madison Square Gardens and Wembly arena - not some high-end coffee shop that I couldn't even afford to buy a cookie in without my staff discount. I had been singing there for so long that I was on a first name basis with some of the regulars. During the Summers, I was heavily tipped for my "brilliant voice" and "phenomenal performances", but during the Winters - no one really seemed to appreciate my show... people would just come in, grab their coffee and leave. The last song on my Tuesday set list was Locked Out of Heaven by Bruno Mars. I never got tired of performing that song, it'd always put people a great mood. I did, however, grow tired of uttering the same blatantly scripted the words, "So, for this last song we are going to kick it up a notch! Sing along if you know the words." every time before I performed it.

I began the song. I forgot that I was by the window at some high-end coffee shop and imagined I was performing to a crowd of adoring fans that had actually payed good money to see me. The coffee shop was about 10 minutes from closing. It was unusual that anyone who wasn't a regular would enter the shop at that time because they would've assumed it was closed. You can imagine my surprise when someone that I'd never seen before entered the coffee shop. Olive coloured skin, hazel eyes, curly hair - he was simply beautiful! Throughout my last song, I was avoiding eye contact with the hot stranger, but I could feel him staring at me. I found it especially difficult to sing the part of the song with the lyrics "your sex takes me to paradise" knowing that he was staring at me the whole time. I remember asking myself: "What does he want? Why is he staring at me?". I remember thinking "Maybe he's from a record label, maybe he wants to make me famous!". If only I was right. If only he was my one way ticket to stardom.

After completing my final song, I thanked everyone for listening and announced that the coffee shop was to close 5 minutes later. I received a whole bunch of tips, in fact - I even bought myself a coffee. I sashayed up to the coffee counter, proud of what I had earned from my hard day's work. "I'll have a triple, extra large, half-sweet, non fat, caramel, macchiato!", I demanded with an abnormally large grin across my face. It was going to cost me a good ten quid (even with my staff discount). but I knew it was worth it - after all, I worked for that money. "Spoiling yourself?" asked Cassie, as she began to prepare my coffee. I replied, "I make my own money, so I'ma spend it how I like!". She giggled and handed me my coffee.

I turned around scanning the room for a clean table to sit and drink my coffee at before I packed up my set. When I found one, I wandered over to it and sat down. That was when it happened.

That was when the moment that changed my life - happened.

The hot stranger, who couldn't take his eyes off me, approached me at my table as I was drinking my coffee. He pulled out the chair opposite me and sat down. "You were really, really good." he smirked as he complimented me. "Thank you." I replied, he was hot - but I wasn't trying to seem desperate. "I would like to take you out." he said, still smirking. "You don't waste any time, do you?" I giggled and took a sip of coffee. "Wasting time is for... time wasters. I know what I want. So are we making a date?"

I could've said no. In fact, I probably should've said no. I didn't know this guy, I had never met him before - I had never even seen him. Yet some sort of compulsion within my messed up little brain told me to say...

..."Yes. I will go out with you."

I saw the look in his eyes soften and his smirk transitioned into a wide grin. I wrote down my number on the napkin that Cassie had served my drink with. "Call me." I whispered smugly. He snatched the napkin off the table and got out of his seat. "Locked Out of Heaven is my guilty pleasure. It's my favourite song!" he mumbled before walking away from me and out of the shop.