Summer in the City

Chapter 3 - She's The One

Anna

The radio blared in Anna's motel room as she laid on the bed faced down, barrely hearing the music around her but instead thinking of the club.

She couldn't sleep the night before because she wasn't used to these bumpy sheets or the way the pillow lay flat under her head. Everything seemed uncomfortable and off, and because of it she tossed and turned. She was able to turn on her radio low at night, to try not to disturb anyone who could have been in the neighboring rooms.

She finally had some connection with some stations and she skipped through a few, until she found one that she thought could have helped her drift into sleep. Drift into an internal oblivion for a few hours.

It was the voice of a man speaking about something related to politics. She placed it on a low volume beside her bed and tried to close her eyes, but all she could see were the words that he said. Something about budgeting cuts and corruption. And she didn't end up falling asleep, instead she just heard the low voice.

Now in the midst of having her face buried into the motel bed. She couldn't help but think of that girl, Ruth. It was something about her messy eyeliner, she thought, maybe something about her stance. Anna simply couldn't understand what she was thinking, except for the fact that she had nothing else better to do than roam around her motel room all afternoon, two stepping to music she didn't even recognize.

She was going to go out tonight.

See the city again.

Before Anna could think a second thought she grabbed her jacket and walked out of her room. She walked until objects and people seemed to look familiar. And she was soon under those same theater lights and the same yellow taxi's beeping beside her. The purple light was luminescent when she entered once again, this night. Wondering if she would really be here. What was the possibility that she was going to perform here again.

The place was a bit more packed than last time. Where seats were taken, probably because unbeknownst to Anna it was a Friday night. She looked towards the bar, but she didn't see any big black hair. She eventually walked in and took a seat at one of the empty tables. This time, she was more to the left side of the sitting area. A waiter immediately came up to her, and  she was about to wave her hand off.

"No thanks," She said, "Is Ruth here tonight?" She asked. The man nodded his head, "Yeah, but she finished her performance about 10 minutes ago."

"Is she still here?" She asked.

"She might be. You one of her friends?"

"An acquaintance."

The guy only nodded, and then pointed to the other side of the stage. "There's a backstage door, there, you can go in and ask for her."

Anna nodded as she stood up, "Thanks." She made her way over to the black door, and looked behind her before pushing on the lever. She walked into a dark hallway, where she could hear some voices and shouting.

A blonde man holding a guitar came out of one of the rooms, and Anna turned to him, "Excuse me, do you know where Ruth is?"

The blonde guy, who's eyes couldn't be seen by his hair, pointed his finger towards a oor at the end of the hallway. "She's outside." He said.

Anna thanked him and then she made her way over to the end of the hall. She noticed there were a lot of rooms behind the club with people who looked like they performed. Anna made it to the end of the hall, and she heard some inaudible shouting behind the door. Anna pushed it open, to feel a small cool breeze. And the voices became loud.