Sing Me Your Song

Chapter 01

Neal pushed his cap further down his head, hiding his light brown hair beneath it, his sunglasses covering his bright blue eyes. He made his way down the busy streets, buzzing with people rushing past him. Luckily no one seemed to notice him, everyone too enrapt in their own thoughts and hoping to make it home before the rain.

Those were the times he was happiest, when he could go unnoticed through the streets.

He stifled a yawn. He had been at the studio for 10 hours, recording songs for his new album. He loved his job, he loved his life more than anything. To voice his thoughts in music and bring it out into the world, getting on stage and sharing the emotions his music brought with hundreds of people. Watching them sway to his tunes, drinking in his words and remembering the things they associate with them.

He wrote his songs as a kind of therapy for himself, to voice his feelings, keep memories alive through his words. But when he released his songs to the world, he knew that everyone who heard it would connect them to their own thoughts and memories and make his songs their own. And to hear the crowds scream the words back at him, watch them cry and laugh and dance made him the happiest man alive.

But sometimes he wished he could just be Neal. Not Neal O'Brian the famous singer. Management was kicking his butt to get the album out so he could tour in the summer. And he knew he could do it. He did not mind a bit of stress, but sometimes he wished he could just disappear.

He steered his way to his favorite pub. People that worked there knew him since he was a kid. He had his first gigs there when he just turned 14. They did not care that he was famous now. They loved to have him, talk to him, and would keep the back door open in case the paps or crazed fangirls would show up.

All he wanted after such a stressful day was a pint of Guinness and maybe a dram of whiskey.
He smiled when he looked up as a couple of raindrops started falling from the sky. He arrived at his destination, pushing open the doors and speeding toward the bar past a couple of filled tables. He sat down and waved at Johnny the Barkeeper, he waved back at him, his dimples showing on his bearded face.

"The usual? " He asked. Neal nodded pulling of his glasses and cap and running his hand through his brown locks. He heaved a deep sigh. He watched as Johnny served another customer, a young woman sitting a couple of seats away from him on a barstool. Johnny placed a Guinness in front of her and she thanked him, her voice rich and deep, soothing and quiet.
He did not dare look at her directly and rather focused on the glass that was sat down on front of him.

"Thanks, Johnny." He said, grabbing the glass which cooled his warm skin.

"Cheers, mate." Johnny winked before shuffling away and moving to serve some of the tables. Neal brought the glass to his lips and downed half of it in one go. The beer cooling him after a warm spring day and soothing his racing mind. He sat down the glass and heaved a content sigh.

"Someone seems to have had a rough day." His head snapped to the side to look at her where she sat smiling, her own glass to her lips. He could only just stop himself from rolling his eyes.

"Listen, I really don't want to be rude, but I have had a very busy day and got a lot on my mind and I am really not in the mood for any shit or crazy attention tonight. Okay?"

"Jeez, sorry. Didn't mean to invade your personal space. Calm down, Mister Grumpy. I won't bother ye again." She turned her head away and took another sip of her Guinness. She seemed a bit taken aback by his reaction but tried not to show that he had hurt her feelings.

He sighed, running hand across his face. He glanced at her again. She sat there and sipped her drink, her dark blonde hair cascading down her back, her eyes downcast as she rubbed her upper arm with her hand, her thoughts obviously somewhere else, judging from the distant look in her eyes. He eyed her from the side, she obviously felt embarrassed about just talking to him and he now felt guilty for snapping at her.