You Saw Me

9

The karaoke bar was full of people. There was a busy bar with a couple of bartenders doing their best to keep up with people's orders. We found a table and sat down while looking through the drinks menu. 

"Let's try something cliché - like a Sex on the Beach", Gayle slurred and we all agreed. Seemed like a fitting drink for a group of 40-year-olds on a post break-up trip. 

There was a small stage with the karaoke machine and a screen showing the lyrics and some generic video of palm trees, people holding hands and fast cars. The stage was lit up with oscillating spots in all the colors of the rainbow. 

On stage was a middle-aged man singing  "Summer of '69" by Bryan Adams. His friends were sitting a couple of tables away from us, cheering him on, clapping their hands and singing along. My guess was that they were Canadian. 

Gayle came back with our drinks. I took a sip and had to admit it was quite tasty. The girls immediately started discussing which song to sing. It was a coin toss between It's Raining Men and I Will Survive. Personally I wasn't really into singing any of them, but I hesitantly joined them for a group performance. It was a bit messy, but we had fun. This was the kind of situation that would usually make me very uncomfortable. But I didn't care. I just sang, laughed and danced.

We got the bigger part of the room up on their feet, dancing and singing along. Down by the bar a group of people had just entered the bar and were ordering drinks. My eye caught a glimpse of a tall guy in the middle of the group. He was standing with his back to the stage ordering drinks. I felt like I had to see his face, but I shook it off and got off stage with the girls. We went back to our table and finished our drinks. 

Sarah went to fetch new drinks for us. She returned a while later with four Piña Coladas and a huge smile on her face. "The group from the restaurant is here! And I'm almost 99% sure that at least one of them is someone I've seen on TV before". Ana was excited and wanted to go have a look, so she and Gayle decided to do a walk-by. 

In the meantime Sarah and I picked a new song to sing. Since U Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson - difficult to sing, but fitting for a couple of newly divorced ladies. We got up on stage after a French tourist finished his version of Hot in Herre by Nelly.

Sarah started out by singing the first verse. I took over at the refrain:

But since you been gone

I can breathe for the first time

I'm so moving on, yeah, yeah

Thanks to you'

Now I get what I want

Since you been gone

I belted the words like an anthem. In the crowd I saw Gayle and Ana jumping around with their hands over their heads, clearly enjoying the show. People seemed to like it and the room was alive with people dancing and singing along. Both Sarah and I gave it everything we had. 

Down by the bar I spotted the tall guy I saw earlier. He was standing with his back up against the bar looking directly at me. He was young, maybe in his twenties. He had dark, slightly curly hair tucked behind his ears. He wore shorts and an open shirt with a floral print. His arms were tattooed and on his stomach he had a huge butterfly tattoo. He was standing completely still, just looking at me with a small, crooked smile. I felt a small tingle in my chest. I smiled back at him and only broke the eye contact when Sarah elbowed me in the side reminding me that it was my time to sing. 

We finished the song and took a bow when the bar broke into applause. My face hurt from smiling so much. We returned to our table where Gayle and Ana were in the middle of dragging extra chairs over to our table. We had been joined by some other guests. 

"Sarah, Ellie - This is Jeff, Lloyd, Cam, Henry and Matt", Gayle introduced us while pointing out the guys. When she pointed to Henry and my eyes met his, my heart skipped a beat. Henry was the tall guy from the bar. He was even taller standing next to me. He put his hand out to greet me. 

"Hello. I'm Henry. Loved your song", he said in a British accent. I immediately recognised his voice from the sushi place. 

"Thanks", I said with a shy smile. I couldn't stop looking at him. He was so handsome. From his chiseled jawline with a light stubble to his beautiful green eyes. His smile was breathtaking and left little dimples in his cheeks. It was unreal how handsome he was. 

Ana and Sarah stood next to me and suggested that we go get a round of drinks. I must have been gawking awkwardly at him for them to suggest that. We made our way up to the bar and Ana pinched my arm. 

"Don't you recognise him?!" she whispered. 

"No? Do we know him?" I whispered back while sneaking an extra look back at our table. 

"It's Henry Stiles!" Sarah almost hissed at me.