Starting A Club And (maybe) A Long-lasting Relationship

6. I get wholesomely bribed with a bass guitar

6
'Luke's girl' was trending everywhere on social media. I didn't quite want to pay any attention to it but just the name 'Luke's girl', made me self-conscious. I mean, he did sing me a song but I'm not his girl. I don't think I am. I'm still convinced that song was a prank.

It's safe to say Luke was slowly becoming a celebrity around town. The next time I went to Encore, he was busy with all the new customers by the counter. Most of the things on display were off, supposedly sold to the constant crowds of people budging in just to see the boy who was singing on the radio. It kind of saddened me that the black glittery bass guitar wasn't on display any more.

When I catch his gaze though, first thing we did was look at the booth. "In five," he mouthed.

I got to the booth and sat on the padded floor to avoid being seen by anyone who might pass by the huge window in front of the counter. That's when I see it. The bass. It's blended in with the dark interior but no one can mistake the little glittering specks on the shiny black surface of it.

Luke walks in after the agreed period: five minutes. He's already sensed my happiness at seeing the bass still there.

"I can afford it now so I figured I'd buy it for you and you'll owe me."

I look at him, still pretty much convinced that it surely is a prank or a dream but he lets me touch it and I feel a string dig into the tip of my finger as a I press down on it.

"I'm sorry. I can't pay you back soon. I can barely afford--"

"You'll owe me a date, Viz." He nods as if he's read my mind and is confirming that, indeed, he just asked me on a date and he isn't even sweating or rubbing his palms across his chest. "Only if you want to. 'Kay? I won't hold it against you if you don't want to go out with me."

"I mean, when you buy me a guitar, sing me a song and are simply the nicest person ever, how do you expect me to say no? What else am I supposed to say?"

Of course, I do the cowardly thing and don't say that out loud. In fact, I don't say anything. He nods but I shake my head and think, 'come on Viz. Just say yes. It's just one word'. Then the very same head thinks 'he probably just wants to have sex with you. Ironic in two ways. One, he's afraid of sex, remember? And two, who would ever want to be with you when people like Margot Robbie and Naomi Campbell exist?'.

"It's not a pop quiz," Luke's voice saves me from myself. "You don't have to answer now considering I'll be away for, like, a month. Some label wants me to sign with them and shoot a music video as soon as possible. Said it takes at most a month for the whole process so, one month. One month until our date. S'that enough?"

'Give up Viz. You can't handle long-distance conversations. Say yes and everything will be over before it even starts. Now unless you somehow figure out how to function like a proper person, something you haven't been able to figure out in all twenty years of your life, in a month, you cannot go out with Luke.'

And a bulb clicked there, right on top of my head. All I need to do is learn how to not hate myself so I can focus all that mental effort used up on constantly judging every single thing I do on liking someone instead.

Yet, even with that light-bulb-bright idea, I still couldn't bring myself to agreeing to one month and just like that, Luke was gone.

I couldn't play the one thing he left me. The bass. Cheza was understandably confused asking me where I got it and if I had some secret boyfriend that got it for me. That helped cheer me up a little because she was right. Someone who goes out of their own way to buy something like an entire bass for you must like you, at least a smudge. And just like that, I ate more so I'd have the energy to stay up late and talk to Luke on the phone (the time difference wasn't particularly helpful) or I-R-L if he ever made a surprise visit back like I'd ridiculously imagined.

I think the realization that Luke might like me a little pushed me to finally play the bass. My left hand didn't appreciate being in the spolight much and for a time, I contemplated playing the bass upside down just so I could use my right hand more. But that left my left hand struggling with which strings to pick.

I didn't sleep until I learnt the tabs for 'bad idea' by girl in red. It was easier and didn't require much movement. I'd basically gone bass-hungry when I immediately tried to learn Marceline's fries song and then the song she sang about not being PB's problem and, before long, all the songs on Adeventure time.

I made a mental note before I fell asleep that night. New achievement: I can play a full song on the bass.