• A Blackbird's Serenade • (GxG)

"Nocturnal Dreams"

Omniscient

A knock at the door startled them both as the two women focused their attention on it instead of each other.

"Three minutes Journee, what you doin' in there girl!?" At the sound of James' voice, the singer immediately stepped back from Tiana to go open the door.

A smile was instantly wiped on her face the second she swung the door open. Then she chuckled at the look on his face.

"You just get more beautiful every time I see you don't you," he shook his head. Then his gaze drifted to Tiana. "Oh hey, you're not Celia, who's this?" James glanced at Journee, though pointing at Tiana.

"This is-"

"We've met before," she sarcastically narrowed her eyes while joining them at the doorway. "You obviously don't remember though- My name's Tiana, I'm a waitress here-"

"And apparently she's a genius with makeup and hair," Journee chimed with her eyes on Tiana still. "Celia called in sick and she just saved my ass... I owe you a massive thank you..." She briefly met Tiana's eyes, then cleared her throat as she focused back on James.

"You're welcome... if you'll excuse me-" Easing past them, she then glanced back at Journee. "And I believe you're to be on stage right about now."

"Oh! Shit-" Journee picked up her dress to rush on her way backstage. "I can't run in heels."

"It's alright baby take your time, they can wait."

"I don't like being late James," she said quietly, becoming stressed.

"You're not, you're right on time. Just breathe alright?"

She nodded as they arrived just before the announcer came on the club's speakers. And Journee rushed to her place with a microphone in her hand. Then her fingers tapped anxiously against it as she took three deep breaths before the velvet curtains parted.

Silence fell after the applause had died down, and Journee closed her eyes to briefly center herself. Then she opened them and scanned the room before uttering the first words of Nina Simone's 'Feeling Good.'

"Birds flying high, you know how I feel-" she closed her eyes again, letting herself feel the song. "Sun in the sky, you know how I feel...Breeze driftin' on by, you know how I feel..." The second she opened them, they found Tiana from across the room. "It's a new dawn, it's a new day... It's a new life for me yeah..." As she repeated the line, the eye contact between them remained. "Ooohh... and I'm feeling good..."

As the beat dropped within the song, Journee made her way down the stage's steps, into the audience pool. This time, she'd abided by her boyfriend's instructions to do away with slower songs. She'd decided to perform something more upbeat while engaging with the audience, just to sell the image he desired for her.

And it appeared to be working.

She swooned the men by brushing her finger tips along their chins or suit jackets as she passed, and she flashed a smile or wink at the women. All eyes were on her, and she commanded the room's attention as if it was something she'd done a million times before.

Then she came across Tiana, who was clearly distracted while taking a table's order, once again.

While singing still, and not missing a single note or key, Journee stepped closer to the woman, holding out a hand. And once Tiana accepted it, she twirled the woman with a smile. Then she giggled, seeing as it'd made Tiana laugh. It was then that she realized she hadn't ever seen her smile before. And the sight of it left her a bit stricken as she slowly backed away before turning to head for the stairs.