Love in the Shadows ~ Dean Portman x OC

Ch. 16: We Haven't Spoken in Months

Pov: Dean Portman, November 19th, 1994, Chicago, Illinois

It's the Saturday before Thanksgiving and we are packed! Ever since we put our Thanksgiving Panini on the menu the wait time has stretched to an hour. Granted, a restaurant with only 10 tables with an hour wait isn't much but for them? This is huge. I've been working for just over 4 months now and I am loving it. Food's great, Doug's stories are better, plus the open mic nights give me a good place to test out my acoustic songs. The people love me. I've learned so much from the MacAdams

Adam

Him and Morgan are still "going strong" and every damn magazine in the world can't stop talking about it. Like ok, I get it, she's "with another guy" mazel tov. She doesn't like him. Or at least that's what I've been telling myself every night.

Sam walks... Sam bolts in and says "Dude, dude. You owe me for the rest of your life"
"Oh yeah? Why's that? And make it quick we're busy"
"I was walking and I saw this flyer to be an opener for a concert happening. I know a couple people in music so I went to check it out, the gig is for your little girlfriend!"
"She's not- wait run that back?! Opener for Morgan? You're fucking with me"
"I wish I was curly fry"

He hands me the flyer and sure enough, it's for Maple Hart. Holy shit. This is my way in!
"Man I really do owe you"
"I expect your gratitude in 20's"
"Whatever you want. Now get out"
"You know ever since you got this job I don't see you. What if I was coming here to hang out with my little bro?"
"Then pigs would be flying"
We laugh and he hits my shoulder "Man, you right. Well Imma bounce so have fun"
"Bye" I yell out the door as I'm walking up to my next table. I start the usual greeting but shock stops me
"Fulton?"
"No fucking way! Portman?! You're a waiter??" He gets up and we "bro-hug".
"What the hell are you doing in Chicago?"
"We're on a road trip to see some family in Indiana and stopped for some grub. This place is jamming. Took us forever to get a table"
"Yea no kidding i'm the one serving them all"
"That's insane. You hate people"
"Not here I don't. Now i have other tables but swing by my place after my shift"
"We're not in town very long. We were planning on leaving after lunch" Fulton's dad interrupted us
"Well we probably should hang back and avoid the rush hour traffic on the interstate"
"Sweet" I wrote my address down and finished my shift.

I change out of my work clothes and run down to my house. Fulton's already inside talking to Sam as the little ones play on the floor
"Dean you are so down bad it's not even funny"
"What? Sam what the fuck did you tell him"
"Don't shoot the messenger Curly Fry! He asked why you had that stupid job in the first place so I told him the whole story about your little girlfriend"
"I hate you"
"Yea but without me you wouldn't have a shot at being her opener"
"What?" Fulton reacts as I drag him up to my room.

"Opener? Ok, we are so behind man what the hell happened?"
"Look" I show him the flyer and he looks intrigued. "You can sing?"
"A little"
"Well you're not gonna be the only one in Chicago auditioning"
"I know! My music is pretty good though"
"Ok well I'll be the judge of that. Play me something Piper"
"Can't. Dads sleeping"
"Uh huh. Whatever you need to say. So hypothetically, you get the gig. What are you gonna do?"
"What do you mean?"
"What do you mean what do I mean? Paparazzi will be everywhere. And Adam is gonna be at the concert"
"What?!"
"You didn't hear? I thought she would've told you"
"We haven't spoken since she was in the hospital"
"What?! I thought she called you!"
"Clearly not" (don't you love oblivion) "Well it doesn't matter, I'm gonna-"
"Tell her how you feel? Finally"
"No-"
"Then what are we doing here?"
"Relax Fult, my music will say everything for me"
"That's so sweet"
"Speaking of sweet, you still talking to Julie?"
"Honestly man, no idea"
"What do you mean?"
"Well we talked for a bit but the phone calls get expensive and we're both pretty busy so we haven't spoken in months"
"Damn, sorry man"

We kinda sat there in silence until I spoke up again
"When did life get so complicated?"
"Girls man I'm telling you. Bad energy"

We laugh and hang out for a bit longer until his dad comes to pick him up. "Hey Portman"
"What's up?"
"I really think you should tell her privately first. I mean I'm not her but from what I've heard she likes privacy. I mean her whole life has been monitored so maybe singing it first isn't the move"
"Maybe you're right. I mean, what if she doesn't like me anymore"
He laughs as he gets into the car. He rolls down the window and yells "Trust me dude. She does"
"How do you know?"
"She called"

And then he rolled his window back up and drove off. She called? She still likes me? Fuck yea. I look at the flyer again and see the application is due tomorrow. I call the number and apply.

"Great Dean. The audition is November 26th at the Whitney M. Young Magnet High School on the corner of West Adams Street and South Ashland Avenue"

Adam

"Ok great thanks. Oh and uh, what should I bring to the audition?"
"Required: your instrument or band, minimum 3 songs - they don't have to be original - maximum 5, and preferably a standard résumé and head shot for each preformer. Not required but suggested: bring your own amp if you're using an electric instrument but if you don't have one we can provide it, if you have a demo track of your set list that is suggested but not mandatory"
"And uh who will be in the audition room?"
"Maple Hart's manager , PR team, and the stadium manager"
"Jesus ok yea. Thanks"
"No problem, we'll see you in a few days"

A résumé? Headshots? 3-5 songs? Lord these concerts do not play. So I have exactly a week to come up with a set list, demo track (I have to go above and beyond), a preformer's résumé, a headshot, and finish my song.

For Morgan, it'll all be worth it.

WC: 1118