A Second Chance • A.F. {#wattys2018}

Chapter 1

Melody

Once again it's a busy night in the Revolution, drunks are hitting on me and there have been at least 2 fights and 5 people kicked out. Just your average Saturday night in Manchester. My nights working here used to be very different, but that's because this one blonde haired kid used to come into this very bar and sing 2 to 3 songs on his guitar and he would then sit in front of me and strike up a conversation about anything and everything. However the last time I spoke to Andy Fowler he mentioned something about an audition and that was the last I ever saw of him, he never returned.

I was finishing with someones drink when I saw two old faces walk into the bar and sit on the stools in front of me. "Luke, Kyle, i'm guessing it's the usual for you both?" they nodded and I grabbed two pints before filling the glasses and placing them in front of them. Kyle and Luke used to always come into the bar with Andy, but we never talked about him, although this time i wanted to know, I wanted to find out what happened to the boy I fell madly in love with at 17.

I leaned my elbows on the counter and slumped back a bit so I was comfortable and prepared to ask my long awaited question. "Hey, have you guys, uh, heard anything from Andy?" their eyes shifted from one another and then back to me as one of them decided on a right answer.

"He didn't tell you?" Luke asked as he gulped down another mouthful of his drink.

"Tell me what?" my eyebrows were raised and my stomach churned, clearly he was supposed to tell me something but he never got round to it, which means it could be something awful.

"He lives in Slough with his band members, signed to some guy called Blair?" "wait the guy from East 17?" Kyle nodded and we both laughed but my thoughts drifted back to Andy and the fact that he's now in a band.

"Was I supposed to know this? He never called me, the last time I saw him was when he stood on the little platform and sang Song about a songwriter" I frowned slightly, pointing to Andy's favourite spot, as I remembered that night...

*Flashback*

I wiped down the bar surface since people couldn't even hold their drink properly and they ended up spilling it everywhere. I looked up at the clock just as it hit 7pm and smiled slightly as I saw Andy walk through the door with his guitar and goofy smile. "Fowler, just on time, mics set up, you know what to do" he smiled at me and winked "thanks babe, you know I will" I shook my head slightly as he began "Hey guys, i'm Andy and this is a new one called Song about a songwriter, hope you enjoy" as he started the song there was a chorus of claps and cheers, Andy was a favourite here and everyone knew him.

2 hours later, everyone had left and it was my turn to close up, so Andy decided to stay to help me clean up but we didn't get far because Andy thought it would be a good idea to dance around the bar and sing his song once again. 'I see you jigging on the spot in my shirt and socks'  I was still dancing like an idiot but Andy stopped as he sung that line which of course made me stop, "why'd you stop?" I asked slightly out of breath and confused , brushing my hair from my face and he walked over to me, grabbing my red face in his hands "just one day, when you're older, I hope to see you wearing my clothes, dancing around my kitchen" he smiled as he said it, kissed me on my forehead, grabbed his guitar and walked out of the door, leaving me confused and with my own thoughts...

*end of flashback*

I stared at the spot he used to always stand in as a single tear rolled down my face as I remember his sweet voice say those very confusing words.

"Melody, hey you okay?" I felt Kyle's hand on my arm and I just nodded whilst wiping the tear.

"I'm fine" my voice croaked slightly and I carried on with my job, trying not to let those words and that boy get to me.

The clock on the wall read 3am, signalling that my long shift was over and that I could finally take the 5 minute walk to my flat.

Oddly enough, the streets of Manchester were quiet which was worse than I imagined because Andy flooded my mind and thoughts and I kept it all in until I finally reached my flat.

I closed the door and instead of walking away, my body just slid down it and that's when I lost it, the tears rolled down my face and I pulled up the playlist that Andy once made on soundcloud just for me, it consisted of his originals and it always made me feel safe, even though I was never in danger.

With the playlist on repeat, I grabbed my favourite blanket that my mum got me when I moved out and I laid on my sofa, this was the 3rd time that the songs had replayed but it didn't matter because in this moment they could've played a thousand times and I would never get sick of the voice I used to hear every night.

The time on my phone showed that it was 3:30am and I finally decided to close my eyes and I slowly started to drift off to Andy's heavenly voice that somehow serenaded me, even in my sleep.