I follow them into the dressing room, choosing the couch closest to the door. I need to sit down. This isn't happening.
Ryan sits on the couch across from me. Hmm. Is it because we aren't alone or is it because Josh is here?
Josh twirls around the dressing room dancing closer to the CD player in the far corner of the room.
"Did Ry tell you about this song?" Josh smiles, excitement pouring out of him.
"What song?" I reply. Don't call him Ry, you little shit.
Ryan sinks further into the couch. "Ooh yeah, the song. Yeah Josh, play the song"
The first notes begin. Something new. Something I haven't heard before. Why haven't I heard it before? Ryan loves this song. I can tell by the way his head moves slowly and his eyes close as it begins. If he loves it so much, why hasn't he mentioned it to me?
Ryan slowly opens his eyes looking at Josh and then to me, head not leaving the back of the couch. "This guy. This guy right here, Seal, he is the real deal. Gonna be a legend. I'm calling it now". He closes his eyes again.
I scoff. Ryan has the worst track record with stuff like this. Said Sting would never be a thing. Said that grunge would be over in a week. "People want a melody. This sounds like kids playing in their mom's garage". Sure Ryan, Seal will be the biggest star ever. Three notes in and I know this guy will be a one hit wonder, maybe two if a movie is involved. I'm so much better at this than he is. But I'll humor him. The song isn't half bad.
Josh moves to sit next to Ryan on the couch. A little too close for my liking, but it's like Ryan is lost in the song and he doesn't notice, eyes closed, head rocking slowly from side to side. He starts mouthing the words "miracles will happen as we speak" falling deeper into the music.
Without opening his eyes he speaks "man, I wish I would have written this song." And then back to mouthing the lyrics.
My eyes shift back and forth from him and Josh. Josh mirrors Ryan. Both deep in a song that I can't help but feel is only pretty good. There's been better songs. I write better songs than this.
Josh is drumming his hands on his thighs to the beat of the music. He looks as lost as Ryan and I can't help but feel like I'm intruding. It's been 15 days, Ryan is MY boyfriend, and somehow I'm the third wheel.
The song breaks down, the drums changing. Josh's hands move from his thighs to Ryan's. In that moment, they both sit up and open their eyes, excited, like they don't know what's going to happen next, even though we all know this is obviously not the first time they have listened to the stupid song.
Josh drums harder on Ryan's legs. It feels like a burning rod is shoved through my back.
Get. Your. Hands. Off. My. MAN!
This fucking kid. I'll kill him. What the fuck is happening right now. Rage is building in me so fast that I don't think my body is large enough to contain it all. I'm going to launch myself off this couch and strangle the life out of him. This is the worst fucking song I've ever heard.
"In a world full of people, only some want to fly. Isn't that crazy?"
Singing? Now they're singing? What the FUCK!
