Galway Guy

The American Man

Jack was hopping around the stage as he played his instrument and sang with his band, his smile was bright as the people in the bar started to clap to the beat of the music.

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Mark watched as the man playing the fiddle jumped onto a bar table and stomped his feet to the beat as he played to his fiddle. Mark took a sip of his beer as he watched the energetic man, he couldn't help but smile. Mark tapped his foot to the beat of the song, drinking his beer.

Soon the fourth song was done. The fiddle player jumped off the stage and went to the bar, ordering a drink. Mark stood up and walked over, wanting to introduce himself. "Um, excuse me?" Mark asked, his anxiety ate at him a bit, Mark became nervous and the man turned around facing Mark.

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Jack turned to see the male from earlier. "Top of the morning to ya!" Too loud. A voice whispered in Jack's mind, he ignored it and held out his hand to the man. "Names Jack." He said, a bit quieter. What are you doing, idiot. The voice hissed, Jack kept ignoring it, keeping the smiling on his face. The male took Jack's hand and shook it.

"Nice to meet you, names Mark." He said, flashing a heart warming smile. "I really like your band."

Jack chuckled. "Thanks, I'm glad you liked it." Try hard.. Jacks smile falls a bit as his voices insulted him.

Jack saw Mark's eyes fill with concern. "You ok?" Mark asked, Jack nodded. Lair.. Jack clears his throat.

"Y-yeah I'm fine." Jack smiled once more. Jack grabbed his drink from the counter, paying the bartender as he sipped his beverage. He watched Mark closely as silence fell between them.

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Mark swallowed thickly as awkwardness settled over the two. "Wanna play pool?" Mark finally asked.

Jack shrugged. "Sure." Mark smiled and walked toward the empty pool table, grabbing a pool stick and handing it to Jack. Jack thanked him and grabbed it as Mark grabbed one for himself, Jack set up the game, "You wanna go first?" Jack asked, setting the white ball in its place.

"Nah, you go first." Mark smiled, Mark saw Jack's smile fall a bit once again, but he smiled and went to hit the ball.

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What are you doing?! Idiot! Idiot! Stupid! Let him hit first!!

Jack's pool stick shook in his hand, he gripped it tightly trying to make it stop as he got ready to hit, he went to hit, but he missed and the side of the pool stick hit the ball instead. Failure. Jack looks at Mark, his face flushing with embarrassment. Mark gently grabbed the ball and set it back in its place, and with a gently smile he said.

"Try again, it's alright. Take your time." Jack nodded as he tried again, succeeding this time and it hit right on, a solid colored ball falling into a pocket. "Guess I'm strips then." Mark said, getting ready to hit.

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Jack was back to his old self in about the second game of pool, he giggled as Mark bet he'd win this time. He failed the last game and hit the black ball right into the pocket in his second turn. Jack rolled his eyes. "Don't jinx yourself, Mark."

"Hey, you're talking to the pool master here." He smiled as he hit the ball, the white ball going into the pocket. He huffed and glared at the pocket. "God damnit.."

Jack laughed. "Pool master, huh?" Mark crossed his arms. Rude.. Jack ignored the voice as he grabbed the ball from the pocket.

"Shush.." Mark chuckled.

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Mark had lost his fifth game of pool when he finally gave up. "Come on, let's play something else." Mark looked around.

He's bored of you... Jack looked up at Mark, he then looked down and sighed, letting the voices fill his mind. Idiot, boring, rude, dumbass. Mark grabbed Jack's hand suddenly and walked to the dart board. Jack's voices faded off as he looked at Mark.

"Let's play darts!" Mark said, handing Jack his color of darts. Jack nodded and this time let Mark go first.

Word count: 700. Finally got it done, so to clear up any confusion about Jack's 'voices', Jack (in the story) has terrible social anxiety, he always tries to hide it, and Jack is the only one that hears the voices. Jack doesn't really show it while preforming because he's used to it, he just not used to talking to new people.