Louder Than Love || Chris Cornell

The Central

Seattle, Washington
November 11, 1988

It was finally Saturday night and I was getting ready to head to The Central to see Soundgarden play. I was in my room just finishing up the last bit of styling my shirt and blasting some Aerosmith on my stereo. I decided to go with my red plaid jeans with the patch pockets down the sides, The Dead Kennedy's shirt I just finished styling into a tank top much like my Black Sabbath shirt but this time cut open the back and cut sections out to have it look like its laced at the back, a pair of Doc Marten's, my silver studded wrist cuff and once again, my hair up in a messy ponytail. I throw my shirt on and you could see my black lacy bra through the sides.

I waited as for Selena for as long as I could but she still hadn't called me to let me know when we were going to meet up. I tried calling her but there was no answer. Of course, I should be used to this by now, since she's always been this way since we were kids but it does frustrate me sometimes. This time I say fuck it and I grab my keys with my ID and some money, shove them into my pocket and head out the door to The Central.

•••

I arrive at The Central a little bit later and see the place pretty empty as it was still early.  I walk immediately over to the bar and order my usual Jack and Coke. I had no idea what to do cause I was here alone and I didn't recognize anybody that I would know. I'm used to going to the Fenix Underground all the way over on the other side of town which is more of a Rock-Metal venue. This is the first time I've been to The Central.

I sip my Jack and Coke and stand at the bar as I scan people to see if possibly there's someone here I know. I look towards the stage and I see Chris walking towards me to the bar. Once again, I feel that fluttery feeling in my chest. He looked so fucking good I could feel my cheeks flush. He was wearing one of the GWAR shirts he picked up at the store, he cut the sleeves off and tore it up a little which made it look all the more cooler. He was also wearing extremely ripped jean shorts and Doc Marten's just like mine. I quickly turn to face the bar and take a sip of my drink.

"Hi," He says sweetly to me after he orders a beer.

"Hi," I say nervously back as I look up at him. We look at each other silently for a few minutes and he shyly smiles at me.

"I like what you did with your shirt," I say as I gesture to his chest.

"Oh thanks," He says as he looks down at himself. He looks back up at me and flips his dark curls out of his face. I take a sip of my drink and we continue to look at each other. I have know idea how to describe how I feel right now but it's like Chris has this magnetism that is just unreal. I have never felt this way around a guy, let alone anyone at all, and all this from the 2 times I've met him.

He quickly finishes his beer and smirks at me while I take a sip of my drink. He turns and walks back towards the stage area as I watch him walk away from me. Where is he going? Did I say something weird?

I shake myself out of the daze I had fallen into and turn to face the bar as I sip my drink. A few moments later Chris comes back out from behind the stage,  jumps down and walks back over to me. I take another sip and look at him as he walks  up to me.

"I think you put this in my bag by mistake when I was in the store the other day," He says and holds out the Aerosmith T-Shirt.

"Oh my god, yea... I'm sorry... I had pulled that shirt out for me... I thought I lost it somehow..."I say and take the shirt from him.

"It's ok... it's a cool shirt so I thought I'd give it back to you," He smiles at me.

"Thank you," I say shyly as I look at the shirt in my hands. He turns and walks back to the stage and I glance up to see him jump up on the stage and disappear behind the drum set. I really didn't want him to go. I smirk and look back down to try to fold the shirt back up when all of a sudden I see something written on the inside back of the shirt.