She had knocked back a few drinks before she decided to hobble up on the makeshift stage at the front of the bar.
(Thank god for flasks and Fake IDs).
Max, Courtney and William sat back in their seats and watched as Katya staggered over to the mike and looked at the song selection before announcing her choice:
"All I ask, Adele."
Courtney tucked her chin and muttered an "Oh-no..."
Max nudged her and shushed her,.
"She's struggling let her sing it out."
"I don't remember the last time she actually sung in karaoke night, to be honest."
William stated.
Courtney and Max looked at each other and nodded
"you're right..." Max replied
"Will y-y'all shut s-up and let me sssing."
Katya laughed and cleared her throat as the instrumental to the song began.
"I will leave my heart at the door...I won't say a word."
She mumbled quietly at first.
"They've all been said before you know - so why don't we just play pretend."
She fumbled with the mic cord in her fingers as she pulled it from it's stand and stepped away.
"Like we're not scared of what's coming next - or scared of having nothing left."
Katya looked up and looked at Max who was smiling back at her as she sang more clearly;
"Look don't get me wrong, I know there is no tomorrow... All I ask is..."
Katya chewed on her lip for a moment before genuinely belting out the next note:
"If this is my last night with you - hold me like I'm more than just a friend. Give me a memory I can use... take me by the hand while we do what lovers do."
Max's jaw dropped
"Holy shit." William gasped.
Courtney raised her eyebrows;
"Alright, sis. Go off."
"It matters how this ends... cause what if I never love again."
Katya's voice cracked a bit near the end as she took note of a pile of bouncy bonds curls at the back of the room.
"I don't need your honesty, it's already in your eyes..."
She tried to make out the face but couldn't manage.
"and I'm sure my eyes, they speak for me..."
She stopped singing as she finally realized it was Trixie at the back of the room, sitting at that table with her friends.
"Keep going!" Max yelled
"Yasssss queen!" William screamed
The audience laughed before people started to chime in,
"let it all out girl!"
"Sing!"
"On core!"
Katya smiled shyly and wiped the tear away that had slipped down the side of her nose as she continued to belt out a few more notes and finish the song.
She needed that... that support.
As soon as she was done she ran off the stage to the bathroom to breath as she had suddenly sobered up and realized what she had just done and who was at the back of the damn bar watching her.
"hey..."
"-fuck!"
Katya stumbled back as she looked at Trixie through the mirror who was standing to the left a bit behind her.
"Sorry."
Trixie stepped back and held her hands out and up at chest level.
"'The hell do you want?"
Katya snapped back.
"I don't know...but I don't want to leave things like... this- whatever "this" is."
"You're the one who made "this" what it is."
Katya replied.
Trixie sighed; and nodded.
"You're right. So please...I know it's been a few weeks but please...let me fix it."
"There is nothing to fix." Katya said in a monotone but mostly pissed off voice.
Katya began to walk towards the exit but Trixie was quick to wrap her arm around Katya's waist and pull her in.
"Enough."
Katya glared back at her.
"I get it...but if I didn't tell you to leave my dad would have grabbed his shot gone and made sure as hell you left-"
"I don't c-"
Katya tried to interrupt
"let me finish-"
Trixie spoke back.
"I didn't want you to get physically hurt - and I knew if he saw me push you away you and I would both be less of a target... and yes I know that's wrong and not fair, Katya - to me or to you, but you being safe and alive is more important to me than anything and I don't want to be the reason you get hurt again."
Trixie sniffled and looked back into Katya's eyes.
"So please, let me fix this...I know there was a better way but - I couldn't think. I am sorry."
Katya bit her lip and stepped back.
"Give me a week to think about it....'
Trixie nodded.
"As long as you need..."
She began to walk away before she turned back to Katya
"Also, you should sing more...can't believe you didn't tell my you could sing like that - let alone at all.
