Sandman

- I'll play in your stead tonight, you may go.

+Thank you sir.

The guitarist Levi has hired to play at his café, couldn't make it in time for the evening because of his daughter. He didn't look like it, but Levi actually cared a lot about children so he made an exception tonight.

Why exception? Because since "That Night" couple years ago, he never played in public anymore.

He lit a hand-rolled cigarette and made himself comfortable on his chair. He said he'd fill the guitarist's place but now he had to mentally prepare himself for it.

The last time he played "Sandman" in public was also the last time he performed for a public audience. The last time he saw "Her"

-Huh...she didn't even sense I was there.

Levi desperately remembered the pain he went through that night. He stopped calling her, he never showed up in that bar and he stopped playing guitar.

That's why he secluded himself in his café in a small room. It doesn't often happen; these kind of stories only happens in movies or short stories on newspapers but it happened to him.

He fell for the girl he met at a bar. They had amazing times dancing, drinking, singing and fucking in the back ally in his old Cadillac and after only six months, it was over.

She has promised him to turn his 35th birthday, into his best Christmas-birthday ever for him. She didn't have much to offer but for Levi, as long as she was excited, he knew it's gonna be the best gift he'll ever receive.

But once he saw her jumping in another guy's arms with such joy and comfort on her face, he realized all the time they spent, was her way of easing her mind off the one she was passionately hugging then.

As Levi fell asleep on his chair, a memory rushed back. A dream, no better than a nightmare as time went by.

***

*5 years ago*

The murmur in the background, the shouts of men playing billiard, some guys flirting with some girls while playing dart.

Levi simply ignores these stupid people. He's only here because these very people actually enjoy listening to his play. He likes how the background noise fades away with each trembling string under his finger.

He and his friend run this bar together but Levi has never liked bars. He was more of a café guy. He wanted to see friends or couples come by and enjoy their time rather than watching people hooking up anytime here and there or even if they're alone, they're alone because they want to be, not because they need someone to notice them. He's done with this shit and he's making the most important decision in his life.

"When I'm done tonight, I have to tell Furlan what I'm gonna do." He thought. But what he doesn't know is that life, plays dirty with you when you're determined to be alone forever.

He walks up to the small stage and sits on the small stool and hugs his guitar. He always prefers to choose a song not very heard because when people sing along, it's not as pleasant as they think they sound.

For tonight he chose "Sandman" for the starter. A folk song which this crowd doesn't seem to be familiar with.

4th fret capo key and it begins.

He's mouthing the lyrics, but the voice singing it is coming from a corner by the bar. It's that girl's voice and it very soft like the tea's taste he has every morning. Her hairs, as dark as the night sky, and her skin, as fair as an angel on earth and more importantly, she knows this song.