Snaked

Forty Years

Avery's pov

As Willie and I walk down the stairs, I feel him place a hand on my back, leading me in the direction of the stage. I look up at him, confused as we inch closer and closer toward the stage. "Why are you taking me up there?" I ask when I see Caleb staring at us as he sings.

"You need to meet some people before you start," he says as we walk backstage where a whole group of people is standing in a huddle, talking to each other. "Excuse me, could I have your attention for a short moment?" Willie asks but nobody stops or looks away other than that same girl that came and got Willie earlier tonight.

She rolls her eyes before cupping her hand around her mouth. "Everybody shut up!" She yells, making everybody stop and turn toward her.

"Thank you," Willie says with a small smile. "Everyone, this is Avery and she will be joining us as a singer and dancer until further notice," he says, making me look up at him, confused, before looking back at them with a straight face, knowing I have to keep it together.

Everybody leaves, leaving Willie, the girl, and I alone behind the stage. The girl walks toward us and pats Willie on the shoulder before looking at me. She looks me up and down before smirking at me, making me slightly uncomfortable. "Nice to meet you, Avery. I'm Cameron but you can just call me Cam," she says, putting her hand out to shake my hand. I grab her hand and shake it before crossing my arms over my chest. "You don't talk much, do you?" She asks, narrowing her eyes at me.

"Cam, she just got here, let her adjust a little," Willie says, his hand now around my waist, almost like he doesn't want me to leave his side.

She nods before patting him on the arm again. "Well if you don't mind, I gotta wait the same tables and dance the same dance that I've been doing for forty years," she says before smiling tightly as us and walking away, her dress flowing behind her.

I let go of the breath that I was holding, knowing that I can relax now that no one else is here other than Willie. "You okay?" He asks, turning and looking at me.

I look up at him and release a shaky breath. "I don't wanna be here for forty years, Willie," I say, my voice flat but on the inside, I'm fucking terrified.

"Hey," he says, grabbing my shoulders and looking down at me. "It's gonna be okay. Just do as you're told but most importantly, try to have fun," he says, smiling softly in a comforting way. "This place isn't as bad once you start having fun with it. Can you do that for me?"

I nod and swallow a lump in my throat before nodding, hoping this is all a dream. "Can I just wait tables tonight?" I ask, not wanting to sing and dance in front of people right now.

He rubs his hands up and down my arms, making me think of Luke, before he nods. "Yeah, just go tell Cam and she'll give you something to do."

"Okay," I say as I nod before he lets go and points me in the direction of Cameron. I walk over to her and clear my throat, making her turn around.

"Hey, Chaparrito, what's up?" She asks, placing a burger in front of a person.

"I- um, could I waitress with you tonight?" I ask, sounding more nervous than I've been in a long time.

"Sure. Here, take my tray, I'll grab another," she says as she hands me the silver tray that was in her hand. "Every now and then a dish will appear on the platter with a table number. All you have to do is deliver the dish to the designated table. Sounds easy enough?" I nod my head as I try to balance the tray on my hand. She ducks her head and laughs before grabbing the tray and adjusting my hand before placing the tray on top. "You gotta kind of cup it," she says as she turns me around. "Look at that, you have your first order," she says before smiling and pushing me in the direction of table six.

A few hours later, the show is dying down and my feet are numb in the heels. I serve my last order and walk back up into my room before falling onto my bed. I sit when I feel myself starting to relax too much and walking into the bathroom where the cat is pawing at the sink's tap. I turn the tap on and she starts licking the water before I stick my hands under and water and fill my hands with some of the water and splash it on my face. I place my hands on the counter and lean against it, ducking my head as water drips from my face. I sigh before looking back up, almost jumping when I see Luke standing behind me.

"What- what are you?" I stutter as I smile and talk into the mirror, not believing what I'm seeing.

"Shh," he says, smiling back at me. "You looked beautiful tonight," he says, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his head on my shoulder. I smile at him, wondering how I ever got so lucky. "I love you," he says, placing a kiss on my cheek, making me close my eyes for a moments.

"I love you too. But you're not real," I say before opening my eyes and noticing my standing alone in my bathroom, the only other thing in the bathroom being my cat who was now licking the water from the tap.

I pet her head before stripping and changing into a pair of pajamas that were in the dresser before slipping under the soft and fuzzy covers of the bed before turning onto my side, wishing someone else was here.