𝐜𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧' 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝 ─────⋆⋅★𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘺

𝟏𝟗. 𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞

The dive bar buzzed with life—a low hum of laughter and chatter, glasses clinking, the faint echo of classic rock slipping through the speakers. The air was thick with the aroma of fried food and cheap beer, a gritty comfort that felt both familiar and foreign.

This wasn't her world, not really. The flashbulbs and velvet ropes, the red carpets she'd danced across—none of it belonged here. Yet, Suki found herself nestled in a corner booth with the cast of Outer Banks, her cap pulled low over her face, hoping to blend in, even if that had never been her strong suit.

But then, the opening notes of her latest album flickered to life, weaving through the noise like a ghost trying to reclaim its space.

"Now he's thinkin' 'bout me every night, oh..."

Madelyn shot her a knowing look, nudging her side. "Your song."

Suki groaned, burying her face in her hands for a moment. "Of course it is."

Even in a tucked-away spot like this, where the Outer Banks cast was supposed to shine, eyes drifted toward her, whispers curling through the air like smoke.

Then it happened.

A guy at the bar—late twenties, baseball cap perched backward—locked eyes with her and shouted, "Hey! Suki, sing for us!"

Suki froze, every nerve in her body tensing. Recognition rippled through the crowd, a wave of phone cameras lifting in unison. She could feel the shift in the atmosphere, the weight of their anticipation pressing down on her.

Madelyn leaned closer, grinning. "Well, there goes your quiet night."

Rolling her eyes, a reluctant smile broke through. "Guess I can't escape this."

"Sing for us, Suki!" The chant rose, igniting excitement among the locals, echoing off the walls like a scene from one of her sold-out concerts.

"Suki! Suki! Suki!"

Heat rushed to her cheeks, not from embarrassment but from the thrill of it all. This wasn't the stage, the lights, the rehearsed confidence. Yet, somehow, the air hummed with expectation.

"C'mon, Suki, they won't let you sit this one out," Madelyn teased, a sparkle of mischief in her eyes.

Suki sighed, half-laughing, half-exasperated. "I haven't even had enough to drink for this."

In a moment of impulse, she downed her whiskey, the burn warming her chest, then stood atop the bar, the world below her holding its breath.

"Okay, okay," she said, hands raised in mock surrender. "I'll sing, but only because y'all won't let me finish my drink in peace!"

The cheers swelled, one of the locals racing to hand her a mic that looked like it had seen better days. The bartender muted the speakers as her song began to fade, leaving the bar in a hushed reverence, save for the clinking of glasses and the shuffling of feet. Handing her a microphone they must use for karaoke nights...

Suki's gaze flitted across the room, landing on a small group of girls tucked away at a corner table.

Their eyes were wide with wonder, the bright colours of their straws contrasting against their flushed cheeks as they sipped on lemonade, seemingly untouched by the lively revelry around them.

The youngest, a little girl with bouncing curls and an oversized T-shirt, stared at Suki as if she were a real-life princess, her expression a mix of awe and admiration.

A swell of warmth surged in Suki's chest; this was the connection she had been craving. Here was someone who saw her not as the pop star but simply as a person—an everyday girl with a heart full of dreams.