Sing To Me | Graham Coxon

To London

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"5000 dollars." The man sitting at the table says to Tia with an unpleasant look on his face. He is the owner and the manager of the club she sings at & the man seems to be bothered by the fact that Tia is troubling him in the middle of the day.

"What?"

He replies, "5000 dollars....that's how much you owe me. I lent you money, remember? Return me that money then you can leave."

"5000 dollars? You have to be fucking kidding me! You lend me like 2000 dollars and that was 2 months ago" She confronts him.

"Well, the return price increases with interest every month!" He snaps back.

Tia replies, "That is the stupidest, most unfair thing-"

He speaks over her, "Hey! Hey- I'm not telling you to pay me back with money out of your own pocket. Just keep working here and pay me from your salary and tips. Very easy for you!"

"Salary?" She laughs in his face.

"This is what you call salary? I barely make any money and you take half of the cut. It'd take me literal months to pay you back & I don't want to stay in this shithole for that long..... Prison is better than this honestly. Maybe stealing money is the way to go. " Tia rolls her eyes.

The owner looks at the instrument players from last night who are standing a bit off from the whole situation, "What the hell happened to her? What is she blabbering about? She was fine just last night! God! What possessed her to act like this? "

One of them replies, "You know that singer from that British band? Graham Coxon? He stumbled in to watch the show last night and he got talking to Tia, telling her how she has a beautiful voice and all and that should come with him to be a singer... "

Tia folds her arms and mentally scoldes the bass player for vomiting out the whole story. She knows her boss isn't going to receive it well and she is right.

"And you believed him?" He laughs with disbelief. Her bandmates join him to chuckle as well.

Tia says nothing and looks away.

"He fed you a story to get into your pants and you believed him?" He confirms.

"He's coming today" Tia adds on. Defending herself is not going to make any difference, she tells herself given the personality of her boss.

"Oh he's not coming today! He wanted to come yesterday but since you didn't put out, he forgot about you and moved onto the next girl to tell her how beautiful her voice is and how she should come with him to be a singer! I bet he doesn't even remember your name!" Her boss mocks her.

Tia is ready to give him a piece of her mind and put him in his place since he has really crossed the line now but all of a sudden, she sees the expression on his face drop. His furrowed eyebows convey a sense of shock and his lips get shut. His eyes are on someone behind her.

Tia turns to look behind her and sees Graham walking over to her. She smiles as he passes her bandmates and stands next to her.

"I hope you're coming with me- please do" He speaks in a soft and almost quiet voice to Tia.

"Hey- oh- it's actually you! Graham Coxon, right-?" Her boss stutters on his words.

Tia looks at Graham, "Yes, I'm coming with you. I quit my job."

"You did?" Her boss says in a rough tone as if to scold her.

"We're leaving" Graham speaks up.

Tia smiles and links hands with Graham, Yes I quit the job. I'm leaving. Have a good day" She gives her boss a smile & a middle finger before walking out with Graham.