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Bluebird

"Hey man, can I borrow that blue button down you have? I'm going out tonight, I wanna look good."

"Sure, who's the lucky girl?" I asked grabbing the shirt off the hanger before tossing it to him.

"Mollie." Greg said as he slipped it on over his white t-shirt and checked himself out in the mirror.

"Mollie?"

"Yeah, figured I'd finally pull the trigger and ask her out. She's not seeing anybody so it's worth a shot right?"

"Yeah, for sure...where you taking her?"

"I figured I'd take her to that new bar and grill on Broadway. The one that just opened by the arena."

"Naw man, that be insane, you should take her somewhere chill. What about Bluebird?"

"I mean that does make sense...she's obviously not a fan of the whole packed room thing. Thanks man, I should go I'll see you later."

"Yeah, have fun tonight," I called as he left the room.

I think it was subconscious, or at least that was what I told myself. I knew that I would be playing at The Bluebird tonight, and even though I was picking up Shannon to finally watch me perform, I wanted Mollie to see me even more.

Shannon was a great girl, but she didn't appreciate the music as much as Mollie, she didn't understand what it took and meant when you poured your heart out in a song.
*****

I didn't think about it though until later when I was up on that stage, singing to a room full of people. I looked over at Mollie sitting there with Greg and they were whispering to each other, but they still were paying attention taking in the words I had written.

Then I looked over at Shannon, playing on her phone like she was bored.

The next part was deliberate, calling Mollie on stage to sing with me. I don't know if it was to get back at Shannon for not caring or the fact I was jealous of Greg, sitting there on the date that I wanted to be on.

"So, I have a few friends in the audience today and I wanted to call one of them up here. She has an amazing voice and from what I've see she's written some amazing songs. So maybe if you guys show her a little love she'll come up here and sing the last song with me."

I walked over to the table Greg and Mollie were sitting at and leaned in while I took her hand.

"Come sing with me."

"Are you insane, I can't sing in front of all these people."

"Yes you, focus on me, I'll be with you the whole time."

"Ryan, I cannot do this!"

"Yes, you can."  I said before turning back into the microphone, " my buddies and I wrote this song a while ago and it was missing something. Then this brilliant lady came in and fixed it all up. So I thought it was only right she sings it with me. This is Seeing Blind."

I started playing as soon as I could so she wouldn't leave me the stage. Right before I started the first verse I looked her right in the eye and whispered to her, "just us. Focus on me." I added again for reassurance.

I could tell she was nervous but as soon as she opened her mouth it seemed like she became another person. She wants to be backstage, behind the scenes, but that's not where she belongs. She needs to be on the stage, singing the words that she writes. 

***
She jumped off the stage as soon as the song ended, and I got up and thanked the crowd before following her off. I put my guitar away and went to find Shannon. She wasn't at the table i had seen her at and one of the waitresses checked and she wasn't in the bathroom so I headed outside to try and find her.

I find her standing in the parking lot next to my car staring at her phone. She glances up at me as I walk out the door and shakes her head before looking back down at her phone.

"Can't imagine you could enjoy the show from out here. So much for being excited to finally see me play."

"Ya know, I was excited to see you play. Bragged to the waitress how I was so excited to finally see my boyfriend perform...then you pulled her up on stage. Couldn't take your damn eyes off of her the whole time."

"Just like you didn't take your eyes off your phone. I saw you when I was up there, figures I had to pull someone else on stage to get your attention."

"You know I can't stand that girl and you just have to keep bringing her up. 'Mollie wrote the best song the other night', 'Mollie came up with the best melody today.' And just for the record. I was tweeting about your set, hoping to spread the word to get more people to come watch you. Sorry for trying to be a good girlfriend."

That g-word just about knocked me on my ass. We had an agreement. We knew this wasn't a serious thing, no actual commitment. I couldn't even stop the words as they tumbled out of mouth, I instantly regretted it as soon as I saw her face.

"You're not even my girlfriend Shannon. You and I both agreed this was going to be just a casual thing."

"Yeah, you're right. This was supposed to be casual...I just didn't think I would have to watch you have hearts in your eyes while you're up there singing with my roommate! My Uber is almost here. I think it's best if we quit while we're ahead. Cause I know fallin' for you anymore is just gonna break my heart."

I wanted to argue, and tell her that she was wrong, but I knew she really wasn't. There was something about Mollie that made her stick in my head like a song on replay.

So I just watched her. I watched her look back at me one last time, like she was hoping I would stop her but I couldn't. It wasn't fair to either of us. So I watched her leave in a stranger's car before heading back inside. Greg and Mollie had already slipped out but I didn't really know how to face by best friend anyway after ruining his date.

I was a selfish bastard. But I couldn't help it, singing with Mollie was a high that I had never felt before and I was going to chase it as much as I could.