#ferard

It was a quiet morning in New Jersey. Peacefully still like the calm before the storm of the hustle of the city. Taking one last long drag of his cigarette, Frank throws the butt on the pavement and crushes it beneath his heel. He pushes the door open and the bell chimes above his head, signalling his arrival to the employees.

There was hardly no line, so that was great news for Frank. After he paid for his coffee, he walks past the billboard next to the front door of the coffee house. It was a cool looking advertisement for some vintage show club. It's opening was this Saturday. And he wasn't busy... What did he have to lose?

....

Settling down in his seat, he was already being suffocated by his own collar. Cigarette smoke floated around and above his head. The soft jazz and clinking of glasses at the packed tables around him made him a little nervous. Everyone was with company of some sort. And then there was him, almost in the middle of the room at a table alone. Not to mention, it was busy for opening night.

The live band under the small stage slows to a halt, and the already dim light darkens further. The chatter settled to silenced whispers.

Performers and the Emcee took turns doing their own little act. It was actually quite cute. Frank was of course grateful he had a cocktail to nurse as he watched the show and was less aware of how much he stuck out in the crowd.

When the next act comes on, he's entranced.

Frank doesn't realize he leaned forward to watch the woman the Emcee introduced as "Gee."

This performance seems much more personal. Her heels slicked against the stage as the pianist plucked a few keys; she hopped up on the piano, splayed out like some sort of model. Her skin glowed under the spotlight, her stage makeup dulled from the intensity. Her eyes looked dewy and had underlying teasing to them as she sang the light hearted song. Frank barely knew the words she was saying.

The only thing he could focus on was her gaze on him. Never ceasing, like she was singing right to him.

Frank swallowed another gulp of his cocktail.

When the song finished, she remained perched up on the piano like a queen. Doing crowd work, everyone seemed to love her energy. She definitely knew how to work a stage.

Her eyes narrow towards Frank, a smirk on her red lips.

"And how about you, honey? What are you doing in this joint alone?" Gee called from the stage. Heads turned to look at him, and his face began to heat up.

"Uhm..." Frank started, already cringing at the crack in his voice. "I ain't too sure..." He called back loud enough for her to hear him from the stage.

"That's too bad, honey. Maybe I'll come down there and buy you a drink."

The crowd chuckled, so he followed suit. He was so embarrassed by how attractive he thought she was.