Tristan's fingers tapped lightly against her guitar while she waited to go onstage. She had recently earned herself a gig at a local cafe in Tulsa, and she was only slightly nervous. She'd played gigs before, but still, the nerves came right before the perfomance, like clockwork.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome for our next act, Tristan Reid!"
Tristan smiled as she stepped up onstage, eyes taking a second to adjust to the lights as she sat down on the stool which had been placed there for her. She turned and nodded her greeting at Jen, her friend who was playing the box percussion thingy. She never could remember it's name.
"Hey guys, how ya'll doing tonight?"
A general cheer from the crowd sounded and she grinned, more genuinely this time, relaxing more.
"K, well this is a song about a boy who broke up with me and used a ridiculous excuse to do so. He was like 'we're like a book and you're like in the middle somewhere, whereas I'm at the end and we haven't quite met in between'. Yeah, he was a bit of a retard."
A few giggles sounded from the audience and Tristan smiled and started to sturm her guitar. A slow tune played out from beneath her fingers.
"Well I'm the icing on the cake
I'm the secret ingredient you're missing
I'm the sidewalk but I'm not complete
I'm the reason that, baby, you're tripping
All the decisions you didn't make
I'm the chance you chose not to take
I'm the one you wish you were kissing
Pray for clear skies tonight, you better start wishing
So you'll write the title
And I'll write the chapters
We can read a story of a love gone disaster
You write the moral
And I'll write the lesson
We can read a love that kept us guessing
Coz I am in question
You are in reason
Soon this will change just like the seasons
Mine leaves will fall
While yours turn to gold
And the colours on the ground are so bright and so bold
I'll make no motion
You'll hold me tightly
I look at you as you let me down lightly
Oh the story always ends up like this
Another opportunity you're going to miss
So you'll write the title
And I'll write the chapters
We can read a story of a love gone disaster
You write the moral
And I'll write the lesson
We can read a love that kept us guessing
Oh but I know you so well
When are you going to come around?
Oh but I know you so well
When are you going to come around, come around?
You wanted to be like this
I see how it is
Another opportunity that you're going to miss..."
Zac
After being completely shocked at recognising Tristan on stage, Zac settled back to enjoy the music.
A waitress put his recently ordered food on the table.
"Thanks," he said.
He ate his meal more or less absently, so intent her was on the music.
Tristan
Tristan tucked some hair behind her ear and strummed the guitar for a second.
"So I used to work in a pizza place in high school, which was good coz I was kinda a nerd in high school, so like all the high school kids would come and get their food and be like 'oh that nerdy girl is working in this place, sweeeeeeet'. And then they'd try to be my friend so I'd hook them up with extra Ranch. But I didn't. And then when I started playing shows, they started trying to get tickets for free, but I'd pretend I didn't know them. Like 'who are you again?'," she joked.
"I don't know you, and I don't got no Ranch," Jen added, laughing.
"Exactly," Tristan answered, nodding. "So anyway, I guess by now you've realised that sometimes I tell some pretty pointless stories."
The crowd laughed as she started playing the guitar again.
"Get off work about 4 o'clock
And I'm late again
Cause you'll be here by 6:30
We'll go looking for a close parking spot again
Sitting in a room full of believers
Now you tell me what's wrong and what's right
Cause I look over at you baby
And you got your good intentions focused so tight
And now it hurts me so
To have to see you go
To watch these drugs break you down
When there's nothing you can do and no one to get through
Remember all the things you tried to forget
What's wrong with a little bit of experimentation
To open the eyes of the new generation
Well build your world on an empty foundation
And watch it all blow away
Now it hurts me so
To have to see you go
To watch these drugs pull you down
When there's nothing we can do and no one can get through
Remember all the things you tried to forget
Well I haven't seen you in a while
You know I miss our talks I miss your smile
Cause the look of innocence is priceless
And baby right now you look so lifeless
And now it hurts me so to have to see you go
To watch this song break you down
When there's nothing we can do
And no one to get through
Remember all the things you tried to forget
And now it hurts me so
To have to see you go
Watch this song break you down..."
Zac
Zac chuckled along with the crowd, having been rather entertained by her pointless stories.
And then Tristan went into her music again, and Zac found himself being lost in it. An amazing musician.
Tristan
Tristan smiled as she ended the song, and thought she saw Zac in the crowd.
After a few more songs and pointless stories, she started to wrap up the show.
"So, before I make like Tom and Cruise, any requests?" she asked.
"Play SHY THAT WAY!" a guy from the audience yelled out.
"I don't see no Jason Mraz here," she laughed, referring to the other singer who played the duet with her.
"I'll be your Jason," the same guy called.
Tristan let out a loud chuckle. "Thanks for the offer. But one Jason in the world is enough, I think. Alright, well, I wrote this song when I was about 16, and it's really about how I think love should be."
"Put your hands to my hands
Put your knees to my knees
Put your eyes to my eyes
Come on baby compliment me
Cause I don't think that we
Should ever feel the need to worry
Ever get ourselves in a hurry
You know I love you
I know you love me
So time will go
And we may be
Far apart I know
But as far as I can see
This is so good
There's no need for change
It's alright with me
It's as simple as it should be
Simple as it should be
And this love will build
Through flights and streets
In the end I predict
You'll get the very best of me
So put your lips to my lips
Why not go on and take all of it
And just run as fast as you can
Just cause you can
Cause time will go
And we may be
Far apart I know
But as far as I can see
This is so good
There's no need for change
It's alright with me
It's as simple as it should be
Simple as it should be
I am almost 23
Confused with all the lines in between
They are dying to be read
Softly spoken simply said
Tell me do you believe
In the girl that is me
With her feet to your feet
Well that's all that I need
Cause time will go
And we may be
Far apart I know
But as far as I can see
This is so good
There's no need for change
It's alright with me
It's as simple as it should be
Simple as it should be..."
And with that, she finished playing and took a bow.
"Thanks guys, you've been awesome."
Zac
Zac took the liberty of letting loose a rather loud, shrill whistle and applauded to match.
Definitely a great performance.
Zac deliberately clapped longer than the crowd in general did, and with a grin on his face, settled back down to finish his drink.
Tristan
Tristan went backstage and skulled a whole buottle of water, then wiped the sweat off her face with a little hand towel. She sprayed on some more perfume, packed up her guitar and handed it to Jo, her gig manager, then headed out the side door and into the restaurant.
"Hey, great show," a random person said to her as she emerged.
"Thanks," she replied, flashing them a smile. "I'm playing at the Blue Rose next week, if you want to come along."
Zac
Zac happened to look up at that moment and spotted Tristan's arrival into the restaurant, and wondered if he'd be able to catch her eye.
Then he wondered if she'd start to think he was a stalker or something from the way they kept bumping into each other.
Tristan
Tristan signed a few things, then headed for the bar, not before spotting a familiar face.
"Zac!" she called over the music.
Zac
Zac waved back with a grin. He paused for a moment, then decided it would be rude not to go up and talk to her, so he stood and made his way over.
"Hey," he said. "Great show."
Tristan
"Thanks," Tristan replied.
She twisted the top off the bottle of water she was holding and took a sip.
"We've got to stop meeting like this," she joked.
Zac
"Yeah," Zac mused. "We always seem to be bumping into each other lately. If we don't watch out, one of us is going to end up accusing the other of being some sort of stalker."
He nodded knowingly.
Tristan
Tristan laughed and nodded.
"Well, I didn't want to accuse you, but I was starting to suspect," she joked.
Zac
"Oh, you caught me," Zac kidded, "it's true. I've been following you around since the day we've met and taking photos of you in your underwear, and turned my bedroom into a shrine dedicated to you."
He nodded seriously, then couldn't hold the face and cracked up laughing.
Tristan
"Zac, I don't know how to tell you this but... those photos... they aren't me. I don't wear underwear!" Tristan played along, trying not to laugh.
She gave in and exploded in giggles.
"Oh man, we need help."
Zac
"Yep," Zac chuckled. "Or at least, me with my deviant stalker behaviours does."
And thus Zac felt the need to break into song:
"Every breath you take
Every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
Ill be watching you
Every single day
Every word you say
Every game you play
Every night you stay
Ill be watching you
Oh, cant you see
You belong to me
How my poor heart aches
With every step you take"
He contempleted singing the rest of the song, but decided he didn't really need to.
OOC:
"Every Breath You Take" by Sting
Tristan
"Security!" Tristan joked.
She took another sip from her bottle.
"So, no entourage tonight? Just having dinner all by your lonesome?"
Zac
"Yes," Zac replied. "Well, unless you count my stalker. She's sitting up the back taking photos right now. Without a flash, of course. It must be quite amusing for her, stalking a stalker."
"Okay, Zac? Stop with the stalker jokes already," he told himself.
Tristan
"Well, it's a valid lifestyle choice, I imagine."
Tristan fiddled with her drink for a second.
"So, I should go have something to eat with my band. Or rather, my percussionist."
Zac
"Okay," Zac nodded. "I should be going anyway, having already eaten and drinked. Drunk. Whatever."
He grinned.
"Hey, guess I'll see you next time?" he said, a silly expression on his face.
Tristan
"I'm sure you will, what with your surveillence equipment in my house," Tristan laughed.
She touched his shoulder lightly as she past him.
"See you later!"
She headed for the doorway to help set up her merch stand, then disappeared out the door.
Zac
Zac chuckled. He returned to his table to pick up the bill, determined he had the right cash on him to pay with the usual tip and headed to the counter to do so.
A few minutes later, he gave a final wave to Tristan (although he didn't think she saw him) as he walked out the front and headed for home.