Chapter 56: Open Mic Night
Lorne is giddy when I bang on his door, eagerly ushering the three of us inside for the show. But once I tell him I finally want to sing, he's even quicker to get Clem to hook up a microphone.
Does Clem ever go home? He's here every time I stop by.
"It's about damned time Bright Eyes..." The flamboyantly dressed empath shakes his finger in my face, really making me notice the gaudy gold watch. "I was wondering when you'd let me guide you. Was starting to think I should have just stayed with the Maclays since you didn't seem to need me."
Hearing a slight edge to his voice, it's hard to deny I need to visit more. "I know you don't want to get involved in this stuff. Didn't want to pressure you into anything."
"You make up your mind yet?" Ignoring the tension between the Host and I, Jenny tries to turn the conversation back to our reason for being here.
"I'm just supposed to pick my favourite, right?" Russel's ears have turned slightly pink as he realizes all of our eyes are on him.
Nodding with a soft smile, Lorne does his best to put the nervous man at ease. "It will give me the clearest reading. But you can sing whatever you're comfortable with."
"Not Pinball Wizard!" A frantic Clem's wrinkles pull back so much he takes on a menacing form by pure accident. "That's my song."
"Don't worry, I'm positive you haven't heard this one yet." To everyone's confusion I decide to sing something that isn't going to come out for another decade.
The words to 'Womanizer' are sung by memory, with my slower take on the song being purely from nerves. I know I wouldn't have been able to do this without the stop at Willy's and keep my eyes screwed tightly shut until I finish.
I don't get an applause when I dare to open my eyes. But nobody laughs either and I take that as a win.
"Did you write that yourself?" Envy shines in Russel's eyes as he assumes this is yet another thing I'm better at.
"Stole it from Britney Spears..." I know the rough time it came out and shrug as I give up the credit. "About a decade from now."
Russel closes his eyes and seems to count to five before taking the chance to open them again. "So you just know everything that's going to happen? Seems a little unfair."
"It's more like a bunch of five minute clips that I have very little context for." Lorne's smile lets me know he's aware of my white lie.
But he thankfully doesn't squeal and I know I'm going to be owing him. "This part is private, we'll be right back."
"I'll make sure they put everything back in the right order." With a watchful eye on my coworkers, Clem takes his task seriously as I'm led into the washroom.
"Just let me turn these on first." The shower and faucet are both turned on full blast to covr up the sensitive words. "Perfect. Now let's dive right into the juicy stuff."
"What am I supposed to be doing?"
I've been making a lot of assumptions, steering the direction of many people as if I know best for everyone.
"Don't look so worried Cupcake. You're not as far off as you think." Smiling wide in an attempt to reassure me, Lorne reaches over to grab my trembling hand. "Teach the Champions to work together. You're all on the same side after all."
Unable to accept my task is that hands off, I shake my head firmly in denial. "That can't be it."
"You should probably know that if you keep doing all the planning..." His scarlet eyes bore into me and lay my aura bare to his special sight. "Sure you might get all the credit when things go right. But when something goes wrong, all the blame is going to fall on you."
"I can't expect the kids to make hard choices yet. They've just found out the monsters under the bed are real."
I'm trying to get as many to choose the support role as I can and it's proving rather difficult.
Though considering how many of them have gone to the first three self defence lessons, I seem to be horribly failing at my goal of scaring them off. The harder I try to convince them to leave it to me, the more stubborn the teens seem to get.
"I didn't see any teenagers walk in with you tonight." He smirks at me as the truth sinks in.
"I'm still worried I might have to make Russel disappear."
I can't let him tell the Mayor anything important. "Really hoping you get a good reading on him."
Even if it means I have to kill a friend who hasn't actually done anything wrong yet.
Pursing his lips, Lorne gives me a look as if I'm an idiot. "You want to keep your secrets, they get to keep theirs."
"Just tell me if he's a lost cause or not." No point beating a dead horse, Lorne's not going to spill any details. "I'm not scared of some hard work, just not going to waste my time on something hopeless."
"Four more things." Holding up a closed fist, my Pylean friend lifts a finger with each point. "First, you really need to take Fred out more often."
"Uh..."
Not really sure why that's so high on the list. "Alright?"
But even if it's just Lorne being a good friend, I'm not going to ignore the advice I should have already been following.
His smile expands once I agree and Lorne lifts his second finger. "The more people you care about, the more people who care about you."
"That's pretty self explanatory." Quirking my lips, I try not to roll my eyes at the obvious statement.
"But you don't really seem to understand it. It seemed like you needed a reminder." His third finger goes up with it's pair of emerald siblings. "You may want to find that glove before the Slayer shows up. Otherwise it might get lost in the Post."
Holding in a groan at another vague instruction, I don't get my hopes up at getting anything more out of Lorne. "Which cemetery is it in?"
"No idea. Just know that you don't have nearly as much time as you think." Shrugging at my confusion, the music lover's final finger goes up. "And finally, I hope you don't mind having a destiny. Because you're stealing the lion's share of one."
"Hurry up!" Russel bangs on the door with desperation filling his voice. "I need to pee!"
He grumbles about the running water while we shuffle past him back into the living room. Jenny is trying incredibly hard not to laugh. But Clem has no such kindness and is slapping his knee with each chuckle.
"You pick some songs?" Ignoring the gasp of pleasure from behind the closed door, I turn my full attention on Jenny. "Or am I the only one brave enough?"
"One Way or Another." Her response is simple and confidently spoken almost as if she is daring me to say something.
Happy to disappoint in this area, I just give her a thumbs up and an honest grin. "Nice. What about Russel?"
"He said it was going to be a surprise..." Jenny's challenging look morphs into an expression of uncertainty when I bring up our pissing friend. "But to be honest, that's how I've felt the entire night. He's not the same guy he is at work."
When he emerges from the bathroom satisfied and with dry pants, Russel insists on going next. When Nine Inch Nails starts to play, I'm stunned into complete silence for the whole song.
Russel's rendition of 'Hurt', is raw and the words contain a lifetime of anguish. He's not great and yet the passion he sings with is more than enough to smooth over the rough edges.
After he finishes, Lorne is true to his word and pulls him into the washroom for his own private talk. The only information I receive either way when the door finally reopens is a nod directed towards me alone.
