Nine
Summer
After finishing our dinner and saying goodbye to Darla and Ricky, River and I remain sitting in the parking lot, fighting off food comas in River’s car.
River groans, leaning back in the driver’s seat. “I’m stuffed.”
“Me too,” I agree. “I can’t wait to go home and just crawl into bed.”
River sits up as fast as he can after shoving his food and the rest of mine down his throat earlier. “The night is still young, Summer.”
“What’d you have in mind?”
He grins, suddenly having a newfound energy as he puts the car in drive. River says one word and one word only.
“Karaoke.”
Well, we’re just pulling out all our teenage activities. We grew up in a small town—there wasn’t much to do so we had to get creative.
“You just like getting your ass kicked, don’t you?” I ask, even though I know that I’m just as terrible a singer as River is but you know, I have to intimidate the competition.
The sound of River’s laugh fills the small space of the car. “You do know that karaoke is supposed to be fun, right? There’s no winner.”
“That’s what losers say.”
Instead of arguing or putting up a fight, River laughs and continues the drive to the karaoke spot on the other side of town, while we dramatically practice our vocals.
As River and I are busy arguing up at the front counter about who should be paying since neither of us had to buy dinner, we hear a familiar voice call out to River.
We both turn to see Moose poking his head from around a corner down the dimly lit hallway, but it’s not too difficult to make out his moppy brown hair.
“What the hell are you two doing here?” Moose asks as he steps closer with what seems to be two lemonades in his hands. “I thought you were going out to dinner.”
River and I have to both tilt our heads up because the hockey jock is freakishly tall. Jesus, I can only imagine his height while wearing skates.
“We did but I didn’t want the night to end.” River nudges my shoulder.
He can’t just go around saying things like that without the possibility of me pulling him in to make out right here in front of everyone—his roommate included.
“What are you doing here?” River asks. “Didn’t think this was your thing.”
Moose doesn’t even pretend to try and act offended. He just accepts it as the truth. “Bethany was invited by some of the girls in her sorority. Now, I’m not a singer myself but you gotta do what you gotta do for the love of your life.”
Ah, yes. Bethany and Moose.
Always known for moving quicker than they probably should, but they seem happy, so I can’t really say anything.
I was actually surprised when I first met Bethany a few months ago when she started working at the country club.
She told me that she had been dating her boyfriend for only a few months.
When I found out that her boyfriend was one of River’s roommates, it kind of all started to make sense.
They both love people deeply and it doesn’t really take a rocket scientist to see that.
“Did you guys already pay for a box?” Moose asks.
“No, we were just going to.” River points to the counter and the lady who is kind of just standing there, awkwardly trying to pretend that she’s organizing business cards.
Moose hands River his drinks before he pulls out his wallet and asks the lady to add us into his room.
On the way to Moose’s karaoke box, he and River argue about River paying him back, to which Moose tells River he’ll accept the both of us making him that butter chicken we learned how to make yesterday as a form of payment.
I don’t tell him but Moose is going to be highly disappointed. He doesn’t know it yet but he just lost out on thirty-five bucks and a good homemade meal.
We finally make it into the karaoke room. It’s lit up only with fluorescent string lights and the neon sign that reads Sing For Me.
Bethany is slouching back on the white leather couch, talking to four other girls about getting their nails done.
I subconsciously look at my own nails and wonder if Bethany would mind if I invited myself.
I don’t usually wear nails during the swim season so I probably should take advantage of the summer.
When Bethany finally spots me, she quickly sits up and starts cheering, not caring that her sorority sisters look startled. “Hey! What are you doing here? Guys, this is one of my friends, Summer. Sum, this is Ava, Jeanette, Dosha, and Rae.”
The girls and I wave at each other. If their idea of a good night is singing at a karaoke bar, then I’m sure we’ll get along just fine.
I make a beeline right to Bethany, plopping down on my knees in the spot next to her.
“River and I went out for the night.” I gesture to my dress, answering Bethany’s question.
Bethany grins and I poke her side.
“Not like that.”
She puts her hands up in defense. “I didn’t say anything.”
River squeezes in next to me. Moose sits on the other side of Bethany, handing her one of the glasses of lemonade. She takes a sip and buries herself deeper into his side.
“Alright.” Moose slaps his thigh. “Who’s next?”
Ava pulls Dosha up from the couch and my heart aches a little. Not only because of Dosha’s reserved nature but how her hair is pulled back into a braid, curly bits sticking out. She reminds me of a taller, darker-skinned Lily.
I find myself missing that quiet, gentle voice of Lily’s or the huff I’ve accepted as her newfound laugh. I need to call her tomorrow.
Dosha whispers something in Ava’s ear, causing Ava to giggle.
“Dosha and I are gonna sing ‘360’ by Charli xcx.”
Oh, yeah, I can definitely hang out with these girls.
***
After thirty minutes, a couple more pop songs, and Moose and River’s beautiful duet of “Purple Rain,” I finally decide on the perfect song for my own little performance.
“Alright, hand it over.” I gesture for the microphone in River’s hand.
Moose and Bethany’s eyes go wide and they start cheering. In return, everyone else joins in. Yeah, there’s definitely alcohol snuck in here, but it’s fine. No one needs to know. In fact, we’re not even being that loud for anyone to suspect a thing.
I think.
My fingers tap along the screen of the table that rests near the wall where the projector shines a light on, showing lyrics to every song that’s been sung so far. I search up my song of choice and it only takes a few seconds for everyone to recognize the familiar guitar intro.
My singing to the intro of “Teenage Dirtbag” comes out closer to laughter more than anything, but everyone encourages me to keep going.
I wonder if this is how pop stars feel ’cause I think I could let this go to my head.
Consumed by the good vibes going around, I begin moving around the front of the room.
The projector light nearly blinds me as I dance dramatically, as if this is my performance of a lifetime.
At this point, I’m not even trying to sing properly, I’m just shouting passionately into the mic. I’m sure people in nearby rooms can definitely hear me.
Now Jeanette and Bethany have their phones pointed at me, as they’ve been doing this entire time.
They wave their arms in the air and I have to stop singing for a few lines.
I’m not sure if my body is warm due to the alcohol, haphazardly moving around, or River’s electric smile.
He’s watching me from his spot on the couch, amused, excited, and singing along.
The bridge grows closer and my confidence skyrockets. I walk toward River until I’m standing in front of him, the lyrics of the song spilling past my lips messily.
I raise the pitch of my voice slightly to mimic Brendan Brown’s voice during the bridge of the song.
I rest my free hand on his thigh and lean over, not caring if my dress hangs low then abruptly drop to my knees, startling River and causing an eruption of laughter to fill the room.
I slide my hand up the front of River’s shirt, barely tracing the tips of my fingers over his stomach.
River’s hands slightly shake on his thighs. It’s not beyond me what sort of reaction I’m pulling from River. I’m on my knees between his legs, with the top part of my cleavage on full display for him. I know what I’m doing and why I’m doing it.
I grin into the mic while toying with the keychain that is clipped to one of River’s belt loops, tugging at it before quickly pulling away and standing up to finish my dramatic performance with my ensemble. I point directly at River, who looks like he’s in a complete daze.
It’s nights like these that have me wondering if being with River would be so bad, after all.