I am hypnotised. Completely. By him. By the way he moves, the way he talks, the way he breathes. By the vibes he gives off. By the electricity and the life he gives off. And I'm… fucked. And I don’t even waste energy denying it.
“Not your type, huh?” Paul provokes me.
I take a sip of my beer. “Go fuck yourself.”
“Maybe you need something stronger…” He alludes to my drink.
“Maybe you should just mind your own fucking business.”
When Seth calls Regina Summers’ name out loud, a shout of approval rises from the audience. The lights pulsate to the music as Regina Summers enters in a swirl of feathers and sequins.
Seth leaves the stage for the performance, and when Regina’s voice drifts across the room, the audience falls silent, mesmerised by the notes, their charisma, and the atmosphere they create with their movements and stage presence.
Paul and I are also swept along by the enthusiasm in the venue, and we are pleasantly impressed by the performance.
Every now and then, my gaze goes to the bar, where Seth is back, his lips moving with the lyrics, his body moving to the beat of the music.
I smile to myself, letting myself be carried away by the energy of this night and putting off any thoughts or decisions until tomorrow. For now, I just want to enjoy the show and this moment of unexpected perfection that surprised me in the last place I thought it could happen, and thanks to the last person I thought I would meet on my path.
* * *
REGINA SUMMERS, OR BETTER, Ross, sits with us after the show and after signing autographs for the fans. Seth also returns to the table with a second round of drinks. This time, I opted for a whiskey like my friend. I need something definitely stronger to cope with Seth’s closeness, especially if he keeps appearing before my eyes with those damn shorts on.
“You were stunning up there! And your voice, your charm… She was perfect, right?” He asks me, but then he corrects himself. “He was… They were…” Paul mixes up the pronouns, but luckily, Ross doesn’t mind. In fact, they laugh.
“He. I’m a man, and I identify as such, and… I obviously like men. Especially guys like you,” Ross provokes Paul, who doesn’t flinch.
“I’m flattered, really, but I have a woman waiting for me at home.”
“I suspected that,” Ross says, smiling.
“And he’s also pretty much in love,” I add, taking a sip of whiskey.
Paul shrugs. “When you find the one…”
“Lucky. In fact, lucky both of you,” Ross comments. “You don’t know what a struggle it is to find someone with serious intentions these days.”
“Tell me about it,” Seth immediately goes after him.
“Ah, you!” Ross turns to Seth. “You have this bad habit of falling for… How shall I put this?”
“Falling for men out of my league?” Seth helps him.
“I would never dare to say such a thing. If anything, you’re out of their leagues,” Ross adds. “You’re too good in this world of fakes and wolves. They swallow you whole.”
Seth smiles tightly, obviously uncomfortable.
I have no doubt about that. You can tell immediately that Seth is a good guy, maybe even a bit naïve. An easy prey.
“Can we talk about something else?” Seth asks, a nervous hand sliding through his hair.
“Of course,” Ross quickly agrees, “we can discuss my show. You were saying…” He turns to Paul, who laughs.
Seth and I also laugh before I clear my throat and address him directly, while Paul and Ross are engaged in a conversation about the performance.
I have to get closer to talk. “Now I understand why you love working here.”
Seth pulls away from me and looks at me. “It’s the only place where… Where I can be me. And where I feel appreciated, I’m certainly not talking about my bartending skills.”
