Page 41 of Sorry, We're Closed

Marcus and I shake his hand and introduce ourselves as he speaks. Brendon seems nervous as the words pour out of his mouth at rapid speed. He’s wearing a blue button up shirt, navy shorts and a grey hoodie which wraps around his small waist. He has these light blonde curls which bounce when he walks, and talks, and a similar pair of glasses to Marcus.

“I'm a photographer! As long as you don't mind, I'd love to shoot some photos and videos and then send them over to you guys! I need some practice so it's free!”

Marcus agrees and hands over some details so that Brendon has a way to get all the photos over to us afterwards.

“You're on in five! Hand over your equipment and we'll set it up!” Sophie barks as staff grab our equipment and cart it on stage.

We discuss our set, hand over everything that needs setting up to Sophie and she nods along, scribbling everything onto a notepad. We have moments before going on stage, Brendon is putting in some ear plugs as he makes his way down to the speakers to get photos from below and Marcus places his hands on my shoulders.

“We've got this, lad!”

Marcus pulls me in for one of those big bear hugs he gives, and my chin balances on his shoulder in these boots. As I peer over Marcus, my eyes scan the audience for his beautiful face, but I knew it’s a long shot. I do recognise a blonde woman with a taller, blonde man. She leans on the barrier, her phone aimed at the stage, covering her face, and only when she lowers her phone do I realise who it is. Gwen is here with, who I assume is her brother, Xander. Gwen's face glows with festival paint as she waves with her arms above her head, and I wave my hand back in a more subtle fashion. Brendon's smile beams up as he waves at me. Shit, that wasn't meant for him, but at leastGwen saw my wave to her.

We collapse at the closest tiki bar we can find. So many voices have just been thrown at us from every direction as we finished our set. So many unfamiliar faces tried their best to grab us as the notes of our last song rang through the speakers, but the adrenaline carried us here. The crowds cheered, screamed, applauded every performance and began to chant the band's name as we finished our set.

Marcus orders the most expensive cocktails on the menu, and we cheers to our successful evening. A bead of sweat trails down Marcus' forehead, even after using the towels which were thrown to us by a folk band which were one of the first to perform.

“I'm so fucking proud of us, Avory!”

“I am, as well! That was incredible. Any chance you noticed the stragglers at the back who were filming a hell of a lot and taking notes?”

I know that news would excite Marcus. His eyes widen as he slurps the bright blue concoction through his swirly straw.

“Fuck, really? That's really good! If they are scouts, let's hope we hear something soon!”

Marcus pats my back twice as we watch the bartender throw around a cocktail shaker in the most artistic way possible. We were lucky enough to find a quieter bar away from the stage, that’s until a voice comes bundling towards us.

“Hey, there you are! I've sent those photos and videos over! Thank you so much, and you guys are awesome!”

We thank Brendon for his service, and Brendon shakily asks to join us for one drink before he heads off for the evening. Marcus accepts on our behalf, ordering him the same dazzling drink he’s on currently, but it seems Brendon struggles to down them like we do. As he bubbles the last parts of his drink, quietly burping to the side, Brendon leans into my side, his hand tentatively wrapping around my bicep. He readjusts his glasses and smiles as he nervously speaks.

“Um, if it's not weird, um, could I maybe ask you out sometime? Just to a local bar?”

Those words blurt out of nowhere, and I feel my eyes widen while I bite my swirly straw. You can see that he hasn't done this before, or if he has, not towards someone like me before. My lack of response causes Marcus’ elbow to bump into my side for encouragement and for Brendon to speak again.

“Oh sorry, you don't swing this way, do you? I was stupid to—”

“I do! I swing any way, and you seem really sweet, but I'm just not really doing much in that field right now.”

Brendon seems disappointed and hugs me before leaving.

Marcus creeps in from my other side. “Um, did you just shoot down a kind of cute guy?”

I love that he knows so much about me, but I also hate that he knows so much about me, because he's about to see straight through me.

“Just… not interested.” I sip my drink and avoid eye contact with Marcus.

A drunk couple, a woman nearly falling over in a tight-fitting dress and a man trying to stop her from eating a mouthful of sand, stumble around our tiki bar as we speak.

“Bullshit. Something’s been different about you since we got here but that's the weirdest thing so far.” Marcus wiggles his eyebrows at me as he slurps the final sips of his drink.

The couple grow louder as they stumble closer, the woman ironically shouting at the man to shush, and I realise that I have no way of getting out of this.

“There's someone, a guy, who has been confusing the fuck out of me recently but in the best possible way.”

Marcus swivels his chair around to face me. “Let me guess, a barista at that café? What was it? Sombre's Café?”

The couple instantly turn silent as the woman shushes the man again, and I widen my eyes at the fact that I have been this obvious with it.

---