Page 47 of Push & Pull
Simone had been to karaoke bars before, but they were more… upscale. The kind that catered to sorority girls of a certain class.Zeta Nu would not pick this place for karaoke night.Simone grinned when she imagined Shéla and Phyllis scoping this place out to celebrate the new pledges making it through to sisterhood.To be fair, I’d run out the back door, too.
Not because Simone had anything against the people having a fun Tuesday night out at the bar…
But because she was not a big fan of loud, rowdy places. This bar ticked both boxes like it had an agenda.
Petra was such a hit that the man up next invited her to stay with him and sing along to “Billie Jean,” which promptly blasted through the speakers. Contrary to “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” a song actually about dancing and having a good time, Michael Jackson was the magic spell that got more people out of their seats, clapping along and shouting the lyrics alongside Petra and her new male friend.
She’s so… short.Had it been more apparent before now? Petra barely came up to the man’s shoulder, and he had to bend down to share a mic with her. Even so, they swung arms around one another, rocking back and forth on stage as the infectious baseline of “Billie Jean” pumped up the audience.Maybe I’m freakishly tall.Said the woman not even 5’10.
“You gonna dance or what?” Washington Nationals asked. “The king commands it!”
“Michael Jackson?” Simone politely asked.
“No! Devaughn! He’s the King of Rooster’s Nest Karaoke!” Was that why the whole audience was losing their shit? Not only had the “king” gotten up to perform a well-loved song, but he had invited a newcomer to join him? “That’s your friend, right?”
“Yeah, she’s my friend.” Simone pushed aside her empty pizza plate and attempted another sip of her cider. No, it didn’t taste any better now, but she was desperate for some light alcohol. “Met her three days ago.”
“Thatright there is a lady!” said the man, as he pointed to Petra the exact moment she mimicked deep-throating the mic. Or maybe she was running out of steam and bending over to catch her breath. Simone couldn’t tell anymore.
“Yup. Pure lady.”
The song ended with magnanimous fanfare. Petra hugged King Devaughn before they both vacated the stage to let the next woman on. While a Celine Dion ballad started, Petra high-fived her way to the table she shared with Simone and a few other stragglers.
“That was fucking awesome!” Her fist pumped into the air as she knocked back the beer Simone had watched for her. “You’ve gotta do it.” That was directed to Simone, who shook her head. “There’s no rush like singing in front of a bunch of cheering strangers.”
Washington Nationals agreed with a fervent nod. “I sing the same song every other week. ‘Celebration,’ because nothing makes me happier than some Kool & The Gang.”
Petra motioned to the man whose name neither of them knew. “See? Kool & The Gang bring people together.”
“Not to be dramatic,” Simone said, “but I think I’d rather die. I didn’t even sing karaoke in Zeta Nu.”
“Those people again? Come on. I bet karaoke night was more double-dares and singing the same Britney Spears stuff over and over.”
“Like you could sing a Britney Spears song from memory.”
“You wanna bet?” Petra slammed her glass onto the table. “I used to be subjected to ‘Lucky’ every day in elementary school.”
“Elementary school?” Their friend scoffed in disbelief. “I’m old. You ladies keep getting younger every time I blink. Britney came out when I was incollege,can you believe it?”
“Yes,” both Petra and Simone said, before ignoring him.
“We should do it.” Petra then shook her finger in Simone’s face, attempting to keep her attention. “I’ll sign us up for a song. A duet! What sounds good to you?”
“I’m not doing it,” Simone said.
“I hate to break it to you,” said the guy who loved Kool & The Gang, “but you’re in a karaoke bar. You’re contractually obligated to participate. You signed up when you walked through that door.”
Simone turned her attention to him since he so clearly wanted it. “I didn’t know this was where we were coming when she said we were going out for dinner.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Petra said. “I signed you up. We’re doing this.”
“No.”
“What? Don’t like being the center of attention?” A wink almost knocked Simone out of her chair. “That’s not what I’ve picked up these past three days. Youlovebeing in the center of attention.” As soon as the other man wasn’t looking, Petra forked her fingers around her mouth and stuck out her tongue.
“You’re dreadful,” Simone said.
“I think you meandelightful.” Petra hopped out of her seat and looked for the DJ who had the signup sheet. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”
