Page 50 of Semi Sweet
“I’m telling you, I’m not always like that. Anonymity makes me more confident.” Sean acted like he was feigning annoyance, but he seemed like he was slightly self conscious about how he behaved that night. I’d been embarrassed by my actions at first, but it was like everything else. I didn’t know where I would be right now if I hadn’t had five shots and he hadn’t kissed me that night.
“The alcohol probably helped,” I admitted.
“Indeed it did,” he agreed. “I plan on having more.”
***
Several drinks and many singers later, the disk jockey made my heart palpitate when he announced it was my turn to come up and sing. Everyone at the table looked at me hopefully and I was suddenly unsure if I could do it despite the liquid courage.
“Please,” I begged, grabbing onto Beth like she could protect me from what was to come, “be my backup singer.”
Beth, who was well past buzzed, giggled with delight. “I have never been a backup singer before! I’m PUMPED!” She yanked onto Max’s sleeve. “Be my backup singer,” she said, batting her eyelashes at him.
Max made a face. “You are nuts. There is no such thing as a backup singer to a backup singer.” Apparently he was more giddy than usual as well.
Sean found our trio amusing, for he pulled out his phone as he shooed us towards the stage. “You all need each other. Go and please make sure to sing loud so I can document everything.”
Beth pouted with her lower lip sticking out. “My birthday wish was to see you in an embarrassing situation. You are so cool, it’s annoying.”
Sean had already hit record. “What can I say, it’s a gift.”
I had a feeling they would skip me if we didn’t head to the microphone soon, so I pulled both of them along, leaving him at the table alone. The disk jockey looked like he was ready to get paid and go home when we finally approached.
“What will it be?”
“Ohh, sing something sexy,” Beth hissed. “You have to make Sean want you.”
“I really don’t think that is an issue,” Max deadpanned. It appeared that he was the more serious of the two.
“Any recommendations for songs that require backup singers?” I asked.
The DJ looked borderline miserable. “I don’t know, the Supremes? Destiny’s Child?”
“DESTINY’S CHILD!” Beth exclaimed. “Let’s sing ‘Survivor!’ You could sing about Evan!”
Max rolled his eyes. “Because that’s going to make Sean want to jump her bones.”
“The birthday lady has spoken,” I said with a nod. "We’ll sing ‘Survivor.’”
We took our place in front of the microphone and a nearby TV monitor was playing the introduction to the R&B hit blasting through the sound system. I exhaled. Ready or not.
As the song began, I sang along timidly. It had been so long since I heard the hit, I’d forgotten the words. The more I read them, the clearer the parallel with my life became and that made me sing with more confidence. Someone had told the songwriter they would be nothing without them and they were making a point of telling them and the world they were doing just fine. I was determined that my life would be no different. Maybe it was the epiphany or maybe it was the alcohol, but soon I had unclipped the microphone and was belting as I moved about the stage. I laughed out loud when I saw that Beth and Max were doing some semblance of choreography behind me. When the song was finished, the room erupted with cheers. Did karaoke count as therapy? Because it was something I could see myself getting behind.
“You are not a real person,” Sean commented when I returned to the table. My backup singers didn’t seem to notice his sly smile as they were already working on their next dance number for when Beth went up to sing again.
“Don’t you steal my catchphrases!” I warned.
“What?” he asked. “You write, you are too kind for this Earth, and I just learned that you can sing decently.”
“You’re drunk.”
Sean laughed. “I’m not.” He got serious. “I have to work tomorrow actually.”
“What about my two in the morning sob story?” I asked.
He checked his phone. “Can we settle for an eleven at night teary-eyed tale instead?”
Knowing that nothing good would come of me drinking more and satisfied I’d made Beth’s birthday a memorable one, I nodded and reached for the birthday girl’s arm across the table. “Beth, I think I’m going to head out.”
