Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 108362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
“Oh, I’m not singing. I’m merely here to watch.”
He smirked. “You little freak.”
“To watch the karaoke performances. Don’t twist my words.”
His smirk deepened. “Whatever you say, Kryten.”
Standing, I rolled my eyes once again. “I’m going to go say hello to your parents. And if you even think about signing me up to sing, there will be hell to pay.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he replied, though the wideness of his grin said otherwise.
I feared my name being called every time a performance came to an end. Look, I had many talents but singing wasn’t one of them. I wouldn’t wish my vocal stylings on my worst enemy. Then, just when I let myself relax since the night was beginning to wind down, it happened, though not in the manner I expected. I’d taken a seat next to Francesca and her friends when someone played a very familiar song intro.
Glancing up at the stage, I saw that Jace had joined the band, having requisitioned a guitar from one of the musicians. The jaunty melody swept me up, and the biggest smile I’d worn in ages spread across my face.
16.
Jace
I knew she’d love this. Shannon fought against a smile and lost the battle. As I moved into the microphone and began singing the Red Dwarf theme tune, I saw her shoulders bounce with a chuckle. When we were young, we’d sing along at the beginning of each episode, knowing every single word by heart.
I held her gaze from where I stood, and though the song wasn’t in any way romantic, I felt like I was singing the greatest love song ever written. It wasn’t the content but what it meant to both of us, how a single tune could bring me all the way back to the best part of my life when I’d been falling deeply in love with her and hadn’t even fully realised it.
“Get up here!” I called in between verses, but she shook her head. Fran moved behind Shannon, encouraging her to join me on stage, but she continued to refuse. I let it drop, knowing she hated attention, and instead launched into the guitar solo. Several cheers came from my friends and family, and suddenly everyone was singing along to the chorus. For the first time in a long time, I felt the joy in music. It had been such a mixed bag for a while, but tonight I felt that carefree spirit I’d once had start to return. It was all down to Shannon, her smile, her tinkling giggle. She filled my heart up with the nourishment it desperately needed.
When I finished the song, Fran and several of her friends began hounding the band about doing the theme tune to Game of Thrones. The poor guitarist, whose instrument I’d borrowed, had a hard time explaining that you can’t do karaoke to an instrumental piece.
“We can hum along, though,” one of the girls argued, and I fought a chuckle at the idea of them hogging the mike while enthusiastically humming along for two whole minutes.
“I’m not talking to you,” Shannon declared when I came and slid into the seat next to her.
“Aw, come on. You loved it,” I nudged her shoulder with mine.
“I did not love being called up to the stage to sing,” she pointed out. “Plus, you know I’m a terrible singer. I would’ve ruined a perfectly serviceable performance.”
“Serviceable?” I feigned outrage. “I have three Grammys. Three!”
“My God, did you really just say that?” Kami asked with a laugh as she came and joined us. Elias and Angus were right behind her, taking the last two empty seats. I noticed Shannon tense slightly, and I thought it was because the last time she’d seen Angus he was pointing fingers at her being the catfish. But then I saw it was Elias she was staring at, a concerned frown tugging at her lips. Unsure of what was bugging her, I shifted closer, pressing my thigh against hers in an effort to soothe her tension.
“Hey, Shannon,” Angus began, and I glared at him because if he was about to be a dick to her again, I wasn’t having it. Instead he surprised me by saying, “I’m really sorry about last week at Jay and Matilda’s house. What I said was rude and uncalled for.”
“That’s okay, Angus. I get that it was a stressful situation.”
“Well, I feel shit about it, so yeah, just wanted to say sorry.” His gaze met mine briefly, and I could see he was making an effort. After our heart to heart, he knew how much Shannon still meant to me.
“I appreciate that,” Shannon said. “I think that’s the nicest you’ve ever been to me.”
Elias let out a chuckle, and Kami grinned. “She’s not wrong.”
Angus shook his head, suppressing a smile, and then my mother came over to get some pictures of us all together. She’d been going around all night snapping shots, especially of Fran since it was her big night. Without thinking, I threw my arm around Shannon’s shoulders while Mam took pictures, and for a second, it was like going back in time. Her familiar scent in my nose, the warmth of her body. Mam moved on to take more pictures of the others, and I felt Shannon lean in, her breath on my neck.