Page 276 - Half Girlfriend

45

I plonked my elbows on the ushers desk outside. I tried to speak.
Snow fell out of my mouth.

‘M,’ I gasped. ‘I booked a place for Mr M.’
I bent to cough. As my body shook, bits of snow fell off me.

‘Easy there, M. Are you all right?’
I nodded.

‘Your lips are purple.They may fall off, buddy,’ the usher said.

I rubbed my hands and placed them on my mouth. Cold hands did
little to warm up an even colder face.

The usher went through his register.
‘Mr M, yes. But the show is almost ending. It’s midnight. Last song

probably.’
Time: 12.01 a.m.

‘The singer is still there, right?’ I said, still huffing and puffing as I
spoke.

‘Hull? Yeah, maybe just doing a bonus song or something. Entry is
eight dollars, two drinks minimum. You sure?’

I slapped a twenty-dollar bill on his desk and walked in. I reached
the bar area.

‘Your two drinks, sir?’ said a female bartender.
'Water and water.’

She gave me two bottles of water. I chugged them down in a flash.

‘Where is the performance?’ I said.
‘Straight left to the concert area. Follow the music.’

I limped ahead. My legs had given way. I held on to bar stools and
i hairs to keep myself from falling.

The concert area was a dimly lit room filled with people. The
crowd in front of me prevented me from seeing the stage.

I elbowed my way through the hordes of people to get ahead.
I heard a female voice.

'You’re beautiful. You're beautiful.