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Post by Lyra Newbury on Dec 29, 2016 0:30:06 GMT -5
Lyra was avoiding Julian after her misguided attempt at reuniting him with his childhood friend, Mason. She was angry that Julian didn't try harder to patch things up and she was embarrassed for setting up such a poorly executed plot to bring them together. She'd left that night and returned to her usual self-destructive pattern, but by the morning she was once again regretting her decision to cut herself.
Her therapist had suggested she find some new hobbies that she could use as a release when she became overwhelmed. A form of replacement therapy. She had agreed in the moment but hadn't pursued anything and when her therapist asked her how things were going she used work as an excuse as to why she hadn't taken up a hobby. In actuality she wasn't sure what she could do. She tried painting, Julian's preferred method of coping, but she wasn't any good at it and quickly gave up. She tried cooking but had had poor experiences with having Julian instruct her (through no fault of Julian's) and Mimsy wasn't much better. She even attempted cross-stitching but found it tedious and boring.
But tonight, as she walked along the lamp lit street, she heard music coming from Stu's bar. It was karaoke night. Lyra stopped, having been heading home from shopping in Hogsmeade, and thought it couldn't be any worse that cutting herself and decided to go inside. She wouldn't commit to getting up in front of the crowd, but maybe just watching the others perform would be enough for tonight.
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Post by Vanessa VanRyan on Dec 29, 2016 0:58:57 GMT -5
Vanessa finished wiping down another table.
"Seriously?" she asked grabbing the loose change off of the table as her tip. She would never be able to repay Derek or anyone at this rate.
"Come on Vanessa, just one...please..."
"I'm working right now-"
"Go ahead hun I'll cover your tables. Just sing that one Etta James song for me."
Vanessa rolled her eyes and took her apron off before heading to the stage. The soulful strings of At Last begun, and then the petite brunette sung about finding love with more emotion than any girl her age should have. Not surprisingly she earned more tips singing than she did waiting tables.
When she was finished she retrieved her apron, at least she'd be able to get groceries this week.
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Dec 29, 2016 1:16:47 GMT -5
Lyra had sat down as a portly man was finishing up a song. She found an empty table toward the back and sat quietly as a lull between performers accentuated the noisiness of the bar's patrons. But everything seemed to quiet as a brunette girl took the stage. Even before she started singing it was as if everyone in the bar had held their breath in anticipation.
And no wonder why! The girl sang like an angel and it came as no surprise to Lyra that the whole place erupted into applause as the song came to an end. Lyra joined in clapping, too. She didn't see how anyone could possibly follow that performance, at least not any sober person. That was probably why karaoke always happened in bars.
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Post by Vanessa VanRyan on Dec 29, 2016 1:25:55 GMT -5
"Hi, what can I get you?" Vanessa asked coming to Lyra's table. She pulled the pad and pen from her waist then raised her eyes to look at Lyra. She gave a warm smile. Singing always made Vanessa feel exhilarated and refreshed.
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Dec 29, 2016 1:32:14 GMT -5
Lyra was watching the stage. As predicted, the next performer seemed to have had one too many and was butchering a classic. When the waitress asked for her drink order Lyra stuttered, not having thought about drinking. She'd promised Julian she wouldn't get drunk without someone to protect her (see: keep her from getting into trouble). But the bar was close to her apartment building and she wouldn't be drunk off a drink or two.
"Oh, umm...I didn't really..." She pulled the ring of drink specials toward her as she looked up at the waitress, intending to apologize for not being ready with her order.
"You're the singer," she said with a brilliant smile. "You were terrific!"
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Post by Vanessa VanRyan on Dec 29, 2016 1:49:48 GMT -5
"Water to start?" she asked intending to be helpful, when Lyra recognized her she gave a smile. She still didn't know how to respond when people complimented her.
"Thank you."
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Dec 29, 2016 2:00:48 GMT -5
"Why are you waiting tables?" she asked before she realized how rude she had appeared. Lyra made a pained face at her faux pas. "Sorry, I just meant, you've got such a lovely voice. I would think singing would be more lucrative than this."
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Post by Vanessa VanRyan on Dec 29, 2016 2:05:33 GMT -5
"Oh...um.." Vanessa blushed. That wasn't a part of her life anymore. At one times she had those kinds of dreams, now they only brought up nightmares.
"I just do it for fun."
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Dec 29, 2016 2:36:57 GMT -5
Lyra smiled politely, embarrassed by herself. "That's actually why I'm here. My...my friend thought it might be fun. But I don't know about following you," she said with a laugh.
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Post by Vanessa VanRyan on Dec 29, 2016 2:42:48 GMT -5
"Oh no, it's all just fun." she said shaking her head, "You should try it!" she encouraged.
She glanced around, "I'll be right back with your water, think about what you want to sing!"
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Dec 29, 2016 3:01:56 GMT -5
"Oh, no I..." But Vanessa was already gone. Lyra wasn't sure she would be singing at all, let alone tonight. But there was no arguing with the air.
Lyra looked around at the other people in the bar, then down at the drink specials. There was no point in looking, she knew if she drank she'd end up ordering the same thing as always. A dirty martini.
She drank wine with Julian or when she was thinking of Julian. It made her feel more like she fit into his world, but there was no beating a vodka martini.
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Post by Vanessa VanRyan on Dec 30, 2016 0:29:05 GMT -5
Vanessa returned quickly with the water, "Did you decide on anything? Food? Drinks?" she smiled coyly, " A song?"
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Dec 30, 2016 0:33:44 GMT -5
Lyra laughed nervously. "No song just yet. But I'll take a dirty martini and a basket of fries." She was just down the road from her apartment, and she was ignoring Julian, but if he found out she'd gotten drunk in public he'd get upset. Food was a necessity.
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Post by Vanessa VanRyan on Dec 30, 2016 0:39:04 GMT -5
"You got it hun. I'll be right back." Vanessa smiled taking the order down on the note pad. She put the order in and continued to work the tables around Lyra.
A few minutes and karaoke singers later she returned with the martini and fries.
"Here you go."
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Dec 30, 2016 0:52:10 GMT -5
Lyra sipped on her water as she watched the other karaoke performers. She was pleased to see, or hear rather, that most everyone there viewed the activity as Vanessa had said; just for fun. They weren't the greatest singers, one of them was downright terrible, but when the song was over and mic was set down everyone clapped, Lyra included.
When Vanessa returned with her food and drink Lyra thanked her. "So, umm, I'm not saying I'm going to or anything, but if I did decide I wanted to sing, is there like a book of songs or something to choose from?"
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Post by Vanessa VanRyan on Dec 30, 2016 0:54:41 GMT -5
"Haha, the KJ has over 180,000 songs, so I'm pretty sure he'd be killing a small forest if he had a book. But if you can think it there's a good chance he has it. If I'm at a loss for what to sing I just think of whatever is playing in my car." she chewed on her lip, not all wizards and witches used cars, "Or carriage, or at home. Who's your favorite artist?"
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Dec 30, 2016 1:46:54 GMT -5
Her eyes widened at the breadth of options she had, should she actually choose to sing. It shouldn't have been hard to think of a song, but her mind had suddenly gone blank. She listened to music frequently, especially at home. She had a small collection of records but she mostly just listened to whatever was on the radio. She wasn't picky.
"Well, I like Spellbound. And Catchlove." Lyra hadn't recognized the song Vanessa had sung, along with several others she'd heard since coming into the bar. She assumed that meant they were either very old songs or muggle artists. Lyra knew of only one muggle band, Julian had a tape playing in the car when he took her on their first real date to America. She missed Julian, even though it had only been a few days but as she had completely ignored him it felt like much longer. Lyra decided if she were to sing something, it would be something that reminded her of Julian.
"Do you think there's anything from, um, I think it's called Jefferson Airplane?"
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Post by Vanessa VanRyan on Dec 30, 2016 2:02:02 GMT -5
"I can check for you." she offered with a big smile. She left to do just that, as the host looked up the songs he had by the artist. Vanessa waited then nodded and finally made her way back.
"He has 'White Rabbit'. I put your name in." she said with a devilish wink. "He'll call you up in a few."
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Post by Lyra Newbury on Dec 30, 2016 2:10:43 GMT -5
"What? Umm, okay." Lyra was far too sober to get up in front of all these people and sing. Sure, she loved attention and were it a skill that she was actually good at Lyra would have hopped up on that stage with gusto. But Lyra wasn't a singer. Her sister had made fun of her often for her horrible singing. Thank goodness she had a drink in front of her.
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Post by Vanessa VanRyan on Dec 30, 2016 2:14:58 GMT -5
"Just have fun with it hun. You'll be great." Vanessa reassured her before leaving to wait other tables.
A few more singers down the line, Vanessa came back to Lyra, "You should be up soon-"
"Alright ladies and gentlemen we have a new singer here tonight, please put your hands together for Lyra..."
"That's you! Knock 'em dead." Vanessa winked.
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