Beautifully Damaged

by Gina Sevani

  Xavier, Trish, and I loved it. I had never really sung a song solo until the last karaoke night, when I had a huge weight on my shoulders and just did it. I never put much thought into it. I just thought maybe it would give me some kind of release and it did actually. It stormed that night and kept a lot of people away, and it helped me knowing I only had a few eyes on me. After that, Big Joe, Xavier, and Trish had asked me a hundred times if I was going to sing again. Even a few of the stuck-up waitresses praised me on my voice. That shocked me. I was nervous with the idea of singing again because I hadn't felt much attention on me then, and Damon and Sean hadn't been there that night. After they heard about it, though, they said they wouldn't miss another karaoke night. I decided to just play it by ear, even if they got upset with me for not singing. I wouldn't do anything if I was uncomfortable.

  Dalton's was pretty slow. Damon and Sean weren't there, and I wondered where he was and who he was with. It was like the crowd knew when they were here or not. Maybe they posted on social media and the groupies came. I'd never even finished setting up my account on Facebook. I might have been the only one my age without it.

  THAT NIGHT I LAY in bed and attempted to read, but every time I tried to focus on the material, my mind took me straight back to Damon. I closed the book with more force than necessary. My phone was beside me, I reached for it and tossed it up in the air and then threw it on the bottom of the bed. I grabbed the book and tried to focus once more, my attention went back to my phone, and I stared at it like it had the answers to world peace. Boredom was no fun. I leaned over and picked it up just to sit it back down again. I willed it to go off. As I changed into my pajamas, I heard my text notification ring. Not many people texted me, I hoped it was Damon. I tripped clumsily over my own two feet and luckily my face landed softly on the bed, but my shin wasn't so lucky. I grabbed it and screamed quietly a whole bunch of ugly words, as if it would help ease the pain. The text was from Damon, it was a picture of Sean asleep in a recliner with the word loser written in all caps on his forehead in big black bold ink. I laughed so hard I almost started to hyperventilate. The picture disappeared and I had to keep touching the screen so I could see it over and over. Another message popped up.

  ROMEO: Never make a bet with me, I always WIN.

  JULIET: Oh, yeah? Care to elaborate on what happened to poor Sean?

  ROMEO: Well, you see, he thought he could do more push-ups, but he forgot how much of a beast I am lol.

  I actually laughed out loud.

  JULIET: That's funny Beasty, but he looks drunk.

  ROMEO: Yeah he had to take a few shots, nothing major.

  JULIET: How many?

  ROMEO: I'm not sure.

  JULIET: Wow, are you drunk too?

  ROMEO: Never.

  JULIET: Seriously?

  ROMEO: I rarely drink more than a beer, the other night I was just. Well let's just leave that alone. No I haven't touched a thing tonight.

  I liked the fact he never felt the need to get wasted.

  JULIET: I think I could take you in push-ups.

  ROMEO: Depending on what we're betting, I might let you win.

  He sent a bunch of smiley faces and a winky one.

  JULIET: Good night, Damon.

  ROMEO: Sweet dreams, Ariel.

  MY DREAMS WERE ACTUALLY sweet that night. My thoughts were consumed with Damon, and no nightmares awaited me. Now at work, I pushed away the memories and looked around the crowded bar. Even if I wanted to sing karaoke it wasn't likely to happen tonight. The place was swamped with college students. I even had to skip my break so I could keep up. Damon, Sean, and Travis were goofing off and it was nice to see that side of Travis. Maybe he wasn't a total prick like the image he portrayed. Travis had a pretty, petite girl with him. I'd never seen her before but she was glued to his side. She even looked a little scared. I got a better look at her once I dropped their beers off. She was pregnant, though she didn't look too far along, and she was glowing. They looked adorable together.

  Xavier grabbed the mic and made a big show of his announcement.

  Such a diva!

  "Check, check, check is this thing on?"

  The girls screamed their love for him. A lot may have come to see Damon and his band, but Xavier had a lot of lady fans too.

  "I think it's time for some Cee Lo baby." He laughed. "Trish, I need you girl."

  Trish was a grinning fool as she strutted over to the stage. She started the song off. Her voice was pleasant and sweet. Xavier danced circles around her while she sang. Trish laughed so hard it was difficult for her to get the words out. Xavier took the mic and screamed some lyrics and made some hip moving motions that needed be against the law. The ladies loved it.

  Over all, it was awesome. I cheered loudly for them.

  Xav pointed at me.

  "Show us how it's done, Ariel."

  I froze in my steps, unable to believe he'd called me out like that in front of everyone. I was going to strangle him. I shook my head no, and pointed to all the tables that were waiting on me. He pouted and I stressed the point of it not being my fault.

  "Hey dudes and dudettes, we want the best waitress in here to come up and sing. Can ya'll do without her for like three minutes?"

  Best waitress, my ass. I giggled.

  The people got louder and louder, and agreed with him, then encouraged me. Somehow, I dodged going up there. I had plenty of work ahead of me. I checked on Damon's table and other than a few smiles he'd kept to himself. I heard Damon as he tried to shhh Sean when he saw me. What the hell was that about? They both were grinning like crazy, and I knew for a fact they were up to something.

  "Can I get ya'll anything?"

  "No we're good right now, but thank you." Damon smiled. A few girls who sat close by started chanting for them to go on stage. They practically had drool running down their mouths. Ridiculous. Sean jumped over Damon and climbed out of the booth.

  "Really, Sean?" he yelled while fixing the beer that tumbled over, but he had a smile on his face which showed he wasn't the least bit upset.

  "It's on, dude, come on!" Sean screamed from across the bar.

  Damon stood up, reached for my hand, and held my wrist for just a second.

  "Don't be too mad at us. You look beautiful, by the way." He kissed my forehead and strutted off. That man was one fine specimen.

  Wait. What is he talking about?

  Sean was on the mic and made all the ladies cackle and giggle.

  Damon was the laidback, dark, mood type. Sean was more goofy, energetic, and in-people's-face type. Both HOT!

  "All right All right, all jokes aside."

  "We are fixing to have a sing off."

  Oh this is going to be good. Sean vs. Damon

  "Yeah you heard me a SIIIIING OFF — Dalton's first!"

  "ARIEL, can you hear me Ariel?" Sean asked. "I know you can! You can run but you can't hide," Sean teased into the mic. "Bring your ass to the stage!"

  I stared, unable to breathe. I will poison their drinks – then strangle them!

  I knew they hadn't just called on me. I must have been hallucinating, yup that was it. My hands covered my face and I backed away so I could run just in case what I heard was real. Tables be damned. I was not going up against them. They were freaking crazy.

  "Damon, you might have to chase your girl." Sean laughed.

  Damon took the mic from him; he had a sexy smirk on his face. Needless to say I was still walking backward.

  "I feel that's all I ever do is chase her." Damon sighed and winked.

  "Ariel, if you're scared just say so, baby."

  Jerk.

  He knew damn well I was scared, and he would pay for messing with me.

  I was all the way on the other side of the bar, I handed Trish my order for drinks and silently prayed they would just go away.

  "They're not going to stop until you go up there." Trish smiled.

  "Ain't happening."

  "Girl, I know you got ski
ll. Hand their asses to them. Go up there and own that freaking stage."

  "I can't do it."

  "Here, drink this." She quickly handed me some liquid in a dark glass.

  "I can't drink – I'm working. Are you high?"

  "Just chug it, they'll think it's a coke or something. It'll help, trust me!"

  I had no choice in the matter; the crowd was still chanting my name along with asshats Damon and Sean. If I could make it through without a heart attack, I promised to seriously hurt them. I had probably lost all color on my face, my hands trembled and shook. I made a quick decision and chugged the horrible drink. Only a few seconds had passed and I felt better.

  "Damn, what was in that drink?"

  Trish came from around the bar and grabbed my hands to steady them.

  "Ariel, look at me. You got this! Now go kick some ass." She spun me around then smacked my backside loudly.

  "That's it? That's my pep talk? You suck!"

  Trish laughed and flipped me off.

  I slowly made my way toward the front of the stage, but I hadn't climbed it yet. I was contemplating ways to get out of it, hoping I could back out without looking like the total chicken shit that I was.

  Damon bent down so he could hear me over the people, I glared at him.

  "Why are you calling me out?"

  "Because I can. You game or are you going to run princess?" His smile was effervescent.

  I narrowed my eyes even more on both him and Sean. Right then at that moment, anger had overpowered any other feeling I ever felt for either one of them.

  "Let's make this interesting. A bet perhaps?" Damon wrinkled his forehead like he was in deep thought.

  "Ah, hell," Sean said to the crowd. "They are wheeling and dealing over here. Damon wants to make a bet."

  Damon shook his head at Sean but laughter filled his eyes. He took the extra mic Sean handed him. "All right everyone, I need your help. See I want to make a bet with this beautiful girl. I know you're thinking it might not be fair, Sean and I going against her, but what you guys don't know is she's amazing. So with that being said she can easily hold her own. So my bet is if we win she has to go on a date with me. No argument from her, no questions on the details, and one hundred percent cooperation." Damon laughed.

  I crossed my arms and lifted my chin in a challenge. "How much time did you spend contemplating this little plan of yours?"

  "Couldn't sleep." He grinned.

  "Oh let's not forget one small detail, I get to ask her anything I want only on said date and she has to answer with complete honesty."

  I arched my eyebrows in total disagreement.

  "What do you say Ariel? You up for a challenge?"

  The crowd was oooooing and ahhhhhhing, and if someone else was in my position I'd probably be doing the same thing minus the Damon scenario. I jerked the mic from his hands and had thoughts about that night on the pier.

  "I don't date."

  Damon smiled. "Nor do I, well I didn't but I want to now."

  "And when I win?"

  "Anything you want." He winked.

  "Okay let's keep it PG-13, Damon," Sean said.

  "Fine, when I win, not if, you both will streak and jump into the lake."

  Damon looked like he could care less, and I suddenly wanted to rethink it.

  Sean busted out laughing. "I'm game but if women start fainting from all our sexiness it's not our fault."

  Smart ass. The crowd went crazy. Especially the ladies, but the guys loved them as well. I could barely hear myself think over the noise they were making.

  "You better bring it!" I pointed to Damon.

  "No worries, Ariel, I never lose."

  The crowd loved the banter. I could hear Trish and Xavier over everyone else and that was saying something.

  "Okay, bro, how you wanna do this?"

  "Should we at least do two songs each and let the people vote?"

  Damon nodded. "Fine with me."

  "Ariel?"

  "Whatever you losers want is fine with me! Hope you don't mind being in your birthday suit, Sean! Oh, Sean, you have something on your forehead." I scrunched my eyes and acted like I was trying to read the words that were not there. "Yes you do, it says LOSER."

  "You asshole!" he yelled toward Damon. He tried to hide his smile.

  "You were drunk," Damon said.

  "Whatever… I wasn't that drunk."

  "Dude, you were looking for your phone with the flashlight app on your phone. You were that drunk!"

  "Are you two lovebirds done? It's a shame you needed backup, I don't have help," I said to Damon. He smiled and shrugged half-heartedly. I tried to talk a big game but at the same time I needed to hurry and choose two bad ass songs. A few came to me but I needed to get the crowd engaged. They already loved these guys; I was a nobody to them.

  "Did you bring a notebook, something to write on perhaps?" Sean asked.

  "No, why?"

  "You should have, because you're about to be schooled."

  I rolled my eyes. "LAME!"

  "Are we doing this or not? I don't have all night?" I looked toward the back and saw Big Joe smiling as he leaned against the bar.

  Sean started stretching.

  "Really, Sean?" I tried not laughing at him but it was so hard.

  Damon came and stood directly in front of me and I couldn't see anyone but him. He leaned in and kissed me right next to my ear. I hated to admit how much I loved when he did that.

  "I can't wait for our date." He was flirting with me.

  Damon that close was dangerous. He sent chills down my body, which he noticed, then he smirked and strutted off.

  "Asshole," I whispered.

  "Sexy and I Know It" started playing loud through the speakers and I had a sick feeling I was going to lose, but I refused to go down without a fight.

  They both took turns and when Damon wasn't singing – he was beat boxing. Who the hell would have thought he could do that? When Sean sang passion in my pants the girls went freaking crazy. I scanned the crowd. I sure did wish there were more guys then girls. The girls that came in here weren't all about girl power and having each other's back. I was also wishing I had time for another shot before it was my turn, but that just didn't happen.

  Time to bring it, Ariel.

  "Black Widow" started playing and as much as I sang this song, I was a little worried about taking on two parts and getting the timing right. I took a few more quick deep breaths and risked looking over at Sean and Damon. Sean had an arrogant smirk on his face like he knew I couldn't do this, that song was extremely hard. Damon was giving me a sexy smile as he nodded and somehow he gave me a little boost of confidence that I desperately needed. The crowd loved my performance which made me feel like I was on cloud freaking nine. Plenty of people had shocked expressions when I rapped. My papa used to say never judge a book by its cover. I walked toward Damon and Sean; I didn't need the screen with the lyrics. I slowly danced around them as I sang the part, really stressed the words, that I wouldn't be stuck here singing this song if it wasn't for them. Strutted away from them back toward the front of the stage and concentrated on delivering the best performance I possibly could. When the song was over I felt amazing and could breathe again. Finally.

  "Da-a-a-ammmn, Ariel you've been holding out, I'm a little scared, bro," Sean said into the mic.

  "Told ya!" Damon said; he wore the biggest smile.

  "I have one more ace up my sleeve, and as hot as that was, Ariel… It's about to get a whole lot hotter," Damon said.

  Damon wore a thin hoodie and at a leisurely pace, he moved to take it off. The entire time he pulled it up, his T-shirt rose with it, showing off his abs. Damn, if I didn't count them. Damon knew what he was playing at and I for one didn't mind the show. The ladies went freaking wild.

  "Animals" by Maroon 5 screamed in the speakers.

  Holy shit, I'm screwed!

  Sean sounded almost identical to Adam Levine, and I had no freaking clue Damon c
ould get that high as well. It appeared I'd underestimated them. They both made a show of singing for me and only me. They seriously forced me in a chair to watch. Damon actually danced around my chair. The mofo could really dance too.

  God, help me.

  Damon strutted to the center of the stage, upfront, and spun in a circle. Most attention was on him as he stalked over to me, when he was about ten feet away he dropped to his knees, and slid all the way toward me. He kneeled down in front of me and sexily pulled my legs apart so he could get even closer toward my body. I gasped and almost choked on air. That was so freaking hot. My body temperature was through the roof. I felt like I could explode at any moment. He noticed, he always noticed. Damon's eyes darkened, he slowly licked his lips, and his mouth curled up into a smile. Somehow he managed not to mess up while he sang the end of the song directly to me. I stared at him and only him the entire time he was between my legs. Sean brought me back when he killed the howl at the end of the song. Those guys were so flipping talented. It was unreal. Damon singing those words to me was cruel and beyond messed up. He knew I would have to sing right after them. That was why he did it, partially anyway, so he could mess with my head.

  It didn't work. Yes… yes, it did. It felt like hours went by before the crowd settled back down and my breathing too.

  Should I just admit defeat?

  Nah, I don't go out that easy.

  "What's it gonna be, sweetheart?" the guy running the music asked.

  I took a second to think, I needed something good but fast. I didn't want a four minute song.

  "Tough Lover."

  Sean clapped and smiled excitedly while jumping up in the air.

  "YES, this is going to be awesome." He hit Damon in the arm.

  Damon shook him off and stepped toward me.

  "Ariel, maybe you should sing something else?" Damon looked at me, then toward the guys that had moved their way up to the stage.

  "Scared?" I raised my eyebrows at him.

  "Not the word I would use." He fisted his hands in his pockets and rolled back his shoulders.