I stood there, staring after the slender figure slowly fading into the distance. Or rather, I replayed the moment in my mind, since the silhouette in the blue dress had long since disappeared behind the heavy doors.
“Hey, man, you coming to celebrate or what?” Tim said, bouncing over to me.
“What kind of celebration could there be when…” I mumbled, my eyes still glued to the exit.
“What’s that? Speak up. This lousy music is gonna be the death of me.”
I just waved him off and started walking toward the karaoke bar in the next block. It was our usual spot to gather, whether to celebrate something big or just to hang out and have a good time. We’ve got this motto: “If you’re gonna sing, do it at work and on your downtime too.” I know it doesn’t sound all that catchy, but we stick to it, so we always celebrate in places like this.
This must’ve been the hundredth time the bartender gave me a sideways glance and asked to see my ID. I have to carry it with me everywhere because, even though I’m twenty-three, I look like I’m still in my senior year of high school. I’ve even started hitting the gym and trying out all sorts of weird hairstyles to look older, but it doesn’t seem to make a lick of difference.
When they finally handed me my drink, I glanced around and spotted our recent rivals nearby. They must’ve decided to throw a farewell party, but clearly, something had gone wrong. The members of “Camellia” were arguing nonstop, completely oblivious to us. I guess it’s gotta be tough to work so hard for so long, only to have it all come crashing down in an instant. Realizing it was all for nothing, with the next funding contest a whole decade away and no sponsors in sight for a choir without connections—that’s a bitter pill to swallow.
Then I saw Adriana among them. I don’t know what came over me, but I stepped onto the stage, asked them to play “Sorry,” and started singing, my eyes locked on her the whole time. I have no idea how I knew the lyrics or why I felt the urge to sing, but for a fleeting second, a smile flickered across Adriana’s face. Her eyes were already brimming with tears from a recent argument, but that tiny smile told me she knew the song was for her. Maybe, just maybe, she’d even forgiven me. I hope I didn’t just imagine it.
I was about to walk over to her, to talk properly and apologize again for everything, forgetting my half-hearted promise. But as I started stepping off the stage, my teammates swarmed me and dragged me back up. There were way too many of us on that makeshift stage, and with Tim’s back blocking my view, I couldn’t see Adriana or even the crowd. I don’t know how I made it through the rest of the song without seeing her or being able to go to her.
Finally, we finished belting out one of Queen’s greatest hits, and I practically sprinted off the stage toward where Adriana had been standing. But she was long gone. I asked some of the former “Camellia” choir members (yeah, their group had officially disbanded) where she was, only to get vague mumbles about how no one really talked to her, knew where she lived, or even had her phone number. I was furious. What kind of choir doesn’t even communicate with each other?
My only hope was social media, but that shattered too after hours of searching for her name. Adriana… It’s such a beautiful name. It suits the brown-eyed beauty so perfectly.
I got so lost in my thoughts that I nearly fell off my stool. What’s wrong with me? Sitting here, daydreaming about a girl I’ll probably never see again.
I wanted to scream in frustration. I jumped up, raced around every corner of the bar, and was about to head back to the counter for another drink. But then I stopped myself. That wasn’t an option. With my past… And besides, that damn alcohol, instead of helping me forget my problems, would just create new ones tomorrow. One of them could even be losing my voice. For a choir singer, that’s like a death sentence, even if it’s just for a few days. Miss one concert, then another, and soon no one will even remember your name.
So I just turned around and walked out, getting as far away from that place as I could. On the way, I spotted a girl in a dark blue dress, just like the one Adriana had been wearing. Or at least, I think it was. A spark of hope ignited in me that this was the girl I’d been searching for.
“Adriana, please forgive me for everything. I don’t even remember what I did, but please forgive me.”
Hope that we might reconcile was just about to become reality. But when I saw the girl’s face, that hope shattered into pieces. It was a complete stranger, someone I’d definitely never seen before.
“Wait, aren’t you the soloist from ‘Edelweiss’?” she said, but I just kept walking, hearing her shout something about a collaboration or whatever as I left her behind.