Meet You in the Stars

I nervously checked around me after taking my seat on the plane. I didn’t see him so I allowed myself to settle in and get comfortable for the three hour flight to Los Angeles. I could hardly believe I had finally gotten the guts to leave. I just hoped this escape plan didn’t end up backfiring. After the flight attendants got the pre-flight instructions over with, I popped my earbuds in and leaned back against the cushions.

I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew I was being shaken awake by a flight attendant.

“Welcome to Los Angeles,” she said with a smile. I sat up and stretched my arms above my head. I felt refreshed, that was the first heavy, dreamless sleep I’d had in a very long time.

I got off the plan and retrieved my bag and guitar case. The next step was to go rent a car and figure out where the hell I was going next. I made my way to the rental place. I paid in cash and while I waited on them to get my car ready, I asked the girl behind the counter where her favorite place in California was.

“That’s easy, Huntington Beach. It’s not far from here. It’s got a laid back kind of atmosphere. The people are great and the beach there is beautiful.” That was it. Huntington Beach was my destination.

I got into my newly acquired car and set the gps to Huntington Beach. My plan was to check into a hotel and start looking for apartments immediately. I’d need something on the cheap side. I didn’t have much money and wouldn’t until I found a job. I didn’t want to blow it all on a place to stay in case I had trouble finding work.

It didn’t take long to get to Huntington Beach and find a hotel. I checked in and asked if they had a public computer. She showed me where it was and I went straight to it. I pulled up the internet and started my search for an apartment.

A lot of them were way out of my price range, but I finally managed to find one that would be affordable enough. I pulled a pen from my bag and jotted the number down on my hand. Then I set off for my room.

It was a standard room, nothing fancy, but it had a bed and a bathroom and that’s all I really needed.

Later that day, I was able to go look at an apartment. It was basically falling apart, but it would have to do for now. I was grateful that I had been able to find something so fast. I paid the deposit and first month’s rent and told the landlord I’d move in the next day.

I decided to go take a look around town. I needed to pick up a few things anyway. First thing first, I needed to purchase an air mattress and a comforter set since I had no furniture for my new place.

After getting that taken care of, I started wandering around downtown. I happened across a cozy little bar on a corner lot with a help wanted sign in the window. Thinking maybe they needed a bartender or something, I walked inside.

“Are you still needing help here?” I asked the bartender after a taking a seat on a stool.

“Sure are, let me go get my manager. She can tell you more about it.” I nodded and thanked him and he disappeared into a back room.

A few moments later he returned with a blonde woman who looked to be a few years older than me. “Hi I’m Mandy.” She reached across the bar to shake my hand enthusiastically. “Brandon here tells me you’re interested in our performer spot.”

“Performer spot? I thought you needed a bartender or something like that.”

“No, sorry, but if you can play guitar and sing I’ve got a spot for you.” I could do both, but I wasn’t sure if I should take this job. It would put me in the spotlight out in public and I wasn’t sure if I needed to risk it. What if he found me?

I shook away those thoughts. There’s no way he would find me. How could he? I was just being paranoid.

“I’m interested in that position then,” I finally said.

“Okay would you mind getting up on stage and having your audition right now?” she said and I could tell she was challenging me. She wanted to see if I had what it took.

“I don’t have my guitar.”

“Brandon grab Jeremy’s guitar from the back.” Brandon appeared a couple of minutes later with a beat up acoustic guitar and passed it to me over the bar. I took a deep breath and made my way over to the small platform that could pass as a stage.

I took a seat on the edge of the platform. There was no microphone and not many customers so I just launched right into it. The beginning notes of ‘Broken’ by Seether filling the mostly quiet bar.

I wanted you to know I love the way you laugh. I want to hold you high and steal your pain away

I was so nervous, I was surprised I didn’t mess up. I managed to get through the whole song without any mistakes. When it was over, loud applause came from the direction of Mandy and Brandon.

“Damn girl, that was awesome. You’re hired!” Mandy called out. I went back over to them and put the guitar down on the bar.

“When do I start?” I asked.

“Is tomorrow at seven good?” Mandy asked and I nodded. “Okay you’ll need to be here at that time every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.”

We hashed out a few more details and before too long I was on my way back to the hotel. I couldn’t believe how easily things were falling into place. Maybe starting a new life here wouldn’t be so hard after all.

Notes

I know this first chapter is rushed, but I wanted to get all the boring intro stuff out of the way quickly! Let me know what you think!