Love At First Sit

Old Flame

Roxanne played the role of the Manager and, at the same time, resident singer. She performed with the local band they hired four times a week.

"Good evening, everyone! Welcome to R&R!" Roxanne sat on a high stool, holding a guitar in her lap. "Tonight is a very special night for me. My best friend Mina is in the house!"

The crowd cheered and Mina waved.

"I am ecstatic and extremely excited to sing for all of you tonight. Before I start on my first song, I would like to share something, guys. Last week, I got a tattoo on my left shoulder. A tattoo of the phrase Moving On, with birds flying through it.

The crowd cheered and Roxanne saw the squinting eyes of her mother.

"I'm at the stage where I'm ready to let go and move on." Slowly she strummed her guitar. "I don't ever have to get over it, but need to force myself to keep moving. Allow new things in my life. Open up." She started singing an acoustic version of "Since You've Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson.

Throughout the song, Roxanne's pained eyes seemed to grasp for something far out of her reach. When she finished, she was almost in tears.

After a couple more songs, she peered in the direction of a man sitting in the corner wearing a newsboy cap and a pair of eyeglasses.

He made her feel somewhat uneasy. She looked away, but his stare was irresistible. Again, she glanced at him and their eyes met.

The man broke eye contact first, and called out for the waiter to order another drink. He murmured something and gave him a piece of paper. The waiter walked up to the side of the stage and handed the note to Roxanne.

"I received a request from one of our guests tonight," Roxanne announced to the crowd. She felt something odd about it. Her heart was beating faster than usual, and she didn't know why. "Someone would like to jam with me tonight."

The patrons burst out cheering.

"Sir, please join me on stage?" Roxanne called. She asked for another stool where he could sit.

The man stood and walked up to the mini-platform, pushing his cap down over his face.

He sat on the high stool next to her and asked for another guitar.

Roxanne was stupefied when she heard a deep, familiar voice. And for a second, her heart stopped beating. She recognized that voice; had heard it long ago.

No, this couldn't be. Her mind was just playing tricks on her. Wide-eyed, Roxanne turned slightly to her side and faced the person who wanted to jam with her.

He tilted his head slightly to the right. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach. Her breath caught in her throat as their eyes met for the first time in five years.

Roxanne tried to deny it, but she knew him, his voice, his eyes—even though they were hidden behind those spectacles. His smile, his everything, pointed to Chris.

"Shall we start?" he asked. "Our audience is waiting."

She shook her head and cracked her tensed neck while a grimace ran over her face. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. The resurgence of feelings was overwhelming her.

Chris strummed the guitar and started singing the first line of "Stigmatized" by The Calling.

Only the first line, and a shiver ran up her spine. She flicked her eyes up to meet his and felt her chest constrict at what she saw in his gaze. Hurt. Sadness. Longing.