Those were the days.
Mikey counted off and together, the two bands started to jam. The song was choppy for a few licks but it all worked out. Danny strummed with Andy, and then turned around, letting Andy go back to back with him. They held their guitars up like they were on stage in front of eighty-thousand fans.
When the song ended, the entire bar erupted into cheers, wanting more.
Danny kicked at Johnnie and then nodded back to the drummer. He was a tall guy, long hair, but with a clean cut face.
“We have a drummer now!” Danny cried out.
“Do it then,” Johnnie said.
Danny leaned over the drums and asked, “Can you play a Chasing Cross song?”
“Which one?” the drummer asked. “I fucking love you guys.”
“Pick your favorite and start now...”
A few seconds later the young drummer started playing. The bar crowd knew the song and cheered. Danny looked at Andy and nodded. He started playing the main riff and in a matter of seconds, Forever Tuesday Down started playing a Chasing Cross song. When it came time for the lyrics to kick in, the lead singer of the band and Johnnie stared each other down.
Johnnie smiled and nodded.
The other lead singer shook his head.
“Why don’t we do this thing together?” Johnnie yelled.
The two bands wound up playing three Chasing Cross songs.
Danny couldn’t remember the last time a small stage felt so cramped yet so electric at the same time. He had to give it to the band on stage, they had some serious talent. But besides that, it was just amazing to hang out and have some fun. Nobody paid a dime to see Chasing Cross and there wasn’t any pressure.
Heading into the last chorus of what would be the last song for Chasing Cross, Danny found himself relaxed and never wanting it to end. The innocence. The freedom. Most of all... the potential. Chasing Cross had everything this small band wanted.
The song came to an end and Johnnie thanked Forever Tuesday Down for letting them share the stage.
“These guys are going to kick it up again in a few minutes,” Johnnie said. “Be ready to keep rocking.”
The crowd applauded as Danny stripped himself of his guitar. He shook hands with Andy as Andy took his guitar off.
“Will you sign this, man?” Andy asked, stars in his eyes.
“Dude, that’s an expensive guitar,” Danny said. “You want my scribbles on it?”
“You could break the guitar and I’d keep it.”
Danny laughed and took the guitar from Andy. He looked at the beautiful guitar and knew he couldn’t sign it. No way he was going to ruin the glossy amber body on it.
“Tell you what,
Axe
, why don’t you get me a t-shirt or a hat... anything but this to sign.”
“Deal,” Andy said.
He went to his amp and leaned over it. A second later he pulled out a white shirt and a marker. Danny had to laugh. There was a time when Danny basically lived out the back of his amp. He had strings, picks, cords, cable, a change of socks and boxers there too. He even kept dry foods and a bottle of water. And at one point there was a picture back there too. But that picture was lost somewhere on the road... which was scary and ironic...
“Here,” Andy said.
Danny signed the shirt. “Are you guys local?”
“No,” Andy said. “We’re from Maryland. We’re just cruising to any shows we can get...”
“How’s that going for you?”
“We’ve played from New York City down to North Carolina.”
“Without management?”
“Without management,” Andy said.
“Fucking right,” Danny said. “Keep at it, my man. Keep at it.”
“Kind of hope this guy doesn’t dick us over,” Andy said. “Gas light’s on in the van...”
Danny reached into his pocket and then slapped his hand to Andy’s. He squeezed and pulled Andy in.
“There’s enough for drinks and gas. Don’t be an asshole with it.”
He slid his hand away and watched Andy’s eyes light up as he looked at the cash. Danny turned to face Johnnie and the two shared a hug.
“Love you, brother,” Johnnie said.
“Love you too, man,” Danny said. “Thank you for being here and making me do this. Thank you for handling everything the past few days...”
“It’s why I’m here,” Johnnie said. “But this next part I can’t help you with.”
Danny looked at Johnnie, confused. “What are you talking about?”
“Turn around, you have a fan.”
Danny turned and couldn’t believe his eyes.
Liv?
Yeah, it was Liv.
Sitting at the bar with another woman, drinking a beer, looking beautiful. When she looked at Danny, she smiled and didn’t look away. Danny jumped right from the small stage to the floor. People grabbed at him, telling him how good he was, how they loved him, how much they wanted to thank him for playing while he was there, and of course, how sorry they were because of his father dying. But Danny didn’t pay attention to any of it. He just stared at Liv, working his way through the crowd to get to her.
When he got to the bar he reached for Liv but then retreated, forcing his hands into his pockets. He wanted to grab her and hug her, but he thought about all that she had said to him at the cemetery.
“You’re here,” he said.
“Yup,” Liv said. “Chrissy called me...”
“Thanks Chrissy,” Danny said with a smile.
“Danny... from Chasing Cross...”
Danny knew the name Chrissy and he was sure he knew her in some way, even if he didn’t quite remember her right then.
“Hope you enjoyed the show there,” he said.
“Oh, we were too busy talking,” Liv said. “Sorry.”
Danny smiled and felt himself slipping into Liv’s eyes.
This was going to be hell.
Part of him wanted to just slip away, go back to the band. But another part couldn’t have it. Last time he left, he went to find a dream and make something of himself. Leaving now would prove what?
“Hey, you know what?” Chrissy called out. “I see a guy I’ve been sort of talking to lately... I’m going to...”
“Sure thing,” Liv said, cutting her friend off.
Chrissy stood and walked away and Danny didn’t bother to look as to whether she had been telling the truth or not. He really didn’t give a damn.
He stood in front of the spot where Chrissy had been sitting.
“So... is this where things come to live?”
“What?” Liv asked.
“At the cemetery you told me we shouldn’t talk because that’s where things went to rest... so, we’re at a bar, there’s music in the air, there’s electricity and a buzz...”
“Danny...”
“Why are you here then?” Danny asked.
“What? I can’t come out?”
“You didn’t want to come out. I can see it in your eyes.” He leaned towards Liv, so that the very tips of their noses touched. “Remember, as well as you can read my eyes, I can read yours.”
He wanted to kiss her so bad right then. And would it be wrong? Would it really be that wrong to just turn his head and... go for it? Even if Liv threw her beer in his face and smacked him and cursed him and ran away... he’d have that lingering taste one last time.
“Fair enough,” Liv said. “If you want the truth... Chrissy called me and told me to be here. Because you were here.”
“So you came to see me?”
“No, I came to see Chasing Cross. Sort of heard you guys were a big deal. Wanted to see what the hype was all about.”
“So you’ve never seen a Chasing Cross concert?” Danny asked.
“Oh, I’ve seen plenty... but they were a long time ago.”
“In Buzzy’s garage?”
Liv smiled and wiggled her eyebrows.
Danny felt his heart jumping. He loved that look on Liv’s face. Only the last time he remembered seeing it, she had her hand behind her neck, teasing to untie the top of her bikini...
“Honestly, you’ve never seen a real Chasing Cross show?” Danny asked.
“Honestly? No. Sorry, I’m the worst fan in the world.”
Danny looked at the bar and sighed. He felt let down... but relieved. The bartender came over and put a bottle of beer in front of Danny.
“On me,” he said. “Great show.”
“Thanks,” Danny said, feeling distant.
Liv touched his arm and said, “Hey, what’s wrong?”
Danny shook his head for a second and thought about steering the conversation back to flirting, but when his eyes met Liv’s again, that was impossible. He couldn’t believe he felt the urge to cry. How it just hit him.
He touched Liv’s cheek and said, “Year after year, show after show, if I was in a hundred mile radius of here... I’d spend the entire show looking... wondering...”
“Wondering what?” Liv asked.
“Wondering if you were in the crowd.”
“You think I’d drive a hundred miles to see you?” Liv teased.
“I’m serious,” Danny said.
“So am I,” Liv said. “You’re lucky I came the three miles to get here...”
“You’re beautiful.”
Danny didn’t quite mean to blurt it out, but whatever, it was there now.
“Danny...”
“So beautiful, Liv. I mean, time is definitely a friend of yours.”
“Is that so? Why’s that?”
His heart and mind battled about what to say. With any other woman it would be easy. It was always easy... to just say the right things at the right times to get the right outcomes. But with Liv this wasn’t a chance at a one night stand. This was a chance - maybe - at forever.
“Come on, big sexy rockstar, tell me.”
“You think I’m sexy?” Danny asked.
“Don’t spin this on me,” Liv said.
“Fine.” Danny leaned in again and this time he put his lips to Liv’s ear. “You’re beautiful everywhere I imagined you to be. The woman you became... the heart you have... the look in your eyes right now... you’re making me regret my life and I don’t regret feeling that way. I can barely control my hands, Liv. They want to feel everything I’ve felt before, only now you’re a woman. A beautiful, sexy woman... I... I think I still...”
Danny felt Liv turn her head. Danny turned his too and their eyes met just as their lips brushed against each other’s. There was a slight moment of pause before they both kissed.
One quick kiss.
Then a break.
Danny blinked.
Liv didn’t.
Danny kissed Liv.
She didn’t kiss back.
She blinked.
Liv kissed Danny.
He kissed back as she started to pull away.
He moved at her and she let him.
Their lips came together. Again. And again.
It was like tasting heaven. It was tasting purity and the only thing that could make sense right then. When Liv parted her lips, she exhaled a shaky breath. Danny tasted her breath and finally, he tasted her entire mouth. Their tongues touched and flirted. It almost had the feel of a teenage first kiss... awkward but good. Danny couldn’t close his eyes, even after Liv did.
It took him two seconds to know that it would be the greatest kiss of his life. The kiss that could change everything. The kiss that could fix everything. The kiss that could give him a future.
He’d never forget the kiss.
He opened his mouth again and started to slide his hand to the back of Liv’s neck when he saw for a split second, a fist coming at his face. He had no reaction time and when the fist connected with the side of his head, he felt pain and tasted blood.
Liv had accidentally bit his tongue... and someone had punched him in the face.
**
Liv jumped back and almost fell off her barstool. The only thing that literally saved her was a thick man with his back to her. She bumped into him, looked over her shoulder and apologized. When she looked back she saw that Danny was standing, wiping the right side of his face.
The thing that scared her the most was that Danny smiled.
“What are you smiling at, rockstar?”
Liv saw Mitch standing an inch or two away from Danny and she instantly felt ready to vomit. Mitch had always believed that he and Liv were destined to be together. To share their lives together in whatever kind of happiness Mitch felt he could provide. But staring at Mitch and knowing how violent he could be, Liv knew what her future would be like with Mitch. Not that there ever existed a single feeling for the man.
He stood with a beer bottle in his hand, a black baseball cap on backwards, a scruffy beard stuck to his face, and tiny eyes that had the implications of something much worse than just punching someone in the face.
The bar seemed to open a little more, allowing Danny and Mitch to stare each other down. The tension grew by the second as Danny just stood, not speaking, not reacting.
From the corner of Liv’s eye, she saw four guys pushing through the crowd. She noticed the leader as Danny’s older brother, Johnnie. And the rest of the guys, as far as she was concerned, were Chasing Cross. It made her feel a little strange, to have actual celebrities in town, in the bar.