Hello again! The song featured in this chapter is "Tragedy" by Christina Perri. When you get to that part of the chapter, I encourage you to listen to the song to get the full effect of what's going on. Once again, I own nothing of Christina's, I'm simply inspired by it.
Rated 16+ for language and concepts.
Only one more chapter after this!
Thanks again for reading. Any and all comments are much appreciated!
-------------------------------------------------
Night Five.
At this point, it’s very common knowledge that Hunter and I are together and love each other a lot. We’ve been dating several months now, have sung several songs for each other at open mic night and we’re somewhat like celebrities at The Parlor. Everyone seems to know who we are and thinks we’re the cutest couple of all time.
The attention is flattering and I guess I like that people think we’re a cute couple. It also makes me anxious. If things happen to not work out with Hunter, having everyone in the world know and be disappointed right along with me would make things much worse.
Tonight I’m going to sing “The Only Exception” by Paramore for Hunter. I think it’s a pretty good description of me and Hunter. I’ve always had this really skewed idea of love and what it’s like to be in love and I had kind of given up on the idea that there are still good guys left in the world. Hunter is the exception to all of the nutty rules and ideas I had thought up for myself. I like that.
I arrived a little late to The Parlor tonight and Estella and Hunter were already here. I joined Estella at our table, Hunter wasn’t there. I assumed he was getting drinks.
“You’re here!” Estella gave me a hug. “I thought you died.”
“Traffic sucked,” I sipped my coffee.
“I need to talk to you. Can we find a back room or something? It’s too crowed in here.”
“But the show is going to start soon, can’t it wait?”
“Not really.”
I followed Estella to one of the warm-up rooms in the back and she shut the door behind us.
“What’s up?” I asked. I’m not going to lie, I was a little worried. Usually if Estella has something to say she just says it, no matter who’s around.
“I don’t really know how to tell you this,” she let the sentence hang.
“What? Am I not playing tonight or something? Did someone die?”
“It has to do with Hunter,” she looked down at the floor.
My heart dropped, “What happened?”
“I saw him…earlier tonight before you came,” she paused, “with another girl. Oh Jennalee I’m so sorry!”
“I don’t understand.”
“I saw Hunter but I didn’t see you so I started looking around for you cause I thought you were here. I went backstage and I saw him with another girl.”
“What were they doing?” I didn’t want to know, but I had to know.
Estella bit her lip, “Making out.”
“Son of a bitch.”
“I found the girl a little later and confronted her, you know, told her he has a girlfriend and stuff. She said she didn’t know, he told her he was single. She told me she was his ex, the one that cheated on him. She wanted to make amends for what had happened so according to her they’ve been talking and met up here tonight. I’m so sorry Jennalee, I know you thought he was different.”
My blood ran cold. Boy did that bastard have nerve. I don’t know what to think or feel. I want to hit him. I want to punch him until he dies. How dare he? How dare he? After everything I’ve told him, everything he’s told me, everything we’ve been though, he goes and cheats on me with the bitch that cheated on him.
Wow.
“Are you still going to play tonight?” Estella asked in a small voice.
“Oh I’m going to play, there’s just going to be a slight change in plans.”
There were no tears, there was no sadness. There was only anger. Intense, fiery anger. Bastard. Little fucker. I’m done. Completely done. He doesn’t get to do this to me, no way.
I sat backstage until it was time for me to go on. I didn’t trust myself to be in public right now. If I saw the little fucker or that stupid bitch, I had a feeling I would attack them.
“You’ve got this Jennalee. Tell him,” Estella patted me on the back before going back into the audience.
“Next up we have a returning favorite. Put your hands together for Jennalee Cooke!” Lewis said.
I went onstage and set up next to a keyboard. Estella gave me a thumbs up from her seat. I spotted Hunter, he smiled and waved. I didn’t return the gesture.
“I had a slightly different song planned for tonight, but due to recent events that have been brought to my attention; I felt the need to change it up. This is “Tragedy” by Christina Perri.”
“If you could envision
The meaning of a tragedy
Ooooooh
You might be surprised to hear it's you and me
When it comes down to it
You never made the most of it
Ooooooh
So I cry cry cried but now I say goodbye
And I won't be made a fool of
Don't call this love
When did you decide I didn't have enough to buy
Forgive and forget you a thousand times
For the fire and the sleepless nights
And I won't be made a fool of
Don't call this love
Why did you feel the need to prove that everybody else was right
No I won't fight
Ohhhh your my Tragedy... Tragedy
You're my Tragedy ooohh”
There’s just something about music that makes me feel so much better about shitty situations. I am still extremely pissed off at Hunter and I still need to talk to him, but I’m glad I got the preliminary emotions out of the way.
Hunter met me backstage. “I thought you were going to sing a song for me,” he looked slightly hurt. Bastard.
“I did.”
He furrowed his eyebrows, “I don’t understand.”
“I know what you did you little fucker don’t even deny it. Estella saw you.”
He paused, “I don’t know what to say.”
“How about you start with the fucking truth. You cheated on me with your ex that cheated on you? What the hell were you thinking?”
“I wasn’t. I’m so sorry, Jennalee,” He tried to embrace me but I batted his arms away.
“You think that makes it okay?”
“No. What can I do to make it better?”
“Nothing. Leave me the fuck alone. We’re done.”
