Feature of the Month

Just Another Girl

by Katherine Parks

He saw her sitting there, his latest hit playing on the jukebox. She sang every word, closing her eyes as the chorus came. It was an experience he had never felt before, this powerful jolt at the sight of someone feeling his music so deeply. Maybe it was the drink talking, or the Beam he had been downing for the last hour, but she seemed a goddess and he a mere minion.

"Let’s go up to my room," the hot blond hanging on his shoulder breathed in his ear.

"Not right now," he said. "I’m still drinking."

"What’s the matter, can you still feel?"

"What?"

"That’s how all you rock guys are," she slurred. "You want to drink until you get so shit-faced you can hardly stand and then you want to go upstairs. Don’t you ever want to remember?"

He looked at her and smiled. This one he could answer honestly. "Honey, this is just another town and you are just another easy girl with a pretty face. I don’t need to remember you. You’re just like the rest." He would have liked to have been surprised by her getting up and leaving, but to groupies it was about the ultimate score- him.

"Come on, baby. I don’t mind being your girl here. Let’s go upstairs."

Still watching the woman across the bar he shook his head, "Not tonight, baby."

The song was almost over. Pushing his groupie leach away, he stood and approached the beauty at the bar. Jangled nerves coursed through his veins making his muscles jerk involuntarily. He hadn’t been this nervous talking to a girl in ages. Not since high school probably. As he slid in beside her she lifted her eyes- those dark pools of intensity- and smiled.

"H-hi," he said.

"Hi," she said.

He thought she recognized him. Hell, if she knew his songs so well she had to know who was standing right here before her.

Hope that he had the advantage overtook the jangled nerves as he leaned against the bar. "What are you having?"

"Cosmopolitan," she answered. Looking down at his nearly empty glass she asked, "How bout you?"

"Beam."

"Ah."

"So, are you from around here?"

"Are you?"

He shifted a bit in minor frustration. "Nope, just in town for the show."

"Me too." She chuckled softly as she took another sip of that pink concoction in her glass.

"So you don’t live here?"

"Oh, I live here. Where are you from?"

"Cali."

"Awful long way to come just to see a rock concert."

"I’m in the show," he said, growing more irritated by the second. How is it that this woman knew every word to his song, but hadn’t the slightest idea to whom she was speaking?

"Really?"

"Yeah. Lead vocals."

"Oh." Another sip of her drink and another chuckle.

She was messing with him. Had to be.

"Do you like the band?"

"I do. I love their music. It’s like…. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s like the songwriter just reached into my mind and pulled all those words out. It’s uncanny really."

"I’m the songwriter."

She looked at him. "Really? You even wrote Rock Star Dreams?"

"Yeah." He smiled.

"I love that song. It’s my favorite on the whole album. So you’re Damon?"

"All my life."

She stuck out her hand. "Well, Damon, it’s very nice to meet you. My name’s Bellantine. Everyone calls me Bella."

"Bellantine. That’s an odd name."

"Yeah well, my parents were odd folks."

Feeling more comfortable now, Damon settled onto the stool beside her. "So, what do you do?"

"Why do you care?"

"You interest me."

"Do I? Do I interest you enough that if I walked away right now you would be back in here tomorrow night? Or do I just interest you enough tonight?"

"I would definitely be back tomorrow night."

She stood up, throwing her cash on the bar. "Then I’ll see you tomorrow night."

As she walked away from the bar with a sexy confident strut, he kicked himself. All he had to do was be honest to some of these women. Hell, to any of them. They would all give their right eyes to be with him, even if it was just for one night.

"Another beam, sir?" the barkeep asked.

"Yeah." He turned to face the young man with the lop-sided grin, wondering if he would know anything about the very mysterious Bella. "Hey, do you know anything about that girl that was just here?"

"Bella?" the barkeep asked.

"Yeah."

"I know a lot about her. What do you want to know?"

Damon smiled at his new best friend, knowing that by tomorrow evening this time he would have Bella right where he wanted her. Now, whether she would be just another girl that was something else all together.