Chapter 1-One Pretty song
Lana stepped in to the smoky, but warm, pub to escape the unforgiving clutches of the cold outside. She wore a blue velvet dress that made her breasts look amazing and was warm for the most part, however the pats of her that were exposed were freezing off. She was unveiling her new song tonight and she had to look stunning. Which was hard for her to believe that she was even remotely close but she was one of the most beautiful women on God's green earth. She and the owner, Nellie, both knew that pirates and the other people attending the pub wouldn't listen to her singing voice alone, therefore she sexed herself up to appeal to her audience. She knew that Nellie would be listening intently as well as the girls of the pub, they were so proud of her. She secretly hoped and prayed she wouldn't disappoint them. Needless to say her nerves were shot, not only because of the fear of disappointing Nellie and the girls, but because she was going to sing her life on stage tonight. All of her other songs she sang were mainly about her love life and the many pirates and bad boys that have come and gone, but tonight it was about another man entirely, her father. She held back tears at the thought of him and strolled towards the bar gracefully and asked the bartender, Victoria, for something to calm her nerves. Yes, alcohol was bad for her vocal chords but right now she didn't give a damn. Victoria returned with a very strong 60 year old scotch. Lana smiled and headed towards the stage, which was pretty much just a platform in the central corner of the room, and stepped on to it. Everyone went silent at the sight of this drop dead gorgeous girl. "Hi my name's Lana del Rey and I will be singing a piece I wrote only yesterday." She spied a very attractive man with blackish dreadlocked hair and chocolate eyes in the corner directly across from her. She raised her glass to him and then drank it in one gulp. The mystery man chuckled and her heart fluttered at his sexy chuckle but she started the song anyway, taking a deep breath and then humming the first two eight counts and looked away to the door as more people filed in, interested in what was going on.
"I've been out on that open road
You can be my full time, daddy
White and gold"
Whistles after those few lines invaded Lana's ears, she smiled and then looked over in the general direction of the mystery man.
"Singing blues has been getting old"
However she looked right at him and sang,
"You can be my full time, baby
Hot or cold"
His friends nudged him and laughed as Lana winked, looked at the bar and continued.
"Don't break me down
I've been traveling too long"
She closed her eyes and continued.
"I've been trying too hard
With one pretty song"
She then opened her eyes and looked straight forward.
"I hear the birds on the summer breeze, I drive fast
I am alone in the night
Been trying hard not to get into trouble, but I.."
She looked at the mystery man who was watching her intently.
"I've got a war in my mind
So, I just ride..I just ride"
She looked down at the stage. The next verse was about her father. She was not confident enough to look into anyones eyes, for she might see him in someone else.
"Dying young and I'm playing hard
That's the way my father made his life an art"
She smiled at the singing of the next lines knowing that the audience would love them.
"Drink all day and we talk 'till dark
That's the way the sea dogs do it, sail 'till dark."
Cheers and applause could be heard from the crowd. Her confidence then faded as she held back tears trying to not let her father's ghost haunt her. She closed her eyes painfully and sang the next lines.
"Don't leave me now
Don't say good bye
Don't turn around"
She dared to open her eyes and looked over at mystery man hoping to find some consilation. The man was on the edge of his seat, intrigued.
"Leave me high and dry
"I hear the birds on the summer breeze, I drive fast
I am alone in the night
Been trying hard not to get in trouble, but I
I've got a war in my mind
I just ride, I just ride."
She took a deep breath and then crooned the next lines as tears came to her eyes.
"I'm tired of feeling like I'm fucking crazy
I'm tired of sailing 'til I see stars in my eyes
I look up to hear myself saying,
'Baby, too much I strive, I just ride.' "
She then threw all her emotion in to the last sing ing of the chorus as she blinked back tears.
"I hear the birds on the summer breeze, I drive fast
I am alone in the night
Been trying hard not to get in trouble, but I
I've got a war in my mind
I just ride."
She finished up by whispering almost inaudibly, "I just..ride" It was so silent in the room, you could hear a pin drop. "Thank you." Lana whispered breaking the silence. The crowd then erupted with a chorus of cheers, applause and whistles. She weakly smiled as she stepped off of the stage. Nellie ran up and hugged her, "That was amazing love!" "Thanks" Lana said somberly. Singing always took a lot out of her. It made her remember and feel emotions that she tried so hard to let go, but most of all it let her father's ghost to haunt her. She was pulled out of her thoughts with a tap on her shoulder and she turned around to see the mystery man. "Hi" he said with a lustful grin. His smile was so mesmerizing to her. She pulled herself out of this dream like state and put on her most tempting smile. "Hello" she said seductively. She could see that this man was taken a back by how forward her hello was. "May I steal her for a moment, Nellie?" he finally managed. Lana was a little heartbroken because she thought that this mystery man though that she was one of these whores at the pub. She was far from it even though she acted all bad and tough, she really was a virgin and got her feelings hurt a little too much for her own taste. Her father always told her to never let anyone see your weaknesses because then she'd be vulnerable. So she acted like a tease and played hard to get when really she wanted to jump in to Mr. Right's arms and sail away. Lana Looked over at Nellie for her reaction and Nellie's eyes were narrowed. Lana could see that Nellie was maybe as hurt as she was by this proposition."Mr. Sparrow, she is not going to be one of your playthings. If you want something like that I'd suggest you go over to your usuals." Mr. Sparrow... Lana had heard that name before... OF COURSE! It was Captain Jack Sparrow! She had just made googly eyes at one of the most notorious pirate captains of this century. "Whoah Nellie! I did not think she was a whore for a single second. You'd never let them sing on your stage. I just wanted to have a chat with Miss...Lana over here. Savvy?"She was relieved that he didn't think she was a whore but kind of hurt that he didn't remember her name. Granted, he was slightly inebriated at the moment so she excused it. "Okay, but no tricks Jack" she narrowed her eyes and whispered, "I want this one's virginity in tact." Lana was embarrassed by the telling of this but Jack looked at her and winked. "Let's go love." He took her hand and led her up the stairs.