Bella POV
Lindsay and I woke up the next morning only slightly hung over. We both had experienced far worse than this in the past and it was nothing a good greasy breakfast couldn't fix. We dragged ourselves out of bed and didn't even bother changing out of our pajamas before locating the nearest Waffle House. Lucky for us, it was only a few blocks away. We put on flip-flops, grabbed our purses, and headed out the door with no more than caveman-like grunts and groans as communication between us. We had known each other long enough, and had experienced each other in this state often enough, that we knew hangovers plus a general lack of caffeine equals crankiness of the highest sort if someone spoke to us.
We made it to Waffle House in impressive time considering our general half-conscious and bumbling state. There didn't seem to be a wait, but at 10:30 in the morning we weren't really expecting one. We took the nearest booth next to a window and perused the menu. We both ordered coffee when the server came up to ask for our drink orders. It was only after we had emptied half our coffee cups that we were able to speak, and even then, it was only to tell our server what we wanted for breakfast. Lindsay had the Texas Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Melt and I had the Bacon, Egg, and Cheese biscuit with a side of grits.
A full cup of coffee each and we could finally have some semblance of a conversation with one another.
"I'm too old drink like that anymore." Lindsay says, groaning. "I can't recover like I used to."
I look at her over my coffee cup and stare incredulously, "You're 28 years old."
"That's almost 30." Lindsay retorts smiling devilishly.
Rolling my eyes, I ask "So what's the plan for today?"
"Well, we don't have to be back at the club until later, so I figure we would do the whole 'tourist' thing." She replies as the server brings our food out.
"I don't even know why we agreed to go back to that club tonight." I reply taking a bite out of my grease-laden biscuit.
"Because you had fun and you know it." She retorts.
"I may have had fun, but it's not like we're getting paid for entertaining like we do in Athens. This is a completely different setting." I state talking around my food. I didn't care that I was talking with my mouth full; as long as Lindsay could understand me, that was all that really mattered.
"Yeah, that may be" Lindsay says, "but a bar is a bar is a bar, and drunks are drunks. Besides, this isn't the first time we've played in a bar that wasn't the one we usually work in."
I learned a long time ago that it's better to just let Lindsay do what she wanted to do. Arguing with her got us nowhere and I didn't feel like ruining her fun. I did enjoy myself last night, so what would one more night hurt? Tonight would be the night we really showed off, anyway.
"So what did you have in mind to do first?" I ask her over another bite of biscuit.
"Well, I do have the need to explore River Street. I've heard that there are a ton of things to do over there." She replies.
"Alright, we'll hit River Street up after we get back to our room and make ourselves look a bit more presentable. Then, I would like to explore Forsyth Park a bit, cool?" I ask.
"Fine by me. As long as we get to do a Ghost Tour at some point this evening, I really don't care what else we do." She states, taking a rather obscene-sized bite out of her breakfast.
"I still don't know why you want to go on a Ghost Tour at all." I retort. "It's just another way for tourists to be duped into seeing things that aren't really there."
"Spoil sport." Lindsay says pointing her fork at me. "I know you better than you think I do. You secretly want to go, you're just hiding the reason you're putting up such a fuss about it."
If only she knew that I had seen more of the unexplainable in my lifetime than she had. I had kept quiet about the Cullen's to everyone. Even her. I never felt bad about keeping that secret from her; I just never thought bringing it up would be necessary in any situation.
"Whatever" I reply rolling my eyes. "we just have to be back at the bar before it gets too late. We don't want the owner to think we forgot about him."
"Yeah, yeah. I wanted to try something a bit different today with the violins, anyway." Lindsay states.
"Really? What?" I ask between mouthfuls of grits. I don't know what it was about this Southern food, but damn I loved grits.
"Well, I was hoping we could do some duets, then I could do a solo or two? I know you aren't experienced enough to play the songs I had in mind, but you could always dance with the patrons." she states with a wink. "You've always been a better dancer out of the two of us."
"Ha!" I retort. "That has only recently become a skill I can place in the 'Ok To Do And Not Die' column of my life. When I was five, I took ballet and it was such a disaster that I nearly put the entire class in the hospital! During our recital at the end of the year, when I went to do a pirouette at the end of the song I took everyone, including the teacher, out with me."
Lindsay was laughing so hard at me by the end of my little rant that she nearly inhaled coffee through her nose. That would have been one impressive, yet painful, feat. "You did not!" she exclaims.
"I did, too." I said giggling at the memory.
"Wow. What the hell changed?" She asked inquisitively.
"I'm not sure. I guess the second semester of college, when Ballroom Dance was being given as a class, I was interested and bored enough to take it. Besides, it didn't seem so bad if I had a partner there to catch me." I replied.
"If only you knew what that one class would lead to." Lindsay stated matter-of-factly.
"If only, indeed." I replied deadpan. I never would have thought that Ballroom Dancing would be good for me considering my impressive ability to trip over thin air, but I guess the yoga and kick boxing classes helped in more ways than I thought they would. It was easier now for me to be as sure-footed as I always wished I could be, so dancing was nowhere near as difficult as it had once seemed and I rather enjoyed the various styles of dance I had been introduced to over the years. College was really a wonderful experience.
Once we finished breakfast and completed our planning for the day, we headed back to our hotel with a little skip in our steps. We were both excited to finally be here and we were going to make the most of it. Our first stop would be Forsyth Park. It was going to be hot in Savannah today, so we chose to wear something light and airy, but with the ability to move around. Both of us wore matching white shorts, but I wore a sapphire blue halter top and Lindsay was in a bright pink spaghetti strap top, which actually worked on her. We both had Chaco's to wear so our feet would stay nice and cool.
I'll admit that I was excited to do some touring around the Park. There were some Old City Tours that would take us to the more historical sites, the Mercer Williams House Museum, The Armstrong House, and various other tourist traps that I was completely enraptured with. I honestly think Lindsay agreed to do this first just to get it out of the way. She knows how much I enjoy learning about history, but she does get this glazed over look if I talk about it too much.
We walked, talked, laughed, toured and shopped for hours. We had completely forgotten to eat lunch and by four o'clock we were both starved and ready to head back to the hotel before the next item on our list. We made it back to the hotel and immediately Lindsay went to go shower. It had been a bit more humid outside today than either one of us was prepared for, but Lindsay got the worst of it. She was red-faced, had hair so frizzy it looked like she stuck her finger in an outlet, and her clothes were sticking to her rather unbecomingly. I didn't fare too much better, to be honest, but she was a bit more vocal about her distaste of the way she looked than I tended to be.
Once her shower was completed, and she walked back out to the room looking much more herself, we discussed dinner possibilities. I wasn't really in the mood to wait in any lines and neither was Lindsay, so we agreed to order room service for dinner so we could just relax for a few hours before the Ghost Tour started.
Lindsay called down to the kitchen and ordered two salads, one herb-encrusted salmon with sweet potatoes, one medium steak with a baked potato, and two slices of the tiramisu. It amazed me that she knew exactly what I wanted after looking at the menu for all of two seconds.
I took the time to take a shower of my own to prepare for the evening. It wasn't as hot or as long as I usually take my showers, mainly because someone used all the hot water, but I really didn't want to be in here that long anyway. It was just convenient to take a shower now instead of waiting until later. I had nothing better to do with my time until the food got here, so why not?
I had been using strawberry scented shampoo on my hair for years, but Lindsay introduced me to a lavender scented shampoo and conditioner duo that I could not say 'no' to during our first year as roommates. I haven't looked back. It smells wonderful and makes me feel so relaxed by the end of my shower that I'm in a great mood when I finally get out.
The food arrives as I'm towel-drying my hair and Lindsay doesn't even wait until the plates are put on the dresser before going directly for the steak and taking the first bite while going back to her bed. I'm guessing she was hungrier than I thought.
"You need to eat the salad too, ya know?" I remind her.
She glares at me and shoves a slice of steak in her mouth like I plan to take it away from her. I can't help but laugh a bit at her expression before starting on my own food. Maybe she'll eat the salad after the steak. Oh well, I'm not one to judge considering I prefer to eat dessert first.
Once dinner has been consumed and we're both full to bursting, we decide on a short nap before our foray into the ghostly side of Savannah.
"Think about it like this," Lindsay states matter-of-factly, "if we take a short, hour long nap, we still have time to get dressed and head over to the Ghost tour that starts at eight o'clock. If that lasts an hour, then we can come back here by nine-fifteen and get made up for the club by nine-forty-five, which will get us to the club by ten o'clock!"
"You're pretty damn sure of this plan." I say skeptically.
"I've got it all worked out! Trust me!"
"Fine. I'll humor you, but if we're late tonight then I just might put Nair in your shampoo bottle." I threaten seriously.
"Deal!" she exclaims before dropping onto the pillows on her bed and promptly passing out.
Being the smart one of the two of us, I set my alarm on my phone for one hour from now and drift off into sleep myself.
I must admit that I do feel better after my power nap. Lindsay, on the other hand, is just as impossible to wake up now as she usually is. Although, once my alarm blares in her ear, she's awake and moving. She may be a bit crankier than she usually would be, and she may be giving me the evil eye more often than she normally does, but that's what she gets for not waking up when she said she would.
We dress in comfortable clothes that we can move around in and head for the Ghost Tour. Lindsay doesn't need to know that I'm just as excited about this as she is. I can't wait to hear all of the hair-raising tales of lovers scorned, revenge gone wrong, and justice being meted out. The tour that we've picked starts a few blocks away from where we're staying in the exact opposite direction from the club. We wanted to do a walking tour, so we chose the closest one to our hotel. We make it to the tour group and check in with the host before we begin our walk.
Our tour guide is an older gentleman who has a knack for storytelling. It's apparent that he's lived his entire life in Savannah and is just as enthusiastic about the history as we tourists are. Our first stop is Madison Square where it is said that a great battle was fought here. The Battle Of Savannah in the Revolutionary War. The stories that he tells us of these soldiers paint a very vivid picture in our minds about the time, place, and events that led to this place being haunted.
The next stop is Lafayette Square, which is said to be one of the most haunted squares in Savannah. The stories our guide told us about the Andrew Low House and the Hamilton-Turner Inn were rather creepy, but that was what made it fascinating. Our third stop is Calhoun Square which is said to be home to one of the largest unhallowed burial grounds in Savannah. That in itself is a bit unnerving, but we keep going. Fourth stop, Wright Square where the gallows once stood. Our fifth-and last-stop of the night was to Columbia Square where we were told really odd stories about the houses that surrounded the square. Lindsay and I are so wrapped up in all of the stories that we don't realize that it's been an hour since we started and the tour is already over. It's a little depressing to be sure, but we still had fun.
We make our way back to our hotel still discussing some of the rather interesting stories that we had heard on the tour. We also discussed the possibility of the Supernatural in general and I couldn't help but be on the 'positive' end of that conversation. I had seen far too much in my short life to deny the Supernatural.
"Come on, Bella!" Lindsay whines at me. "You can't really believe all of that, can you?"
"It's not like we've never had this exact discussion before now. I believe in things that can't be explained. I also believe in urban legends and things that go bump in the night." I state with conviction.
"I already know that, but how can you believe it?" She asks with a mischievous glint in her eye.
There's not really an answer I can give her that would make sense. There's never been an answer that would make sense. So, as usual, I have to be as honest, but as vague as I can be. "I've seen things that you would never believe." I state simply and quietly. "If I told you, I'd be locked in a loony bin for the rest of my life."
Lindsay looks at me like she's trying to read my mind to get the answers she needs from me, but I already know that won't work. It's never worked and I'm still grateful. "Ok. Let's say for arguments sake that I believe you. Would you tell me then?"
"I can't if it's not my story to tell, Linds." I say sadly. "Maybe one day, but it's not going to be today."
"Ugh. Fine. I'll leave you alone about it then, but just so you know, every time we have this conversation you rub your wrist. One of these days I'm not going to keep quiet about why that might be." She states firmly.
Huh. I didn't even realize I would rub the scar on my wrist every time we had this conversation. I suppose I did though. It was the only physical reminder that I had of everything that happened my junior year of high school. The only physical reminder I had of the Cullen's. The only reminder that they were real.
Shaking myself out of my memories, I decide on wearing the black and white dress tonight. I will need the straps if I plan on playing comfortably. I will admit that this dress does look good on me, it's a long black v-neck dress with white geometric designs and cut-outs. There are two diamond-shaped cut-outs on the sides of the dress, both from the bottom of my ribs down to the top of my hips. There's also a slit up the left side of the dress to show off some leg, but really it just helps me walk in it a bit better, plus it flows elegantly when I walk and makes me feel pretty. Pairing that with black sandals and pulling my hair up on the left side to dress it up a bit, as well as getting it out of the way when I begin to play, makes this a very nice club look.
Lindsay also decides on a basic off-the-shoulder black dress, but hers is a bit shorter, falling just above her knees. She pairs that with some black ballet flats and rolls her hair into a french bun before she grabs her clutch and the instruments and we're off to the club.
Once we get there, we head straight over to the side of the stage to put our violin cases down and head over to the bar where Troy is busy wiping down glasses.
"Not too busy yet, huh Troy?" asks Lindsay casually.
"Not yet, but that usually changes around 10:30 or so. Should be a good crowd tonight if you two still wanna play." Troy states calmly.
"Consider us this evening's entertainment then!" Lindsay exclaims excitedly.
"We hope your usual band isn't too upset with us moving in on their turf." I manage to tell Troy shyly.
"Nah, they're a good group, but sometimes a little variety can do some good." Troy replies.
"Alright, well in that case why don't we get a couple drinks and head on up there?" Lindsay asks grinning from ear to ear.
After I down a couple of shots to steel my nerves, we head over to the stage, begin to tune our violins, and come up with some sort of playlist for the next few hours. Lindsay wants to try some original songs, which I don't mind at all and I want to dry my hand at some Damien Escobar and Lindsay Stirling pieces. While we debate on said playlist, I get that same feeling that I got last night. The one where I knew I was being watched. Except this time, there's a chill that runs up my spine to go with it and I know that whoever was following me last night has not only found me, but is also in the bar with me. I can almost feel my heart racing and my pupils dilating as Lindsay tries to talk to me.
"Hellloooo?" Lindsay sing-songs to me while waving her hand in front of my face."Bella. Where'd you go?"
I shake my head quickly and try and calm myself before answering. "Sorry. Nervous, I guess." I know it's a lame excuse, but after Lindsay looks at me to make sure I'm ok, she resumes talking.
"As I was saying, we need something to draw in the crowd, so why don't you start with Damien Escobar's Awaken? It's a great song and you're really good at it. Besides, it'll settle your nerves."
"That's fine. Are you gonna play percussion on this?" I ask.
"Nah, that's covered. I'm gonna back you up." She replies smiling.
Considering there's more than one stringed instrument to this song, I could understand her preference. She was going to let me have the spotlight for the moment before she stole it back. And she would. There was no doubt in my mind.
"Alright," I said taking a deep breath and letting it out in a gush, "let's do this."
"That's what I'm talkin' about!" Lindsay exclaims as she jumps on the stage with me following after her.
I turn towards Lindsay who gives me a beat and I put my bow on the strings. I still have that 'being watched' feeling, but considering I'm center-stage at the moment, it feels a little better and I can push it to the side. All of a sudden I'm glad that I can't see the audience due to the lights shining in my eyes, so instead of leaving them open, I close them and focus on the notes I'm about to play.
I let my mind drift as the first few notes come pouring out of the violin and I realize that Lindsay was right. This song is calming for me and I get into it a little more instead of being so stiff. My heart fills with sisterly affection that I have for her. She knew I would get nervous and she knew I would freak out, so she did what she always does and helped me relax. By the end of the song, we're both looking at each other and grinning happily as she harmonizes with the notes I'm playing.
Once that song is done, we begin playing Take Flight together, which is a wonderful Lindsay Stirling song which she has always played better than me. With the minor vocals involved, we both can not only harmonize our instruments, but also our voices and it makes for an interesting and beautiful piece of music.
Next we had decided to push the tempo up a bit with a fun Lindsay Stirling song called Prism. We both have a tendency to get a little carried away with this song because it's so damn fun. I started off playing first and she joined me with the second violin part of the song before we seamlessly transitioned into the chorus. There was even a bit where I stopped playing, started clapping, and got the crowd to clap with me.
I admit that I was having fun up there dancing and playing with Lindsay. This is why our bar in Athens is so popular. It's because we really enjoy what we do and it's extremely obvious. After my second pirouette I completely forgot to be self-conscious that someone was watching me while I was up on stage. I honestly didn't care. I was enjoying everything I was doing and I'm sure my face showed it. After another song that Lindsay and I played, one of her own compositions, I left the stage to get some water from the bar. I needed a little break before my next set, but Lindsay wasn't letting up. She winked at me to let me know she was fine on her own for the time being, so I put my violin back in the case and headed back over to the bar.
"You two certainly look like you're enjoying yourselves." Troy states as he hands me a glass of water.
I take a drink and reply, "This is kinda what we do. It's fun and exciting."
"Let me know if y'all need anything else." Troy says wiping down the bar in front of me.
I nod my head in his direction and when I turn around to look back over the crowd, I'm stopped cold by a set of beautiful amber eyes.
"Hello Bella."
