II

Your face is like a melody, it won't leave my head

The thing about Julie's plan is that it doesn't go the way she really expects it to.

Not even a little close.

During the week she'd tried to forget about the eyes in hopes she could change her Friday night plans and stay inside watching something on Netflix and cuddling with Carlos while keeping him away from her sweets, but she failed terribly because every time she felt safe those eyes appeared. If it was just the eyes it would be fine, she reasons on Wednesday afternoon while she contemplates calling Carrie and telling her about the whole situation, but it's not just the eyes following her; it's the way he was practically gawking over her and the way that made her feel.

And also, the teeny tiny bit where that random stranger made her remember the looks her parents used to share when her mom was alive and they were in love.

She sighs because she knows she's going to go and try to find him to hopefully get some closure on the matter. She's aware there are still parts of the plan she hasn't really gone over, such as what she's actually going to do to get said answers or more importantly, what is she going to do if the guy doesn't appear; but it doesn't matter because she's Rose's daughter and if her mother taught her something is that if she puts enough willpower into her mind she's capable of bending the world into whatever she desires.

Two days later, when Friday night rolls over and she's getting ready, she tries to convince herself she's not putting any extra attention to her outfit, but neither she nor Carlos are buying her own crap. Despite that, she still feels as if she has to defend herself from her pet; "You can keep your judgy eyes to yourself, mister. This is me dressing up to turn things my way in case that's necessary." She says to her cat before kissing him in the head and heading out.

Even though he doesn't believe her, she knows her plan and even if it fails because the guy doesn't show up she can at least enjoy herself instead of spending another night at home. Or at least that's what she tries to tell herself, but the idea of spending the night drinking alone at Caleb's seems more depressing than staying at home watching movies with her pet. As she walks she wonders if maybe it would've been a good idea to call Carrie but her friend is still touring the East coast so she was always going to end up at Eats & Beats carrying her plan all alone.

When she reaches the place, Caleb is behind the bar so she approaches him with a smile which he doesn't reciprocate because he's busy being surprised by her sudden and unexpected presence.

"Hey kiddo! You didn't tell me you were coming. What can I get you and do I sign your name for later?" He asks and Julie muffles a laugh because she knew that this would happen, she knows him too well.

"You can get me a Tequila sunrise and nothing else. I'm not singing tonight." She explains and he nods, accepting her plans despite being very obvious that he wants to insist. Instead of doing that, he simply prepares her drink. "It's weird seeing you behind the bar, shouldn't you be with the performers?" Maybe she should be trying to find out if the stranger from last week is there but she doesn't think Caleb can help her with the little information she can offer: 'Guy about my age with gorgeous eyes, not bad to look at' so she remains quiet.

"No, I'm letting Dante and Fuego get a taste of running things backstage as part of their training. I'm not in the mood for dealing with tortured musicians and divas… Except you, of course." He jokes before handing her the drink and making her laugh. "You know if you change your mind I'll escort you myself. You're better than whatever the hell they are to accomplish." He comments, nodding towards the stage. She agrees with him but she doesn't need to voice that out loud for him to know.

"I know you mean it, but tonight I just wanna see some of those tortured musicians and divas you talk about. Thanks Caleb." She says, before starting to drink what he prepared.

"Any time kid, enjoy the night." He says before focusing on other customers, leaving her alone with her drink and her thoughts. She starts scanning the place, trying to find him but he doesn't seem to be there which is something that upsets her more than she expected.

Focus Julie, what are you doing? You came for answers not for an eye candy.

She finishes her drink and is about to order another one when something catches her eye, well someone catches her eye. It's the blonde guy she remembers from last week, he's on the stage behind the drums.

So he's a musician. Is there a chance the stranger is a musician as well?

She doesn't have to wait long to find the answer to that question because almost immediately the stranger and the other friend appear on stage. Confirming that they are a band or at least something like that if they are willing to perform for an audience.

And with that the plan changes, a little.

She moves to a side, where she can watch them without being in their faces and making herself recognizable because now her plan goes a little off the rails, including a subsection where she watches them to decide if they are any good before storming to that stranger and demanding answers. She's setting her foot down because the detail that they are up on stage doesn't change anything.

Except it does. Of course it does.

When they start playing Julie is grateful for the idea of moving to a side because… Well, she cannot stop staring at them. There's something about the way they play that she finds electrifying and soon she realizes it's not coming from the lyrics or the music but rather the chemistry the trio displays on stage, which is incredible and she knows she's not the only one feeling it because the whole venue is watching them and enjoying their performance. She can even see Caleb nodding along the music as he stands behind the bar and that's a huge compliment.

The three guys are clearly very talented musicians so as they continue with the song she takes their time analyzing them… Okay, she admits she spends time analyzing the stranger and not the other two guys but she can't help it okay? He's the front man and there's no way to avoid him because he makes himself noticeable which she knows it's not hard with those biceps helping him but she feels bad objectifying him that way, especially when he plays guitar and sings and does both of those things very, very well.

She's impressed.

She's also very flustered because now that she has time to really look at him she realizes that his eyes are not the only attractive thing about him. This guy is really handsome and he clearly knows it, hell, everyone in the crowd probably knows it. And yes, she does feel guilty objectifying him but he's also using it in his favor, it's like he's asking to be objectified. Right?

Okay, focus Julie, you're better than this.

And focus she does. She decides to analyze the lyrics and the music but also their respective skills. Again, they clearly are very good musicians and performers and while she herself is very entertained she cannot get past the fact that the band sounds straight out of a nineties video. She likes that they sound unpolished and are a little bit rough around the edges but she doesn't feel like this is the best sound they can accomplish, although while looking at them she realizes that if the way they dress is any indication they definitely want an interview with Carson Daly on TRL.

In conclusion: great lyrics, good voices and skills but the sound could be less time machine and more modern.

Another conclusion she reaches is that the front man is not also very attractive but seems to be somewhat sweet or at least that's how she chooses to interpret the glee and joy he radiates as he jumps and doesn't stop moving. He's definitely the kind of musician who gets energized by performing because even when they finish he still exudes electricity and joy, not even caring that he's drenched in sweat or that this is not Madison Square Garden; given the size of his smile she could've been fooled.

She asks Caleb for a shot when the guys pick up their instruments and get down from the stage, not missing the way his shirt clings to his abdomen because of all the sweat or the way his biceps flex… The shot Caleb puts in front of her interrupts her thoughts and she doesn't thank him out loud out of fear of sounding husky but shoots him a smile before he tends to other people.

As she downs the shot she realizes she's very flustered impressed and because of that makes the conscious decision of completely throwing her plan away and simply approach them and see where it goes.

Dante greets her and lets her get backstage when she explains she just wants to meet the band. She walks towards the green room which is open, revealing they are not there. She knows they haven't left yet so she simply waits there before spotting them, a few steps away from the stage where a duo is now singing but she doesn't hear them because she's focused on this trio whose chemistry remains even when there's no spotlight and no music.

She sees the sheer happiness they exude in the way they hug and interact with one another, which makes her realize this is not just a band, this is a real friendship she's witnessing. She can't help but smile at the way the bassist compliments the blonde drummer whose name seems to be Alex, but her smile grows bigger when the green eyed stranger kisses his cheek, in a clear attempt to annoy his friend.

When she saw him last week he seemed rooted in his spot, completely captivated by her voice and music and now she's seen him under the spotlight in his musician facet but she hasn't seen him like this which just confirms her suspicion about him being a sweet person.

The smile remains even when they resume their walk to the green room and he clearly recognizes her, because he immediately stops walking and his facial expression morphs from happiness into something else entirely, similar to the look he gave her when she was the once performing, just that this time, there's the element of surprise in his factions combined with some redness in his cheeks that wasn't there before.

That's important information.

She doesn't speak right away, instead, she takes her time because she knows he's clearly not in his right mind to take the first step, which provides her with a couple of seconds to give him a closer look than she was able to do so at the bar. He's a bit taller than she is and looks young enough to be her age; the rest she already knew: green eyes, messy brown hair, well built with incredible arms, and yet still unable to speak… She wonders if he's breathing alright.

"It's nice to know that you have a voice, even if you are not using it right now." She says to him, unable to hide the amusement in her own voice but shooting a smile his way while she looks at him in the eyes. He needs to know that's meant for him because right now he's not even acknowledging he even heard her. Which makes her amusement grow, yes but also makes her feel a little queasy.

What is it with this guy and why does he act like that in her presence?

Before she can say anything else, his friends decide to save the situation. She shakes hands with both guys, confirming that the blond one's name is Alex and learning the bassist's name is Reggie. She can tell by the tone of Alex's introduction that he's somewhat mocking the stranger who's name she just learned is Luke but instead of mentioning it, she decides to introduce herself. "It's very nice to meet you guys. My name is Julie. You were pretty good up there."

It's meant to be a compliment, even if it's a superficial one because she thinks they were better than good but she doesn't get to correct herself or voice her thoughts out loud because that's when the former stranger, now Luke decides to snap out of whatever the hell he was going through.

"Pretty good? You do realize we owned the place right?" He speaks at the same time he moves closer towards her. No 'My name is Luke' no 'Nice to meet you', instead the first thing he decides to comment is in response to her compliment, which he seems to have a problem with.

She's not sure if it's the alcohol she drank or that the whole situation is beyond what she expected her Friday night to be like but she actually giggles at his words instead of commenting about them. She doesn't know which one to blame for the giggles but she definitely knows she blames the alcohol for her next words, which come out flirtier than she intended them to:

"How about this: you go pack up your stuff and after you finish you can go and look for me at the bar. If you buy me a drink I'll give you pointers on how to improve your performance." That seems to do the trick of rendering him silent once again because his answer to her invitation comes in the form of a nod to which she responds by sending a wink his way.

Yeap, she's definitely blaming the alcohol.

She leaves before she can flirt some more and sits at the bar, far away from Caleb so that he doesn't have time to comment or say anything about the guys when they eventually join her. Even if she knows nothing happens at Eats & Beats without Caleb knowing.

In less than five minutes Luke appears, still sweaty and bouncing as if he's competing with the Energizer bunny, making her smile because that proves he's definitely one of those musicians that come alive when performing but he somehow manages to retain said energy after getting down from the stage. There's something about seeing him now that makes her double down on that sweetness she thought she perceived on him, because the guy who's in front of her is definitely not the musician that was strutting in front of everyone nor the guy who seemed to swallow his tongue less than seven minutes ago, but something else entirely.

And she thinks that sweet might just be the right adjective to describe him. Something inside of her wants to find out. That's why looking at him rubbing his neck and giving her puppy eyes as a result of being called out on his only interest being music she realizes he definitely is sweet; that's why she blurts out: "It's okay, we still have the rest of the night to get to know each other." Because his eyes and biceps are too much for her; she's just a girl who has already had two drinks. It's impossible to resist the combination when there's also alcohol involved.

However, it's clear that even if he has the attributes to make her blurt out statements like that, she has the upper hand because she's the one that actually makes him blush (for a second time).

"Your friends are back!" She says with a playful tone, as she spots Reggie and Alex approach them. They seem more put together than Luke, probably because they actually took time to get ready, something she's quick to point out once the guys are within earshot. "You two clean up nicely. Maybe the same could be said about you Luke but seems like you were too eager to listen to my comments about your music." Alex chokes on his own saliva while Reggie straight up laughs at her comment while elbowing Luke who seems very flustered.

She doesn't have time to really mess up with him directly during the next forty five minutes because as soon as they move to a booth they start talking about music, which is apparently the only topic where Luke resembles less a stuttering mess and more the confident musician she saw on stage.

It doesn't surprise her in the least when he admits that he loves the nineties and that their sound is completely on purpose because it's their favorite but she does feel surprised when, despite that he's obviously very passionate and protective of the band, he still listens to her and her opinions. Not only because he actively listens but because he's clearly paying attention and not just nodding off and humoring her. The look in his eyes is not quite the one he had when she was performing; it might be toned down, but it's there. This guy, who clearly has a vision and knows what he wants for the band is listening and engaging with her, which shows her that even if he's set on something he's also not a brute or a cocky musician who thinks he's god's gift to everyone, he is really taking her advices and opinions into consideration.

That just settles it for her, Luke is definitely sweet. Apparently he can only talk about music, but he's definitely sweet.

She's so into their conversation that only once his friends have said goodbye and it's just the two of them, she remembers what brought her to the place in the first place. But, funnily enough, that happens because he summons the thoughts back into her mind by bringing up the fact that he was there during her performance last week.

"I can't believe we have been talking for thirty minutes and I haven't told you what an amazing performance you gave last Friday. We arrived when you were finishing the song but it was…" He seems so genuine while complimenting her that she doesn't even take the pause he makes as an opportunity to clarify that she knows because the intensity of his eyes gave her goosebumps. Maybe if they see each other again (an idea she's not opposed to in the least) she'll let him know. "You are very talented. Beyond your voice and skill with the piano, it's clear that you have the power to move people and knock them off their feet."

That last bit of the compliment really has an effect on her because, just like the way he looks at her, his words prove to be too much for her. It's so much that she doesn't even doubt he's being honest; this is not him buttering her up or performing a ruse to get into her pants. She might not know him that much but this is the same person who seemed unable to speak a couple of beers ago, he's telling her this because he means it and somehow he mustered up the courage to let her know.

She knows there's no helping the blush that now resides on her cheeks but she has to keep her eyes away from his for a second because she hasn't even really registered the impact of it all. Those words go beyond the simple flattery she gave them, this is another level of praise; something she'll understand if he saw a Grammy winner perform, not her who doesn't sing enough to move people and knock them off their feet. And yet, she did move people, the living proof of that is standing in front of her, being open and genuine about what it was like for him to experience her little display of talent.

She finally locks eyes with him, ready to thank him for his words but stops when she realizes he has a soft look on his face and it's clear it's a result of her, there's no denying it. That makes her think that, unlike most people their age Luke does not wear a mask on his daily life, instead he seems to wear a mask when he's on stage; all the bravado and swagger, all that 'larger than life' posing seems to have been left there.

What she sees right now is all the answers she came looking for, he looked at her like that because he enjoyed her performance, so much so that even if he couldn't do it immediately he went out of his way to praise her. She didn't even need to push for him to tell her what she came looking for.

But really she has found out more than she intended to because suddenly she realizes she's enjoying herself with a guy, something that hasn't happened in a long time.

When she finally thanks him for the praise it comes out softly and shy, although it's sincere and accompanied by a smile, her words don't really transmit the fact that she was really moved by his praise. She wishes she could express it but somehow now she's the one who has difficulty speaking and not because she's necessarily mesmerized by him but rather because now the atmosphere has changed completely for her, she really is interested in talking about something else than music and getting to know him.

This is not a date and she's not necessarily eager to turn it into one but she can't help but to want to extend the night to spend more time with him. This is the first time she's actually happy about the mention of the word 'date' and she takes that as a good sign and with that in mind, she decides to shoot her shot.

"I'd like to get to know you." There's no blaming the alcohol or that his good looks make her feel a little weak in the knees, nope, this is Julie trying to be as genuine as he seems to be. There's not enough alcohol in LA to make her go to any a date willingly and now here she is, with her plan already in the trash and the night barely starting she cannot wait to hear him talking about something other than music because she needs to know if his openness and sweetness also translate to other topics. He responds by blinking rapidly and raising his eyebrows to show his surprise so she can't really hide her laugh but she does take pity on him and takes the lead. "It's okay, I can start and give you time to get your words together."

That gets him to laugh and send a smile her way, a smile that she reciprocates because it's almost impossible to resist.