"Jeff this girl better be amazing" Matt said in an annoyed tone. They had spent a good hour roaming the lower east side looking for this bar Emilie told Jeff about.
"The guy on the phone said Canal St. just keep your eyes open."
"Jeff we're on Canal St. there is no Knitting Factory!" Jeff could tell that Matt's annoyance was turning into anger.
"Can we please just take a cab?" Amy begged "My feet are killing me."
"No way! I'm not spending five dollars on Jeff's hormones!"
"Will you shut up already! It's got to be around here somewhere." Jeff picked up the pace and continued to look at around. He told Emilie he'd be there at ten and it was already half passed. He didn't want her to think he was some sort of flake, after all this was kind of like a first date. Just then a green banner caught Jeff's eye. There in bold white lettering it said The Knitting Factory
"Hey guys I found it" Jeff yelled
Matt and Amy came up behind. Amy looked up at the street sign that read Leonard St.
"Um Jeff" Amy said "this isn't Canal St."
"On Canal St. next to Canal St. what different does it make. The important thing is that we found it."
Matt and Amy just rolled their eyes as they followed the eager young man. Jeff didn't even wait for them to catch up before he made his over to the bar. He was hoping to see Emilie's smiling face serving drinks but instead he only noticed an attractive brunette standing there.
"Excuse me" Jeff shouted over the loud music as he leaned slightly against the bar. "I'm looking for a girl that works here. Early twenties or so, a pretty blond girl, her name's Emilie."
"No Emilie here dude" the woman said
"Are you sure?"
"The only Emilie I know is that one" she said pointing to the stage. And there standing under the spot light, in a short low cut red and black velvet dress, with fishnet stockings and a pair of lace up boots stood a woman that resembled the girl on the train. Her long blond hair fell down her back, her smoky shadowed eyes searching through the crowd, her full red lips moving with a seductive pout as each word escaped from her mouth. She was completely floating in the music, her body moving in time with the melody. She jumped around with the fast beat, flipped her head back and forth, completely letting go of any inhabitation. She had the sex appeal of Shirley Manson combined with the raw passion of Jim Morrison. Jeff couldn't believe this was the same quiet girl that he had met earlier that day. She was like a completely different person and she was fascinating.
"Jeff? Jeff ya still with us man?" Matt asking waving his hand in front of his brother's face trying to bring him back to reality.
"That's her" he said starting straight ahead at the stage.
"Who? The singer?"
"Yeah that's Emilie"
"Nice!" Matt said with a grin only to get a slap on the shoulder by Amy
"Um...I love you" he said smiling at her. Amy couldn't help but laugh, he was so cute sometimes. She turned to Jeff who was still staring with his mouth wide open.
"What is it? She didn't tell you she was a performer?"
"She just said she worked here she didn't say exactly what she did."
The three of them watched the show. There was no doubting that the people in the bar weren't there to see her band, they were only the opening act, but the girl had talent. A small crowd even began to gather around the stage, singing along to the songs they knew and dancing to the ones they didn't. Not an impressive crowd but the small amount of people seemed completely engulfed by the music. Even Matt and Amy got up to dance along to the beat but Jeff just stood there unable to take him eyes off the goddess on stage. Hanging on each word that came flowing out of her beautiful rose kissed lips.
"Don't keep me locked inside my room
Safe from all the world's doom
I'm not a doll upon a shelf I can take care of my self
I am smart and I am strong I know how to get along
Whatever you got I can stand I will not hide behind a man
I'm not I'm not a little prissy thing I can do most anything
Don't hold me too close to your bleeding heart
Or I might just fall apart
I'm not I'm not a little dainty thing I can be most anything
I just got to be
A girl who is free
This is me just as I am
An independent woman
I can be sweet, I can be sour I am the essence of girl power
Take my rights and take my choice
But you can't take away my voice
Shout it out to the whole world
What it means to be a girl
I'm not I'm not a little prissy thing I can do most anything
Don't hold me too close to your bleeding heart
Or I might just fall apart
I'm not I'm not a little dainty thing I can be most anything
I just got to be
A girl who is free
Shout it out to the whole world
What it means to be a girl
I'm not I'm not a little prissy thing I can do most anything
Don't hold me too close to your bleeding heart
Or I might just fall apart
I'm not I'm not a little dainty thing I can be most anything
I just got to be
A girl who is free!"
As the final cord faded out through the room Jeff came back down to earth.
"Thank you" she said over the small crowd's cheers.
"Stick around for Ill Nino!" the bar erupted in cheers at the sound of the headlining bands name as Emilie made her way off stage. Noticing that she was making her way towards him, and not wanting to appear too eager, Jeff stayed put. Seeing Jeff standing next to the bar a smile came across her face.
"Hey you made it."
"I told you I would. I'm a man of my word."
"So what did you think?"
"I was surprised" he said with a slight laugh
"What do you mean?"
"Well you told me you worked at the bar; you didn't say you worked the bar."
She laughed at his play of words. It had been a while since she's flirted with anyone and she really hoped she wasn't over doing it. 'Don't blow it Em, he's really cute' she told her self over and over again.
"This must be the lovely Miss Emilie" a southern voice said behind them. Jeff turned to see Matt and Amy standing side by side.
"Emilie this is my older brother Matt and his girlfriend Amy"
"Nice to meet you" Amy said she reached out to shake Emilie's hand "Jeff's told us so much about you."
"I don't know how much he could have told, we just met this afternoon."
"Well Jeff does have that unique ability to talk for hours about nothing." Matt joked. Emilie just stood back and watched the entertainment as the three friends hurling insults at each other.
"Let me get you guys some drinks"
"Oh we don't need anything." Jeff said trying to be polite.
"Well I do" Amy said put her hand in the air "I'll have a Guinness"
"Sounds great, I'll have one too" Matt said as he wrapped his arms around Amy's waist. Emilie gave Jeff that last chance look until he gave in.
"Better make it three"
"Alright three beers" Emilie repeated the order making sure they didn't want anything else.
"You don't have to do that"
"Don't be silly it's my pleasure besides it's on the house" she leaded across the bar to get the brunette's attention,
"Hey Gladys! Let me get three Guinness and a Ginger Ale" The woman nodded and went to get the drinks.
"Not a drinker?"
"Ya kidding, one sniff of alcohol and I'm bouncing off the walls." She laughed "I think it's a genetic thing, I don't know any Jews that can hold their alcohol."
"You're Jewish?"
"With a name like Weissman could I be anything else."
Jeff just laughed; she seemed to be the whole package, beautiful, talented, and funny. What more could he want. Emilie was equally interested in Jeff as the night went on she found herself falling deeper for the handsome young wrestler. They moved into the front of the bar too avoid the noise so they could talk. They both felt so comfortable with each other, they talked as if they had known each other for years.
"What's it like being a wrestler?"
"Painful" he joked "No really, I love it. It's been my dream ever since I can remember. I get to travel all over the world, met all kinds of people, walk to my own entrance music, and the pay anit to bad. It's pretty great; sometimes I have so much fun that I feel guilty getting paid for it."
"God that sounds amazing"
"Well what about you? What do you do? I mean when you're not rockin the house."
"I manage a small music store in Brooklyn."
"Cool" Jeff said trying to as sound interested as he could.
"Yeah well it's no where near as cool as what you do but I work with a great group of kids, good hours, free CDs. I can't complain. The owner's a complete tool but you take the good with the bad I guess."
"You live in Brooklyn?"
"Yeah not that far from here actually. Not the best neighborhood but it's the best price you'll find in this city."
"Yeah I always hear about how expensive New York is."
"Well it is the greatest city in the world."
"You know there's more out there don't you."
"I know. But what if it's not for me." She said softly
"You'll never know until you try."
Emilie didn't know what to say. She really liked this guy but at the same time she felt like he talking about something he knew nothing about. Since when is a cute face and a killer body an invitation to make an opinion on someone else's life. Before she let her mind overreact her attention was drawn to Matt and Amy who came walking up beside them.
"Hey Jeff it's getting really late, Amy and I are going to head back to the hotel you coming?"
"Actually I'm going to stay here with Emilie. I'll catch you guys later."
"Cool man, it was nice meeting you Emilie." Emilie smiled and wave at the couple as they left.
"Your brother's right it is getting late." Emilie said as she got up.
"Oh, sure. Can I walk you home? I mean you said yourself it's a rough neighborhood perhaps you'll feel safer with a wrestler with you."
Emilie smiled at Jeff; she simply liked him too much to get offended by anything he said
"I would like it very much if you walked me home Jeff." She took his hand in hers and they walked out together hand and hand.
"A Girl Who is Free" written by Marisa W, preformed by Camio