Flashback.
Hey little sister what have you done?
Hey little sister who's the only one?
Hey little sister who's your superman?
Hey little sister who's the one you want?
Hey little sister shot gun!
It's a nice day to start again.
It's a nice day for a white wedding.
It's a nice day to start again.
Hey little sister who is it you're with?
Hey little sister what's your vice and wish?
Hey little sister shot gun (oh yeah)
Hey little sister who's your superman?
Hey little sister shot gun!
It's a nice day to start again (come on)
It's a nice day for a white wedding
It's a nice day to start again.
(Pick it up)
Take me back home
Hey little sister what have you done?
Hey little sister who's the only one?
I've been away for so long (so long)
I've been away for so long (so long)
I let you go for so long
It's a nice day to start again (come on)
I's a nice day for a white wedding
It's a nice day to start again.
There is nothin' fair in this world
There is nothin' safe in this world
And there's nothin' sure in this world
And there's nothin' pure in this world
Look for something left in this world
Start again
Come on
It's a nice day for a white wedding
It's a nice day to start again.
It's a nice day to start again.
It's a nice day to start again.
Dean finished singing, and without waiting for the applause – which came and made him grin – he left the provisional stage and went back to sit down. Cassie was smiling and clapping furiously. She liked his little performance. But most of all, she liked his confidence.
"I was good," Dean said. He let the admiration soak. The waiter was standing nearby, so he ordered another glass of gin with tonic. Fortunately, his date didn't question him about a drinking problem. This was just a second – or third? – glass. Now. He had a lot more before. He was really drunk just a couple of hours ago but he sobered up since then. On the other hand, Cassie still had the same glass in front of her. She was slow at emptying it. But they weren't leaving yet so there was still a chance she'd get wasted. That would come later, though. Right now Dean had something else in mind. "Your turn," he told Cassie.
"I don't know if I can beat you," she complimented him and made an excuse at once.
"Come on. I don't wanna hear another shrieking wannabe."
"Maybe I'm just as bad as them."
"Hmm . . . Perhaps I'm drunk and slow at times, but I'd bet you wouldn't bring me here if you sucked at karaoke singing."
"I'm not that good either . . ."
"Let him be the judge." Dean wanted to hear her singing. Her voice was very pleasing when she talked; he imagined it had to sound great when she sang, too. "Or," Dean had a spontaneous idea, "we could sing a duet," he suggested. This suggestion surprised even him; he was against the concept of two people singing together; of course when he was to be one of them. One reason for it was that there were no good duets that came to his mind, just cheesy, romantic ones.
"Never," Cassie replied, grinning. The single word hurt Dean's ego. Why would she refuse? he had to wonder. But the good news was that now she looked willing and ready to go sing. First, though, she drank her date's glass of gin with tonic, the one that the waiter just brought. It served well as a miraculous medicine that gave her courage. Then she stood up and egoistically made the middle-aged man leave the podium. He was getting ready to sing his song but he stood no chance against the pretty lady that walked onto the stage as if she owned the place. What made it easy for her was the fact that the bar belonged to her friend and she was a regular there. She'd always get prioritized. And she wasn't too bitchy either, because the guy was pretty drunk and he already sang a couple of times. Nobody was eager to hear more. If anything, Cassie prevented the audience's unpleasant experience.
To be fair, Dean expected Cassie to choose to sing a pop song by a female artist. Something that was easy to sing, not much of a challenge. He really didn't know her. Not then. Maybe not ever. That night, and any other they decided to go to a karaoke bar, she chose a rock song. 'Kick in the Teeth' by the band Papa Roach was the one she felt like singing that night. Dean never heard that song before, but her performance made him not only remember it but also it tricked his brain and got him a feeling of déjà vu.
We live in a cold dark world with venom in its veins
You can spit it in my face but I know I'll be okay
It's on the attack, it's a war, it's a game
A ball and chain, chew my arm off to get away
Don't fight it or deny it, invite it
'Cause when it feels like a kick in the teeth I can take it
Throw your stones and you won't see me break it
Say what you want, take your shots
You're setting me free with one more kick in the teeth
Na, na, na, na, na, na
(Kick in the teeth)
Na, na, na, na, na, na
I gotta say thanks 'cause you kick me when I'm down
I'm bleeding out the mouth, I hope you know I'm stronger now
I'm taking the hate, I'm turning it all around
I won't go down 'til I'm six feet underground
Don't fight it or deny it, invite it
'Cause when it feels like a kick in the teeth, I can take it
Throw your stones and you won't see me break it
Say what you want, take your shots
You're setting me free with one more kick in the teeth
Na, na, na, na, na, na
(Kick in the teeth)
Na, na, na, na, na, na
What doesn't kill me only
Will make me stronger in my head, in my head
'Cause when it feels like a kick in the teeth, I can take it
Throw your stones and you won't see me break it
Say what you want, take your shots
You're setting me free with one more kick in the teeth
Na, na, na, na, na, na
(Kick in the teeth)
Na, na, na, na, na, na
Say what you want, take your shots
You're setting me free with one more kick in the teeth
Na, na, na, na, na, na
(Kick in the teeth)
Na, na, na, na, na, na
(Kick in the teeth)
Na, na, na, na, na, na
(Kick in the teeth)
Na, na, na, na, na, na
Those who knew the song tried to join in at times; those he didn't at least sang "na, na, na." But Cassie didn't need any help; she did just fine on her own.
"Not bad," Dean complimented her when she returned to her seat.
"You were right; if I sucked I wouldn't bring you here."
As she sang, Dean got his glass refilled and in front of Cassie was a glass, one that certainly wasn't there before, as well. Dean raised his and asked her to do the same. Then he said the toast: "To the best singers in the house." And added awkwardly, "Now what about that duet?"
Cassie thought he understood and wouldn't return to that topic; she wasn't willing to sing with him. With anybody. "I said no," she reminded him casually.
"Every no can be changed into yes." Then without telling her more, he rose from his chair and left his date alone.
Cassie watched him the whole time; she didn't give a damn about the current singers and their unsuccessful cover of Rihanna's 'Stay.' This was the second of the night. Uninteresting. But Dean on the other hand . . . Cassie saw him talking to the guy sitting behind the computer and playing the songs. Dean was onto something; no doubt about that.
He came no sooner than five minutes later. Maybe it was even ten, actually. All that was certain was that another young man came on the stage, and finished his version of 'Radioactive.'
Then Dean prompted now excited Cassie to take his hand and follow him. He wouldn't catch a break until he made her sing with him. Not that he was such a big fan of karaoke, but he knew it would be so much fan singing with her. Everything they've done so far was an experience he enjoyed and would love to repeat another time.
"You're gonna love the song I chose for us."
"Chose?" If he'd just chosen it from a couple of songs, it wouldn't take forever for him to manage this whole show.
"Well, okay, requested."
Cassie didn't seem scared or worried. For one thing, she loved Dean's spontaneity; it was a huge turn-on. And there was the confidence. He was active in accomplishing his desires. And then there was the sexy smirk.
Excited but also a little nervous, Cassie had a question in her eyes. But Dean wouldn't spoil the surprise. He made Cassie wait to hear the first tones to know what they'd be covering. Then the lyrics appeared on the screen and the music started to play. And Dean didn't need to wait for Cassie's uncontrollable smile. It appeared with no delay. She really did love the song, this exact version of it. Dean knew it very well. Before they went to this bar, Cassie played the song on repeat in her apartment. At least now it wasn't new to Dean. Still, he had doubts if he'd be able to sing it – he heard it the first time today. But what the hell . . . it'll for sure be fun. And Cassie's happy look was priceless. Now Dean rose in her eyes, that was certain. And if he sang it well, this girl'd be his.
Interesting was that 'Careless Whisper' was not a duet. That's why Dean spent so much time making the arrangements for it to become one. But Dean believed that he and Cassie would make it work. It wouldn't sound like when sang by the post-grunge group Seether, but he'd give it his best.
Meanwhile, Cassie was thinking that if this guy was courageous enough to accept the challenge, and if he didn't suck, his status would rise.
D: I feel so unsure
As I take your hand and lead you to the dance floor
C: As the music dies, something in your eyes
Calls to mind a silver screen and all those sad goodbyes
C: I'm never gonna dance again
Cause guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool
D: I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I'd been given
So I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you
D: Time can never mend
The careless whispers of a good friend
To the heart and mind
Ignorance is kind
C: And there's no comfort in the truth
Pain is all you'll find
D: I'm never gonna dance again
Cause guilty feet have got no rhythm
C: Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool
D: I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I'd been given
C: So I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you
D: Tonight the music seems so loud
I wish that we could lose the crowd
C: Maybe it's better this way
We'd hurt each other with the things we want to say
D: We could have been so good together
We could have lived this dance forever
But now who's gonna dance with me?
C: Please stay
D+C: I'm never gonna dance again
Cause guilty feet have got no rhythm
D: Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool
C: I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I'd been given
D+C: So I'm never gonna dance again
D: The way I danced with you
Maybe it wasn't a duet but it worked as one in their interpretation. And people liked it too. It was a nice change from those romantic ballads; this had rock essence.
Dean wanted to know if Cassie wondered if he purposely chose the male and female, or his and hers, parts like this. In fact, it was most of the time random, but maybe she thought Dean gave it some deeper meaning. He didn't ask so he had no idea what she was thinking.
But as they were leaving the stage, Dean would realize that her mind was set on something totally different. Cassie whispered a question into his ear. "How far'd you go to get a girl?"
"There's no limit," Dean answered without hesitation.