Open-Mic Night

A/N: Just to let you guys know, sometimes the reviews don't show up on the FF site for a few days, but I always see them through my account page right away! I love reading each and every one. Enjoy this chapter.

"They're coming? All of them?" Punk asked, setting a mic stand up by the fireplace on the Monday night.

Some people had already arrived to get seats. Punk was surprised it was so busy, especially on a Monday night.

"That's what AJ said." Daryl said, fixing the speakers, "What happens if no one goes up to the mic?"

"Well this was your idea, genius." Punk said, "You can go up and tell a joke."

"Are you serious?" Daryl turned to him as Punk shrugged.

"Phil!" Linda yelled from behind the counter as Punk jumped a little.

"Who told her she could go behind the counter?" Daryl scoffed.

"Me." Punk said, making his way over to the counter where Linda was standing behind, balancing on her walking stick, "What's up?" He asked her.

"All of the fudge and macaroons are in the kitchen. I made some coconut sponge cakes as well. I wanted to try something new." She told him, "They're quite good if I don't mind saying so."

"You're a star, Linda." Punk smiled, "Are you sticking around for the night?"

"Will there be alcohol?" Linda asked.

"I don't have a license to sell but customers can bring their own bottle. It was advertised on the flyers." Punk nodded.

"I'll get Pete to go home and get my sherry then." Linda nodded happily.

Punk was a little apprehensive about the 'bring your own bottle' element to the night, but he agreed with Daryl that most people probably would rather have an alcoholic drink rather than a coffee at 7pm. Coffee and other cold drinks were still being served to anyone who wanted one of course.

"It's getting busy." Punk noticed as Linda nodded.

"You'll need more tables in here soon." Linda said, walking out from behind the counter.

"The mic is all set up." Daryl walked over to Punk who nodded.

"Go into the kitchen and start bringing out Linda's cakes." Punk told him as Daryl nodded.

He'd still been a little cold with Daryl ever since he learned about his slip up at Shiv's party, but it was hard to stay mad at the kid. He was extremely likeable, and he wouldn't deny how much he depended on the young boy when it came to the running of the shop.

"Will you be taking to the mic?" Linda asked him, "You're a fine speaker. You could start roasting that dump across the road." She tapped his leg with her walking stick as he laughed a little.

"Now now, Linda." Punk tutted with a smile, "I've reserved you a seat over here." He said, taking her arm and walking with her to a seat in the corner where he knew she liked to sit.

"Well aren't you the gentleman." Linda smiled, "Mama must have raised you well."

"Something like that." Punk smiled, helping her into her seat.

He had no idea how she managed to stand and bake for so long when she struggled to walk from A to B most of the time. He was amazed by her and completely fond of her wit and jokes.

"Hopefully lots of people embarrass themselves." Linda nodded, "That would make it a good show."

"I'm sure someone will." Punk said, "If it goes to shit at least we've got your baking."

"That's true." Linda nodded, "Oh, look. It's the Blue Balls Café girls." Linda nodded to the door as Punk chuckled, shaking his head as he looked over to the door where AJ, Lyla, Becca and Shiv entered.

"You're a bad lady." Punk told Linda who just shrugged with a smile.

He noticed Becca and Lyla both had bottles of wine in hand, looking around for a table and securing one for four at the back of the shop. His eyes met for AJs for a brief second before she turned away to speak with Lyla.

He wasn't stupid. He knew she was no doubt embarrassed after he found her so upset the other night. It was obvious she was legitimately panicked and upset by something, and he hated seeing her that way. It was so unlike the April he had been used to since moving here. The feisty, mouthy and ever-ready April.

He watched as she headed over to the counter, waiting to be served, and for a minute, he forgot he was the server. He was too distracted by the tight black dress she was wearing with boots.

"You're staring." Linda hit him with her stick, harder than usual, breaking his trance.

"Quit hitting me with that." Punk scoffed, making his way over to the counter, walking behind it and coming face to face with AJ.

"You're still serving coffee, right?" AJ asked.

"Yeah. Our usual menu." Punk nodded.

"Could I have two flat whites? For me and Shiv." AJ nodded.

"Coming up." Punk said, turning around and grabbing two mugs, taking them to the coffee machine.

"This looks like a great turn out." AJ nodded.

She was taken back when they entered the coffee shop by how crowded it was. So crowded that people were beginning to stand whilst Daryl brought out some extra chairs from the back to dot around.

"Yeah, I didn't expect it." Punk said, turning back around to her whilst the coffee machine did its thing, "I didn't think you'd come. All four of you."

"Honestly? I'm a little intrigued about the hidden talents this town has." AJ said as Punk nodded, "And I wanted to come over here and apologise. For what I said at Shiv's party." She said.

"Right." Punk nodded awkwardly.

"I had no right to make it so personal. It was… awful of me to throw that in your face. I don't know you or your story." She said as Punk nodded, "As you can already tell, I can get a little protective over my café."

"I really hadn't noticed." Punk said sarcastically.

"Mhm." AJ rolled her eyes, "Anyway… it's obvious… I don't have to say it out loud, but I will… you being here, opening up this place, watching it be so successful so quickly… I was so frightened. I still am." She said, "I guess I can get a little competitive and mean when something I love comes under threat."

"It's not a bad trait to have." Punk nodded, "But… I'm not a threat. I never have been."

"Well, it feels like it." She said, "To me anyway."

"I didn't come here to put you out of business. I didn't even know there was another coffee shop across from here until I moved. I thought maybe you'd be opened to sharing some tips but when I realised you weren't… maybe I took it to heart a little." He nodded, "And you did steal my board."

"I did." AJ said, "Which you still bravely use after the diseases it must have."

"I'd hate to take it away from the dogs now." Punk waved his hand as AJ laughed a little and smiled.

"Anyway… there's your apology." She said as he nodded, turning around to the coffee machine to make her coffees.

"I accept. Thank you." He said.

"And thank you for the other night." She said as Punk sat her mugs on saucers and brought them over to the counter.

"Don't mention it." He said.

"I wasn't having a good night. It was nice to have company for the walk home. You could have just left me." She shrugged.

"I wouldn't have left any women in that state." He said truthfully, "I hope you're ok now."

"I am." She nodded, taking her wallet out to pay for the coffees when he put his hand up.

"It's alright. It's on the house." He said.

"No, I'll pay." AJ insisted.

"No." Punk said, taking the card machine away from her reach and sitting it beside the coffee machine, "Go. Enjoy the night. Or… try to." He said as she nodded slowly, putting her wallet away.

"Thank you." She said, taking the coffees and walking off back to her table as he watched her every movement.

For the first time, without their conversation being purely work related, it felt like they had been the only two people talking in the room. He'd really gotten to look at her face… her huge brown eyes, her smile so genuine and bright. He'd enjoyed tormenting her so much, but having a proper conversation was so much more enjoyable. It was all a little confusing.

"Ok, shouldn't we be starting?" Daryl asked, coming out from the back, "I've got all of Linda's cakes out on the stand."

"The mic is there. We just gotta wait until someone goes up." Punk shrugged.

"Well you gotta go announce that it's started." Daryl nudged him as Punk rolled his eyes.

"Why don't you? This was your idea." Punk said.

"It's your coffee shop, man." Daryl said.

"Fine." Punk huffed, making his way out from behind the counter and over to the mic.

It wasn't until he was standing in front of everyone where he realised how many people had actually shown up. Being a Monday night, it was mind-blowing and overwhelming that people cared enough to come out to this silly little experiment.

"Uh… hey." Punk spoke into the mic, "Thank you guys for showing up tonight. And I'm sorry in advance if it all goes to shit." He said, causing a few chuckles from the crowd, "I guess this is an opportunity for anyone who wants to express themselves, and whose brave enough to do it in front of an intimidating audience. I'm sure you'll all be welcoming." He gave a wink before leaving the mic and heading back over to Daryl behind the counter.

People began chatting amongst themselves whilst Punk and Daryl scanned the room for any brave soul to take to the mic first. Five minutes awkward minutes passed, and no one had stepped up.

"How sad would it be if no one got up." Becca said, sitting with the girls at the back.

"Really sad." Shiv nodded, sipping her flat white.

"Hey, there's Luke." Becca nudged AJ, discreetly nodding over to Luke who was standing over at the side with some of his friends from the car garage.

AJ looked over to him, smiling politely as he watched him chuckle a little, turning to his friends. It was blatantly obvious they were talking about her and laughing at her.

"Ignore him." Lyla said to AJ quietly, squeezing her hand under the table as AJ swallowed the lump in her throat, lifting her mug and taking a sip of coffee. Now she regretted leaving her apartment tonight.

Meanwhile Punk and Daryl stood behind the counter, surveying the audience anxiously as the mic stood empty.

"This is embarrassing." Punk groaned, rubbing his hand over his face as Daryl folded his arms.

"Why won't anyone get up?" Daryl shook his head.

"No one wants to be the first one up." Punk said as Daryl sighed. He felt solely responsible for tonight even happening. He couldn't stand to see them fail.

"Alright." Daryl said with determination, grabbing his phone from his jacket hanging up.

"What are you doing?" Punk asked worriedly.

"Getting it started." Daryl shrugged.

"What? No. Get back here." Punk whispered, watching Daryl dodge his way around tables and step in front of the mic. He immediately put his hands over his face, not baring to watch.

"Hi." Daryl said into the mic as the chatter in the room quietened, "I'm Daryl. I work here." He nodded, "I'm… I'm no singer." He laughed nervously, "But I mean… who doesn't love singing, right?"

"Uh… this is a song my dad always sang to me and my little sister when we were younger. A lot of you knew my dad and what happened to him." Daryl nodded as Punk looked over at him from behind the counter, noticing some of the crowd nodding sadly. The truth was, he didn't know the young boy at all. Not really.

"So here it goes." Daryl nodded, opening up YouTube on his phone as Daydream Believer by The Monkees began to play.

He started singing, the crowd deafly quiet as Punk watched anxiously, his stomach in knots for the bravery and determination of this kid.

The chorus kicked in, inviting some clapping along from the audience and eventually some singing along as Daryl took the mic around the room to get people to join in the song with him.

Punk chuckled as he watched Linda singing into the mic with Daryl, the customers singing along with enjoyment. He continued laughing to himself, not remembering the last time he'd laughed like this with such joy, turning over to AJ's table who were also singing and clapping along.

He watched AJ turn to him, smiling and laughing in his direction. It was then he realised the laughter she had going on with Luke at Shiv's party wasn't her real laugh. This was her real laugh and smile. The brightest in the room and a thing of pure beauty.