JC leaned against the pool table in the back corner of the bar. He scanned the room. His eyes noted the various stereotypical British decor. The entrance to the bathroom was painted as a London phone booth, the opposite corner stood a cutout of Prince Harry and Megan Markle, Union Jacks hung across the ceiling, and the wall behind the bar was practically wallpapered with various framed images of the Queen. The small room was packed with people. He scanned the faces at the bar counter, and stopped as he noticed Nicole, bent at her waist, leaning forward on the bar top, feet dangling below her, not quite touching the ground. She looked to be in cahoots with the bartender, not just ordering drinks. He liked her. Being around her. He wasn't himself when he was with her, and that was nice, as he wasn't his biggest fan lately. 

"You having fun?" Alex snapped him from his thoughts. 

"Well, let's see. I just lost three games of pool in a row to a nun. A nun with glitter in her beard, a sequin habit, and platform boots. So, yeah, I'm having a great time!" He laughed. "I'm not exactly sure what I thought my day would be like when I woke up this morning, but I know it wasn't this." His head bob back and forth as he spoke. His eyes crinkled and disappeared into small slivers. 

"Dan-Dan's heavy pours help," Alex smiled and nodded toward the bar. 

JC looked back toward the bar and spotted Nicole, still hanging off the edge of the counter in a very serious, but animated conversation with Dan. 

"Does she know everyone?" JC smiled.

"Yeah, her mother never taught her not to talk to strangers." 

Patrick came spinning toward them, carrying a larger binder. Patrick never seemed to walk, he danced or glided from point A to B. Everything had a flourish. "Karaoke Bitches!" He called out and posed with the binder held up near his face for dramatic effect. He started dealing out slips of paper like cards, just as Nicole returned from the bar, hands full, carrying a round of drinks.

"What's that?" She asked, acknowledging Patrick's papers and handing out drinks.

"Karaoke! What are you singing?" He waved a paper at her. 

Nicole laughed, "Nothing! I just want to watch you."

"No. C'mon. We have a good group. Karaoke is only fun when everyone does it." Patrick whined, forcing the paper in Nicole's direction. 

"I'm Down!" Nikki, chimed in and grabbed a paper from Patrick. "Friendly competition?" Nikki raised an eyebrow at Patrick. "Best song selection wins?"

  "Oo, girl, I love a competition. But I have the perfect song, so you will lose." He smiled and turned with a flourish, flipping through the binder of songs. 

"I'm game!" JC pushed off the pool table and took a slip of paper from Patrick.

 Nicole's mouth dropped in surprise. This seemed way too impulsive for someone so serious. "You're going to sing?"

JC Shrugged, "Yeah, why not?" He took another long drink. "I'm not so bad at it, I hear." He laughed at his own joke.

"Isn't that cheating!" Nicole screwed up her face, hands on her hips. 

"Why aren't you doing it is a better question. You scared you can't pick the ultimate Karaoke tune?" JC pinched a new slip of paper between two fingers and waved it in front of Nicole's face. He pulled it away quickly. "You're right, you can't beat me, I'm a professional." He smiled and moved to flip through the binder of songs. 

Nicole grabbed JC by the wrist. "I can, and I will." She smiled and pulled the paper from his grasp. 

***

Another round later and Nicole was feeling fearless. Patrick's friend, Sister Sindy Vine, was finishing an off-key but still entertaining version of Robyn's "Dancing on My Own." JC bobbed his head and mouthed the words. Nicole watched him and laughed slightly, catching his attention. He mouthed "What" and Nicole shook her head in response. He pushed off the pool table and walked the step closer to her. 

He grabbed her arm above her elbow almost forcefully, but still playful. Maybe it was the drinks, but something about his touch sent tingles down her spine and she felt a flush creeping up her face, starting at her neck.

He placed his mouth near her ear.  "Are you laughing at me?" He asked.

She could feel his breath on her cheek and her thoughts began to spiral. Was this happening? Did he want this? She wasn't sure. He sent so many mixed signals.  Did she even want this? Oh, who was she kidding, hell yes, she wanted this. She wasn't sure when, but at some point she crossed the line of desire. She definitely wanted him. She thought she could play it cool, but he had definitely occupied more of her thoughts than she had expected, or even initially wanted. And for some reason, he kept seeking her out. Creeping into her life.  Coming back for more.  And now, with the presence of his warm hand gripping her arm, and his face so close to hers, she was finding it hard to compose herself and control her thoughts. She blinked a few times and forced her mind to rein the spiral in. We're just going to ride this out, see where it goes, she thought. She composed herself and turned to him. Their faces only a few inches apart. 

"Laugh? At you? Never!" She smiled, and he released his grip on her arm. "You having fun? Did I get you too drunk?" she asked.

"Oh honey. I'm not drunk. But..." He paused. He reached up and moved a section of hair behind her ear. He lowered his mouth down to her ear again. Nicole tried to steal herself. Again, turned on by the electricity rolling through her body from the heat of his. "But, you're going down. My song selection is PER-FECT!" 

Nicole released a breath she didn't realize she was holding. Disappointed in the anticlimactic nature of their interaction and still shook by her body's uncontrollable response to him. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, as he resumed his position leaning against the pool table and continued to watch Sister Sindy on the stage. She wasn't sure what was happening to her.  Maybe she had consumed too many drinks. She decided this would be her last, and spent some time telling herself to slow down and nurse this final beverage. She was sure he was flirting with her, but yet she wasn't sure. He commented on her appearance in a bathing suit early in the evening. He had basically told her to take it off. Later, he had entertained Alex's hall pass comment. He kept coming to her. This was not just Platonic. But, he made no real moves to signify otherwise. Maybe she was reading into it. What really shook her, was how much she was wishing he would make a move. 

Her own thought spiral was broken by the cheering in her section. Nikki had been called to the small makeshift karaoke stage only a few feet away from their spot by the pool table.

The group looked on as Nikki took center stage, holding the microphone tightly in her hands. Alex shouted out in support. The crowd quieted down a bit and the music began. Slight cymbal taps, and then Nikki belting out:

"I want you to know...

That I'm happy for you...

I wish nothing but, 

the best for you both..."

The audience was definitely not expecting Nikki's selection of Alanis Morissette, but by the chorus, most of the bar was singing along. Alex and Nicole sang into their beer bottles in support, and Sister Sindy and Patrick would chime in every few words. The song ended to moderate applause, but Alex planted a wet kiss on her wife's lips regardless. 

"An oldie but a goodie!" The Karaoke emcee announced into the microphone. "Just not enough lesbians here tonight to appreciate it. Nicole You're up! Oh, look at that, a Nikki and a Nicole." 

"Good luck mamma," JC squeezed her shoulders a few times in support. "You're gonna need it." Then he gave her a small push toward the microphone. 

Nicole stood on the makeshift stage, head down, kicking at the chords. She looked awkward, but was definitely feeling the liquid courage. The low piano chords began to play, and immediately cheers roared from the crowd. Nicole smiled and looked out at her friends.

Patrick immediately stood up, bounded onto the now covered pool table, and shouted,  "That's my bitch right there!" 

"I just took a DNA test, turns out 

I'm 100% that bitch. Even when I'm crying crazy, 

yeah I got boy problems that the human in me. Bling! Bling! 

Then I solve them that the goddess in me"

As Nicole sang, she took a few steps away from the stage area and walked straight to a small group of very young blonde, moppy haired guys at the bar who were hooting and singing along. She held the mic out for them as well and they all scream-sang along:

"You coulda had a bad bitch. Noncommittal

Help you with your career. Just a little

You're ‘posed to hold me dooooooown"

Nicole twerked awkwardly a few times to the ground

"But you're holding me back

And that's the sooooound 

Of me not calling you back"

The bulk of the bar sang along with the chorus. Everyone else was so loud that it drowned out Nicole's voice. She kept singing into the mic and made an awkward strut to her group of friends stationed at the pool table. She placed her back against Patrick's side, and leaned into him, flicking her hair about with her hands:

"Shampoo press get you out of my hair

Fresh photos with the bomb lighting"

Patrick unfurled and re-furled his fan again and again in the form of applause as he cat-called her while she sang. She worked her way to each of her friends who were still congregated by the pool table. First Nikki, then Alex, finally JC.  She placed her right hand on his upper chest by his left shoulder  

"I put the siiiiiiing in single

Ain't worried ‘bout a riiiiiiing on my finger"

She removed her hand and wiggled her left ring finger in his face. JC smiled and threw his head back in a deep belly laugh. Nicole sidled up beside him, resting her arm on his shoulder, and continued.

"So you can tell you friend, 

Shoot your shot when you see him. 

It's okay he already in my DMs

Why men great ‘till they gotta be great."

She pushed off of him, turned with a flip of her hair, and did an exaggerated dance back to the stage area. 

The song was clearly a hit. The group of young blondes, dressed in various lengths of cut-off jean shorts, joined her on the stage and helped her finish out the song to a roaring applause. Smiling larger than she should, she sauntered back to the group. Patrick again unfurled his fan and began fanning her as she rejoined the group. She flamboyantly flipped her hair back over each shoulder and thanked everyone. JC remained resting against the pool table, trying to appear unimpressed with his arms crossed. 

She walked up to him and pushed two fingers into his chest. "Beat that, buddy." 

"Next to the mic, JC," Announce the emcee. 

JC grabbed her fingers, and gently turned her wrist over. "Watch me" he said with a wink and made his way to the stage. 

"Okay Jay-Cee" Nicole heckled.

His spot at the pool table was taken up by one of the three blondes who sang with her. "Hey girl!" He drawled. "That was fun. So, is your friend JC, like JC, JC?"

Her brows knitted together, confused, and she didn't reply. 

"Like *NSYNC JC?" He clarified. 

She smiled. "No, no, he gets that all the time, though!" she laughed awkwardly. She wasn't sure what the proper response was in this situation. 

Suddenly, digital drums and a low baseline thundered from speakers. Patrick, again, popped up onto the pool table and let out a noise, something between a squeal and a scream. Nicole turned and watched JC  bounce his head to the beat, then do a kind of kick ball change back and forth across the small stage area. He had a swagger about him. Then, very smoothly, he crossed his right leg over his left and did a spin just in time to start the first lyrics:

"Baby when we're grinding, I get so excited

Oooo how I like it, I try but I can't fight it.

Ooo you're dancing real close. Plus it's real, real slow.

You're making it hard for me."

Nicole's mouth dropped slightly. He didn't have a half bad voice. He had a really wonderful voice, actually. He may as well have been a member of Next. 

"Oh that's so JC, JC!" The blonde next to her laughed and poked his elbow into Nicole's side. 

JC also took his act away from the stage. He walked a few paces towards the group, and took Sister Sindy by the hand and pulled her toward him and back toward the stage area. She was committed. She dropped into a low squat and bounced back up. On her second drop she stayed down longer, bobbed her head, open mouthed at his crotch a few times, and then popped back up easily.  

"Yeah boo I like it, No I can't deny it 

But I know you can tell I'm excited"

He pointed the microphone at Sindy and she crooned completely off-key

"Step back you're dancing kind of close

I feel a little poke coming through, On you."

He spun Sindy around and pulled her back against his chest. She towered over him in her platforms shoes. The height difference added to the hysterics. With one arm wrapped around her, he rocked her back and forth and sang

"Now girl I know you felt it, 

Boo you know I can help it. 

You know what I want to do." 

Patrick let out a ridiculous scream and literally fell back onto the pool table. ¨OOOO this whiteboy!" He shouted and laughed. He composed himself and added, "Oooh, chile, He can sing okay, though!" He pushed Nicole's shoulder a few times. 

JC spun Sindy back to face him. Placed a delicate kiss on her hand and then eased his way toward Nicole, who was seated on the pool table, legs dangling. Nicole tried to keep a straight face, but it was hard not to giggle, especially with Patrick's regular intervals of squeeks. JC moved himself within inches of her and did a few body rolls. She knew he could dance and sing, but it seemed like a past life. Nothing about her actual in-person interactions with him would lead her to believe this was in his nature. He didn't move closer, but reached out, grabbed her hands, one at a time,  and placed them around his neck, while he lifted one leg, bent at the knee, and began grinding the air in front of her. Which sent Patrick into a whooping and hollering  tizzy. 

"Baby us dancing so close, ain't a good idea 

‘cuase ima want you now and heeeeere. 

The way that you shake it on me, 

makes me want you,  so bad sex-u-ally."

JC held out the microphone for Nicole to sing the girl's part. When she didn't do it, Patrick pulled it in his direction and took over for her. Still singing, JC stepped back, took Nicole by the hand and pulled her down and away from the pool table. She made a big show about being reluctant to follow and tried hard to keep the blush from rising up her face. She cursed her body for reacting the way it was. He spun her around a few times and danced with her, touching her arms lightly and rolling his body against her while he sang. She smiled and tried her best to ham it up. She bent over, laughing,  and wiggled her butt at him as he sang.

"I like when you shake it like that 

uh uh uh..."

The song wound down, and the room erupted into claps and cheers. JC handed the microphone back to the emcee and wrapped an arm loosely around Nicole's shoulders leading her back to the pool table and their group. 

"I think I'm in the lead! Huh?" JC asked, releasing his hold on Nicole. 

"I don't know, that was good, but Lizzo is a crowd favorite." Nikki defended. "You've got a pretty good voice, Josh."

"Thank you." he bobbed his head back and forth and smiled shyly. 

"I need a cigarette after all that bumping' n grinding."  Nicole laughed.

"Oh! Maybe I should have done that song." JC laughed. 

Nicole grabbed her purse and moved toward the outdoor patio. Before JC could notice her absence, he was cornered by the blonde who had infiltrated the group. He asked JC if he would pose for a selfie, and JC obliged. Alex raised an eyebrow. JC shrugged at her as if in equal disbelief. He looked around for Nicole and Alex pointed behind her to the patio. 

"I'm gonna see if she wants another drink, do you want one?" He asked.

Alex declined and JC worked his way through the crowd to the patio and found Nicole sitting on a bar stool against the wall in the back corner of the patio, getting ready to light the cigarette hanging between her lips and chatting to a barback bussing the drinks from the wrap around ledge along the outdoor space. He walked toward her and immediately she took the cigarette from her mouth and held up her hands.

 "Okay okay, dad, I'm not smoking! Please don't throw this one out." She rummaged in her purse to find the cigarette pack and placed the cigarette back inside. 

"Good Girl." He patted her thigh twice, and left his hand to rest there. "Do you want another drink?" he smiled at her. 

The smile and the warmth from his hand, again, ignited a fire and she felt that same flush begin to work its way up her face. 

"No" she choked out. "No," she recovered and laughed, "I'm done for the night. I'll float away." 

"Yeah I think I am too." He kept his hand on her thigh.

"So, interesting song selection," she smirked and looked down at his hand. 

He took a small step closer. "Yeah, I thought maybe... you'd like it." He noticed her eying his hand, still resting on her thigh. He took a step back,  quickly raised his hand, faked a stretch, and rubbed the back of his neck. Thinking how awkward of a response that was. 

Nicole raised an eyebrow and laughed. "You flirting with me, Josh?" she giggled recalling their early conversations. 

"You want me to be?" He chuckled back and intentionally placed his hand back on her thigh.  

Eyes cast down, she softly replied, "It wouldn't be the worst thing."

His reaction was swift, and it took her slightly off guard. He slid his hand from her thigh to her waist and placed his other hand on the back of her neck, pulling closer. His lips pressed together and moved in to meet her own lips. She turned her head slightly, but not away. Just slight enough that his lips landed on her jaw line rather than her mouth. She let out a soft moan, that sent a rippled through JC. She immediately moved her hands to his hair and pulled him in closer. He took this as a sign that he should keep going and trailed his kisses toward her ear and down her neck to her collar bone. She pulled away from him slightly, looking him in the eye.  She wanted to kiss him back but struggled to commit. She pulled his face back closer to hers and moved her mouth to his ear. "You want to get out of here?" she asked him. 

He pulled back and grabbed her hand. "Yes," he chided himself silently for sounding too eager, but took her hand to help her off of the chair. Fingers locked, he escorted her quickly through the patio, into the bar, and out the exit. Once outside, he stopped and turned back. 

"Should we say goodbye to your friends?" he asked.

"No!" She snapped, and he smiled at her eagerness. "Um, no." She took a quick breath.  "They will figure it out," she said as she pulled him by the hand down the street.