Chapter 11
Reggie was in his corner, as usual, though this time he carefully made sure to pace his drinking for once. He was admiring his boyfriend, on stage, at present. James was just as energetic as usual, and his voice was starting to sound breathless.
"Something's going on. Potter's already four songs into his set, and you're still on your first drink," Evan observed, having appeared out of nowhere next to Reggie.
"I always feel like shit the day after a party. Shouldn't I try not to make the same mistake again?" Reggie asked, rhetorically, and hid a growing smile behind his cup as he took another drink.
"You never think ahead like that. It can't be anything bad, you would be drinking more, not less," Evan reasoned, while studying what he could see of his friend's face.
Reggie forced the smile off his face as he dropped the cup again, and gave Evan a look of exasperation. Evan narrowed his eyes, and Reggie found it a bit harder to keep a straight face under the scrutiny. He managed, though, until Evan tilted his head slightly, and a grin broke over Reggie's face. Evan had a triumphant look on his face as he quietly exclaimed, "I knew it! What's going on?"
"That is none of your business, Evan," Reggie responded, making sure not to look at the stage.
Evan looked at him for several more seconds before leaning against the wall next to him, and saying, "I'm staying here until you tell me."
"Don't hold your breath," Reggie returned, looking back up at the stage, and his boyfriend.
"One: Don't pick up the phone
You know he's only callin' 'cause he's drunk and alone
Two: Don't let him in
You'll have to kick him out again
Three: Don't be his friend
You know you're gonna wake up in his bed in the morning
And if you're under him, you ain't gettin' over him"
Reggie found it amusing, but Evan asked, "Why is Potter doing so many breakup songs?"
"I don't know," Reggie replied, honestly. Evan looked concerned still, and Reggie added, "We obviously didn't break up, if that's what you're thinking."
"The thought crossed my mind, but you seem far too happy for that to be possible."
Reggie grinned again and continued watching his boyfriend. Said boyfriend looked like he was regretting many of his life choices as he checked what song was playing next. Reggie heard the music start and chuckled.
"Do you know the song?" Evan whispered, confused.
"I've heard it," Reggie replied, and watched James start singing.
"Let's have some fun, this beat is sick
I wanna take a ride on your disco stick
Let's have some fun, this beat is sick
I wanna take a ride on your disco stick"
Evan's jaw dropped slightly, and Reggie just quietly laughed again. While waiting for the next part that he had to sing, James tilted his head back, and spoke into his microphone, "Why did I put this on the set list?" Pretty much everyone laughed a little. As per usual, though, despite his embarrassment he still put in the same amount of effort. He sang songs like that in every show, because he liked the fact that it broke tension when everyone laughed.
"I wanna kiss you
But if I do, then I might miss you, babe
It's complicated and stupid
Got my ass squeezed by sexy Cupid
Guess he wants to play, wants to play
A Love Game, a Love Game"
James glanced over at Reggie before singing the next part.
"Hold me and love me
Just wanna touch you for a minute
Maybe three seconds is enough for my heart to quit it
Let's have some fun, this beat is sick
I wanna take a ride on your disco stick
Don't think too much, just bust that kick
I wanna take a ride on your disco stick
Let's play a Love Game, play a Love Game
Do you want love, or you want fame?
Are you in the game?
Down the Love Game
Let's play a Love Game, play a Love Game
Do you want love, or you want fame?
Are you in the game?
Down the Love Game
I'm on a mission
And it involves some heavy touching, yeah
You've indicated your interest
I'm educated in sex, yes
And now I want it bad, want it bad
A Love Game, a Love Game
Hold me and love me
Just wanna touch you for a minute
Maybe three seconds is enough for my heart to quit it
Let's have some fun, this beat is sick
I wanna take a ride on your disco stick
Don't think too much, just bust that kick
I wanna take a ride on your disco stick
Let's play a Love Game, play a Love Game
Do you want love, or you want fame?
Are you in the game?
Down the Love Game
Let's play a Love Game, play a Love Game
Do you want love, or you want fame?
Are you in the game?
Down the Love Game
I can see you staring there from across the block
With a smile on your mouth, and your hand on your huh!
The story of us, it always starts the same
With a boy, and a boy, and a huh, and a game
And a game, and a game, and a game
A Love Game
..."
After the song was finished, Reggie threw out his empty cup and walked to the crowd. "You're going into a crowd? Are you feeling alright, Reg?" Evan asked, half-joking.
Reggie just nodded and walked towards the middle, where he'd be mostly ignored. Evan followed him, but found Barty on the way, and hung back with him.
"I've been hanging out with Stacy
Everybody thinks we're dating
'Cause I spend my weekends hanging at her house
She's a part of the cheer team
Top of her class and she's prom queen
When we study chemistry
She unbuttons her blouse
But I got a secret I must confess
It's not her laugh or the way she's dressed
She's not the reason
I've been thinking 'bout love
Every weekend when we hangout
I lose my cool when he's around
And I don't know if this is just a crush
How do I find
The words to tell her?
I'm in love with Stacy's brother
I'm gonna stay the night at Stacy's
Don't know why my heart's been racin'
'Cause the whole school thinks we're gonna hit first base
She's coming back from her cheer meet
Told me to study for biology
'Cause she wants to show me
How to get an A
But I got a secret I must admit
It's not her lips I want to kiss"
James blew a kiss to Reggie, but it just looked like it was just into the crowd. Which was fine, the next song was the one they were actually coming out with.
"She's not the reason for
The bruises 'round my neck"
His collar was already unbuttoned, which just barely showed the marks that Reggie had left, but it was clear by the quiet gasps (and, to Reggie's irritation, whistles), that people were paying a lot more attention, after that.
"Every weekend I'm sneaking out
Through the window of her house
And the truth is
It ain't Stacy I undressed
How do I find
The words to tell her?
I hooked up with Stacy's brother
Stacy, here's the truth
And I don't want to seem rude
You're not the only one on my mind
I wanna be best friends
But I don't want to pretend
The way that I've behaved is a crime
Oh, Stacy, I got to tell ya
I'm in love with your big brother"
Reggie started very slowly making his way to the front of the crowd, so he would be close enough to get onto the stage quickly. James introduced the song with, "I wanted to address some rumors that I've heard..."
"Welcome to the city of lies
Where everything's got a price
It's gonna be your new favorite place
You can be a movie star
And get everything you want
Just put some plastic on your face
This place is a circus, you just see the surface
They cover shit under the rug
You can't see they're faking, they'll never be naked
Just fill your drink with tonic gin, this is the American dream, so
Sip the gossip, drink 'til you choke
Sip the gossip, burn down your throat
You're not iconic, you are just like them all
Don't act like you don't know, so
Sip the gossip, drink 'til you choke
Sip the gossip, burn down your throat
You're not iconic, you are just like them all
Don't act like you don't know
Keep drinking and acting cool
Don't care if your day is blue
Nobody loves a gloomy face, just
Take your pills and dance all night
Don't think at all, that's the advice
So c'mon, let's try, it's just a taste
This place is a circus, you just see the surface
They cover shit under the rug
You can't see they're faking, they'll never be naked
Just fill your drink with tonic gin, this is the American dream, so"
Reggie took the mic out of his pocket, and held it at his side as he got up onto the stage. James grinned and started,
"Sip the gossip, drink 'til you-"
Reggie took the front of James' shirt tightly in his hand, twisting it a little, and James cut himself off for him to continue,
"choke
Sip the gossip, burn down your throat"
James could never understand why Reggie didn't sing more. Reggie loosened his hold on his boyfriend's shirt, and they sang the next two lines together.
"You're not iconic, you are just like them all
Don't act like you don't know, so"
James, again, did the first bit solo,
"Sip the gossip, drink 'til you-"
Reggie went a little further, taking hold of his boyfriend's collar instead, and twisting it a bit as well.
"choke
Sip the gossip, burn down your throat"
"You're not iconic, you are just like them all
Don't act like you don't know"
"So sip the gossip, drink 'til you-"
Reggie's hand gently wrapped around James' throat, and he looked out over the shocked crowd, and projected his voice a bit more as he sang,
"choke
Sip the gossip, burn down your throat"
Reggie's hand loosened, but it didn't move, when the finished the song.
"You're not iconic, you are just like them all
Don't act like you don't know-oh"
Reggie dropped his hand and turned off his mic, and right before James did, he said, "In case anyone is still confused, yes, we are dating." He took the mic from Reggie, and softly tossed them both to the person in charge of the music.
They walked out to the balcony together, and James was grinning.