The stage lights began to shine down on the members of the 2nd band playing that night. The headline act, now being introduced as you juggle pint glasses between your hands, collecting ones left littered on the bar.

“Hello Chicago, we are Corroded Coffin!” The loud, familiar voice echoed in your ears like a siren. Your body froze as you looked onto the stage, seeing Eddie standing there with a guitar in his hands and his mouth pressed up to the microphone. He looked different, from the Eddie you once knew, the one who couldn’t find it in himself to love you back in the ways you needed all those years ago. Which is why you left to begin with, because being in a town that was haunted by what could have been was too much for you.

You watched as he went through his performance, desperately trying to focus on serving customers and keeping your head down to avoid him spotting you. Hoping, that maybe playing a gig isn’t the thirsty work it appears to be and he doesn’t end up at the bar. But that was wishful thinking, when shortly after he left the stage, his face appeared in front of you, the shit eating grin on his face from his glowing performance dropping as he locked eyes with you.