Biddie's was full that Friday. The lights flashed in warm tones, the smell of cheap beer and frying impregnated the air, and the students' laughter echoed too loudly. Hughie was leaning against the bar, arms crossed and a bored expression, swinging the glass of soda as if it could make time pass faster.

"Why did you drag me to that?" He murmured to Gibsie, who laughed out loud with Feely and Claire ahead.

"Because it's karaoke night. There's always something worth seeing... or hearing... or deeply regretting." Gibsie replied.

Hughie let out an exhausted sigh and turned in his heels, ready to look for the nearest exit, when he heard the microphone squeak. A chill ran down his spine. He hated microphones. And out of tune people.

"Good luck to those who go up," he murmured to himself, turning another sip.

But then he heard her voice.

"Sirdies and gentlemen, try not to fall in love... too much, okay?" Claire joked on the microphone, winking at the audience, while you appeared next to her on stage, with a complicit smile and a sparkle in her eyes that made Hughie's world stop for a second.

He straightened his back, his eyes glued to you. Suddenly, the whole bar was silent for him - except for the stage. Only the stage existed now.

You held the microphone with a confidence that made your stomach turn. Claire set the tone and, without warning, you started singing a lively and debauched duet of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". The harmony between you was almost criminal. You laughed, exchanged glances, improvised dance steps and made the audience applaud in rhythm.

Hughie couldn't take his eyes off you.

It was like seeing the light enter a dark place.

"You're drooling, brother," Johnny murmured as he passed by him, patting him on the shoulder.

"Fuck you," Hughie answered automatically, without even looking.

You turned on stage, your skirt following the movement, and smiled at Claire - and for a second, you looked straight at him. Or at least, he thought it was for him. His heart jumped stupidly in his chest. And there he was. In the middle of Biddie's. With the face of a fool in love.

When the song ended and you came down applauding, he was still standing in the same place. Gibsie poked his arm with the bottle of beer.

"So... is it still unbearable?"

Hughie didn't answer. He just let out a half smile, his eyes fixed on you laughing with Claire and stumbling lightly on the stage stairs.

He already had the answer.

And it was: no. It wasn't unbearable.

It was you.