Page 22 of Street of Dreams
The Structure was a huge club located near the University of Illinois on the West Side of Chicago. Mac had only been there once before, but The Structure was well known as the go-to place for a good time. It had two floors and four bars. During the week, giant flat screens broadcasted a variety of sporting events, and two-for-one drink specials enticed the college students living on the nearby campus. On the weekends, live music and ladies’ night drew a crowd that packed the place.
When Mac arrived for his show, an entertainment coordinator escorted him to a private dressing room. As if that wasn’t enough to shock the hell out of him, he found out that he was getting paid a flat rate of two hundred dollars for tonight’s show. With his guitar case still in his hand, he turned in a semi-circle to take in the dressing room. It was really just a small room with a couch and table with a coffee machine and a pitcher of ice water, but it was enough to make him wear an excited open-mouthed smile. He called Skylar right away. “I have a dressing room! Where are you?”
“I’m here. I’m heading backstage now.”
He opened the door and looked down the corridor with the phone to his ear. A few seconds later, she appeared, and he waved to her. “Hurry up. You gotta see this.” He ushered her into the room and fanned his hand in front of him as if he were showing her a five-star hotel room. “Isn’t this amazing?”
She wasn’t as enthusiastic about it as Mac, but she was happy that he was happy and looped her arm through his. “You’re first dressing room. How exciting!”
“I can’t believe you got me this gig. I owe you.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re my best friend, Mac. You needed help. I gave it to you. I’ll do whatever I can to get things rolling for you, because I really believe you have a career in music. Did you see the stage? It’s huge.”
He didn’t realize how big the stage was until he set foot on it. There were a few amps behind him and huge speakers that normally broadcasted a full band. But it was just Mac, by himself, and he felt like a dot in the middle of the big open area.
There wasn’t an introduction, and he wondered if he should say something. It looked as if there were only about twenty-five people on the floor in front of him. Some faced in his direction, waiting for the show to start, and others were engaged in conversation, but most of the people in the place were at the bar. He decided that he was just going to jump into a song, one that would both showcase his voice and get everyone’s blood pumping. The set list was taped to the floor and he scanned it, looking for the right one. He smiled as soon as his eyes fell on Nothing More’sGo To War. It started acapella, but the chorus was hardcore and fueled with adrenaline.
Heads turned in his direction as soon as he started to sing, until most everyone was looking at him. A good portion of the crowd moved from the bar to the front of the stage, so he was playing to a full audience. People sang along with the lyrics and pumped their fists in the air to punctuate the title line of the song.
Without pause, he went right intoPopular Monsterby Falling In Reverse, thenMannequin Idolby Ded. Now that he had the attention of the crowd, he finally addressed them. “Thank you! This next song is one of my originals and my favorite. Listen to the words because it’s going to resonate with a lot of you. If you’re not familiar with the area, enjoy a glimpse of South Side.” After he sang the first two versus ofStreet of Dreams, faces lit up as they recognized that he was singing about the iconic street. Some even showed their support by shouting South Side’s area code. By the end of the song, people sang the chorus along with him. Never had he felt so alive. So uplifted. So connected with a crowd.
The second half of his set was an equal amount of covers and originals, but he ended with Highly Suspect’sChicago,which made the crowd go wild. He raised his fist in the air. “Thank you! This has been my first time playing The Structure, but I sure hope it’s not my last! If you want to see me here again, let’s hear it!” The cheers he received almost knocked him off his feet. People were clapping and shouting. Whistles pierced the air and cups were raised in salute. In the middle of it all, he saw Skylar with her new boyfriend, cheering and shouting louder than anyone. Mac stood there and surveyed the crowd, almost in shock at the reception he received. He scanned the faces below, all showing appreciation for his music and his talent. They enjoyed his performance. He was responsible for their good time, and it was the best feeling in the world.
Mac woke early, too consumed with energy to sleep more than a few hours. The high from last night’s show still filled his head with a euphoric high. It gave him a tiny glimpse of what fame could be like. As he stared up at the ceiling, fingers laced behind his head, he thought about his future and the day he was able to leave this town and embark on a full-time music career. Some people might call it wishful thinking or say that he was delusional, but the stage called to him, and he knew that it was his destiny to share his songs with the world.
Too excited to lie in bed, he went for a run, then spent the afternoon with Skylar rehashing the highlights of last night’s show and going over the upcoming gigs she had lined up. He still couldn’t believe she set the wheels in motion to his music career and wondered why he didn’t take it more seriously in the past.
After he left Skylar’s apartment, he passed by the pool hall. It was a neighborhood dive with a shitty bar, but it was a cool place since no one ever got carded. As long as you paid in cash and didn’t throw punches inside the place, a year or two shy of 21 didn’t matter.
Mac brought a Guinness to his lips, relishing in the bitter taste as it coated his throat. Not many people appreciated a dark ale, but he loved it. He acknowledged a few people with the nod of his head as he made his way over to a table.
Halfway through his first game of pool, he heard Jake’s voice and froze mid shot. Still bent over the table with his hand on the green felt and the cue stick between his fingers, he smiled as he listened to the familiar snarky voice. It was equal parts sexy and arrogant.
Pretending to line up a shot, Mac waited. He wondered if Jake had followed him to the pool hall or stopped in to look for him. He just wished he knew how to act in public. Jake was the one calling the shots, and although Mac wasn’t the type of guy to be at someone’s disposal, he would be complacent for the time being because he understood.
Mac listened more intently and waited for the twins to join in the banter, but never heard their voices. The Kings traveled in a pack, so this was out of character. He hit the six ball into the corner pocket with a loudthwackto draw attention, forcing Jake to acknowledge his presence. As he eyed his next move, a fifty-dollar bill appeared on the edge of the pool table. A smile spread across Mac’s face, but he didn’t look up.
“Fifty bucks on the next game,” Jake said.
Mac’s heartrate quickened and his hands got jittery, but he acted unfazed and chalked the end of his stick without looking in Jake’s direction. “Not interested.”
A small smile curled the corners of Jake’s mouth. “Liar.”
Part of Mac wished they didn’t have to play this little game of pretending they were enemies, but it held an erotic allure. And he couldn’t deny that every part of him was tingling with excitement by this man’s attitude. He straightened up, looked Jake dead in the eyes and said, “You’re on.”
The connection was immediate. So much emotion passed through Jake’s eyes as he dipped his head in a single nod. It conveyed that he felt the same surge of sexual energy and attraction that Mac felt. Their gaze remained locked on each other for several seconds as they stared at one another, until Mac swallowed from the sheer adrenaline that coursed through his chest, and Jake’s eyes turned hard again.
“You better be able to cover that fifty,” Jake quipped, then turned away to grab a pool cue.
Mac chuckled softly under his breath and racked the balls to start a new game. He tossed the triangle aside and bent down to make the break, but Jake’s cue stick landed across the table and stopped him.
“I’m breaking,” Jake announced, and hip checked Mac out of the way.
“Fucking asshole.”
Jake glanced up at Mac with a crooked smile, but Mac scowled back. This guy loved to get a reaction out of him, and it worked every time.
The break scattered balls all over the table with an impressive crack.Jake called the two ball in the side pocket, made the shot, and gloated with an egotistical chuckle as he rounded the table. He sunk three additional balls before it was Mac’s turn.
