Chapter 28: The Karaoke Disaster
The private karaoke room at SingStar Lounge was a sensory overload. Neon lights blinked erratically, throwing the room into a disorienting mix of purples, blues, and greens. A half-functional disco ball spun lazily from the ceiling, casting fragmented reflections onto the group of Ava’s clients—who, fueled by alcohol and a misguided sense of confidence, had decided that their rendition of Shallow from A Star Is Born was the perfect way to showcase their "bond."
Harper, holding the microphone like it was a magic wand, belted out the lyrics with so much conviction that Ava almost admired her bravery. Dan, her fiancé, leaned into the chorus with gusto but absolutely no sense of pitch. Together, they sounded like a duet between a dying cat and a car alarm.
Ava grimaced as the microphone crackled with feedback. She clutched her soda like it was a flotation device in a sea of chaos. "How did I let this happen?" she muttered to no one in particular.
Kelly, sprawled across the plush couch with a margarita in hand, didn’t even bother looking up. "It was your idea."
"No, it wasn’t," Ava snapped. "It was my idea to celebrate Harper and Dan’s successful match. Quietly. At a nice restaurant. With wine and polite conversation. Not this!"
Kelly sipped her drink and shrugged. "Well, that’s on you. You work with extroverts. They see a microphone, and it’s game over."
Ava sank further into her seat, glaring at the blinking karaoke screen that kept taunting her with its cheerful Your Turn! messages. The smell of stale popcorn and beer filled the air, mixing unpleasantly with the artificial lemon scent of a cleaning spray that clearly wasn’t doing its job.
Across the room, Ryan lounged at a table with his signature mix of smugness and charm, a beer in one hand and a plate of chicken wings in the other. He looked far too comfortable for someone surrounded by this level of chaos.
Their eyes met, and, of course, he smirked.
"You know what this night’s missing?" Ryan said, strolling over and plopping down next to her with the kind of casual confidence that made Ava want to smack the beer out of his hand.
"An exit strategy?" Ava deadpanned, taking a sip of her soda.