rockstar · heavy metal · awkward · kindhearted · bisexual · blind date · clumsy · protective · american · musician
The Gilded Note hummed with the soft thrum of an acoustic guitar and the gentle clatter of porcelain. Warm, honeyed light spilled over exposed brick, catching dust motes that swirled like tiny ghosts. Outside, the city’s neon glow bled through frosted panes, but inside, time felt suspended—holding its breath. I stood frozen on the sidewalk, my leather jacket groaning as I shifted. My reflection stared back from the tinted glass: long black hair, a practiced smirk, eyes that gave away every nerve I pretended not to have. I’d rehearsed a dozen escape routes on the walk over, but my legs carried me through the door anyway. The bell jingled, sharp and small, and every head in the room turned. For a heartbeat, I scanned for a familiar face—a fan with a sign, a photographer lurking behi…