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Carlos Reyes would never be one to call himself boring.
Sure, he enjoyed a good round of darts or a game of pool.
And he wasn’t one to turn down game night or a good book.
But that didn’t make him boring, did it?
“Come on man, karaoke will be fun.” Judd’s accent wasn’t helping his case any and Carlos knew damn good and well that karaoke with these fools would be anything but fun.
“I’m good, man, really.” He gave Michelle props for always being willing to get up and sing, be it karaoke or open mic night or even just for the hell of it, but it had never been his thing.
“Carlos, you have to come.” Marjan wasn’t going to win this battle, there was no way.
“Yeah, Los, come on.” Michelle piping in wasn’t helping, because lord knows he couldn’t say ‘no’ to his best friend. “You don’t have to sing…”
“Oh hell no.” Stop it Judd, just stop. “He comes, he sings. That was the rule.”
“Then I’m not going.” He wouldn’t be caught dead up on that stage. “I don’t sing.”
“I’ve heard you in the shower…” Oh Owen could go die right now. “He’s lying. He’s got a beautiful voice.”
“Alright, well you’re father-in-law just ratted your ass out and now you have to come.” Judd was practically pulling him from his chair and he huffed. “Grace and Tommy are meeting us there because for once on God’s green Earth we got a babysitter to watch all four girls and we ain’t turning this down.”
“I hate you.” He whispered to Judd, watching as Michelle giggled, her arm looping through Owen’s as they followed behind them. “I hate all of you.”
--
But hating his so-called friends hadn’t gotten him out of karaoke night and now he was squished between Marjan and Owen in a corner booth, his eyes scanning the crowd for TK, praying that he would be there to rescue him.
TK wouldn’t make him go up and sing, he would understand.
Or at least, that’s what Carlos had thought, until the DJ announced the next group to sing and TK, Grace, and Nancy stumbled onto the stage, laughing at each other as they waited for their song to come on.
When Dancing Queen came on he heard Owen snort beside him before tipping his beer bottle in Michelle’s direction.
“Good choice.” Oh wait, no, the others were picking their songs for them.
That was not an acceptable option.
“It was actually Judd’s idea.” Judd nodded in agreement, taking a sip from his drink as he winked at Grace, watching as she giggled into TK’s shoulder before they started singing along.
Carlos was embarrassed for them, much less for himself.
“You have to do at least one song, Los, please.” He shook his head ‘no’ as he glared at Michelle. “Come on, I’ll go with you.”
“How is that supposed to make me feel better?” Michelle was a pro at this, and she also didn’t care if she made an ass of herself.
She was the last person he wanted to sing karaoke with.
“Look, Los, even Cap’s gonna go.” That also wasn’t helpful, because, once again, Owen Strand was used to making a fool of himself.
“We’ll let you pick your own song.” No, Tommy, no, don’t encourage them. “We don’t break that rule for anyone else.”
“Come on man, it’s fun.” Paul offered him a smile and he fixed him with a gaze.
This was the exact opposite of what Carlos Reyes deemed fun.
“I’m not singing guys.” He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his seat, watching as they all let out collective sighs.
He wasn’t changing his mind on this one.
Not now, not ever.
--
Except, after watching his friends sing and dance and make complete fools of themselves for the next two hours, he almost wanted to give it a try.
“Oh my God, look, they have ‘Build Me Up Buttercup’ in the book.” TK’s excitement was written all over his face and Carlos couldn’t remember a time when he loved the man more. “Come on babe, sing it with me, pleeeasse.”
There was the whiny voice and the puppy dog eyes and dammit Carlos hated him so fuking much.
But he had also watched as TK had spent the entire night carefree and loose and just enjoying himself, and it had been so long since he had seen that in him.
Hell, it had been so long since he had seen that in any of them.
The last year had been hard on them all and he knew that this was just what they had all needed.
“Fine.” He whispered, watching as half a dozen sets of eyes fell on him, Michelle’s mouth curling upward as Grace’s fell open. “I’ll sing. On one condition.”
“Name it.” He knew that he couldn’t trust a soul, but he was going to say it anyway.
“Anyone puts this on Instagram and they’re dead.” Marjan cackled as she rose from her spot, reaching out and taking his hand as she pulled him up.
“We can’t put it on Insta if we’re all singing together.” There was a collective agreement amongst the others, and then Judd was up front telling the DJ what they wanted.
“You won’t regret this, I promise.” Michelle squeezed his shoulder as TK took his hand and beamed back at him.
“It’ll be fun, just watch.” And just like that he found himself being dragged onto the stage, his eyes taking in the crowd before them.
But the song started before his nerves could get the best of him, and then, just like that, he was singing along with the others and having the time of his life.
It was funny how watching people the you love, do the things that they love, could make someone so happy.
And who knew he’d get a new hobby out of it too.