Chapter Text
The music quickly chimed in. A light flouncy electronic beat.
Tanner swayed along with it, a smile pulled his perfect mouth in two.
Quickly pushing his hair back into place he began to croon low into the microphone.
“The day started ordinary, girls walkin’ by,”
The background characters hummed after his words.
He watched his friends and his rivals dance in the crowd. Each twirling a partner in their arms. The girls looked radiant and sparkling in their leather and swimsuits. The boys held them close before pushing them away and pulling them back with a flourish.
“It was the same old story: too fresh or too shy.”
More humming followed, deep sultry voices that complemented his own. After his next verse, a few gals would hum along to add a nice harmony.
The words he had sung and heard before he sang a million times seemed to draw something out of him. It really was the same old story.
“I’m not the kind who would fall for a gal, who flashes a smile.”
How many times had he sung this song? They had changed it so that Lela was the lead of the story and he sang this song. He didn’t mind at all, don’t get him wrong! But… something really was missing from this.
“ It goes on for miles, ” the background singers smiled through their words.
Tanner felt his own slipping…
What was he doing?
Oh right! He was singing about Lela! He could see her making her way past the jukebox onto the stage. That’s when she would save him from falling off the stage by grabbing his shirt and they would fall in love! And then the empty feeling he always felt would go away! Perfect as always!
“Don’t usually swoon, but I’m over the moon!”
The song continued as it always did now.
Tanner sang into his mic, swaying with the music, as he tried to ignore his only purpose for being alive making her way over.
After a little longer he'll feel normal again!
Just a little longer!
A… little longer!
A little longer?
Goodness, this song really went on for a while.
Wait! Here it is! It’s the part where he twirls and trips on the… yup!
Tanner closed his eyes but quickly opened them when he realized he was still falling.
He was going to hit the floor? W-Why didn’t Lela grab him?
He moved his hands to cover his eyes, waiting for the impact.
But it never came?
He peaked between his fingers and met the deep rich eyes of one of the bikers. He flashed a smile before he let Tanner’s feet touch the ground, not letting go of him.
“Careful toots, wouldn’t wanna ruin your all show and no go kinda look, eh?”
Tanner stared at him, this wasn’t supposed to happen.
Everyone in the room seemed to agree and crowded the two of them.
Tanner felt sick, he frantically looked around and saw their eyes all on the two of them.
“Kiss off the hunk Butchy,” Lela strolled in front of the two of them.
The crowd stayed close, pushing everyone into each other yet leaving room for the three of them.
“The hunk?” Butchy looked around at everyone else before his eyes landed on Tanner who was still in his arms. His gaze softened somewhat before it returned to it's impassive state.
“Ohhhh, you mean dove here. Yeah go on and take him… Sorry, I’s didn’t means to get in your way.”
He let go of Tanner and gently pushed him towards Lela. The crowd moved out of the way as he walked by and grabbed his leather vest off of one of the chairs.
“Where are you going? You’re still here for this part!” Cheechee hounded his side, her beehive moving frantically along with her.
“I’m going out, alright. Leave me be Cheech,” he announced loudly as he walked out of the doors.
CheeChee joined the crowd again looking defeated and a slight bit hurt.
“Well that was… weird.” Lela mumbled before turning her attention back to Tanner as though nothing happened.
“Hit it!” She pointed to the jukebox as the song hummed back to life from where they had left off.
Stepping into Tanner’s space and putting her hand on his shoulder.
He looked over her rosy features and dark hair. Her pink leather jacket looked as it always did, but… he couldn’t do this.
“I-I need to go,” he muttered instead of singing as he backed away from her and ran out the front door of Big Momma’s.