Lower Floor

Chapter 5

AMANDA

There were many things I regretted in my life: being too picky when it came to dating someone, not being able to function without a good cup of coffee, leaving everything to the last minute, hiding when something bothered me... Well, the list was extensive.

However, I was sure I would never regret anything more in my life than what I was about to do; I must have been crazy to let Joshua convince me to come here.

I looked at the sign of the pub where they had printed the name in golden letters: Shamrock, it was an Irish bar we used to come to when we had free time.

I understood that the owner was a friend of one of the guys in the band, although I couldn't quite remember which one exactly, I could hear the lively music and laughter of the other guests from there.

I checked my outfit for the fifth time that night to make sure I looked good enough; if I ran into my ex, I didn't want to give the impression that I had stagnated since we broke up.

I was wearing straight-cut khaki pants that reached my waist along with a black halter top tied around my neck and white sneakers. I also had a brown tweed blazer. My hair was in a low bun, and I had attempted to cover my dark circles with concealer, which didn't work. I wasn't a hundred percent sure I was radiating a confident and unattainable vibe.

I didn't even understand why I was wasting my time on these trivialities; I had never been the kind of girl who cared about proving something to others, mainly because there was no one to prove anything to.

I would be turning 28 in a couple of months, for God's sake! I had to start behaving like an adult no matter how much I hated this part of my life because, yes, adulthood sucks, don't let American TV shows fool you.

I started sweating as if I were inside an oven at 250 degrees, I turned around ready to leave, but Joshua's hand held me by the elbow, preventing me from doing so.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Isn't it obvious?" He looked confused, which made me sigh. "Home, I'm sorry, but I can't handle this." I affirmed, crossing my arms over my body to protect myself.

Joshua stood there for a few minutes, just staring at me, not saying a word. The silence was driving me crazy, and I started tapping the floor with the tip of my shoe.

"Stop biting your lip, you'll hurt yourself," he ordered, furrowing his brow, but then he relaxed. "Come here," he said, sliding a hand over my shoulders. When he spoke, it was in such a low voice that I had to tiptoe to hear him. "I know it's hard for you to see her again, but you have to do it for yourself, not for her. Show yourself that despite everything, you continued without her presence, that she didn't break you when she left." He held me closer in a hug. "If in an hour you still want to leave, I'll gladly take you home."

I nodded, and we walked to the entrance, but before opening the door, Joshua pulled my arm again. I looked at him confused. Didn't he want to go inside already? Maybe he started seeing things the way I did, and he realized that all of this was absolute madness. My hopes died when I saw him approach the door and open it, giving me a crooked smile.

"Remember that I'll always have your back," he whispered as I passed by his side. I smiled and both of us entered the bar.

I had to admit that Katherine knew how to throw a party, and she seemed to know a lot more people than I expected. There were at least a hundred people inside, the place was packed, and from what I saw when we arrived, there was still a long line of people outside waiting to get in.

Joshua and I moved through the crowd, my friend holding my hand to prevent me from getting lost in the chaos. The music played softly through the speakers, allowing everyone to converse without having to shout to be heard. Waiters moved back and forth carrying pitchers of beer and some food plates.

I even thought I saw one of the fireplaces lit, creating a cozy atmosphere. The decoration was a mix of rugged and vintage; on one hand, it looked like a hunting cabin (without animal heads hanging on the walls), and on the other, it resembled a 90s café with retro phones and a color palette of browns, beige, and whites. I loved it.

There was a stage in the center of the room, and the band's instruments were already there. It took us a while to find Katherine; we wanted to see her before she went on stage, but we finally found her at a table in the back, chatting with some friends.

We approached stealthily to surprise her, and we made her jump in fright. Joshua burst into laughter, which I imitated, though I covered my mouth with my hand when I noticed Kat's unfriendly look.

"Grow up!" She yelled angrily, but then she managed to put on a smile and got up from her chair to give me a hug and greet Joshua with a kiss on the cheek.

Those two had had an on-again, off-again relationship over the past year; everyone around them knew they were dating, but they insisted they were just friends. However, from what Joshua had told me, they were in a constant back and forth, and that's probably why they hadn't confirmed anything. He said it wasn't that serious, but the tears I had shed on my pillow the last time they argued told me otherwise.

The group opened up to make room for both of us, and after the appropriate greetings, we stayed chatting about trivial things. I felt comfortable immediately because everyone was very friendly.

My Achilles' heel had not yet arrived, so I allowed myself to relax.

"Camilo!" I turned my head to look at Kat, who jumped from her seat, running into the arms of a blond man who had just arrived. I looked at Joshua for a response because he was a total stranger to me.

"You'll see." He articulated with his lips.

"Friends, I want to introduce you to my older brother, Camilo Pascualli," she said, giving the man a slight push to join the rest.

"Pleased to meet you," he replied in greeting. He smiled charmingly, allowing us to see a row of perfectly aligned white teeth. We all returned the greeting politely.

I saw Katherine nod, satisfied with how we were including her brother, and then she furrowed her brow, turning her head from side to side, looking for someone.

"Where is she? I thought we had convinced her to come," she said, looking at her brother with a worried expression.

"Don't worry, she came with me, she just went to get a drink. In her exact words: To endure this attempt at music," Camilo said, laughing.

The night went on, and it was soon time for Kat to perform with the rest of the band. We moved to the front of the stage; the pub was already completely full, and we could barely advance without stepping on someone, as everyone had a beer in hand, making it even more difficult.

The lights

dimmed, and a spotlight illuminated the band members, who were greeted with enthusiastic applause, which they responded to with smiles and waves. They took their positions, and Kat still looked nervous, scanning the audience to find someone. Suddenly, her eyes focused on a spot behind me, and her expression softened.

I turned around to see who could elicit such concern from my friend, and it was easy because we were packed like sardines.

I almost dropped my drink, my eyes widened. It was definitely not my day. A woman with short hair approached our group, hanging on Camilo's neck and giving him a kiss on the cheek. Like the rest of us, she had a drink in her hand, although hers seemed to be whiskey.

The blonde put an arm around her waist, and he had a mischievous smile on his lips as they engaged in conversation. I leaned in a bit to listen.

And yes, I'm aware that eavesdropping on other people's conversations is rude, but I also have high levels of curiosity. I've gotten into trouble before; I never learn.

"How good you made it, sister! Kat was starting to think you stood her up," Camilo said, shaking his head, as if the mere idea was inconceivable to him.

So, her neighbor, Emiliana Baseli, was the famous sister of the Pascualli brothers; the world could indeed be a very, very small place. There didn't seem to be any biological resemblance between them, physically. I was surprised by the camaraderie with which they treated each other; they must have known each other for a long time.

Emiliana opened her mouth to respond, but at that moment, the first chords of the song began to play, and she couldn't speak. I decided I had heard enough and moved forward, taking advantage of the fact that they hadn't noticed my presence yet.

I looked at the stage and furrowed my brow, not seeing my ex anywhere. Not that I wanted to, but it surprised me that he wasn't playing with the band. Did they kick him out, or did he leave on his own? Instead, there was a dark-skinned guy with dreadlocks all over his hair.

I wanted to continue my obsessive investigation when Katherine leaned over the microphone and started singing. The lyrics to "It's My Life" by Bon Jovi filled the room. It was as if a wave of pleasure washed over the bar, with silence and music complementing each other. I always knew my friend was talented, but at that moment, singing that cover, her voice seemed to drift freely, reaching into every soul present.

After the initial shock, we started singing along with the lyrics, encouraging the band to continue. At some point, we took out our phones, pointing our flashlights toward the center, and for a moment, I forgot why I didn't want to come in the first place.

I felt like I was suspended in time, as if there was no continuity other than the present, and deep down, I knew I would never again be part of an experience like this in my life.

When they reached the chorus, we were all jumping to the song's rhythm. I could feel the alcohol starting to take effect on my system, and I took Joshua's hand to join the excitement.

"Are you having fun?" Joshua shouted to make himself heard above the noise.

I nodded, as I couldn't articulate a single word; I was in some kind of trance, like what drug addicts must feel when they're on a trip.

The song ended faster than I would have liked, and the audience (including me) erupted in applause and words of encouragement for the guys. Kat leaned over the microphone again, but this time to give us a brief thank-you speech.

She looked radiant, with sweat sticking her hair to her face and rosy cheeks from the effort, with a smile from ear to ear.

A feeling of pride washed over me as I saw her up there, so beautiful and confident in what she was doing. She turned her gaze toward me, and I took the opportunity to blow her a kiss.

"Thank you all so much for being here today; none of this would have been possible without each one of you," she said, excited. "Did you like it?" she asked, moving the microphone in the direction of the audience.

"YES!" we responded in unison.

"Do you want another one?" she asked again.

"YES!"

"Well, here's one of my favorites. One, two... One, two, three!"

The guitarist started playing the first notes of a song we all knew, and the cheers were even louder than the first time. "I Wanna Be Your Slave" by Måneskin played with power. People started moving closer to the stage, and as much as I liked it, I didn't want to get crushed because of them.

"I'm going outside!" I shouted to Joshua, pointing to the back exit of the place. He raised both thumbs, although I doubted he had heard me.

I had to push through several people to get out, and some looked at me angrily for interrupting them, and I think I even stepped on a few. When I finally made it, I walked to the back.

The cold autumn air hit my cheeks, and I was grateful that I was wearing something to protect myself. There was a dumpster in one of the corners, and I made sure to keep my distance; I leaned against one of the walls.

I let out a groan as soon as my back hit the cold surface, but I relaxed immediately. In comparison to the interior of the bar, it was very quiet outside; all I could hear were remnants of the music that had brought me here.

I put my hand in one of the blazer pockets and pulled out a pack of cigarettes that I kept for occasions like this, I lit one and brought it to my lips, immediately creating a small cloud of smoke in front of me. The smell relaxed me.

I stared at the stars, looking for constellations in the night sky as I finished my cigarette. I was so distracted that I didn't realize someone was coming out of the venue and walking in my direction until their silhouette stood in front of me.

"Can I have one, please?" Emiliana Baseli looked at me with her usual mischievous expression. Did this woman ever take anything seriously?

I should have lied and said they were all gone, but I wasn't rude enough to do that. I put my hand back into the pocket and handed her the whole pack; from the corner of my eye, I noticed Emiliana following my every move.

She took one of the cigarettes, put it in her mouth, and leaned toward me for me to light it. My hands were trembling when I lifted the lighter, creating a spark.

Emiliana stepped away and took a drag; I felt the air leave my lungs, and my throat was dry. For some strange reason, I couldn't tear my eyes away from the way her lips formed when she exhaled the smoke, slowly; her bottom lip was fuller than the upper one, and... I shouldn't be paying attention to that.

I averted my gaze, although I couldn't deny that the image was the sexiest thing I had ever seen in my life. I took another drag from my own cigarette, hoping that the nicotine would wash away the tension that had settled in my shoulders.

I wondered if she had also fled the crowd

of people, but it was highly unlikely. Everything about her exuded charisma and confidence, and I doubted she ever felt uncomfortable in any situation.

"Do you not like large crowds?" she suddenly asked, pulling me out of my own thoughts.

"Why do you think that?" I inquired defensively. I was annoyed that people were making assumptions about me so casually, even if they were entirely accurate.

Emiliana fixed her sapphire eyes on me and smiled. It wasn't a flirty smile, which I had become accustomed to; it was understanding. Could Emiliana Baseli actually empathize with others? Who would have thought?

"Now, who's the one assuming things without any foundation?" a mocking voice whispered in the back of my mind.

I pushed that thought aside and focused on Emiliana, waiting for her response. She chuckled and moved closer to me.

"Because I'm doing the same thing," she replied, shrugging as if her answer were a simple observation and nothing more.

Smoke had left her mouth and collided with my face; I shuddered, and a groan got stuck in my throat. Emiliana's eyes sparkled with satisfaction at my body's reaction.

Suddenly, everything darkened, and I felt like a caged animal. I wanted to move, but my limbs wouldn't obey me; I was hypnotized by this woman, trapped in her clutches.

But who has whom in what cage?