Christians husky voice with its little twang, sounded through the bar as patrons listened silently. The women were in awe, eyeing him as though they were undressing him with their very eyes. He was the very epitome of a country boy, dressed in a blue plaid shirt and jeans, brown hair that slightly stood up with the use of hair gel, and smiling brown eyes that you couldn't help but gaze into when he spoke. He was of slight build and short, some of the women towering over him even without their heels.
He finished the song, his voice trailing off, as his hands on his precious guitar stilled. The crowd came alive, clapping as the women sighed in disappointment..several of them swarmed around him, giving hugs and kisses on the cheek as he smiled and thanked them. Inwardly he cringed, hating the affection they gave him, even as he arrives to maintain a pleasant facade on the outside
He finally made it to the bar as Roy, the owner of the bar "Roy's" handed him a shot of whiskey. Roy was an older gentleman with slicked back white hair in and a short white beard. His blue eyes always seemed to sparkle and he favoured wearing jeans and a plain shirt with boots. He was in his late fifties, but that didn't stop him working behind the bar or bussing tables if he needed to.
"You did good kid" he said clapping him on the back as Christian downed his drink.
"Thanks Roy" he muttered a bit morose. He was feeling a bit lonely and although any of the women would love to keep him company, many even suggesting it, he didn't swing that way. He kept that secret to himself though. This was a small town and there were a lot of people here with old fashioned values. Not to me room the amount of business the bar for, from women coming in to watch him sing every night.
Roy however had guessed his little secret ages ago but never divulged that to Christian. The boy was young, only 21 years old and Roy considered him to his son. He would never tell anyone, even Christian that he knew. Christian groaned as he bent to pickup his guitar and made a move to leave.
"Another note was left for you" Roy called and Christian turned and grasped the pink envelope that Roy held out. He shoves it in his pocket as he waved bye to everyone and walked back to his ground floor apartment nearby. He sat down on his couch and ripped open the envelope.
My Dear Christian
Your voice was as lovely as ever tonight
Almost as lovely as you
I know that you see me, watching you
You want me but deny it
Soon we will be together
Just wait and see
Your secret admirer.
Christian crumpled up the paper and threw it into the nearby waste basket. This was the third love letter in a row and no one ever saw who left it, merely spotting it sitting on the counter with his name on it. He frowned worried that this woman wouldn't take no for an answer. Mentally he shrugged. It was sweet he guessed, that someone loved him. Sad though as well because he couldn't ever tell her that he was into guys, preventing her from possibly getting hurt.
He forced himself to make dinner and sat on the couch watching television. He felt empty. The house silent and depressing. He had no family, had been in foster care since he was a baby. His parents had dumped him on some church steps, not even caring enough to leave a note. He hadn't lasted long at any foster home, the majority of them in it for the money and not wanting to put up with an unruly child or teenager. He had run away countless times, only to be caught and returned to the system.
His case manager's hadn't cared about his wellbeing, only on making sure he was placed somewhere. The beatings he had taken in one home merely making them place him somewhere else. When he was fourteen he was sexually assaulted multiple times by his male foster carer, the case manager refusing to believe him and his wife looking the other way. He had spent two years in that hellhole, finally running away at age sixteen. This time no one looked for him and he guessed it was because of his age.
Christian lived on the streets with only his guitar and basic clothes. He spent days singing on the streets and nights huddled under a blanket in doorways. He relied on public bathrooms to clean up and even used the sinks to wash his clothes. One day Roy spotted him on the street and had listened to him sing. Once he had packed away his guitar, Roy approached him and asked if he needed a job. Christian had been sceptical, his past experiences making him believe that he was after something.
He had followed Roy back to his bar, his body tense and prepared to run at the slightest hint of something wrong. Instead Roy had kept his distance, offering him food and water. He didn't ask personal questions and offered him a room upstairs for the night. He had gone upstairs with trepidation, wondering if the old man was a perve. Instead Roy had shown him to the room and handed him a key. "It's the only copy but if you still don't trust me or think someone might come in then place the dresser across the door" he advised as Christian looked at him silently.
"There's a bathroom connected to it so you won't have to leave to was up either" he added, heading back down the stairs.
Christian had done exactly that and showered, feeling clean for the first time in months. He had crawled into the soft bed and passed out, unused to the soft mattress or feeling warm.Roy knocked on the door the next morning and told him breakfast was ready. He had headed downstairs and eaten, then thanked him intending to leave. Instead Roy offered him a job with a steady wage and he accepted, living in the room upstairs in the meantime. As time went on, nothing unsavoury happened and Christian began to relax and open up. After awhile he told Roy his story and Roy had been supportive to him, even arranging counseling for him. Christian had been working for Roy ever since and now considered him the father he never had.
Refusing to dwell anymore on his past, Christian tidied up and headed to bed. As he undressed he felt the hair on the back of his neck rise. It felt like someone was watching him and he crossed over to the window and looked out but saw no one. Still he felt unnerved and closes the curtains, making sure the window was shut. It took him a long time to fall asleep, every noise and creak alarming him, until eventually exhaustion won out. When he woke up, there was an envelope on his bedside table waiting for him.