A unexpected arrival

I sit nursing my drink for almost half an hour, when I clock someone walk into the bar “that can’t be” I silently mutter as I glance over at who I think is Jay Simms the lead guitarist for the band I just missed out on seeing. “It can’t be him he must just look like him” I think as I keep a watchful eye on him as he heads to the bar and orders a whiskey neat, as he grabs the glass I get confirmation, the rose tattoo on his hand. Now it wasn’t impossible for someone to also have this tattoo and look like him but it would be one hell of a coincidence.

I watch him from my booth transfixed, there was one of my biggest idols in the same bar as me. He glances my way and as our eyes meet I realise I fucked up, I quickly look away hoping not to draw any further attention. He was probably just here hoping for a quiet drink and doesn't want to be disturbed. I sneak a glance to see him approaching my booth, "OH SHIT, OH SHIT" I think imagining an annoyed "if I give you an autograph would you leave me alone?"

I hear him approach and mentally prepare myself, I had had a bad day and well I think this could be the thing that breaks me. However that doesn't come and instead, I get a somewhat concerned "are you ok?" I open my eyes to see him looking at me puzzled, likely because I was wincing in anticipation of a berating that didn't seem to be happening, "uh yeah, I just thought you looked like someone" I say nervously. Jay smiles "yeah I kinda got that I was more asking about the..." he says vaguely gesturing at me. "Oh yeah... I just had a bad day, that's all I didn't mean to bother you" I say to him, he gives me another once over "bothering me? You weren't bothering me, I just saw you looking figured you were a fan" he replies, I already knew it was him, but this was as good a confirmation I'd get. I relax my shoulders finally letting the tension free, while this was still an awkward situation at least I wasn't going to come out of it upset.

"Um yeah I actually am a fan" I explain answering why I was looking at him, "oh were we that bad tonight?" He jokes back to me, "no no not at all" I quickly respond before adding "well actually I wouldn't know... That's kinda part of why my days been so bad", at my admission Jay smiles, "well at least it wasn't us" he jokes before genuinely softening "hey let me buy you a drink, see if I can cheer you up". I look back at him with stunned silence for a second, "oh no you don't have to-" I start up "yeah but I want to, what are you having?"
"I'll have a vodka cranberry" I tell him and he nods and heads back to the bar.

I watch him order my drink from my booth, I softly pinch my leg and to my disbelief I was not dreaming. This was really happening, I had just through sheer happenstance managed to end up meeting one of my biggest idols in a bar and he was buying me a drink. I couldn't deny I still felt shitty but this was working somewhat to lift my spirits.

Jay returns with not only with my drink but also his own, "mind if I join you?" He asks me, "uh sure" I stammer still reeling from everything, "thanks, I don't think I got your name" he says sitting across from me and handing me my drink. "Hannah" I tell him before drinking the last of my previous vodka cranberry and putting my straw in my new drink, "lovely to meet you, I'm Jay but I guess you already know that?" I give him a nod, before very tentatively asking why he's here, "I'm touring here, we had a show tonight and have one more tomorrow" he says eliciting a soft laugh from me "no I know that, I mean why are you here right now?" I ask "I'm cheering up a fan, and from the looks of it I'm doing well" he says with a confident smile, I mean I couldn't deny he wasn't doing half bad considering. "Ok smooth" I admit taking another sip of my drink, "thanks I try, but if you were asking why I am in this bar? It seemed quiet and if I don't have to be on the tour bus, I like a quiet drink after a show." I feel a pang of guilt about the fact that his quiet drink had now been saddled with me, "you can still have that quiet drink you know, I wouldn't be offended" I offer giving him a way out, "nah I want to be here" he says definitively putting himself right here of his own volition "so if you don't mind me asking what was up with your day?"

I take a deep breath, I didn't want to just dump my bad day on him but he asked so earnestly I couldn't help myself. I told him everything: the plans me and my boyfriend had made, the heated exchange over something trivial and how this wasn't the first time he lost his temper over nothing, how upset I was and how I spent so long in that state that I ended up missing the show and why I came here. He listens intently to everything I say and the absurdity of it all isn't lost on me, here I was talking to famous celebrity like he was a therapist, this man had a near infinite amount of things he could be doing right now and he was choosing to listen to my shitty day. He listens to me vent diligently, "yeah he sounds like a bit of dick..." He pauses, thinking for a second before continuing "hey you wanna get out of here? Do something a bit more lively?" I look into his eyes he seemed pretty genuine with his offer "b-but what about your quiet drink?" I ask seeing as his offer was completely antithetical to his initial reason for being here, "eh I can handle a less quiet drink" he replies.