Emma hated karaoke. It wasn’t the singing itself—she loved singing in the shower or belting out Taylor Swift songs on solo road trips. It was the audience, the spotlight, and the pressure of choosing the perfect song that made her palms sweat. So when her roommate, Jess, dragged her to the new karaoke bar downtown, Emma was already calculating escape routes.
“It’s not about you singing,” Jess insisted, leading her inside. “It’s about having fun. Plus, you might meet someone interesting.”
Emma rolled her eyes but followed. The bar was buzzing, with a mix of terrible renditions of ‘80s ballads and surprisingly talented performances. The dim lighting and neon glow made the place feel cozy, almost magical. She ordered a gin and tonic and mentally prepared to be a spectator.
Enter Liam
About 30 minutes in, Emma was halfway through her drink when Jess nudged her. “Look, table on the left. The guy in the black shirt. Cute, right?”
Emma glanced over, immediately regretting it when her gaze collided with his. He had tousled brown hair, a strong jawline, and an easy smile that made her stomach flip. He caught her looking and raised his glass in a playful salute. Emma quickly turned back to her drink, cheeks burning.
“Oh my God, he saw you,” Jess whispered, delighted. “This is your chance. Go say hi.”
“Absolutely not,” Emma hissed. “I’m not that girl.”
Jess rolled her eyes. “Fine, but don’t complain if someone else snags him first.”
A Twist of Fate
Fate, it seemed, had other plans. About an hour later, Emma felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to find him standing there, holding two beers.
“Hey,” he said, his voice warm and confident. “I saw you earlier and thought I’d say hi. I’m Liam.”
Emma blinked, her brain short-circuiting. Jess, ever the opportunist, stepped in. “She’s Emma, and I’m Jess. Care to join us?”
Liam slid into the seat next to Emma, and they started chatting. He was witty, easygoing, and had a knack for making her laugh. They bonded over their shared love of books and mutual disdain for pineapple on pizza. Jess, sensing the chemistry, made an excuse about checking out the bar and left them alone.
The Karaoke Dare
Just as Emma was beginning to relax, Liam gestured toward the stage. “So, what’s your go-to karaoke song?”
Emma groaned. “I don’t do karaoke.”
“Come on,” he teased. “Everyone has a song. Let me guess—something soulful, like Adele?”
“More like ‘absolutely not,’” Emma shot back. “What about you?”
“Easy,” Liam said. “Bon Jovi. Always a crowd-pleaser.”
Emma smirked. “That’s bold.”
He leaned closer, a mischievous glint in his eye. “I’ll make you a deal. If I sing first, you pick the next song and join me for a duet.”
“No way,” Emma said quickly.
“Afraid you’ll like it?” he teased.
Something in his playful challenge made her reconsider. “Fine,” she said, surprising herself. “But you better nail Bon Jovi.”
Living on a Prayer
True to his word, Liam went all out. When his name was called, he bounded onto the stage like a rock star, grabbing the mic with confidence. As the opening chords of “Livin’ on a Prayer” filled the room, he launched into the song with theatrical flair, complete with air guitar and exaggerated high notes.
Emma found herself laughing and clapping along with the crowd. He was good—not perfect, but charismatic in a way that made everyone root for him. When he finished, the room erupted in applause, and he returned to their table, grinning.
“Your turn,” he said, sliding the songbook toward her.
Emma groaned. “I can’t believe I agreed to this.”
“You can’t back out now,” he said. “It’s practically a contract.”
The Duet
After much deliberation (and a second gin and tonic), Emma chose “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey. “If I’m going to embarrass myself, I might as well go big,” she reasoned.
When their names were called, Emma’s heart pounded. Liam gave her a reassuring smile as they took the stage. The opening piano notes played, and he started singing the first verse, his voice warm and steady. When it was her turn, Emma hesitated for half a beat before jumping in.
To her surprise, it wasn’t terrible. Liam’s energy was infectious, and by the chorus, they were both belting out the lyrics, grinning like idiots. The crowd cheered, clapping along, and for the first time in her life, Emma forgot to feel self-conscious.
The Aftermath
When they returned to their seats, flushed and laughing, Emma couldn’t stop smiling. “Okay, I’ll admit it. That was… kind of fun.”
“Told you,” Liam said, his grin triumphant. “You’ve got a great voice, by the way.”
Emma rolled her eyes. “Don’t push your luck.”
They spent the rest of the night talking, sharing stories, and laughing over other people’s performances. When the bar began to empty out, Liam walked her and Jess to their car.
“I had a great time,” he said, looking directly at Emma. “Can I call you sometime?”
Emma hesitated for a fraction of a second, then smiled. “I’d like that.”
A Night Worth Remembering
As she slid into the passenger seat, Jess turned to her with a knowing smirk. “So, karaoke isn’t so bad after all, huh?”
Emma laughed, glancing at the napkin where Liam had scrawled his number. “I guess it has its moments.”
And as they drove home, the sound of Journey still playing in her head, Emma couldn’t help but feel that maybe, just maybe, this was the start of something worth singing about.