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Then, there was a hulking body beside me. It moved in between me and the bodies that blocked my path. The bouncer cleared the way, dividing the restless natives to the right and left. Once he reached the edge of the stage, he stepped aside and waved me forward.
Jake stood at the edge of his platform, just behind the bouncers shoulder. He leaned down, extending a hand from his high pedestal. There were anxious grabs from women and men waving for him, trying to wriggle into his grasp, but he shoved them back and took my hand. In between the monitors on either side of the narrow space, I had no idea how to navigate my way up with only one free hand and no steps.
"Without your love-" Jake sang and gestured to the crowd, cupping one ear as if he were hard of hearing.
Then the sounds around me changed. The strength of the melody flew out from the stage, lassoing the audience, possessing them. They were caught up in an anthem, evoked to chanting. There were shouts and whistles mingled with the sing-along. I caught people that looked too cool to know the words singing at the tops of their lungs. At one point, the music stopped and the crowd kept going.
Jake had synchronized a room full of strangers with a wave of his hand. Amazing.
Two big palms grabbed me and my feet lost the floor. Suddenly, I was on the stage, standing in front of Jake. I wanted to turn and catch his view, to face the crowd I had just waded through and see what he did, but couldn't bring myself to move. I was planted in place by the feel of all knowing eyes burning into my back.
Jake locked me in that glowing gaze of his and took my left hand. He gave me a wink and dropped to his knees. My free palm flew to my mouth, covering my shock. He spoke into the microphone as the crowd continued to serenade us.
"Baby, all I've got are my dreams and my last name." His voice came from everywhere. "I'd like nothing more than to share them both with you."
The collective coos from the club roared as Jake set his microphone down and produced a ring. In the palm of his open hand-it was a simple golden band, so lovely it broke my heart.
"You're proposing?" I finally managed to speak through the tether on my throat. My mind was racing a million different directions. Did he really want me for life?
He gave me a heart-melting grin; lopsided and sweet. "Did you honestly think I would take you all the way to California just to live in sin?"
The crowd was louder. They were still chanting but I couldn't tell what they were saying. It didn't sound like lyrics anymore, but I couldn't afford to listen. I was stifled by this sudden turn of events. Jake was proposing: he wanted to marry me. And I knew, deep in my gut, that I wanted the same thing. But did I want it at seventeen?
The music started up again and Jakes smile grew intense while I pondered.
What a question to ask! I thought. Because I had barely finished high school. I was in the midst of leaving everything I had ever known and following this boy to a strange place, a different state-a whole other world-in hopes of standing beside him, having the mere privilege of watching his dreams come true. And with this question, Jake was proving that he wanted me to do much more than watch. He wanted me to be a part of it, to participate, to make a new start together. To that honored request, I could only give one answer.
I laughed into my hand and sank to my knees, leveling the field.
Jake took up the microphone again and spoke into it so everyone could hear. "What do you say, baby? Will you have me?"
I leaned towards him and the mic. "Hell yes!"
My voice echoed for half a moment before everything broke into chaos. Jake took me with him as he got to his feet holding me so hard, I almost couldn't breathe. He shouted into my ear as the decibel level in the club shot up. Suddenly there were people crowding the stage. Music played much louder now as the band looped back into the breakdown.
Black And White Mohawk was singing now. "You're the reason I live, you're the reason I die . . ."
Clothes were flying. The crowd was nuts. Plastic cups and bottles littered everywhere around us.
Dazed, I was passed from Andrew to Max, to every member of the Proselytes and who knows how many others. Everyone was hugging me and punching Jake, screaming their expletives and well-wishes over the noise before doing a stage dive into the crazy-ass crowd. I searched for Avery as I was passed from this person to that one, but didn't see her anywhere.
By the time Jake got back to me, his shoulders and biceps were covered in red welts. But he had a huge smile and open arms that I immediately leapt into.
We kissed through the riotous racket of the audience and then were suddenly in the confines of a small room just off-stage that was meant for the bands to wait in while they were introduced. It was the room where Max had warmed up. I could see his drum pads set up on a small table in one corner beside a case of water bottles.
"Were you surprised?" Jakes' eyes danced. His hands rested on the bare skin just above my jeans, holding me as I snaked my legs around his waist. He hunched low and shoved me against the wall beside a second door that led out to the hallway behind the stage, pinning with his hips. "You aim to marry me, Angel?"
"I can't believe you did that!" My breathless laugh gave way to gasps when he pressed his lips to my neck. "Yes, Jake. I want you. Forever."
He growled, smashing his body against me so hard it almost hurt. "And I'm aching now, because we've only got ten minutes and no place to go."
I giggled again, overflowing with joy.
"No locks on these damned doors." His fingers knotted into my hair, scratching my scalp, making me look at him. His eyes were blazing. Molten desire.
I grabbed his red, bare shoulders and kissed each one. "Do they hurt?"
"No," He cupped my face and pecked my forehead. "I'll keep you happy, Angel."
