18 Wonderwall II

Lucas strumming the guitar, opening notes; the patrons listened, over in shock, as the music flowed to their ears.

"Today is gonna be the day that they're gonna throw it back to you..."

The moment the guitar's opening notes and Lucas dropping the verse, the crowd went silent. They didn't expect Lucas to be actually singing, and the opening was not too bad.

In the meantime, the crowd felt a different feeling with the first verse alone, each word hanging heavy in the air, a mark etched in time. Was it hope? Regret? A plea for redemption lost in the echo of past mistakes?

The young woman named Samantha, also a music performer, looked at Lucas with interest as he strummed the guitar and performed.

In the midst of Lucas' performance, memories from his previous life resurfaced, like fragments of a dream trying to reclaim their place. Complicated feelings surged within him, merging with bittersweet nostalgia of a reality just beyond reach.

Lucas was quite engrossed in his performance; the feelings, emotions of his precious life, were released at this moment...

"And by now, you should've somehow realized what you gotta do," he sang, his eyes searching the darkened corners of the room, as if looking for an answer, a reflection of his own lost melody.

The music swelled, the chorus erupting like a dam breaking beneath the weight of unshed tears. "I don't believe that anybody feels the way I do about you now," he roared, thick with an emotion he didn't understand. The faces staring back at him were blank slates, strangers drawn by the pull of an alien tune.

They saw a handsome stranger with a haunting song, but Lucas saw ghosts flickering in the corner of his vision—the ghosts of loved ones, of joys and sorrows etched in a forgotten language.

The patrons, initially doubtful, couldn't help but be drawn into the raw authenticity of Lucas' performance.

"And backbeat, the word is on the street that the fire in your heart is out. I'm sure you heard it all before, but you never really had a doubt."

Meanwhile, the crowd was engrossed, each person having their interpretation of the verses Lucas sang. Most believed the lyrics lamented a one-sided love, while some sensed a deeper undercurrent of frustration with societal expectations. Was he singing about an unrequited crush, or the burden of conforming to an unlived life?

"I don't feel that anybody feels the way I do about you now," Lucas sang shortly after the verse, his tone sharp, tinged with bitterness and a hint of accusation.

As most patrons gradually became engrossed and captivated by the song, they felt the sting of rejection, the despair of someone whose love went unnoticed.

Samantha, also captivated, listened to the song while observing Lucas on stage. She pondered, 'Does such a song really exist? If so, how could such a song go unnoticed by me?'

The musical tone and lyrics were undeniably beautiful.

Other local artists in the bar also listened to Lucas; some of them were pondering similar thoughts as Samantha, recognizing the potential in the young man performing on stage.

Meanwhile, Paul and the others gazed at Lucas with a hint of complexity, especially Paul. He hadn't expected his friend to sing, let alone perform an unfamiliar yet beautiful song.

The melody soared, a flicker of hope battling the shadows. Lucas's voice climbed a hopeful octave as he crooned, "And all the roads we have to walk are winding." His voice seemed to gain strength.

The crowd felt the echoes of their own struggles, the uncertainty of choices made and paths untaken.

For Lucas, it was a declaration of resilience, a promise to survive in his current unfamiliar reality.

Shortly after the previous verse, Lucas sang with a slightly increased tempo, a flicker of defiance igniting in his eyes. "All the lights that lead us there are blinding," he snarled, his voice a weapon against the unknown forces holding him back.

Most of the crowd sensed the simmering anger beneath the surface, interpreting it as a rebellion against societal pressures or the constraints of his own insecurity.

The chorus became a plea, a desperate hand reaching out for salvation. "There are many things that I would like to say to you, but I don't know how, how. Because maybe,

You're gonna be the one that saves me,

And after all,

You're my wonderwall." he sang, his voice cracking with vulnerability. The crowd's hearts ached with him, seeing in his words the struggle to express unspoken emotions, the fear of rejection holding him hostage.

However, a few discerning ears caught the subtle shift in tone. The "maybe" wasn't just a lack of confidence; it was a sliver of hope, a glimmer of possibility. Maybe, just maybe, salvation could come in the form of this unknown, this "you" that held the power to mend his broken world.

Many women in the crowd, who misunderstood Lucas singing the song, felt they could be that "person" to mend his broken world.

Paul, listening to his friend's performance, looked at Lucas with a hint of complexity, wondering, "Who hurt you, man?" He believed his friend must have experienced heartbreak with a woman in the past.

Samantha observed Lucas deeply. Not in love, but as Lucas performed the song, she found herself developing admiration for him. Simultaneously, listening to the song, she became almost certain that such a song never existed.

Samantha sensed that Lucas was singing his originally composed song, inspired by the heartbreak he experienced. As a young woman, she thought whoever rejected Lucas must be blind. Given Lucas's charm now, many women would be lining up just to be with him.

The crowd absorbed the verse echoing with bitter resignation. "Today was gonna be the day, but they'll never throw it back to you," he crooned, his voice tinged with a weary acceptance of fate. The audience sensed the sting of betrayal, the feeling of being overlooked or dismissed in his words.

Yet, the undercurrent of defiance persisted. "And by now, you should've somehow realized what you're not to do," he sang, a spark of defiance flickering in his eyes. This wasn't just about lost love; it was about reclaiming control, refusing to be a passive victim in his own story.

The bridge became a kaleidoscope of emotions. The winding roads and blinding lights could be seen as the labyrinth of his confusion, the overwhelming choices and uncertainties threatening to consume him.

The crowd attentively listened as the song unfolded, the lyrics flowing smoothly yet beautifully.

"I don't believe that anybody feels the way I do about you now

And all the roads that lead you there were winding..."

As the engrossed crowd immersed themselves in the flowing lyrics of the song, it finally reached the concluding chorus—a cathartic release, a torrent of raw emotion washing over the room. "You're gonna be the one that saves me

And after all

You're my wonderwall, I said maybe," he roared, his voice hoarse from the struggle but laced with newfound determination. "You're gonna be the one that saves me."

In that moment, the song's meaning transcended the confines of a one-sided love story. It became a universal anthem of hope, a declaration of faith in the power of human connection to heal and redeem. The audience erupted in applause, their own emotions stirred by the singer's journey.

As the final notes faded, Lucas stood on the stage, bathed in applause, a lone figure but no longer lost. He had found his voice, his story, and perhaps, just maybe, he had truly found his way in this life. The song, "Wonderwall," wasn't just a lament; it was a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, a reminder that even in the darkest nights, a single melody can light the path toward redemption.

(Song - Wonderwall by Oasis)