Chapter 18: Chapter 18

R I O N A

Riona what is wrong with you?! Why did your head stop working when Leonardo got so close to you? Typical me would have scolded him Immediately he got close to me, but I didn't.

My whole body froze in it's position but when he looked at me, his eyes, his brown eyes were so warm and comforting. I could feel my face heating up for some strange reason.

"We're here." Leonardo's deep voice sounded in the car bringing me back to reality.

Was I really just lost in thought thinking of a boy? No..this boy must be evil.

My eyes darted towards him and narrowed my eyes at him but he only tilted his head to the right to observe me.

"It's already getting dark." He said again and then I realized it was actually getting dark.

"Karaoke?" I muttered as he opened the door.

We stood in front of a small bungalow with a neon purple sign reading The karaoke place. The bungalow sat in the middle of a bustling town.

We walked into an almost empty wide room which illuminated with a deep blue blub which was the main color. To the left a long counter for drinks rested with three young guys behind the counter preparing drinks for people. To the right of the room a long flat screen TV rested on the wall and a mini stage and then the rest of the room had mini chairs lined up and arranged.

"Should we get a drink?" Leonardo asked and I nodded.

We walked up to the counter and a blond guy dressed in black and white walked up to us.

"What would you guys like to have?" He asked and Leonardo looked at me.

"I'll have a virgin colada." I told him and he nodded before turning to Leonardo.

" A margarita." He answered.

"I'll have both ready in a couple of minutes. You can meet that girl." He pointed to a girl in a uniform standing next to the karaoke machine. "She will help you the karaoke." He completed.

" Use the name tags; Leo and Riona." Leonardo informed the bartender.

" Let's go!" He grabbed my hand quickly and led me up to meet the karaoke girl.

Why's he touching me?!

"What song do you want to do?" He asked.

"None." I answered.

"Why not?" He raised his brow questionly.

"Because I don't want to." I spat back and he heaved a sigh.

"Okay then, can I see the songs selection by Ed Sheeran?" Leonardo said to the girl and my eyes sparked interest.

"Ed Sheeran?" I asked and he nodded.

"What?"

"Nothing!"

What about Megan thee stallion or Rihanna, even if she hasn't sang ANYTHING in a while.

"I'll go with perfect then!" He excitedly informed the lady in a uniform and she set it up for him.

Perfect? That was my favorite song from 2018!

"Last chance..join me!" He offered again but I still shook my head.

Unlike how empty it was when we got here, the place suddenly got packed with people. People watched the lady hand over the microphone to Leonardo and as he walked up on stage.

"This is dedicated to you, Riona!" He yelled from the stage and pointed at me causing everyone to follow the direction of his pointed finger.

"No..not me. I'm not Riona." I nervously whispered and lowered my gaze when people kept on staring at me.

" Riona, here are the drinks you Leo ordered." A waiter approached me with the drinks on the tray.

He couldn't have found a better time to get me the drinks hm?

The instrumentals of perfect suddenly filled the room and the once noisy room suddenly went quiet.

First of all he was off key, secondly, he missed the cue to start so the whole situation was extremely embarrassing.

Why did he offer to do karaoke if he knew he couldn't sing or if he didn't know the song?

"Your boyfriend?" A girl sitting on the seat next to mine asked.

"No!" I instantly answered while frantically waving my hands in the air.

"Oh, he's quite the cutie, I'd love to get to know him better." She smiled and turned her attention back to him.

Isn't that a little bit shameless?

"Riona!" He called from the stage and everyone turned to look at me even the spotlight was directly on me. "Let's do the next song together!" He yelled into the microphone.

"No..." I tried to say but people started clapping.

"Go on!"

"No." I politely declined.

"Go sing the next one with him!"

"No."

" Come on!"

More and more people cheered us on causing me to face palm myself.

" The drinks!" I pointed.

"We will have it and order another one for you both!" The couple sitting opposite me offered.

These people aren't going to stop unless I get on that stage.

I looked over at the girl who said she wanted to get to know Leonardo later and she was not happy.

With a sigh, I got up from the chair and the cheers got even louder. I walked over to Leonardo who was on stage, I shot him a nasty glare but he only held his grin.

"What song?" The lady in the uniform asked.

" Work." Was the first word that came out of my mouth and I instantly regretted it.

You know better than to choose work in public.

The cheering reduced and the room fell silent as the instrumentals of work blasted through the speakers.

I already chose it and I certainly won't embarrass the Rihanna Navy out there, I'm gonna give this my all.

I sang work word for word but then it hit me that it was a duet and I at least have to leave the Drake part for Leonardo.

But what if he doesn't know it? Damn! Should have asked him first.

After singing the chorus twice, I silently hoped he'd be able to get it the cue to singing.

"... Yeah, okay. You need to get done, done, done, done at work, come over.." Leonardo's voice sounded less terrible than it did with Perfect. He started at the right time and didn't even need to look at the screen.

When he returned my energy, I only had more fun screaming and singing the karaoke version of work.

I hated to admit it but I was really having fun especially when I looked at how happy and free Leonardo was.

I'm not permitted to be having this much fun Leonardo, don't make me feel like I am.

He must have felt me staring at him because he looked down at me and gave me a huge grin.

I wasn't sure when it was that my lips turned upwards with a grin of my own.

**