Page 74 of The Girl with No Name

“We’rerock stars,” I say, and I’m full on tripping at this point.

“No. Youreallyare. Youneedto be out here. It’s your destiny.”

She taps my shoulder, and points to the full moon which is just rising into sight. Currently, it’s a red-orange orb.

Now, music is subjective to a degree. That’s where the oldfifty million Elvis fans can’t be wrongcomes from.

But the way Luna talks to me, I believe her.

I believe her.

And with that, I start to believe inme.

Her eyes glimmer, and she continues to look at me.

“You’ve got a story, Reed. And you’re a good singer and songwriter. If I don’t see you out here within a couple of years, I’m going to be pissed.”

I crack a smile.

It’s in this moment I have a full lightbulb go off.

Back in my regular life, I’m a nobody, really. Dunn is encouraging when he comes to town, but that’s once a year if I’m lucky. Samantha thinks of my music as a fun hobby, and Mason doesn’t think much of it at all.

“Thanks,” I croak out.

She shrugs. “It’s just a decision, really. What do you expect from life? Maybe your expectations are too low.”

“Low expectations keep me happy, though,” I spit out, without thinking.

Then something Dunn said pops in my mind.

I don’t chase happiness. I chase mission.

“We’ve only got one go-round on earth, in this situation, in these bodies,” Luna says, a little ominously. “So why would you hold back from doing what you really want?”

Just then, Zach Bryan walks out on stage, and the crowd noise becomes deafening.

“Less talk, more dance,” she yells in my ear as the band launches into‘Open the Gate.’ “Just enjoy the music.”

And so I do. I don’t know what I was expecting for this show, for country music in general. Maybe it’s being with a southern crowd who really appreciates the style. But the more I think about it, and the more I vibe with the show, I realize that once when I was a kid, my dad told me“Country music is for saps.” I think I must have negated it from there on out.

I don’t catch every word, but the energy and the lyrics I do pick up—I’ve never seen anything like it. There are times when the crowd around me belts out entire songs; they love them so much.

I dance.

White-boy dancing, sure, but I do okay.

Nah, who am I kidding?

Luna and I form a little dance circle during a couple of the faster songs, and a crowd starts clapping around us.

I watch Luna’s long, dark hair sway across her face and her huge smile.

“Yeah, buddy!” someone yells from behind me. “Dance with the girl!”

He pushes me against her body, and we’re dancing.

“Holy shit, these guys were on stage with the Red Lemons!” someone else yells.