The End of Beginning

Julia adjusted the strap of her purse as she, Ryan, and Chloe walked down the sidewalk toward the venue. The neon glow of the marquee sign ahead caught her eye, and when she read the name displayed, she let out a quiet laugh.

"DJO"

She smiled at the cleverness of it. It felt like such a Joe thing to do—half-disguised, half-obvious.

"You ever heard his music before?" she asked Ryan as they neared the entrance.

Ryan shook his head. "Nope. Had no idea he even played. He never talked about it."

"Well, guess we're about to find out if he's any good," Chloe said, giving Julia a knowing glance. Julia exhaled, ignoring the implication in Chloe's tone.

Inside, the venue was already buzzing, the crowd filling in tightly near the stage. They made their way to the bar, ordering drinks to loosen up. Julia took a sip of her gin and tonic, scanning the room.

No sign of Joe's girlfriend.

Before she could think too much about that, the lights dimmed, and a wave of cheers rippled through the crowd. Julia turned just as the band stepped onto the stage. Then Joe walked out.

Her breath caught slightly. He was wearing blue jeans, a plaid shirt rolled at the sleeves, and his signature shaggy hair. He looked effortless, but damn, he looked good.

The crowd erupted, screaming girls calling his name, but Joe barely acknowledged them. He adjusted the mic stand, said a quick greeting, and then the music started.

The sound was hypnotic—synth-heavy, psychedelic rock, with an underlying groove that wrapped around her like a slow burn. It was the kind of music she loved, the kind that made her feel like she was floating.

And Joe? He owned it.

His voice was rich and laced with something sultry. Every movement of his body was deliberate—he swayed with the music, fingers expertly working his guitar, completely lost in the sound. It was intoxicating.

She wasn't sure if it was the music, the alcohol, or just him, but something about this whole moment made her skin tingle. She felt warm, electric.

Every now and then, in between the notes and the melodies, he'd glance toward her. And when he smiled—flashing that perfect, easy grin—it sent a slow burn through her chest.

She wasn't the only one noticing his charisma, though. The crowd was wild for him.

Girls screamed his name, reached toward the stage, sang along like they'd done this a million times before. It hit her, then, just how different this world was from her own. He wasn't just Joe from Ryan's party. He was Joe Keery to them.

And yet, as the set went on, she started to feel like he was singing for her.

It wasn't until a particularly charged song began that she noticed the way his eyes settled on her. His voice dipped lower, smoother, his grip tightening around the mic.

"This is my testimony, how I feel for you.
I'm not one to tell a lie, I felt this from the moment that we met, it's true.

So, I need you, baby, feeling alright.
Yes, I need you, baby, overnight.
Yes, I need you, baby, feeling alright.
Yes, I want you, baby, overnight (you're so polite), maybe tonight"

Her insides burned.

It was the way he looked at her—steady, intent. Like he was challenging her, pulling her in.