Miss Apprehended - Miranda Elaine

There is a sudden rush of adrenaline you feel before going on stage in front of fans who have spent their time and money to come out to see you perform. I feel it every time I take the stage, and tonight, is no exception. Knowing that tens of people have shown up to hear me sing gets my blood pumping and my excitement to an all-time high. I just know that the show tonight will be the one to change my entire future. I’ve been singing here every Sunday night for the last five months, and I truly feel that my fan base is starting to grow. Why else would all of these people come to the only bar on this side of town every week? Surely, at least one of them has some sort of connection in the music industry and can help me kick-start my career.

Walking into Bill’s BAR-B-Q House, I’m eager to get out there and do my thing. Ever since I was a little girl and got a toy microphone for Christmas, I knew I was destined to be on a stage—singing my heart out. It’s my dream, and this bar is the first step in my detailed plan to become a famous pop singer. So what if the first step is my town's hole-in-the-wall watering hole slash barbecue joint? Hey, even Britney had to start somewhere, right?

Bill’s is the kind of dive bar you’d find in every small town. Dark wooden panels adorn the walls, and pictures from the thirty years it’s been open cover every inch of space available. Smoke fills the air, and beer fills cold, frosty glasses. Bill and his wife, Susie, have owned the bar since before I was born, but their son, Joel, has been running it for the last few years since they decided to finally retire.

If you are here before seven, it’s probably for a big plate of barbecue with a side of collard greens. But, if it’s after nine, then you are here for pitchers of beer, shootin’ darts, and catching up with everyone. We might only be thirty miles from the big city, but if you grew up here, you’d know that it might as well be a whole other state. This town hasn’t changed in decades, and I honestly don’t expect it to adapt to modern life anytime soon. There isn’t much room for growth in Sugar Hill.

Even with Joel’s attempts to add new life to the place, the bar is mostly still the same kind of dive it’s always been. Where a few pinball machines used to sit, Joel has set up a small stage. The stage is now my main reason for getting dolled up and getting my ass here at nine p.m. every Sunday night.

Nothing about the place is particularly special; it’s like any other dive bar. The dusty, old jukebox I used to love when my daddy would bring me and my sister here every Saturday afternoon still sits in the corner. Back then, I loved coming here. We’d eat peanuts—and of course we could just throw the shells right down on the floor—and play music while twirling around the tiny dance floor. Some of my favorite childhood memories happened right here in this dark and dirty bar, and now, my adult dreams play out every Sunday night when I take the stage.

“Hey, sweet lady. You ready for tonight?” Joel shouts over to me as I walk in the door.

I’ve known him since we were kids, and I’m pretty sure he’s had a crush on me for just as long. A fact I’ve got no problem using to my advantage to kick-start my career and get a prime spot in the Sunday night lineup.

“Hi, Joel. How’s it going? Good crowd tonight?” I ask as I make my way to the bar. “What’s the lineup like for tonight?”

“A couple newbies going on before you as of now. Whatcha singing for us tonight?” he replies with a wink and a sexy smirk.

I’d fall for his charm if I didn’t have bigger goals. I am not about to start mixing business with pleasure, and Bill’s is my main joint for gigs.

“I’m thinking it’s a ‘Toxic’ kind of night. You got the track?”

“Yeah, babe. I got you. We got all the Britney songs. I wouldn’t let you down like that.”

A few of the old men shake their heads, but whatever. Britney is classic and they are just out of touch. Plus, I put my own