Maria

The room pulsed with the collective heart of a Friday night. I could barely hear Maria over the noise or the bar, glasses clinking, people talking, shoes shuffling, coat cast aside, laughter, instruments being tuned for the next band.
Maria was a friend of a friend of mine, Who I had bumped into that night at random. She was more interested in talking to him than to me. She suggested they go to a house party after the bar, and I don't remember how, but I heard mention of VCA.
Steeled by beer and atmosphere, I bullishly tried to assert myself in the conversation.
"What do you do at VCA?" I asked.
"Music" Maria said.
And that was that.