The real me is a southern girl with her Levis on and an open heart.
Wish I could save the world, like I was super girl.

Katie sighed. Her book bag was swung over her shoulder. Katie and Zack were walking to school together…just like always.

"When do you think we'll get a gig?"

"I dunno," Zack replied. "Not a lot of people think a bunch of 13-year-olds have much talent."

"Maybe, but remember that guy after the first BOTB? He said he owned a club and wanted us to play there. I'm sure word has gotten out that we're decent," she said positively.

The real me used to laugh all night lying in the grass just talking about love.

"Alice in Wonderland? You have an obsession with Alice in Wonderland?" Zack asked smiling.

Katie nodded, laughing hysterically.

"I'd have never guessed," he said laughing now too.

She adored Zack. He was Katie's best friend. She could tell him anything and never fear of being judged. Summer was cool but Zack was…well…Zack.

But lately I've been jaded life got so complicated.

"DAMN! I'm going to be grounded forever!"

"It's not that bad."

"Zack do you not see this grade! It's a 69! That's 31 points less than 100! That's one point for every day I'll be grounded," Katie vented.

"I'm good at math. I'll help you study. Okay?" Zack offered.

"Sure."

How could she pass it up? Being with the guy she loved. She paused running that last thought through her head over and over. Finally she came to the realization that it was true. She did love Zack. Cute + Smart + Funny + Trustworthy + Guitarist Dream Guy!

I start thinking about it,
I almost forgot what it was like,
To know what it feels like.
Cause with you,
I can let my hair down.
I can say anything crazy.

"I hate percentages," Katie spat.

"Yeah well sorry. You gotta learn them or those 69's will keep on coming," Zack told her.

"Well aren't you Mr. Sympathetic?"

Zack laughed. "So to find 90 of 743 you," he paused letting her fill in the rest.

She sighed, "you multiply 743 by .9 to get," she pulled her calculator out of her book bag, "668.7. So 668.7 is 90 of 743."

Zack nodded in approval. "Now lets move on t-"

Katie cut him off, "I wonder why pumpkins are orange."

"Katie? What the hell?"

"I'm just wondering why fruits have the colors they have. Like why are blueberries purplish-blue? And why are watermelons that cool combination of pink, black, and green?"

Zack was thrown off and confused. "I…don't know."

I know you'll catch me right before I hit the ground.
With nothing but a T-shirt on,
I never felt so beautiful,
Baby as I do now,
Now that I'm with you,
With you, with you, with you,
Now that I'm with you.

"I dare you, Katie, to play 7 minutes in Heaven with Zack! The closet is over there," Summer said deviously.

It was the monthly band sleepover and this month it was Katie's turn to host her friends for the night.

Katie's eyes went wide. She could have been compared to a deer caught in a headlight. "Uhh."

"You have to do it," Freddy reminded her, "It's truth or dare and you picked dare."

Zack knew this was the moment he'd been waiting for.

You speak and it's like a song,
And just like that all my walls come down.

Katie stood awkwardly in the dark closet while Zack did the same.

"Well, what do you wanna do for 7 minutes?" he asked.

At that moment, she wasn't sure why, but she calmed down and felt more at ease.

"Well, you could tell me a secret and I could tell you one to pass the time?"

"Sure, since there's nothing better to do," Zack said. "You go first."

She laughed nervously. "This may sound sort of dumb but, I think I might love you," she sighed. She was glad it was dark or Zack would've seen her face turn red.

"Well this may sound kinda dumb but I think I love you too."

They kissed each other softly.

"And by the way fruits get their colors because of different sources of minerals and vitamins. It was bothering me so I looked it up."

The two laughed hysterically, drawing curiosity from those outside the door.

It's like a private joke just meant for us to know.

"So what happened?" Summer, Marta, and Tomika (Alicia couldn't come) squealed as Katie pulled some sodas out of the fridge for everyone.

Katie rolled her eyes trying to hide the smile on her face. "We talked about fruits and their colors," she said simply.

"Huh? That laughing didn't sound like it came from just a conversation about fruits!" Tomika protested.

"That's all it was," Katie said trying to hold in her amusement.


I relate to you naturally,
Everybody else just fades away.

While everyone drifted off to sleep, Katie and Zack sat in the kitchen talking.

"Did you tell the girls what happened?"

"Yes and no," she said vaguely.

"Summer and Marta asked me if we talked about fruits."

"What did you say?"

"I said that we did talk about fruits. They just looked at me in disbelief," he smirked.

"They did the same to me."


Sometimes it's hard to breathe,
Just knowing you found me.

Cause I start thinking about it,
I almost forgot what it was like,
To know what love feels right.

Katie shrieked in terror. Her and Zack were watching Silence of the Lambs. Zack laughed at how scared she was while he sat un-phased but slightly creeped out.

"What the hell are you laughing at?" she asked him.

"You, cowering like a little child."

"Screw you," she said throwing a pillow at his head.

"I know you want to," he said cheesily.

Katie laughed and said, "Who would wanna do that?"

That was why she liked him. Katie could call him an asshole and he wouldn't take her seriously. He'd know she was just joking.


Cause with you,
I can let my hair down.
I can say anything crazy.
I know you'll catch me right before I hit the ground.
With nothing but a T-shirt on,
I never felt so beautiful,
Baby as I do now,
Now that I'm with you,
With you.

Katie, now 21 sat in her apartment, in an oversized t-shirt watching Silence of the Lambs. 8 years since the first time she saw it with Zack, and Buffalo Bill still scared the shit out of her.

Zack walked out of the bathroom a pair of plaid pajama bottoms and a Led-Zeppelin t-shirt on.

"What are we watching?" he asked, flopping down on the couch next to her.

"Silence of the Lambs," she said, her eyes fixed on the TV.

"Ha ha," he laughed as the image of a terrified 13-year-old Katie came rushing to him.

"I hate you. I know exactly what you're thinking and I hate you for thinking it," she said flatly.

"My reply is, and I quote, 'Screw you.'"

Come and take me.
Love, you save me,
Like nobody else.
Now I can be myself,
With you.

Zack drove Katie to the river. The moon was full and the water sparkled. It was perfect. There was no one to be seen in sight. Perfect.

"I love it here. It's so peaceful," Katie sighed smoothing her red dress before sitting down on a random bench.

"I know. So do I," he said sitting next to her.

"What if you were to die tomorrow?" Katie asked randomly, "What would you do today?"

She had opened it up perfectly for him! "Well first I'd say that I love you more than anything. And then I'd do this…"

Katie looked at him inquisitively.

Zack pulled a small velvet covered box from his pocket. He took her hand and then asked, "Kathryn Marie Elizabeth Brown, would you marry me?"

Katie stared at him, joyful tears streaming down her cheeks. "Of course."

He slipped the ring onto her delicate finger. Then kissed her softly yet, at the same time, intensely.


With you,
I can let my hair down.
I can say anything crazy.
I know you'll catch me right before I hit the ground.
With nothing but a T-shirt on,
I never felt so beautiful,
Baby as I do now,

Now that I'm with you.

A/N: First fic on this log! Yay! 13-year-olds in love is kinda silly but just go with it kay? Flames are unwanted but criticsim is welcome! Hope you liked it!