Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Newsies… Nor do I own "One Song Glory" from the musical RENT. I also don't own Ershey. She owns herself, obviously. What do I own? Oh! I own ME, Kyriel. Muahaha.
I wrote this for Ershmersh! *pokes Ershey* Muahahaa.
One Song
So, here I am sitting at my desk, a mountain of untouched school books beside me and an almost blank piece of paper in front of me. I would really be doing my homework right now if she wasn't on my mind, and if band practice hadn't made me so worn out.
Yes, I'm in a band. Along with my two best friends Michael "Skittery" Reeves, and Dominic "Bumlets" Reagan. Whoa, I just noticed both of their last names start with 'r'. Haha, cool. Anyway, we started the band last year and have just recently started writing our own songs.
Our band name is the Unmade Beds. We thought of the name when I woke up late (I hate mornings! DAH!) for band practice one Saturday and left my bed unmade. We're so creative. Anyway, Michael sings and plays guitar, I play drums, and Dominic plays bass. Not to mention, in my spare time, I like to write songs for the band, obviously, so we're not just doing covers of famous artists' songs. Although, you can never really get tired of performing "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana.
There's this one song I'm working on this very moment. Remember that almost blank piece of paper I told you about? Well, this is all that's on it right now:
One song
Glory
One song before I go
Glory
One song to leave behind
Find one song
One last refrain
Glory
From the pretty boy front man
Who wasted opportunity
The melody may be a bit too slow and the lyrics too mellow for Unmade Beds, but I never said this was for the band, did I? No, this song is just for me. Something to write while thinking of the song that I actually, really want to write… A specially written song just for her.
It all started this morning, actually. There I was, slowly falling asleep into my locker when a loud BANG suddenly wakes me up. Taking my head out of the locker, I look around and see a fallen history book on the floor. Being the gentleman I am, I rush over and pick it up for whoever dropped it. Standing up, I find myself staring into the dark brown eyes of the girl I see everyday, who also happened to be one of my best friends. Something was different about how I looked at her today… I didn't just see her as one of my closest friends. I saw her as… wow. The way she smiled… The way her dark brown hair framed her face perfectly…
Do you believe in love at first sight? Well, I didn't used to until today. Although, I'm not sure you can categorize this as love at first sight because I've known Ershey since I was in fourth grade. Though, I'm pretty sure this is what it feels like to fall in love at first sight. Yes. 'Love at first sight of the day'.
"Thanks, Aaron!" she said, taking her book from me and smiling. Is it just me, or is time standing still?
"Aaron?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. What? Was I staring or something? OH SHIT, I'M STARING!
"Yrsh." Yes, you heard me. Oh, and if you're wondering, yeah, I mentally kicked myself right after I uttered that word – if you can call it a word. Clearing my throat nervously, I corrected myself, "Yo, Ersh."
She laughed. "There we go! I was starting to worry you'd woken up with a speech impediment or something."
"Well, no need to worry," I replied, "I'm completely fi—URK!" Cue: Michael – One Who Claps You On The Back At The Most Unexpected Times. Who the hell made up that type of greeting anyway? I swear, I'll shoot them.
So, there Michael and Dom appeared, ruining my moment with Ershey, and there Ershey was, beautiful as ever and… laughing at me. Great.
"I guess I'll see you in class," Ershey said, smiling. As she turned to leave, I swore she was moving in slow motion. Like in those romance movies when the guy sees the girl and as the girl turns to leave, they always show her moving in slow motion? Yeah, like that…
"See you," I replied, but I doubt she heard me. She doesn't see me in the way I see her. Well, in the way I see her now. She probably sees me in the way that I saw her yesterday. Wait… I'm confusing myself.
Morning classes went by INSANELY slow. I swear, history was never this boring. I think my butt went numb in the chair, but you really didn't need to know that. All through each class, all I could think about was Ershey, Ershey, Ershey. I wanted her to notice me – no, I needed her to notice me.
Michael and Dom were the worst help ever. You know, I'm surprised Michael even has a girlfriend with the suggestion he gave me!
"It's called a pick-up line, Aaron. You say
'If you were a new hamburger at McDonald's,
you would be McGorgeous'." Cue: Michael the Idiot.
"How the hell does Kyriel stand you?" I replied, rolling my eyes.
When lunch time rolled around, I had already decided to take matters into my own hands. It didn't seem like any of my other friends were going to do me any good at the time, anyway. I had sat through biology, thinking of a plan when it finally hit me:
Kyriel! Duh, why didn't I think of this when I was talking to Michael? Not only is she Michael's girlfriend (though how she came into that position is beyond me), but she's Ershey's best friend!
Get it? Best friend? As in, she knows everything about Ershey? … Work with me, here.
So, I approach her in the cafeteria. Lucky for me, Ershey isn't anywhere near her, which struck me as a little odd, since the two were practically joined at the hip.
"Hey, Ky," I say, sitting down next to her.
"Hey, Aaron," she replied, stabbing a french fry with her fork and placing it into her mouth. Wait, who eats fries with a fork, dude?!
Awkward silence.
I hate awkward silences. But what am I supposed to do, huh? Just confess the fact that I'm in love with her best friend and ask her for advice on how to get her best friend to fall in love back?
… Not a bad plan, if you ask me.
"IthinkI'minlovewithErshhowdoIgethertonoticeme?" I blurt out, not realizing I had forgotten how to string words into sentences. She got the hint though, for she was now smirking at me and nodding her head.
"Oooh, widdle Aaron's in looooove!" How the hell does Michael stand her? Pause. Eh, they were made for each other.
"Will you please answer my question?" I reply, rolling my eyes.
She managed to stop giggling long enough to ponder my query. And what a long ponder it was. Three minutes to be exact. Now, because of those three minutes, I have successfully memorized the ingredients of the soda in her soda can.
"I'VE GOT IT!" Kyriel exclaimed, snapping her fingers and bouncing excitedly. No more soda for her. "You're in that band with Michael, right? Unmade Beds?"
"Yes…" I reply, slowly. "But how is being in a band supposed to help me win Ershey's heart?"
"First off, don't say that again because you sound like you just came out of a cheesy romance movie. Anyway, I was going to suggest that you write her a song!" Smart. "A love song!" Genius. "Then perform it at the talent show tomorrow!" What is she? A relative of Einstein?! … Or maybe I'm just stupid. That would explain why I didn't think of her plan sooner.
"That's a great idea!" I agree, nodding my head excitedly. Wait. "Aw, shit. That won't work."
"What?" Kyriel replied, thoroughly confused, "Why not? It's perfect!"
"Yeah, it's a perfect plan but… Michael's the singer in the band. Not me." GAHR, why does he always get in the way?! Cue: Michael the Roadblock.
"So?" SO?! "Just tell him that you want to sing!" Great idea, except—
"I don't sing."
"WHAT?!" Kyriel exclaimed, standing up. No wonder she's likes to act, she's overly dramatic! … Or, maybe she's just insane. "You have an amazing voice! Why don't you sing?! Well, you know what, I don't care. You're singin' that song and…" Well, you get how the rest went.
And so, that's why I'm here. Of course, writer's block must come on the day that I really need a song. Well, a love song, anyway. I just need one song… Just one song…
And this song wasn't it. It's finished now, but it just isn't the song I wanted. Well, I thought it wasn't anyway. Still ignoring my homework, I glance at the clock. 1:30am. Unaware of the still undone homework, I turn out the lights and climb into bed.
I guess there won't be a song after all.
~*~
"AARON! WAKE UP! WE'RE RUNNING LATE!" What the--? No… Must sleep… Leave me alone, Mom…
"COME ON, AARON! IT'S 8:02!" 8:02?! The gig's at 8:30! SHIT!
I literally throw myself out of bed, grabbing a random shirt and a pair of pants out of my drawer and throwing them on. After frantically brushing my teeth, tossing the undone homework into my backpack, messing with the shoe laces on my shoes, and leaving my bed unmade (cliché, ne?) I sprint out the door.
"AARON, WAIT!" I hear my mother shout at me. I swear, I left skid marks on the sidewalk as I turned back.
"Yes?" I ask calmly, albeit out of breath.
"You left homework on your desk!" Mom replied, handing me a sheet of paper.
"Oh, thanks!" I said, quickly folding up the paper and stuffing it into my pocket before sprinting as fast as I could down the road and to school. Thank god my school's close to where I live… Michael would have taken it upon himself to chop my head off and stick it on the flag pole near the parking lot if I missed a performance.
Nice visual, eh? Thank you, thank you…
Figuring I'd already missed most of first period, I headed toward the gymnasium. Michael and Dominic were already there setting up our equipment. They must have been allowed to skip first period.
… So, I wouldn't have been late after all. Nice, Aaron, nice.
"Where have you been?!" Michael demanded. Cue: Michael the Dictator. "You're twenty minutes late! Get on stage and set up your stuff already!"
"Yes, mom," I mutter before hopping onto the stage and getting my drum equipment set up.
Mere seconds after I'd finished, students began pouring into the gym. I watched as Ershey and Kyriel made their way to the front row and sat down. Kyriel gave me the thumbs up. Well, I wasn't nervous before, but now I am! Great. Just great.
The curtains closed while some kid named Specs picked up a microphone and, standing in front of the stage, began introducing the first act – us.
"Our first act is a band that seems to be pretty popular around campus…" I heard him begin. I shook my head, in attempt to shake off my nervousness. Had I ever been this nervous before a performance before? Ugh.
"Everyone ready?" I heard Dominic whisper. We all nodded, and I took my place behind the drum set. It was then that I noticed something white on the ground. Leaning over, I picked it up.
It was my song.
Just then the curtains reopened and the first person I saw was Ershey. Sitting… And smiling. Happily awaiting our performance.
Before I knew it, I was being led by the fluttering beats of my heart over to Michael. He was telling the audience something about the songs we were going to perform, but I wasn't really listening. I only had one thing on my mind.
"Michael?" I said quietly, "I need to ask you a favor…"
And then, in a matter of seconds, I was standing in front of the microphone. My hands were sweating like crazy but something inside gave me the courage to speak.
"Hi," I said, trying my best to keep my voice as steady as possible, "I wrote this song last night while trying to write another song. A love song, actually, for someone I just recently realized I was in love with. This song is about trying to find the right words to say to her. The perfect song just for her. That one song." I lowered my gaze to Ershey, staring into her eyes. She got the message, as I saw her lips part slightly in surprise, before curving upwards into a smile.
And then, I sang.
"One
song
Glory
One song before I go
Glory
One song to leave behind
Find one song
One last refrain
Glory
From the pretty boy front man
Who wasted opportunity
One song
He had the world at his feet
Glory
In the eyes of a young girl
A young girl
Find glory beyond the cheap colored lights
One song before the sun sets
Glory on another empty life
Time flies
Time dies
Glory
One blaze of glory
Glory
One blaze of glory
Glory
Find glory in a song that rings true
Truth like a blazing fire
An eternal flame
Find one song
A song about love
Glory
From the soul of a young man
A young man
Find the one song
Glory like a sunset
One song
To redeem this empty life
Time flies
And then no need to endure any more
Time dies
Thank you."
I hadn't even realized my eyes had closed while I was singing, and when I reopened them, I found Ershey at my side with her perfectly framed face, her perfect eyes, her perfect hair, and her perfect smile. God, I love her smile. And then, without hesitation, I leaned forward and kissed her, not caring about the hundred students and teachers in the audience clapping.
When I pulled away, Ershey still had that smile on her face. I smiled back as she wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me back into another kiss while the curtains closed.
~*~
Alrighty, now! ONE... TWO... THREE... AWWWWW!
Well, you know what to do, read and review! ... That rhymed.