Author's Note: I found this file the other day and started re-writing it. I think it's a little more tolerable now.
Title: One Step Ahead In Love
Summary: The day she passed him was the day she lost him.
Warning: Lame tearjerkers scattered throughout the majority of this story. Rated T because – actually, I don't know what the basis is for rating a story T. I guess I just don't think that this subject matter is for kids.
My hand moved up, down, in a rhythmic pattern, strumming the guitar strings. My other hand rapidly switched positions, changing chords faster than should be legal. If I didn't stop, my hands would bleed. Maybe they were already bleeding. I wouldn't know.
Numb. My hand felt numb.
I faintly registered the audience in front of me, screaming as if from an electric shock. My hands kept moving, playing my emotions out. I should start singing. The instrumental part ends soon…
My voice blared out, clearer to me than any sound. I could just drop my guitar right now and keep singing forever, and that would be just fine. So long as I don't remember. It's disconcerting, singing with all my might and main, but still being faintly aware of my hands flying up and down the frets.
I'm grateful that no one noticed the tears.
I sat down, out of breath. The dressing room was brightly lit and my reflection squinted back at me. I looked like an idol, my dark hair flowing, my clothes light and frilly, my cheeks flushed from exertion. I cannot connect the voice I heard to this face staring at me.
"Good job," said May, our drummer. As usual, she hasn't broken a sweat, after bashing out beats so fast it was like she was having a spasm. She looked totally fresh, like she just showered and went through a walk in a fragrant park.
Beside me, a beautiful brunette was combing her hair. Our bassist, Leaf. "Yeah, you were totally amazing out there today, Dawn. It was like something I've never seen before." I snorted. "Your hair is like something I've never seen before," I retorted. As usual, her hair is immaculate.
"Hey!" she whined. She looked consciously into the mirror, biting her bottom lip and looking anxiously if my comment had any basis. I patted her on the shoulder. "Don't worry. Your hair's beautiful no matter what you do."
She started to smile so I decided to tease her again just for kicks – "It's beautiful even when nothing else of you is."
She laughed and tossed her hair behind her shoulder – hitting me square in the face with long nut brown locks. I rubbed my eyes. "Hey, just because your shiny tresses—" I pronounced the word like an insult, "—are all pretty, it doesn't mean they can't cause me retina damage if they hit my eyeballs hard enough!" She giggled. "Oh, lighten up, Dawn."
"Who wants water bottles?" asked Misty, our keyboard player. She was the only one of our group with hair to rival even Leaf's. After years and years of reassuring her that she would look good, she finally grew out her red hair. And I must say that she looked fantastic. It never gets old to see her auburn locks – which were once a lighter shade – swaying down her back like a fiery waterfall. It's also a very good comparison, because the style that she braids her hair in is called a waterfall.
I took a water bottle and gulped it down gratefully. I noticed my hands were shaking. Probably from the guitar solos.
"Hey, are you guys going to the after party?" asked May, holding her drum sticks and playing air drum. Leaf looked up. "The one they're holding for all the bands who played tonight?" she asked, skillfully braiding her hair into a more complex version of the waterfall – her style has three braids running down her hair instead of one. She did it without so much as a glance in the mirror.
"Uh-huh," replied May. Her hands were moving so fast they look blurred. "But the bands aren't the only ones coming. I heard that the managers have all ganged up and got celebrities to come. Big celebrities, too." I noticed that she looked at me.
My hands trembled a bit harder.
I'm not expecting anything.
Misty, bless her, didn't catch the drift. "By celebrities, you mean actors, right?"
My hands looked like they're having a spasm.
But the next time I see you…
"Yeah…" replied May uncomfortably. Leaf's beginning to sense the problem, too. Misty kept right on talking.
"Oh my God, do you think – do you think Barry Logan is coming?"
The water bottle fell from my hands. The name had been spoken. The redhead noticed immediately. "Oh God, Dawn. Are you okay?" she asked concernedly.
I looked at my red, weary hands.
…I want to talk to you.
"It's nothing," I said. "Just a case of adrenaline from all those guitar solos." Misty looked like she wanted to ask more, but I was seriously not in the mood. She looked away and began needling Leaf. "Hey, I bet Red's coming."
Leaf turned away, tying the final braid back with a green rubber band. "Of course he is. His new movie just came out," she replied unconcernedly.
I can't help but smile. No matter what she says, all of us could see through her act. Leaf Bridget may care about little other than the state of her hair – that and the band – but she dearly loved her childhood friend, Red Fairchild – who just happens to be an internationally-known actor and is a gigantic name in Hollywood. And we all know that Red felt the same way. All too well, actually. In fact, it actually gets a little painful to watch them talk cheerily, with no evidence of them forwarding their relationship. Red needed to stop being such a gentleman. But I guess that's why she loved him.
Misty grabbed Leaf's shoulders from behind. "Oh, of course he's going to the party just to promote his new movie. Of course he doesn't care about seeing his beautiful childhood friend. Of course he isn't expecting to see her in a gorgeous, white gown that her friend Misty just happened to have. And of course he isn't thinking about asking her out."
"Of course," Leaf agreed placidly.
I laughed. "Of course not, Leaf. If you've seen the way that guy looks at you, you'd know that he hasn't got eyes for anyone except you." Her lip trembled. She whispered something I couldn't quite catch.
Misty leaned in closer. "What was that, dear?" Leaf whispered something into her ear. The redhead threw her head back, laughing.
"Oh, honestly! Do you think Red cares anything for that upstart Yellow? I mean, Yellow di Angelo? Please." Misty shook her head. "There's no one out there who would dare take your place beside Red. Now, come on, I'll get you in that white dress I was talking about." She led Leaf out, the brunette protesting mightily.
Once they were out, the smile melted off my face. Barry Logan. I never thought I'd have to deal with him again so soon. May noticed the sudden change in my demeanor and came right over. She knelt in front of me. "You know, you don't have to go to the party if you don't want to," she said quietly. I stroked her brown hair. For my money, May was the most beautiful one out of our group. It wasn't because she had on a lot of make-up or anything. It was because she just was. She had this flawless beauty that just seemed so natural. And so kind.
Her sapphire eyes peered at me. I smiled. "And miss seeing you and Andrew Deveny hook up? I wouldn't miss it for the world," I replied. May's porcelain white face flushed at the mention of her celebrity crush. Personally, I thought that their situation was much like Leaf and Red's – they were just both too shy to confirm the other's feelings.
"Don't forget that Misty's finally reuniting with Ash Evergreen," she slyly insinuated. I laughed out loud. "Now that, I'd pay a million bucks to see. I'm glad I don't have to." Our laughter died down and she looked at me seriously.
"Dawn, it's none of my business, I know. But I just want to tell you one thing."
We walked out onto the path that led into the party's venue. Leaf looked amazing in her white dress, and even though I said May was the prettiest, Leaf was the show-stopper.
She looked like a lost angel, and it seemed like there was no reason that she should be associating herself with us puny mortals. I glanced at May. Her normally pigtailed brown locks were pinned up gracefully, and she wore a sweet little cocktail dress. Beside me, Misty's hair was tied up in a ponytail – she told me that it was imperative that Leaf wore a regular waterfall hairstyle today and not her. The redhead wore a flattering golden gown, and she looked like a million dollars. I was proud that I had friends like these.
Leaf took my hand. "I'm scared," she whispered. May's words rang in my ears. Don't be afraid…
I squeezed her soft little hand. Unlike the rest of us, her hands hadn't developed any calluses from playing her instrument. She looked at me, and it seemed like she was about to cry. "Don't be afraid."
She let go and gave me a grateful smile. "Thank you so much," she breathed out. And behind her, I could see a familiar ravenhaired man who was looking at us. I smiled at him and motioned slightly for him to come over. Leaf caught the motion and turned around, gasping.
"Leaf. It's great to see you here," said Red. His lips were twitching towards a smile as he took in all of Leaf. He held out his hand. "May I see you to the venue?"
I pushed Leaf slightly nearer to him. She nodded slowly and looked at me like she was asking for help. Red peered at me questioningly, and I swear, his puppy-dog eyes made it seem like he was asking me for permission to take Leaf away. I swear, he was too cute for words and perfect for her.
"Go ahead. Keep her all night. Into the morning if you have to," I laughed. Leaf blushed furiously. "Dawn!"
Red, sweet dense fellow that he was, didn't catch my drift and did a little chivalrous bow and took her hand. He led her away, leaving me in serious danger of laughing and a serious case of diabetes.
May sidled up to me. "Looks like Ash and Red didn't waste any time," she said, pointing. I looked and saw that Misty had somehow snuck away, and was already talking with Ash Evergreen. They looked so in love that I was almost jealous.
Almost.
Meanwhile, a green-haired man approached us. "Excuse me, May?"
I really didn't know that a celebrity party was also a place for couples to fall in love. Andrew "Drew" Deveny was standing beside us, wearing his signature smirk that had all the ladies – fans and fellow actresses – falling all over him.
May nodded curtly. "Drew."
"Oh please," I rolled my eyes. "Get a room, you two."
Drew's smile grew a little more genuine. "Maybe we should." She smacked the actor on the shoulder. "Drew!" He laughed. "If all you're going to do is say my name in different tones, we can do it somewhere else. Care for a drink?"
"Drew…"
They walked away, May looking pleasantly annoyed. The green-haired man looked over at me once. He mouthed, He's here.
Those two words plunged my spirits at once.
Someone tapped me on my shoulder. "Is that you, Dawn?"
Memories came flooding back. A boy who held his hand out to me and became my friend even if no one else would. A boy smiling cheekily at me and confessing he's stolen some cookies from his mother to give them to me. A teenager, taking me out on his car, saying he'd saved the first drive to be with me. A young man saying that he loved me.
I turned around. A blonde man with amber eyes was smiling at me hesitantly, his hand hovering near me. He wore a fitting suit, and his hair was as disheveled as I remember. I recalled what May had said.
Don't
"I haven't see you in a long time."
Be
"How's the band coming along?"
Afraid
"I see that you guys are pretty successful."
Of
"This suit? Oh, it's brand new. I thought you might like it."
Falling
"Say, Dawn?"
In
"Can I talk to you for a moment?"
Love.
Author's Note: Chapter One. I Found You and A Bet To Fall In Love are both on hiatus. Next chapter of this and The Perfect Two are coming up. I hope you liked this!