Our Love Is A Duet
By AllzStar
Author's Note: Well, I have recently taken an unexplained liking to Craig, and after playing several duets BY MYSELF on the piano, this idea came to me. So basically, each chapter will be based on a duet song that I love, and I suggest you listen to the song on youtube or something so that you can get the right atmosphere. I listen to every song while writing each chapter.
Chapter One – Hello
I've been alone with you inside my mind / And in my dreams I've kissed your lips a thousand times / I sometimes see you pass outside my door / Hello / Is it me you're looking for? / I can see it in your eyes / I can see it in your smile / You're all I've ever wanted, and my arms are open wide / 'Cause you know just what to say / And you know just what to do / And I want to tell you so much / I love you ...
- "Hello" by Lea Michelle and Jonathan Groff (GLEE Version) -
The keys were so familiar, so comforting, under her fingers as she struck each key lightly, tinkering out the sweet melody of her favourite song. Her voice was clear and soft as she sang the words quietly. It was a duet, but she sang both parts anyway, accompanying herself on the piano. It sounded lovely just by herself, but it was still missing something—the male counterpart, the tenor voice meant to sweep underneath her voice, carrying it and lifting it and supporting it.
That was where Craig came in.
He'd taken an interest to Kate James about a month ago, when he'd overheard her playing that same piano and singing a Sarah MacLauchlan song. He soon discovered that she was at that piano in the back of the band room every day after school for two hours, just playing and singing like no one was listening. And no one was, until Craig heard her. Then he was almost always there, just outside the door, listening.
Most people wouldn't have considered Craig Tucker to be "musically inclined"—but they probably didn't know that he did what Kate did at home: locked in his room with his old acoustic guitar. Just playing and singing softly and learning and experimenting, discovering his style and what he could do. Most people probably didn't know Kate James was musically inclined either. She wasn't enrolled in a band class. It was as if she, like Craig, was hiding her talents, preferring to keep them to herself. It was a modest action, but Craig knew it was because she was just too shy to show anyone, to perform. Craig just didn't give a damn to show anyone. She was afraid to.
He thought he could help them both.
Kate had moved to South Park when everyone was still in middle school; now that they were all in their junior year the teens of South Park didn't really consider her to be "new" anymore, but she'd never really managed to fit in. She was quiet and mysterious—like Craig, only nobody considered her dangerous. Craig wasn't dangerous either; people just thought he was because he'd punched more than a few people more than a few times. He didn't mind the reputation—that was why he kept his music a secret.
Craig Tucker was currently sitting outside the band room, his back against the cinderblock wall, his elbows on his knees. He tilted his head back against the wall and closed his eyes, listening to Kate's sweet voice as she awkwardly sang both parts of the lovely duet. He recognized it vaguely, but he couldn't put a name to it. He knew some of the words, at least. Before he knew it he was singing the male part along with her, just singing in the hallway. There was no one around to hear him, but still. Weak.
Craig caught himself soon enough and stopped, snapping his head up and shaking it. He pulled his old blue chullo off his head and rumpled his floppy black hair, letting it fall in his eyes and around his ears. He pulled on his white t-shirt, trying to circulate the air along his skin. The heating system was seriously fucked up in this school. It was always either way too cold or way to hot.
He froze when he heard the music stop abruptly. He heard paper rustling, and muttered words of frustration before Kate started up again, this time much firmer than before. She was getting frustrated. Sometimes her fingers failed her and she fumbled over keys, which frustrated her to no end. Craig smirked as he listened to her try to pick it back up again.
He pushed himself up against the wall and peeked around the corner. The piano was facing him, which meant Kate's back was to him. She was playing the last verse slowly and deliberately, as if trying to prove to the piano that she could play the song. She was concentrating on the notes now, and her voice had died. Craig quietly entered the room and reached for the stack of music books that Mr. Reed, the band teacher, kept on a cart at the front of the room. Kate still wasn't aware of his presence, but he was about to make himself known.
He picked a song out of an 80s book and moved towards her. He waited until she'd played the last note of the song and huffed her way through closing the book and turning to put it back into her bag. When she turned she saw Craig, standing about a foot away from her, and screamed, dropping her music book to the sound-proof floor.
Neither one of them moved to pick it up. Instead, Craig advanced even further and handed her the music book he'd selected, open to the right page. She stared at it, her eyes wide with surprise and her cheeks pink with embarrassment.
"Can you play it?" Craig asked.
She looked over the music, then shrugged.
Craig gestured for her to move over so he could sit next to her on the bench. Every nerve in her body was wired; she was stiff as a board as Craig took the music book from her and set it on the stand over the keyboard. Kate made no move to start playing. Craig, who knew a little about the piano, gently took her hands and placed them over the keys that made the first chord of the song. She still didn't play. She was staring at the music, and her fingers were shaking.
"Just play," Craig encouraged, his voice husky and soft. "It's alright."
Slowly, Kate James began to play the introduction of "Hello" by Lionel Richie, her right hand fingers dancing over the keys closer to the top of the scale while her left hand played a simple chord. When the time came for the male voice to begin singing, Craig's voice came in a swooping tenor, rough and low and just plain sexy.
"I've been alone with you inside my mind," he sang. "And in my dreams I've kissed your lips a thousand times. I sometimes see you pass outside my door. Hello...is it me you're looking for?"
Kate panicked, her fingers fumbling over the keys, when she realized it was her turn to sing. She took a deep breath and held it, her eyes darting quickly to Craig's patient face before going back to the ivory keys. Her mind was racing. He was so good looking. It was the boy from her Chemistry class, the quiet one that always seemed to be deep in thought. The one who wrote song lyrics in his notebook. She'd seen them once, while passing by his desk while he was away from it. She'd read the first verse and fallen in love with his sensitive tones. But she'd never had the courage to actually talk to him...she didn't even know his name.
She started again from Craig's last line, and he joined in softly. When the time came for her to start singing with him, she did, her voice tender and quiet at first, but then building with the song.
"I can see it in your eyes," they sang together in perfect harmony, "I can see it in your smile. You're all I've ever wanted, and my arms are open wide. 'Cause you know just what to say. And you know just what to do. And I want to tell you so much, I love you..."
"I long to see the sunlight in your hair," sang Craig. He had to refrain from actually touching her ash blonde hair, which was swept into a messy bun at the base of her skull.
Kate sang, "And tell you time and time again how much I care."
Craig joined in: "Sometimes I feel my heart will overflow. Hello, I've just got to let you know. 'Cause I wonder where you are and I wonder what you do. Are you somewhere feeling lonely, or is someone loving you? Tell me how to win your heart, for I haven't got a clue. But let me start by saying: I love you ..."
The song built and swelled, and soon enough both voices were rising in volume as high notes were gracefully belted and the song was brought back down to a tender quiet. The duet finished with the famous, severe line: "But let me start by saying...I love you."
The piano faded, and neither teen moved. They stared at the music, at that final note, those final three words. Kate felt an uncomfortable squirming in her stomach when she felt Craig's eyes on her; those eyes that she'd always admired from afar but never in this close proximity. He made her nervous. He made her scared. She wanted to believe that she didn't like him, but really it was how he made her feel that bothered her. She couldn't help it. So she'd just have to get rid of him.
She stood up and snapped the book shut, shoving into his hands. "What do you want?" she snapped, staring at the piano. She couldn't bring herself to look into his eyes.
He was looking at her curiously, a tiny, amused smile turning up the corners of his mouth. He shrugged. "I just wanted to sing with you," he said. He stood and faced her, but he was met only with her profile. "You're really good."
"I don't like it when people listen to me," she said, but the firmness was failing her. Craig could sense her discomfort, so he took his cue to leave.
"Well, it was nice singing with you," he said, backing away from the piano. "Maybe we could do it again sometime...?" It was an open-ended question, but he hoped anyway.
She shook her head, bending to pick up her fallen book and her bag, which was packed with more music books. "I don't do duets," she said.
"But you were just playing one," Craig said. "Not Hello, but before—that one you were singing by yourself."
Kate eyed him wearily, her muddy brown eyes finally rising to meet his. "How long were you listening to me?"
Craig's mouth twitched before he opted to tell her the truth. "I always listen to you," he said slowly. "I listen to you every day."
Her face creased into a horrified expression. "Well, don't!" she snapped. "I don't like people listening to me. You're creepy. Just leave me alone."
But she had to pass Craig to get out of the room. She clutched her satchel bag to her and passed clear of Craig, who made no move to stop her. He did, however, follow her out of the room, tossing the 80s book back onto the pile on the cart. He had one more question for her.
"What was that song called?" Craig called after her, as she was already halfway down the hallway.
She froze in her tracks and spun around, scowling at him. "What song?" she demanded.
"The duet you were playing by yourself, before I came in."
She stared at him in disbelief, a little crease between her brows, and then shook her head, and continued down the hall.
Craig didn't bother to stop her. He'd freaked her out enough for one day. But he couldn't help but smile at the memory of their voices, swooping and sailing over and under each-other. They had sounded really good together; that he knew all too well. She must have heard it, too. Craig realized that getting closer to her would be harder than he thought, but he was willing to keep trying. He also knew that she'd be checking to make sure he wasn't listening. She might even force the heavy door to the band room closed, which would completely muffle the sound of her voice from Craig.
When he got home, Craig opened his laptop and searched for an online music store. He found one immediately, and clicked on the big "duets" button. He cracked his knuckles and started searching.
Needless to say, his printer had a pretty good workout that night.
Author's Note: What do you guys think so far? Personally, I love this. I've finally managed to connect to a story. I freaking love music (and Craig), so now I can incorporate both into a story. Please review; I really enjoy your feedback and advice.