Adrian Dursenn wanted to be a writer. It was all she's ever wanted. And she knew where she wanted to go to school to study and develop her already quite polished skills.
"The only thing is, is that it's an all guy school." She told her best friend Gregory Rooney, who everyone called Rooney. Rooney looked over at her and sighed. He was used to Adrian being all unrealistic. But usually, he excused it because she was so brilliant.
"Listen Adrian, you need to be realistic. You'll never get into that school. You're definitely good enough," he added quickly to quash her stormy look, "but you're a girl."
"You're such a pessimist." She said and frowned. "Rooney, have you ever wanted something so badly that you could taste it, all you did was dream about it, your whole life revolved around it, and then someone told you that you were a girl?"
Rooney stifled a laugh. He shook his head. Actually he did feel those things, and they were about the person sitting across from him. Except for the girl part.
"I'm a realist. Adrian, you are a girl. And I'm glad you are, or my first kiss would have been even more awkward than it already was." He laughed.
"Shush, Rooney!" Adrian smiled for the first time that afternoon. When they were fifteen they'd kissed one another so that they wouldn't be the only people at school that hadn't been kissed, and Adrian didn't really like to bring it up.
"My being a girl is only a minor detail! I would be accepted if they saw my work, I know I would." She said determinedly.
"Not if they saw you, though." Rooney muttered into his milkshake. Adrian growled. Rooney knew that when Adrian wanted something she usually got it. But not this time, and it would be good for her. "Let's talk about something else." Rooney said quietly.
"Okay, let's talk about why life is so unfair!" she shouted, causing several people in the restaurant to turn and look.
"Calm down, Adrian." Rooney whispered. "Let's talk about the end of the summer dance."
"Ooh, I got a new dress, well, sort of, it was my great-great gram's, from the forties! It's really cute!" Adrian gushed. "And it fits me like a glove, and the shoes do too, can you believe it? If I could just convince her to let me wear it."
"Great!" Rooney said sarcastically. He'd been planning to ask her, but she'd asked Phillip Greenley, who was in his band, and also four inches taller than him.
"What're you so pissy about?" she asked obliviously.
"Nothing. Has Phillip got a 'forties suit to go with it?"
"No, but I don't really want him to, he doesn't have the right look for the era."
"Won't you be mismatched?" Rooney said, mock-interestedly. He stood and made like he was going to leave, then waited by the door for Adrian. Now that they were no longer sitting at a table Rooney stood a few inches shorter than her, and people usually stared, though most thought she was bringing her little brother around, even though Rooney was six months older.
"Hey, are you still going with Lois?" Adrian asked him as they made their way to "Just in Time" their mutual favorite store.
"No, she's going with Anthony Finch. And Shannon is going with Peter Shimming, and Sarah is going with David Pikvitte. . . need I go on?"
"Okay, well, you can come with me and Phillip, then."
"I wouldn't want to be a third wheel." Rooney sighed. He ran a hand through his unkempt light brown hair, wishing he could run his hands through Adrian's own long, silky looking, reddish-blonde hair.
"Nonsense, you'll come with us. It'll be fun, I promise."
"Well, okay." Rooney conceded. He always gave in, even when they were kids. And it was her lousy idea to kiss each other before sophomore year so they wouldn't be "losers". He though angrily. Stupid Adrian and her stupid ideas. I want to kiss her again. She's a really good kisser.
"Well?" Adrian asked, walking out of the dressing rooms in yet another dress.
"What?" Rooney replied almost sleepily.
"I asked what you think of this dress. Do you think it's too revealing?"
Rooney turned and looked. It was deep emerald green, the color of her eyes; it went down past her ankles, and was gathered at the waist with a diamond broach at the side, Rooney looked at the plunging neckline and gulped loudly.
Adrian smiled at him shyly. Rooney's eyes were wide as saucers.
"Well, Roon?" she asked, turning around, the back of the dress, dipping low as well, the only thing holding it up was the gathering and the diamond clip.
"Too revealing, too low cut." He muttered. "No, no, you can't wear that." He stammered.
"Silly, I wasn't going to buy it. I just wanted to know what you thought of it. I've been dying to try it on for weeks. You can't wear this sort of thing to one of our school's dances, it would get ruined somehow or another." She smiled, twirling. She looked in absolute bliss in the dress.
Rooney imagined the two of them spinning around, dancing and laughing, him in a tux, her in the dress, classical music playing in the background, everyone else standing off to the side, applauding their amazing skills, but two the two of them, there was no one else in the room. She would look up at him, shyly, he would smile, and then, they would kiss.
"Rooney!" Adrian shouted, shaking him by the shoulders lightly. "Wake u-up!" she called laughingly. He shook his head and laughed.
"Sorry." He muttered. She had already changed and was looking like she wanted to go to the next store on their usual rounds of the mall. "Let's get going." He continued, putting the hat he'd tried on back onto the shelf.
They went into the bookstore and were almost immediately ambushed by the rest of Rooney's band mates Phillip, who played drums and was taking Adrian to the dance, Andrew, who played bass and was the only Asian kid in school that was more interested in music than homework, Killian, who played keyboard and wanted to be an astronaut, and Desmond, who played guitar and was black, but had an Irish accent. Rooney smiled. He loved all the guys in the band like they were brothers. Rooney wrote the songs and sang; he'd tried playing a number of instruments, but failed terribly at all of them.
"Rooney, mate," Desmond started, "have you got the songs for our next gig at the club? I need my part; I haven't played in a while. And with all those new songs you're always writing about her-" Phillip slapped a hand over his mouth, while Rooney blushed, and Andrew and Killian laughed uproariously.
"Why don't we go now and practice, and let Adrian hear it and tell us what she thinks?" Phillip suggested smiling. Desmond, who still had his mouth covered, looked from Phillip, to Rooney, who was still slightly pink, to Adrian, who was beaming at Phillip's suggestion. A knowing look came over what of his face they could see, and he rolled his eyes.
"That's a great idea Phillip!" she gushed.
"I don't know." muttered Rooney. "I don't think you'll like the new stuff." He was extremely nervous singing in front of her, especially when the songs were about her.
"Nonsense." Phillip smiled. "She'll love the new stuff, Roon. Come by around five, we can have pizza afterwards, sound good?"
"Sounds amazing!" she giggled. "See you guys at five then? I've got to go and try and convince my grandma to let me wear that dress. Come on, Roon, I'll give you a lit home, if you want."
"See you guys at the garage at four for run through." He said and the two of them left. He was shaking as Adrian took his hand and pulled him, blinking, into the sunlight and out to her bicycle built for two.
ℓℓℓ
It was four thirty when they finally finished practicing, the guys really liked the two new songs Rooney had written, and decided to run through them once more before Adrian came over. She was always the first to hear their new music, and unlike any of the others that came over, she was always honest with them.
They had just finished running through one of their other songs, one of their signatures, when Adrian came walking up and rolled under the garage door, which had never actually opened properly. She looked like she'd been crying, so the guys set down their instruments and went over to her.
"What's up, Addy?" Killian asked. The boys took seats surrounding her around the graying, dilapidated couch.
"Oh, nothing, I tried using crying to get my grandma to let me wear her dress, but she still said no. then I cried for real, but she just sent me home, she's a strong old lady." Adrian laughed. "The only problem is that now I don't have a dress for the dance."
"What about all your other homecoming dresses, or spring dance dresses?" Andrew inquired.
"I donated them to charity." She answered. "I'm sorry, Phillip, I guess you'll have to go alone."
"Nah, we'll go in jeans, it'll be fun." He laughed. Rooney cringed.
"I didn't come hear for you guys to feel sorry for me, I came so that I could hear your new songs, and I intend to. Now, get over there and make me get off this couch and dance." She giggled.
The boys went over and picked up their instruments, and began to play. Rooney looked around and bobbed his head in time to the music. He looked at Adrian and started to sing.
She looks like a goddess
And I love it when she talks
I won't say it out loud
But I love to watch her when she walks
She may be an angel
But she causes me such pain
I burn when I see her
I want to kiss her again
Again, again, again, again

She's my doll, she's my angel, oh yeah, she's my baby
I need you tonight, babe, oh please don't say maybe
Ooh, you make me melt

She makes my blood pump
She's the reason I'm still breathin'
She's such a freak
But she's the reason I'm believin'
She'll get the best of me
If she ever sees I need her
She's every beat of my heart
I just want us to be together

Baby you can't possibly know what it's like to live without you
I need you everyday
You're such a flirt, baby; you know that I want you
Please don't go away.

She's my doll, she's my angel, oh yeah, she's my baby
I need you tonight, oh please don't say maybe
Oo-oo-hoo-ooh, babe you make me melt

You're my doll, you're my angel, oh yeah, you're my baby
I need you tonight, baby, please don't say maybe
Oo-oo-hoo-ooh, baby, you make me-e-e melt

The song ended and Adrian sat back down, applauding like crazy. Rooney smiled.
"You guys that was amazing! Really! Really good; I love those little dance moves you did, Roon. It really makes it perfect."
"Thanks." He mumbled. He hadn't been aware that he'd actually been moving, just focused on singing, but if Adrian liked it he'd keep it up.
"I really like it when you emphasize those words, like burn, and melt. Makes it really sexy and kind of naughty. It'll go over great at the club."
"Oh, we're not playing at the club anymore. We're doing sort of a mini-concert for some talent agents." Andrew informed her.
"Really, when?"
"Same night as the club, that's why we're not doing it." Desmond laughed. "Come on, men, let's play the other one, then she can help us decide on which ones to play for the talent people."
So they started to play the next one, which sounded sort of eighties, Adrian liked it already.
I wish you would notice me
I'm right where you need me to be
I do everything you tell me to
I just wanna be with you

I try not to cry when I think about you
Everything I do, it revolves around you
Fell in love at our first glance
Let go of him and give me a chance
You're sweet but cruel on so many levels
It's like a war between angels and devils

I wish that you would notice me
I'm right where you need me to be
I do everything you ask me to
I just wanna be with you

My lips are sealed, babe, all I need is your love
When I held your hand it fit like a glove
When I look at you I get lost in your eyes
If life were a contest you'd be the prize
I think of you when I'm dreaming in bed
I wish I could kiss you outside of my head

I wish you would notice me, baby
I'm right where you want me to be
I'd do everything you want me to
Baby, I just wanna be with you
Baby, I just need to be with you

When the song was through Adrian couldn't stop smiling. Phillip looked from her, to Rooney who was smiling back at her. He dropped his drumsticks in a loud clattering way.
"That was really good, Rooney, I love it." she smiled wider, walking over to where he was standing. But quickly she turned from him and walked up to Philip and hugged him tightly.
"So, you think we should play it for the talent scouts?" Rooney asked in a downcast sort of way.
"Definitely." She smiled. Her cell phone rang; she glanced at it, excused herself and rolled back under the garage door. "See you guys later!" she called as she rode away.
Phillip picked up his drumsticks and walked up to Rooney and smiled in a mischievous way. "Why didn't you just tell her the songs were about her?"
"They're not." Rooney lied.
"Sure they're not. Whatever, lie to us, lie to her, lie to yourself, Roon. Do me a favor, take her to the dance, I can't, I've got . . . something to do."
"Sure you do."
"Whatever, but I heard she kisses at the end of a date."
Rooney didn't know what came over him; he lunged at Phillip, but was caught in midair by Desmond and Killian.
"See? See you later guys. By the way, Rooney, you and I are getting ready at my house, we'll pick her up at eight tomorrow." And he left.
"What a jerk." Rooney murmured when they put him down.
ℓℓℓ
The next morning Adrian woke up to find a white box on her window sill. Wondering who would climb up a ladder to put it outside her window she crawled out and snatched the box inside. She pulled the card out from under the deep green ribbon that held the box shut.
"I wish you would notice me, I'm right where you need me to be, I do everything you tell me to, I just wanna be with you." she read. "Rooney." she breathed. Adrian pulled the ribbon and it came untied easily. Slowly she opened the box and pulled the tissue paper off. She gasped, nearly fainted, and then squealed so high pitchedly she almost broke her window.
It was the dress. The dress! The dress! The gorgeous dress she'd tried on in "Just in Time". She held it up to her body and spun in a circle, nearly tripping on the skirt. She laid it out on her bed and ran downstairs to call and thank him.
"Hi, is Gregory there?" she asked his mother.
"Who? Oh, no, hun, he's at Phillip's, said something about making amends. Want me to tell him you called, sweetie?"
"No, no, I'll call him at Phillip's. Thanks Mrs. Rooney. Talk to you later, bye."
"Bye hun."
Adrian hung up. Now slightly suspicious, she dialed Phillip's number, but hung up when he picked up. She decided not to call, and rather to call him later, hoping she wasn't going crazy.
"I'm confused." She said. "I want breakfast." She resigned, and then went downstairs to eat.
It was four o'clock when her second surprise showed up outside her window. Even more confused than she already was, Adrian crawled out and took the long, white box and laid it on her bed. Gingerly she opened it and inside was the most beautiful bouquet she'd ever seen. The words on the card said 'you may be an angel, but you cause me such pain, I burn when I see you, I want to kiss you again, and again, and again, and again.' This time instead of shrieking, she went to the phone and called Rooney's number for the second time that day.
"Hi Mr. Rooney, is Gregory there, please?"
"Who the hell is Gregory?" he muttered. "Oh, no he's not here, sorry, Adrian."
"Oh, okay, thanks, Mr. Rooney. Do you know when he'll be home?"
"No, he told his mother, but she went to work. Speaking of work, I've got to go, sorry, Addy."
"That's okay, thanks Mr. Rooney."
"Bye, Addy."
"Bye." She murmured, and hung up. "So, Rooney's not home, yet. But he's probably not at Phillip's anymore. Oh, well, I suppose I'll call him anyway."
She dialed Phillip's number slowly, mostly because she was freaking out a little. She resisted the urge to hang up before Phillip answered, and counted the rings, and took a deep breath.
"Four . . . Five. . . ."
"Hello?" for some reason when she heard Phillip's voice she thought about her first kiss, with Rooney. "Hello? Addy, you there?"
She shook her head. "Um, yeah, I'm here. Sorry, I just wanted to call and ask if Rooney was there. His mom said he was this morning."
"Yeah, he woke me up, too. But, he's not here right now. Desmond and Killian are though, wanna talk to one of them?"
"Uh, not right now."
"But we need your help. We need you to tell us what songs to do for that show."
"Listen, this is important, Philip-"
"She said she'll be over in a little while." She heard him call over his shoulder. "See you in a bit, Adrian."
"Wait, Phillip, I can't come over, I never said I would-" all she heard was a dial-tone. She put on some lip-gloss and started walking over to Phillip's house, which was only two blocks away.
When she arrived the guys had ordered pizza, and were eating it out on his patio. They were going through the sheets of paper that contained the lyrics Rooney had written, Adrian noticed most of the sheets were covered in scribbles, notes, and little doodles that Rooney had done when he couldn't think of the next line.
"He wrote that one in math, last year." She told Andrew, who was holding one of her favorites, 'out of the rain'.
"Cool." Andrew said, picking up another piece of pizza. "Nice picture on the bottom there." He smirked, pointing a greasy finger towards the doodle of their teacher.
"so, we were thinking of doing the two new ones, and then, we wanted to do a couple of the older ones, you know, to let them see how far we've come, and see all the angles we've worked with." Killian informed Adrian.
"Good, I like it. Where's Rooney, shouldn't he be helping us decide?" Desmond put in.
"He took off after apologizing to me this morning. Said something about something he needed to get." Phillip said nonchalantly.
"Wait, why was he apologizing to you?"
"Nothing, guy stuff-"
"No, uh-uh, you have to tell me, remember? We promised we would never say that guy stuff/girl stuff thing?" Adrian reminded him.
"no, that' yours and Rooney's thing, I never made that pact."
"Liar, whatever, fine, don't tell me. See you at eight." she said and left.
ℓℓℓ
At exactly seven-thirty Phillip called Adrian, the phone rang three times before she picked up, giving him plenty of time to get his voice ready.