Finally, it was Saturday… Morning. Tess woke up at noon, leaving five hours to get ready to go to Hasta La Vista. She got out of bed and walked to her bulletin board, as she had every day since Tuesday, when she'd called Ella.
The 'plan' was there, pinned up with a thumb tack. Unfortunately, it'd been three days and still none of the steps were crossed out, but hopefully step six would be fulfilled that night. She smiled, very pleased with herself, and walked into her closet.
It wasn't hard to pick what to wear. It was a coffee shop, so she slipped on a white long-sleeved shirt, black pants, and a serious-looking jacket. Perfect coffee shop feel, in fact she had worn this just the previous year when her mother stood her up at a coffee date.
Now, all she had to do was wait.
-
Four thirty! Finally, Tess shot up from the couch and ran out of her apartment's door. Once she cleared the building, she got onto the nearest bus that would take her to Brooklyn.
She'd gotten directions online to Hasta La Vista, and had no trouble finding it from where the bus dropped her off. As she stood in front of the building, looking at the bright logo displayed above the automatic door, she blurted out.
"It's big."
And it was. There was no way this could be a coffee shop. A couple walked in, dressed in tight jeans and T-shirts. Tess looked down, scanning herself. She'd even slipped on high-heels as she left the apartment!
"Tess! Tess!" Ella's voice came from behind Tess. She whirled around to see Ella getting off a bus and running towards the 'coffee' shop.
"No turning back now." Tess whispered to herself.
"What are you wearing?" Ella said. Tess sighed. She too was dressed casually, with jeans and a T-shirt.
"Um… Yeah." Tess blushed. How embarrassing…
"I've got some extra clothes in my locker. You can change inside, come on!" Tess didn't have much of a choice, Ella grabbing her wrist and dragging her into the building.
Tess was instantly hit with rock music. Some small band of highschoolers were playing on a stage on one end of the large room, while a man, possibly an older Baron, was taking orders from customers at the other end of the room. As each customer was served, they would sit at one of the tables scattered around the room, surrounding a dance floor near the stage.
"Coffee shop? More like a club." Tess said, still being pulled by Ella.
Ella just laughed. "After these guys are done Connect 3 will be on. They're probably getting ready in the band dressing room. Let me just tell Baron we're here." She released Tess's wrist and ran over to where the man, now definitely Baron, was serving customers.
She was back quickly as well. "He said you're allowed in the back. Come on, let's get you some clothes." Ella giggled.
As Tess was pulled, she still had to admit it was nice to be back with Ella. Not exactly the atmosphere she was expecting, but it would probably be fun. Ella pulled her through a door and the music was abruptly blocked out. The room had a row of lockers on each side of it, then three doors on the other wall, probably leading to dressing rooms for the bands.
"Here we go, my lockers over here." Ella let go of Tess once again and walked over to a locker on the right side, unlocking it with a memorized combination. She looked through the locker, and Tess found it the perfect opportunity to start up a conversation.
"So… Do you work here?" Tess asked.
"Yeah, weekdays. It's fun." Ella squinted into the locker. "Ah! There they are." She pulled out something wrapped in a plastic bag. Without pulling the contents out, she handed the bag to Tess. "Here, you can change in the room to the right."
Tess tried to look in the bag, but couldn't see anything under the discolored plastic.
"Go on." Ella motioned over to the dressing room. Tess smiled and walked in.
She sat at a bench close to the entrance to the room and opened the bag. Smiling, even though her feelings were mixed, she stared straight at Ella's costume for the 'Too Cool' number at Camp Rock. Surely this wouldn't fit… Tess tried to put it on.
It did.
She was just adjusting the dress, making sure it was acceptable, and the door opened. "I'm still changing, just a sec." Tess didn't even look over her shoulder to see the door, instead simply assuming it was Ella.
"Alright." Ella's voice did not come as a reply. Tess whirled around, suddenly finding out who it was.
"Oh, Shane…" Tess blushed, almost on purpose. "Long time no see, I guess."
He smiled. "Yeah." The smirk was suddenly wiped off his face. "Um, ur… Seeya." Shane Gray was gone as quickly as he came.
The list came back into Tess's head, and she read the mental image out loud. "Step two, steal Shane Gray's heart." She smiled, finished making the adjustments to the dress, and walked out, all the way into the main room of Hasta La Vista.
"Tess! You look smokin'" Sander said. He and Ella were waiting for Tess just outside the locker room.
"Yeah! I knew you'd look great!" Ella winked. "Anyway, Sander, obvious you remember Tess, and Tess, you probably remember Sander."
"Of course, hey!" Tess smiled at Sander. He didn't look much different, just like Baron. She noticed that Ella looked pretty much the same too, though her hair was cut to a shorter style.
Baron rushed from the counter he was taking orders at right past Ella, Sander, and Tess, giving a quick "Hi Tess" before running onto the stage just as the high school band ended their song and left.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome to…" The crowd cheered along with him. "Hasta. La. Vista!" Everyone yelled in unison, including Sander and Ella. "Tonight we've got something very special for ya'll." Everyone cheered once again.
Tess whispered. "Psh… Coffee shop." Ella just smiled.
"Please welcome some of my friends… Connect 3!" The crowd's screaming was almost to much for Tess's ears. This sensation was overcome by interest when Shane Gray took the stage alone first.
"Hello, hello… Please settle down!" He smiled directly at Tess, or so she thought. The crowd did as he said. "Tonight us at Connect 3 have a very special announcement…" Now, the crowd was completely silence, waiting for the announcement. "We've always said that Connect 3 will always be Connect 3... But tonight…" Shane hung his head, and seemed to start crying. "We… We…"
Baron suddenly took the stage again, and Tess could hear him softly through the microphone. "Dude, you okay? You're cryin', man."
"We've become Connect 4!" Shane raised his head high again. "Please welcome to the stage…" Tess's heart shot up. No… He couldn't mean… They hadn't seen each other in five years, and now Shane Gray wanted Tess Tyler to come on stage with him? To be part of Connect 4? "Mitchie Torres!"
Tess frowned. Of course not… Never Tess… "Wait…" She whispered. Did he say Mitchie?
Mitchie looked different indeed. She ran onto the stage, a glittering red dress around her, her hair now dyed black. Baron ran away and she took his spot next to the microphone. Shane let her step up close to the microphone. "Hit it guys!"
The rest of the members of the new Connect 4 ran out with their instruments, and began to play a song much to familiar to Tess…
"I've always been the kind of girl,
Who his my face.
So afraid to tell the world,
What I've got to say.
But I have this dream,
Deep inside of me.
I'm gonna let it show.
It's time,
To let you know…
Yeah, let you know!
Tess's frown deepened as Shane now joined in with Mitchie. It was just like Final Jam 2008.
This is real!
This is me!
I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be now.
Gonna let the light,
Shine on me!
"This is insane…" Tess said to herself.
Now I've found,
Who I am.
There's no way to hold it in.
No more hiding who I'm gonna be…
This is me."
Tess begged Shane in her mind not to sing his portion, unfortunately…
"You're the voice I hear inside my head,
The reason that I'm singing.
I need to find you…
I gotta find you.
You're the missing piece I need,
The song inside of me.
I need to find you…
I gotta find you."
This was torture. The whole crowd was singing along too.
"This is real,
This is me.
I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be now.
Gonna let the light,
Shine on me!
There's no way to hold it in.
No more hiding who I'm gonna be.
This is me."
"This is me."
"This is… Me"
It was over. Finally. Now she could leave. "Um, Ella, I think I'm gonna go…"
"Leave?" Ella and Sander both laughed.
Sander spoke up. "Before your number?"
"My… What?" Tess asked. Sander simply pointed up onto the stage, where Baron was back at the microphone.
"Woah, woah, woah! Connect 4 is in the house!" The crowd cheered. "But this isn't the only surprise we've got tonight. Someone very special is in the audience here. Come on up, Tess Tyler!"
"Ella." Tess shot her friend a glance then ran up to the stage. What would she sing? Well, she could sing…
Shane took the microphone. "Tess, you sing a few lines and we'll try to catch on." She smiled at her. It was… An amazing smile… Tess shook it out of her head as she took the stage and the microphone. She had bigger problems to worry about.
Instead of talking into the microphone this time, Baron simply yelled. "What're you gonna sing for us tonight, Tess Tyler?"
"It's a song I wrote… Not named yet." Tess was probably blushing, in front of all these people!
She heard Mitchie from behind her. "Original."
Tess started the song without music.
"I'm always told,
That having everything…
Is what I'm meant to do,
In life.
But can,
Having everything…
Really give me a reason?
Shane, Nate, and Jason joined in with their instruments, skillfully catching on, while Mitchie was absent from the song.
I have the prefect life,
The perfect everything.
But now,
Standing in the light…
I hear you…
The boys stopped playing the instruments, building up to Tess's chorus.
Your telling me,
Telling me,
Now I'm so imperfect.
Yeah!
But I'm telling you,
Telling you,
Now you are…
In-
Cor-
Your telling me,
Telling me,
Now I'm so imperfect.
Yeah!
But I'm telling you,
Telling you,
Now you are…
In-
Cor-
Rect!
Yeah!"
Tess talked normally into the microphone, bringing the song to an awkward end. "That's all I've got so far."
The crowd applauded her longer than she could imagine. It went on for a solid two minutes. She hadn't even sung in public for years… Now, this?
She ran off the stage as soon as the applause dwindled, embarrassed.
"That was amazing, Tess!" Ella smiled.
"Yeah! Girl!" Sander said.
The night went on, Tess having a good time dancing to connect 4's music, constantly making sure that she looked like she was having more fun than Mitchie. Finally, it was nearing midnight and Connect 4 was finished playing after multiple encores. Hasta La Vista was about to close.
"I'm gonna go change into my clothes." Tess said to Ella, who was directing most of the crowd out of the building. She nodded her head in response, to busy to talk.
Tess went back into her dressing room, picking up her clothes where she left them on the bench. She was just about to slip her dress off when the door opened behind her. Instead of assuming it was Ella, this time she turned to see who it was.
"Oh, Shane… Hi." Shane entered the room and closed the door behind him.
"Tess, that was amazing. The song you sang a couple hours ago." Shane said. He was staring directly at Tess. "I didn't really get to say hi. It's nice to see you again."
"You too." Shane was stepping closer and closer to Tess. She hoped against hope that she'd be able to cross step two off of her list tonight…
"I'm sorry." Tess frowned as Shane stormed out of the room again. Looks like she wouldn't.
-
"Seeya later Tess! Call me!" Ella yelled behind Tess as she walked towards the bus stop.
"I will! Bye!" Tess yelled over her shoulder back. She'd made up with her friends, but it bothered her about step two. "Ah! No!" Hands grabbed at her from an alley she was walking past. One of the hands worked it's way around her mouth.
"Be quiet, Tess. Someone will hear you." Shane said. He took his hands off Tess once she was next to him in the alley.
"What… Shane?" Tess looked at him. "What do you want?"
Shane pulled Tess into a kiss. Her heart began to beat faster than it had in years. She'd dreamed of this moment for so long…
Then it was over. Shane ran out of the alley and jumped onto the bus nearby, away before Tess could even steal another look at him.
Though, she'd already stolen something. She'd stolen Shane Gray's heart.
Author's Note: Thanks to Ressficent for co writing the story and song. Review please! The song Tess sings is original, tell me if it's good!
