Here's part 3 of my threeshot! :D It is also special because it's my first songfic. So, Surprise! X) I'm sorry it took me longer than usual. I had an SAT yesterday and most of my time last week was consumed with studying. I made up for it by making this part a bit longer. I honestly think that Here For You is going to be less of a collection of oneshots and moreso a plotless chapter story. The line between the two is a little fuzzy, so call it whatever you want, I guess. :3 Without further boring words, here's the next story/chapter! :D
- Shadow
Disclaimer: (almost forgot this again _. ._) Fortunately for every Jendall fan out there, BTR isn't mine :/ The song used isn't mine, either.
When she pushes you or hits you, grab her and don't let go…
Kendall's phone lit up and vibrated, announcing that he received a text message. He glanced at the face of the device eagerly. Jo's name flashed across the screen, along with the words 'Where are you? We need to talk'. He didn't know if he should react with disappointment or not.
Kendall was sitting on the leather sofa in BTR's usual recording studio at Rocque Records. He felt completely drained, from both his lack of sleep and the argument he had with Lucy in the lobby. In all honesty though, it couldn't even be called and argument. She hadn't let him get one word in edgewise, and there had been a lot he wanted to say to her. Things he still wanted to say. But the rocker, true to form, took charge and made sure her point got across. Kendall leaned forward with a groan, resting his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.
His phone buzzed again with a second text from Jo. He peaked at it through his fingers.
All I want to do is talk, Kendall. We have a LOT to catch up on.
Kendall gave in and took up his phone, reluctantly typing out a reply before he threw it back down.
I'm at the studio.
He would have much rather avoided the whole situation all together, but he knew it wouldn't work that way. The approaching conversation was one they needed to have, whichever way it would go.
Fifteen minutes later, Kendall stood up when the studio door opened. Jo entered with a small, pained smile on her face and eyes that were red-rimmed and slightly puffy. "Hey," she murmured, the corners of her mouth twitching upward.
Kendall felt an involuntary smile appear on his face, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. He motioned for her to sit down next to him before sitting back down himself. A big part of his life was sharing the leather sofa with him right now, but there was another part who was probably sitting in her apartment, on her sofa, hurting. Because of him. Kendall sighed.
"You're thinking about her, aren't you?" Jo asked hoarsely, watching him intently. "About Lucy."
Kendall raised his head to meet her eyes. "I'm here to talk to you," he replied, avoiding the question.
Jo offered up another small smile. "The guys told me… a lot," she said to him quietly, looking away from his face.
Kendall couldn't help but think that if Lucy were to admit she'd went to his band mates for advice, she'd say it like a challenge. She'd look at him, daring him to reprimand her.
"'A lot' being?" he murmured, also casting his gaze away.
Jo humorlessly laughed in mild irritation. "I don't want this conversation to be awkward between us." The actress rested her hand briefly on Kendall's upper arm to gain his attention before placing it back in her lap. "We're just two friends, talking about why our joint love life is such a mess. Okay?"
"I think we can manage that," Kendall agreed with a dull smirk, leaning back on the couch. "Now tell me what the guys said."
A few minutes went by in complete silence. Kendall kept his eyes on Jo, curious as to what she would say.
"They said you were a wreck," Jo confessed in an almost whisper. "I didn't know that me leaving would hurt you that much."
'It still hurts,' he wanted to tell her. But Jo wasn't finished yet.
"And they told me about L-Lucy." She stumbled over the other girl's name, but regained her composure quickly. "How you and her became… friends."
Kendall flinched, but whether it was from Jo's words, the hesitation in her voice, or the sharp memory of Lucy's first day at the Palm Woods he wasn't sure. "Jo-"
She acted like she couldn't hear him. "You know, I watched the LA news on my phone every evening. Well, it would have been very early in the morning for you." Jo wiped at her eyes. "I saw your guys' performance of Paralyzed in the street. I remember thinking, 'What on Earth could compel him to do something like that?'It was her, wasn't it?"
"Jo, we don't have to discuss this right now…"
The blonde-haired girl shook her head. "I think we do. Because something tells me that until we discuss it and you decide what you want, no one will be able to go on with their lives."
Kendall threw his hands up in frustration. "It doesn't matter though, does it? Because right now she won't talk to me!"
Jo turned her face away. "So it's her, then."
Kendall, his face now in his hands, groaned. "I didn't say that," he replied, a bit unconvincingly.
She peeked back at him. "Then it's me?" Jo didn't even bother deluding herself with false hope. They were just empty words.
His reply was more hesitant. "…I didn't say that."
Turning away once again, the actress wondered if she just imagined the beginning of the word 'No' on his lips.
"That's my point, Kendall," she told him, wiping at her eyes. "You have to decide. It isn't fair, to me or Lucy, if you continue like this."
Kendall heard the tears through her words. It hurt him to know he was hurting her, and he knew that his next words would only hurt her further. But they had to be said. There was no competition, really, and he didn't know why it had taken him this long to say it out loud. But still he hedged.
"…Would you hate me if I said I miss Lucy right now?"
"I don't think I could hate you," Jo rasped softly after a few seconds of silence. "I'll be mad. But I won't hate you." She hated saying the words, though. And she hated that she knew how this was going to turn out.
Kendall grabbed the Kleenex box from the end table next to him and handed it to Jo. "I still have a problem," he admitted ruefully. The words were mostly meant for himself.
Jo dabbed her eyes and sighed, still not facing him. "She's pretty upset," she guessed. Then added almost guiltily, "I saw the scene in the lobby."
"She wouldn't let me say anything," he confessed. "Not one word."
Through a pang of heart-sickness, Jo turned to look at Kendall. "Then you need to make her listen."
He looked at the golden-haired girl helplessly. "And how am I supposed to do that?"
"Um, hello?" Jo steadied her voice so it wouldn't crack. "You're in a band. Write her a song."
"About what, exactly?"
"Everything you like about her."
Kendall shook his head, skeptical. "Lucy's different. She won't appreciate flattery as an apology."
"Then you need something different." Jo squeezed her eyes shut, a plan forming in her head. Her next words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. "You need an ex bashing song," she breathed. The words hurt, but she knew the idea was a solid one.
Kendall shook his head. "No Jo, I can't do that to you."
"Too bad," Jo insisted, determined, "because you're doing it. Two hearts don't need to be broken. Come on, I'll help."
Kendall sighed, giving in as he reached for the notepad Gustavo always kept in the studio. It really was a good idea. And it sounded exactly like something Lucy would at least listen to. But, still… "Isn't that a little, I don't know... ironic? Writing an ex bashing song with the ex."
Jo crossed her legs and huffed out a laugh, reaching for the paper. "Don't tell me you haven't done weirder."
.:.:.:.
Camille placed her hand on the door to apartment 3B. The wood was vibrating with the loud bass coming from the other side. She could almost picture the black-and-red haired rocker sitting on her couch, strumming her guitar angrily.
"Lucy!" she pounded on the door, calling her friend's name. "Lucy, it's Camille. Open up!"
The music shut off abruptly and there was a crash, followed by a loud string of profanity. When the door opened, Lucy was already walking back to her couch, but she didn't sit down. She didn't even turn around, instead choosing to gaze out the window. "Whatd'you want?" she asked roughly.
Camille entered her friend's apartment, shutting the door behind her. "I'm worried about my friend," she replied.
Lucy gestured back towards her door emotionlessly. "Then you got the wrong place. Jo lives down the hall."
Camille laughed. "You're my friend too, Luce. A lot changed when you moved here."
"And a lot will change back now that she's here again," Lucy countered bitterly.
"Do you really think everyone's going to forget about you just because Jo's back?"
"Kendall seems to have."
Camille sighed angrily. "Yeah, wells guys can be asses sometimes. I'm pretty sure he could never just forget you." She didn't think it wise to bring up her visit to 2J this morning.
Lucy snorted and plopped down on her couch, crossing her arms.
Camille's phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out as she, a bit more gracefully, sat next to her rocker friend on the sofa. There was a banner on the screen announcing a text message from Kendall.
Can you bring Lucy down by the pool tonight? Please?
Camille scowled and cast a side glance at Lucy before replying.
You had better do something amazing, Kendall Knight. Give me a minute.
She put her phone back in her jeans pocket and turned to the musician. "So, we have some time to kill before the jam session by the pool tonight. Wanna go out and trash talk the guys a bit?"
Lucy propped her feet up on her table and bit her lip. "I don't want to go to the pool-side concert tonight," she mumbled. Anything but that. "But trash talking sounds good."
Camille narrowed her eyes in a pout. "No pool concert, no trash talk." Lucy didn't look like she was going to compromise. "Come on," Camille protested. "We always go to their jam sessions. It's like the law."
"The law?" Lucy's tone was dripping with skepticism. "Things change," she added. "That was proven last night."
Camille changed tactics. "The guys really appreciate our support. Come on, Luce, please?" She batted her eyelashes and leaned on Lucy, who looked away with a pout.
"Ugggggghhhhhh," Camille groaned dramatically, still leaning on her friend. "You never want to do anything fun. We might as well just lay here, doing nothing, for the rest of our lives."
The expected silence lasted longer than Camille, well, expected, but eventually Lucy gave in.
"Fine. But only because you're going. And I'm leaving right afterwards."
Camille flashed a smile and sat back up. "Of course." She jumped to her feet, careful not to knock anything over in the limited space. "So where are we headed this lovely afternoon? The beach? The mall?"
Lucy stood up and smirked at her friend's contagious enthusiasm. "We can head to the mall. I could use a short shopping trip."
"'Short'?" Camille feigned confusion as they headed out the door. "What is this 'short' of which you speak?"
.:.:.:.
Kendall jumped for his phone as it went off, grinning as he read the text Camille sent.
She'll be there. I can't guarantee she'll listen. Whatever plan you have had better work.
He put his phone back in his pocket and turned to his friends. "Camille's bringing Lucy tonight." A shiver of anticipation shot through him. "I hope this works," he added uncertainly.
"It'll work," Jo told him in a clipped tone. She didn't see the look of worry Kendall shot her as she turned to the rest of the guys. They had shown up about a half an hour ago and were instantly filled in on the plan.
"It's a good plan," Logan said carefully, aware of the tension between Kendall and Jo. He cast a glance at the piece of scribbled on paper currently in James' hand. "Good song, too."
"It's a bit mean," Carlos voiced his opinion.
Kendall shot a pointed look at Jo, but she missed that one, too. "It's perfect," she defended it stiffly. "Now are we going to rehearse this or not?"
Kendall didn't reply. His face showed his uncertainty.
Jo turned around when her words were met with his silence. "Do you want Lucy back or not?" Her tone and the look in her eyes didn't match up, and Kendall was left wondering what she was really thinking. But he knew without a doubt what his answer was.
"More than anything else."
"Then listen to me," Jo said, turning back towards the other guys. "Because as far as girlfriends go, you've sucked so far."
.:.:.:.
"I told you I don't understand the concept of 'short'."
"I thought you were joking!"
Lucy dropped her bags on Camille's couch with a groan. She actually hadn't bought that much, but she swore Camille took them to every single store in the mall. Twice. At least it had prevented her from thinking about Kendall and Jo. But it had also prevented her from thinking about how to get out of going to the jam session by the pool tonight. And now they had ten minutes till it started.
"I think you planned this," she accused Camille as her friend set her own bags down.
"I did not," the other girl retorted with a smile as she glanced at the clock. "It's not my fault if the universe decided to work with me," she added, guessing at Lucy's thoughts.
Lucy began to huff a protest, something along the lines of 'your happiness is going to kill me and I really don't want to see him', but Camille didn't let her get a single word out.
"Come on!" The actress grabbed Lucy's wrists and began to pull her out of the apartment.
"Why do I feel like you have some ulterior motive?" Lucy complained, eyeing the brunette with suspicion.
Camille looked back innocently. "Me?"
Lucy's eyes widened and pulled against the other girl's grip. "I knew it! Camille, I told you I don't want to talk to him!"
"Then don't! I don't even know what he has planned!"
They both struggled against each other, but eventually Camille pushed Lucy onto the elevator and pressed the lobby button. The ride down was silent. When the doors slid open, Camille put her hands on Lucy's shoulders and steered her out to the pool.
"Now behave and listen, okay?"
Lucy crossed her arms and scowled, refusing to look at the stage. The faint sounds of the band setting up reached her ears, but she didn't move. Camille copied her pose, a bit overdramatically, playing babysitter so the rocker wouldn't leave.
Lucy kept her eyes down, focusing on a hairline crack in the cement by her boots, barely visible in the dying light. Whatever Kendall had planned wasn't going to work; she refused to let it. It probably didn't have anything to do with her anyway. Now that Jo was here, why would it?
The speakers squealed as the cheap mics were turned on, but Lucy stubbornly kept her gaze away from the stage, concentrating on the flaw in the ground like it was the most interesting thing in the world. She almost gave in and looked up when Kendall's voice rang out.
"Okay guys, the first song we're going to sing is extremely new. I wrote it just this morning with my ex girlfriend in mind-"
Lucy sighed. So it did have something to do with her. A vice-like grip held her upper arm as she was about to turn and leave. Kendall wasn't finished talking yet.
" –but I'm playing it now for Lucy, to let her know where we stand. I was an idiot yesterday, and I want to fix that."
The black-and-red haired rocker finally looked up and met Kendall's stare, but she was careful to keep the emotions in her eyes blank. He didn't deserve to know about the curiosity she was feeling. Kendall held a guitar and began strumming it only when his gaze met hers. When the song started, he broke his stare and looked at the other three guys before casting his eyes across the pool. Lucy followed his gaze and saw Jo. Of course.
Kendall: Yeah…
Whoa-oh-oh…
Oh oh a-oh…
Logan: I trusted you
Yeah, that would be my first mistake
Yeah, I, I've been lied to
Carlos: Your eyes are ice cold blue
A mirror of the heart inside of you
James: You can't walk back in my life
You had your chance to be by my side
I don't have to hear you cry to know
Lucy was shocked at the lyrics. They were nothing like what she had expected. Camille let go of her, knowing that Lucy wasn't going anywhere now.
All: Just go
I gave you my word and I promised to love you
Go, it's over
You had your chance
Just go
There's nothing inside me that still feels connected
To you
To me you're already gone
Kendall's eyes locked with Lucy's. Lucy stared back, still in a state of shock.
K: I got a new love now, yeah
She's my new love now
And she loves me so
Takes me where you never took me
Although you tried to
L: Her eyes, they read so true
So different from the way it was with you
J: I don't need you in my life
C: Forgot what it's like to be satisfied
J: I don't wanna hear you cry 'cause I know
Kendall looked back to Jo once again, trying not to let the pain in her eyes break him down.
A: Just go
I gave you my word and I promised to love you
Go, it's over
Just go
There's nothing inside me that still feels connected
To you
To me you're already gone
K: Takin' a look at these photographs
Fightin' my tears and I try to relax
'Cause you came and you left
And it all went by so fast
J: Just go
I gave you my word and I promised to love you
Go
You had your chance
A: Just go
There's nothing inside me that still feels connected
To you
To me you're already gone
K: Just go
C: I gave you my word and I promised to love you
K: Go, it's over
L: You had your chance
K: Just go
J: There's nothing inside me that still feels connected
L: To you
To me you're already gone
K: To me you're already gone
Kendall looked back to where Lucy was, but the self-proclaimed rock goddess was nowhere to be seen. Camille pointed back to the Palm Woods lobby.
L: I got a new love now, yeah, yeah
C: I trusted you
J: And that would be my first mistake…
When the song ended and the small crowd cheered, Kendall ducked out of his guitar strap and handed the instrument to Logan before making his way off the stage and to the lobby. He just caught sight of Lucy's red-and-black hair disappear into an elevator. Kendall darted after her and slid inside just as the doors closed.
Lucy narrowed her eyes. "What do you want?" she all but growled.
Kendall held her gaze pleadingly. "Did you listen to the song?"
Lucy didn't answer him. A thousand thoughts seemed to be running through her head, varying from bitingly sarcastic to disgustingly romantic, but she didn't voice a single one.
Kendall took a tentative step closer to her. "Lucy-"
"No!" Lucy panicked. She pushed at his chest, making him stumble a step backwards. "You- you can't do this!" she smacked his head. "I was all ready with another freaking elaborate rant to keep you from talking, and you go and ruin it! That song, and you weren't supposed to follow me here." She smacked him again. "I'm mad at you!"
Kendall caught her wrists when she went to hit at him a third time. "Luce, just listen-"
He stopped his words until Lucy quit trying to pull away and looked at him.
"Listen to me. I made a mistake last night. I was confused and shocked beyond belief, and I couldn't get past the fact that Jo was back. Relationship set aside, she's one of my best friends. I hadn't expected to see her for two more years." He shot her a helpless look. "When she asked if we were going out, I wanted to tell her 'we were just out,' but my brain decided to play dumb. I didn't mean to imply anything like me tossing you aside. I wouldn't ever do that. I couldn't. You mean too much to me."
Lucy's brown eyes searched his green ones, testing his story against how she remembered last night. The silence stretched until it spanned minutes. Finally she quietly asked, "are you sure your brain was just playing?"
Kendall's face lit up with a smile at the softly spoken insult. "I guess I deserved that," he said happily, not at all insulted.
Lucy smiled back, letting him pull her into a hug, surprising both of them when she went the extra length and turned it into a kiss.
When they broke apart, Lucy's smile almost turned sheepish. "I'm sorry," she murmured.
Kendall looked at her, somewhat confused. "What do you have to apologize for?"
"For calling you an ass."
Kendall pulled away a bit so he could look her full in the face. "You never called me an ass."
Lucy's grin went straight form guilty to coy. "I did," she informed him. "Among various other colorful names. Just ask Camille. She was impressed."
Kendall laughed and kissed Lucy again.
So like I said, this is my first songfic. The song used was Just Go by Jesse McCartney. Please tell me how I did on it. And the story in general, of course. I look forward to hearing from my readers.