OK, here's some Wen/Olivia satisfaction!
I do not own Lemonade Mouth.
Chapter 4
Back in New York…
"And here's your room," these were Wen's first words after the quiet and awkward cab ride. It doesn't seem right to declare my undying like for her after we've sent our best friends to help our enemy in the hospital. That's just a little creepy.
Olivia thought otherwise. Could you even try to make a move? It seems like this would be a good time: in front of my room, no interruptions, we're all weary and raw from such a strange night… Olivia was certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that Wen had no feelings for her. She just didn't want to hear him say it out loud. She would have to beat him to the punch.
"Wen, thank-you for helping me cover for Mo this afternoon. You are a kind friend."
"But, Olivia, I…"
"Good night!" and with that, she quickly closed her hotel room door. On the other side, she breathed a sigh of relief. It pained her that he had no interest in her, and it embarrassed her that he pitied her, but at least she escaped The Talk. Having to actually hear him say out loud that he liked her "as a friend" would have been too much.
What in the world just happened? Wen stood outside of Olivia's room, staring at the door. He wondered if perhaps her feeling for him had waned. Or maybe "I did it for you" meant something else? No, that was pretty clear. She at least had feelings for him at one point in time. Where did they go? She saw what a coward you are, and she lost interest, as well as respect.
The next day, Wen and Olivia were scheduled to meet with Wen's dad and Sidney to discuss managers. Mr. Gifford's law firm had an office in New York City, and so they were going to use it to go over resumes and hold interviews.
On their way, they were both far too excited about having a manager – a manager! – to think about their situation, or rather lack thereof.
"I cannot believe this!" said Olivia. "We for-reals need a manager!"
"That makes us pretty big-time, doesn't it?" said Wen, practically bouncing as they walked.
Just then, two girls about their age approached them.
"Aren't you from Lemonade Mouth?" they asked. They had British accents.
"Um," said Olivia. "YES, yes we are!" said Wen at the same time.
"OMIGOD! We. LOVE. You!" "OMIGOD OMIGOD OMIGOD OMIGOD! Can we get a picture with you?"
"Of course!" said Wen.
Olivia said, "How about I take it, and that way both of you can be in it?" Olivia was still reluctant about fame. She loved to sing, and she was finally able to conquer stage fright, but it was because she went to great lengths to prepare herself before each performance. Fame was like being put on stage at completely random moments, with no time to steel yourself.
One of the Gushing Brits replied, "That would be BRILLIANT!"
While one girl showed Olivia how to work her camera, the other girl stood with Wen. She reached up and touched his hair. "I just LOVE gingers!" Wen raised a questioning eyebrow and looked at Olivia. She knew what he was trying to ask her, so she answered, "It's British for red-head." "Oh! Uh, thank-you?" The girl giggled. Olivia used every ounce of strength she had to not roll her eyes. This is terrific; I don't get to be with him, AND I get to watch groupies fawn all over him.
She gave the three count, and on "3", both girls stood up on tippy toes, and kissed Wen on his cheeks. Olivia nearly dropped the camera. She wanted to throw it at them. Did they not watch us on Moxie's show yesterday, or do they simply not care that I'm – as far as they're concerned – Wen's 'girl'?
After the Gushing Brits scampered off, Olivia picked up her pace.
"Hey, Olivia, wait up," called Wen.
"We're late. That little encounter took time out of our schedule."
"We're not late, we're fine! Wait up."
She had to keep walking as quickly as possible. Concentrating on not bumping into people would calm her nerves and keep her from getting weepy. Wen loped behind her, trying to catch up.
When they reached the building, there was a check-in desk with a security guard. He was young, no older than 19, and very attractive. He was tall, slender but fit, with dark hair, blue eyes, and a lovely smile. Olivia discovered that last one when he greeted her.
"Can I help you?" And there was the smile.
"We're here to see Dennis Gifford."
"We?" Cute Security Guard asked. Olivia looked around. Wen apparently had fallen a bit behind.
"Oh, he must have gotten sidetracked. He should be here any moment."
"OK, then let's go ahead and wait for him." And there was the smile again. Olivia wasn't terribly experienced in these things, but that smile seemed slightly friendlier than usual for a security guard.
"Are you visiting New York, or do you live here?" ACK! Small talk. Olivia was terrible at this kind of thing. But just then, she saw Wen outside the window, and she got up her nerve for chit-chat with a stranger. A super cute stranger. I can't make Wen jealous, but at least he can see that I'm not a total loser.
"I'm here to visit. My band had a couple of gigs here, and we're trying to square away the incredibly dull business end of it all. Do you live in Manhatten, or do you commute?"
"I'm going to Columbia. I live in the dorms. Did you say band? What do you play?"
"I'm the lead singer. I sometimes play bass."
By this point, Wen had entered the building and in fact was standing right next to Olivia. They ignored him.
"Ah, the front man! I wonder what you say when the front man is a woman? And bass, huh? There's nothin' cuter than a girl bass player. Here you are, already pretty darned cute anyway, and you have to add the 'girl bass player' factor. How long are you in town."
"Well, we_"
Wen interrupted, "We leave at the end of the week."
"That's too bad." At that point, Wen put his arm around Olivia's shoulder, to which Cute Security Guard said, "And that is also too bad, for me. You are one lucky man! Mr. Gifford is in suite 824. I'll ring them to let them know you're on your way up. "And you," he said to Olivia, "just let me know when you're single…"
"As a matter of fact, I…" Wen dragged her away.
At the elevator, Wen angrily stabbed the call button.
"Olivia, what is your problem?" he demanded.
"What are you talking about?" she asked innocently. NO! We have to have The Talk. I so do not want this conversation. All right, just get it over with.
"Oh come on! After you take a picture of our fans, you totally bolt (and I hope they didn't see that and blog about it, by the way). I couldn't keep up with you on these crowded streets. And then when I get here, you're suddenly Miss Leisurely Conversation with a total moron."
"He goes to Columbia. He's not a moron." she defended.
"If I didn't know you better, I'd say you were flirting with him."
"WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES THAT MAKE TO YOU?" All right, pal. You want The Talk, you'll get it. "It was just a casual conversation. I'm just your friend. You have no holding over me. Furthermore, what do you mean by 'if I didn't know you better'? Do I not seem capable of flirting to you? Am I that naïve? Just because you've comforted me on several occasions, that doesn't mean that I'm a child who needs looking after. Or is it that you can't possibly fathom that anyone male would find me attractive? That's pretty low. You should better support your friends, Wen."
"For one thing, you're not 'just my friend.' You're my best friend. But that's beside the point."
Best friend? Olivia had never thought about it, since she had had so few friends in her life, but she thought that perhaps Wen was her best friend, too.
"For another thing, where in the world did you get that I think of you as a child? You have had too much life alone to realize what friendship entails. Friends look out for each other. And friends – like you – call each other to the carpet."
Oh yeah, I did kinda do that. She thought of the day of the RIZ-ing Star competition, when she lit into a tirade telling Wen to stop feeling sorry for himself.
"And finally, as for finding you attractive," it's now or never, Gifford. You've stalled for far too long. You have to have this out for once and for all, for better or for worse. Even if she doesn't have feelings for you anymore, she deserves to hear the truth from you.
And then their elevator stopped at their floor.
"NO! Absolutely not!" Wen pushed the "close door" button. And then he pushed the buttons for all the floors, to buy them time.
He turned to Olivia. "Enough. I don't care if we spend the rest of the day in this elevator. I don't care how many people flood in and out of it. I need to tell you this." He walked toward the corner where she was standing. He stood directly in front of her, and he lowered his head as close to her face as possible, to make sure she could clearly hear him.
"Olivia White, you are, hands down, the prettiest girl I have ever seen in my life. I've been a total idiot to not tell you this earlier, to not tell you every day that I have known you. And on top of that, you are kind and incredibly strong. I am the weakling; I should never have left you in the lurch yesterday. I should have been the one to jump in and say, 'Moxie, I'm crazy about Olivia.'"
"Oh?" Olivia said in a very small voice.
"Yeah." he said, equally quietly. Then, he put his hand on her cheek. He lowered his face closer to hers, and he looked in her eyes. They were so beautiful, and full of the kind of depth a person her age shouldn't have, a depth that comes from a lifetime of sorrow. But this also gives a person like her a much greater capacity to love, once love comes into her life.
Wen had never seen Olivia that closely before. He knew that it would be a short trip to fall for her.
Olivia had looked at Wen frequently, but they were quick and hidden glances. Right now, she got to just stare at him. He was just so handsome. He was a boy and a man all at once. And she recognized the look in his eyes: it mirrored the way she felt about him. Please please kiss me!
He stepped in closer. His other hand reached up, held her other cheek, and tilted her head up to him. She waited patiently. He leaned forward, and he kissed her, gentle but intense.
"Oh." she said.
His hands still framing her face, Wen spoke quietly but clearly, "I promise you, I will not ever make that mistake again. I assume that whatever you may have felt for me before is gone, from sheer shame of my cowardice. But if it isn't, and in case I do have a chance, I vow that I will be the most obnoxiously proud boyfriend anyone has ever seen."
"OK" was all she could say. Her heart and stomach had switched places and had closed up her throat in the process.
"Yeah?" he asked. Is this really happening? Hurrah for me, I didn't completely screw it up!
"Yeah." she managed to breathe out. And she smiled.
Wen was over the moon. There's that smile, and it's for me!
He leaned in and kissed her again, this time with all the intensity of a young man falling in love. Olivia reached up and wrapped her arms around him, holding him as strongly as she could. Time stood still.
After who knows how long, Olivia spoke. "Um, Wen?" she mumbled into his shoulder.
"Yes?" He could barely hear her over the sound of everything inside of him taking up residence elsewhere within him.
"I think we missed our appointment with your dad."
