First off, let me start off my saying my deepest apologies to all of you who i told that this would be posted like five days ago (coughbrookecoughcough)... yikes. im not even going to make excuses.

next, HELLO! i missed you guys and your stories! its really good to be home

oh and GUESS what my in-flight movie was on the way home! HORTON HEARS A WHO! it was a fantastic surprise to say the least.

anyways, heres the story, the song i used is called I Will and its by The Beatles. Take a listen, its adorable.

enjoy!

PS: Don't forget to let me know what you think, i love reviews (good or bad :D)!

The next morning, Jojo awoke on time, and was ready for school five minutes before he actually had to leave, much to the delight of his sisters.

"Jojo'sactually ready?" Hooley said, jaw dropping dramatically as she slipped her backpack onto her back.

"Are you sure we're not just late?" Halley put in, sarcasm evident in her voice. She grinned at Jojo's scowling face as she skipped towards the door.

"It's 'cause Jojo's got a girlfriend now, he's got to be on time!" Jojo felt his face grow warm as he followed the twins out the door.

"Do not," he muttered under his breath, sending both the girls warning looks.

"Jojo's got a girlfriend! Jojo's got a girlfriend!" The chant picked up as several of his other sister's caught on to the game, while two of the younger ones began skipping in circles around him.

"What's her name?" Daphne, a six year old Mcdodd, asked in an achingly innocent voice, tugging on Jojo's sleeve to get his attention.

"It's Brie,"Hooley answered her, grin now mirroring her twin's. They were clearly enjoying themselves. "Jojo looveess her."

"Is she pretty?"

"What's she like, Jojo?"

"Does she talk?"

"Bring her over, Jojo!"

"Yeah! Bring her over!"

Jojo breathed a sight of relief as they reached the town square, where his sisters would have to turn right in order to get to the middle and elementary schools, while he, Halley, and Hooley went left. He winced as the girls shouted their goodbyes to him, their yells causing several passersby to stare. Ninety-four girls all shouting one name tended to draw a bit of attention. Jojo shook his head, he knew there was a reason he always left late.

The rest of the walk was relatively normal, Halley and Hooley fell back into their normal gossipy states and Jojo was left pretty much alone. When they reached the school, they still had about fifteen minutes before the bell rang, so while the twins left to join a group of their friends, Jojo wandered off towards his locker in order to kill some time.

The halls were mostly empty, seeing as the majority of the students were outside enjoying the warm sunlight that had graced the usually chilly fall morning, so he figured he would have some time to himself. He approached his locker and had just begun twisting the combination into his lock, however, when another who entered the hall.

It just so happened that Roger Semmelson had left his geometry book in his locker and was on his way to pick it up (not that he planned to actually use it, but he felt that carrying it around made him look like an intellectual). His less-than-sharp observations had failed in the past to clue him in to the fact that he shared a locker hallway with Jojo McDodd, so he simply thought himself in good luck when he spotted the small who standing just the right distance from an open locker.

"Hey, McDodd!" Jojo groaned inwardly when he saw the bulky who approaching. This was not going to end well.

"What do you think you're doing, messing around with Brie?" He yelled. "She's my girl, and--" Roger was interrupted as Jojo let out an involuntary snort of laughter.

"Is something funny, McDodd? Because I'm not joking!" He was now inches away from Jojo's face, having cleared the distance quickly in his anger.

This guy has major personal space issues, Jojo thought to himself, wrinkling his nose as Roger's putrid breath blew into his face.

"Listen here," he whispered menacingly, grabbing a hold of Jojo's front with one hand and sticking a finger in his face with the other, "I don't know who you think you are, but I'll tell you right now, you're nothing. Nobody gives a damn about you, especially not Brie! So whatever it is that you think you're doing, think again, because I do not mess around when it comes to her. If I so much as see you looking at her, I'll punch you so hard you'll be aching for days. You got it?" Jojo just glared at him, his eyes glowing with hatred.

"Now," Roger grinned, leaning back, keeping Jojo still with one hand and running a hand through his hair with the other. "I think you need some time to think about what we just discussed." Easily picking up his small form, he forced a struggling Jojo into the open locker and slammed the door shut. His echoing laughter slowly faded as he walked away, leaving Jojo fuming in the cramped space. Growling angrily, he punched one of the metal walls, causing the entire locker to resonate with the noise.

This is just my luck.

Breathing deep, calming breaths, he began to examine the door of his enclosure, trying to figure out how to escape. The lock was positioned on a simple lifting latch, preventing it's operation until the proper code was set in. The inner workings of the lock were laid bare--three small metal gears with one notch each, all pressed together by a spring--so that the combinations could be changed from year to year, so picking it from the inside would be no challenge. It was lucky that Jojo knew his simple mechanisms. Leaning forward with a sigh, he began to twist each gear with his thin fingers until all the notches lined up, allowing a pin to slide down and free the latch. Lifting the device with one hand, he placed the other on the floor of the locker to support his weight while using his feet to kick the door open.

Jojo jumped down from his locker just as the bell rang, the babbling noise of students as they began to flood the halls drifting to his ears. He brushed down his fir and slammed the locker shut irritably before turning to enter the tide of students as they shuffled to their classes.

Things had just gotten a little more complicated.

--

"I'm so excited for today!" Lindsay said as they walked up the main steps.

"Why?" Brie asked, disinterest barely evident in her tone. Lindsay gave her an appalled look.

"Don't tell me you forgot! Brie, TRYOUTS are today! For the singing role! You know, music class…"

"Oh, right! Those are today? I guess I did forget." Lindsay frowned at her friend. She hadn't been herself lately, her usual attentive and quick-witted nature was gone, to be replaced with an air of boredom. It was very irritating.

"If it's not important to you, you don't have to go," Lindsay said, her tone irritated and sharp. "I can just take Lisa Marie with me instead."

"No! No, I'm interested, very interested! So, what are we going to sing?" Lindsay smiled. Just like that, she had her attention again. It was too easy.

"Well, I think we have to try out individually, but--"

"I-Individually? You mean like, by ourselves?" Brie looked hesitant, Lindsay knew she didn't like to sing in front of people. In fact, she wasn't sure she had even heard her sing.

"Yah, that's generally what that word means." She replied in a sarcastic tone. "Is there a problem?"

"Nope. No problem at all." Her face, which had paled slightly and held an expression of dread, was not convincing. But that didn't matter, as long as Brie showed up to the auditions, Lindsay would be happy. She couldn't very well show up alone, that would be unthinkable! She laughed at the thought. That, of course, was why she had entourages and people like Brie--so she would never have look like she was a loner.

"Anyways," she continued, ignoring Brie's unease, "I was thinking of singing 'Crazy', but then I was like, is this a little too…you know? But then I remembered it's by Whotney Spears, and you can't go wrong with Whotney. But I'm still a little unsure… What do you think?" She turned to Brie, who still appeared to be out of it.

"Huh? No, that's a good one. Sing that one." Lindsay raised arched an eyebrow. What in Who's name was wrong with her?

"Brie, what are you going to sing?" She asked, speaking slowly as if that might help her understand better.

"I have no clue." She replied exasperatedly. "What do you think I should sing?" Lindsay looked thoughtful for a moment, pouting slightly with the effort.

"I know! You should sing 'Baby One More Time'! That way we will both be singing Whotney Spears!" Lindsay smiled at her own genius. "It will be perfect."

"Yah…" Brie trailed off again to where ever she went when she stopped listening to Lindsay. Lindsay frowned at her. Where ever that place was, she didn't like it. Things were going to have to change.

--

In sixth period, they worked in almost complete silence. Neither one of them really felt like talking.

"We're going to have to do the first test on it today," Brie mumbled after ten minutes of neither speaking. Jojo nodded in response.

The usual? He scrawled on the margins of their blueprints. He didn't really feel much like talking, they day's events had put him back into his mute, introverted mood. Brie took the pencil from him and scribbled her own response, her letters neat and orderly next to Jojo's untidy squiggles.

I can't right after school, but if you want to meet at my house later on…

Sounds good. I can't right after either, I have to take an "aptitude test" for Mrs. Snicklebee. Apparently they think I'm smarter than I let on. Jojo made a face as he passed Brie the pencil, expressing his distaste, but she just shook her head at him.

Good, you're way to smart to be in those classes you're in anyways. It's about time they noticed.

Jojo blushed, for the second time that day, and shook his head.

"It's true." She grinned. He was much to modest for his own good, and she had taken it upon herself to try and instill some self-confidence in him. Every time she would embark upon this mission, his face would flush a lovely rose color and he would fervently oppose whatever it was that she was trying to praise him on. She found it all very amusing.

Seeing the direction she was going in, Jojo quickly picked up the pencil and changed the subject.

Why can't you meet right after school? What are you doing?

Brie's smile disappeared as she read his words, her face falling into a scowl. He gave her a questioning look, and she reluctantly picked up the pencil to respond.

I'm trying out. For the singing thing.

Now it was Jojo's turn to smile, the sight sending strange flutters through Brie's heart despite her sour mood. Had his smile always been that… nice?

Why in the speck are you doing that?

I have to. Lindsay's making me.

She's making you?

Yes, she's making me.

He looked at her, a serious expression now on his face.

"You don't always have to do everything she tells you to, you know."

"Yes, I do."

"You do?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

She glared at him. He couldn't even come close to understanding why, he had never been-- or even tried to be--popular, and he knew that. He was just asking to irritate her, she just knew it. She turned back to the pencil and paper.

I just do, ok? You wouldn't get it, there's no point in me trying to explain.

I wouldn't get it? I thought I was supposed to be 'smarter than I let on.'

Just drop it, ok?

He looked at her for a moment, a strange, contemplative expression on his face. It made her uneasy, it was like he was looking straight through her defenses.

"What?" She finally shot at him, breaking his train of thought and causing him to blush again. He shook his head and muttered something inaudible.

There was a moment of silence before Brie continued the conversation.

"Either way, it's not my choice." She stated. "I'm not exactly looking forward to it."

Jojo picked up the pencil again.

You'll do great, he wrote. You're fantastic at everything else, I doubt this will be any different.

She blushed, giving him a smile that made his stomach flip, while from the other side of the room, a pair of electric blue eyes observed it all.

--

Jojo scribbled rapidly on the paper, glancing up at the clock every so often. He didn't want to make Brie wait.

The aptitude test wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. It was mostly logic questions, which were easy enough, with a few subject questions thrown in. He had sped through the history ones--they were mostly about past mayors and their actions, and he knew almost all of them by heart before he even started school, having been raised in a house where bed time stories were about their fabulous deeds. The math he had no trouble with, his many years of calculating for his inventions serving him well, though he stumbled a bit in the literature section. Words were never his strong point.

Finishing the last question, he put down the his pencil to signal to Mrs. Snicklebee he had completed. Noticing the absence of his pencil scratching, she looked up from her paperwork to the small who, sitting at the edge of his seat waiting to be dismissed.

"Finished already?" She asked, surprise evident in her voice. "Very well. Here, take a sucker to go." Reluctantly taking a sweet from the bowl, Jojo proceeded to grab his bag from beside the chair before rushing towards the door.

"I'll let you know the results on Monday!" The principal shouted at his retreating form.

Meanwhile, Brie squirmed anxiously in her seat, the crowded music room doing nothing to help her nerves. Though tryouts were restricted to the sixth period music class, word had gotten around, and a small crowd had showed up to observe, support, and provide commentary on the auditioning whos. Just thinking about it made her stomach ache.

She tried to turn her attention to the front of the room where Lindsay stood, belting the lyrics to a pop song that Brie found faintly familiar. She wasn't half bad. Sure, her voice was a little nasally, and perhaps the high notes did threaten to shatter the windows, but she was clearly the best so far. Brie really didn't want to go after her.

It wasn't that she had never sung before, she sang around the house all the time, it was the fact that all these people would be here to watch--and judge--her that made her legs feel like pudding.

Lindsay's song came to an end and the room filled with applause, much to her delight.

"Thank you, thank you," she said, taking a few bows.

"Alright, Ms. Doyle, thank you for you're audition." Ms. Hapenshire cut in, her tone causing Lindsay to grudgingly leave the stage. "Last, but certainly not least, we have…Ms. Etherson! Come on up, Brie."

Brie got reluctantly to her feet and made her way to the front of the room.

"Whenever you're ready, dear."

She opened her mouth to begin, her stomach sinking as she realized she had completely blanked on the lyrics to her song. What song was she even supposed to be singing? Desperately, she wracked her brain for any sort of melody she could remember.

"Who knows how long I've loved you," she started shakily, the simple tune coming to her from the back of her mind, "You know I love you still. Will I wait a lonely lifetime? If you want me to, I will. Mmmm…"

The room was completely silent, all eyes on her. She took a deep breath and, squeezing her eyes shut, began the second verse.

You know, if I ever saw you, I didn't catch your name…

Jojo had just turned the corner when the sound made him stop in his tracks. It echoed through the hallway, rebounding off the ceiling and locker-lined walls, and drifted into his ears, it's muffled sweetness suddenly taking his breath away.

But it never really mattered, I will always feel the same…

He followed the sound, knowing where it would lead him before his feet even began to move. Placing one hand on the doorknob, he took a deep breath and entered the music room.

Love you forever and forever, love you with all my heart,

Love you whenever we're together, love you when we're apart…

There, at the front of the room, stood Brie, her eyes shut and a look of uncertainty on her face. Her voice, though soft, filled the room with it's sweet resonance, flowing warm and golden through the space like honey.

And when at last I find you, your song will fill the air…

The highest pitch of her voice was clear and crisp, like a ringing bell. It made Lindsay's screeches sound like Ms. Flitherby's laughter.

Sing it loud so I can hear you,

Make it easy to be near you,

For the things you do, endear me to you,

Oh, you know I will, I will…

She broke off from the lyrics, humming the tune softly before drifting off and, hesitantly, opening her eyes. She was greeted with dead silence, not sound escaped any who in the room. Her stomach sinking, she began to slowly edge her way towards her seat, embarrassment flooding through her, when the room suddenly broke into applause. She looked up, unmistakable astonishment in her eyes, a smile spreading slowly across her face.

Jojo laughed at her expression before joining the applause. She had no idea how amazing she had just sounded.

"Well done, Brie!" Mrs. Hapenshire said, smiling. "Well, that concludes auditions for today! I'll tell you all the winner on Monday. Have a great weekend!"

A great clammor arose as everyone began to gather their belongings and head for the door. Brie scanned the room, quickly spotting Lindsay brooding on the far side, near the window. She was about to join her when Jojo, waving by the door, caught her attention. Smiling she changed her direction and headed for him.

Lindsay watched silently as Brie turned from her and strode across to the other side of the room where Jojo waited for her, both of them grinning widely. She narrowed her eyes, before taking out her WhoPhone and snapping a picture of the two. She then sent a text message to Roger.

Meet me at two tomarrow in town square, it read. Something needs to be done.

Cliff hanger? just a little...

also, im going to post links on my page thing to all of the fan art and art trade art that people have done for my stories next time i get a chance, i love them all, thank you you guys!

Lastly, did i incorporate the song well? dont forget to let me know what you thought!