Alright, onward to the next spitballed chapter.
Oh, and as you can tell this chapter may be a bit long. It's because it's got like four full songs on it. =] ha
Chapter 11
Lilly's POV
Sluggishly walking through the hallways near the end of sixth hour, which was my free period, I noticed a bright neon pink sign on the wall across the band room.
"Don't miss the talent show tonight at 6:30 P.M. in the gymnasium. Hmm, five hours until the show. Come watch your friends." In bolded black capitalized letters on the bottom it read, "SPECIAL PRIZE FOR WINNERS!"
Sigh. December Sickness is playing tonight. After a long talk last night we decided that maybe the talent show was a good thing for us to do.
Our idea is to have all four of us compose one song and we'll play all four of them. The ones who write the song get to sing. It should be easy, shouldn't it? We've been practicing forever since we haven't had relationships to occupy our time. (Insert big sigh here.) We can see that the only ones close to being in a relationship are Becca and Joanie and they are both afraid.
I even confronted Becca about it one lunchtime when Joanie showed up late.
Flashback
"Hey, where's Joanie?" Becca questioned for the thousandth time that day, looking around the cafeteria for the dark blonde haired girl.
"Becca, relax, she's probably just taking a test or something and is running a little late. Calm down about your lover."
Becca's neck turned so fast I'm surprised she didn't get whiplashed. I even felt a little dizzy just watching her do it.
"Psh ah psh. Yeah, right. Joanie and me get back together?"
"Oh don't give me that. I may be depressed but I'm not retarded. I can still tell that you love her and trust me, she feels the same way. I mean come on, how many friends do you see holding hands, flirting constantly and even hugging around the hips? You don't! So take a chance. It'll be worth it, I swear."
"But what if she's moved on?" She's biting her lip and looking down.
"Not possible. Better think fast 'cause here she comes." I say as Joanie makes her way into the cafeteria. Becca gives a panicked look and attempts to act normal by picking at her food, but she's really slashing her fruit.
I shake my head and give a small smile. 'Becca and her nervous habits.'
Our conversation was officially finished as Joanie reached the table and took Becca's fork saying she was going to poke an eye out or kill someone with it. I had to look away as they started subtly flirting.
Seeing Becca and Joanie hurts. They have such a great future ahead of them if they would just stop being so afraid. I think of it like this….
at least they actually like each other and it's not a bet.
End Flashback
The bell rang suddenly ripping me out of my thoughts. Instantly feeling sluggish and tired again I make my way towards my next class, which of course had to be with Miley. Every class was with Miley. Thank God for the new seating arrangement. I wouldn't be able to sit next to her if I still did.
Mitchie and I sat together in the middle row while Joanie, Becca and Oliver all shared the table in front of us. Let's just say our teacher likes to sit on the tables. Thank God I'm not the three of them seeing his flab squished on a table in front of me. I honestly don't understand how they don't stare…or throw up. Either way you put it, my results would be far more disgusting. I admired my friends.
The only part that stinks about our seating arrangements is that Miley and Amber sit right behind me, Jake sits on Oliver's right, Joanie and Becca are squished together, even though it's good for them (If you watch them every once in a while you see them playing a small light game of footsie or even holding hands. Light touches everywhere. It's beautiful.) and Mikayla is on Mitchie's left. So basically, we are surrounded but at least not in close close range.
I can feel it. Her eyes. They're practically burning a hole in the back of my head. I can't stand it. Why can't she just leave me alone? But what can I do? I'm weak when I'm with her and I'm weak when I'm without her. Guh, it's all just so effed up!
I wish I never met her at all. I wish I never said yes to go out with her. I wish I wasn't so caught up with her. I wish I was free. I wish…to move on.
************************************************
Countdown for Talent Show: Five Minutes
Time for December Sickness to play: Forever
That's right, we're the freaking last people on the list. How effed up is that? People can do the boringest things and we have to be last because they're worried someone is going to trip over our chords. All in favor that this stinks, say 'Ai!'
One upside of this entire thing is that you actually get to sit down and watch the entire show. That is, if there was something worth watching. For a big school, we sure don't have a lot of people with talent. Scratch that, we do have people with talent but the principal would not allow them to be in the show for their presentation would not have been PG rating.
"Hello everyone and thank you for coming out tonight!" Man, Mr. Corelli is one weird dude. " Welcome to Seaview High's second annual talent show! Our first performance tonight is Danny Louisand his wonderful talent of…burping the alphabet?" Mr. Corelli looks around nervously before stepping behind the red ribbon of our stage and 'Dandruff Danny' as we like to call him takes center with a microphone held in hand.
After three minutes, I'm pretty sure the entire audience was mortified and surprised he actually burped the entire alphabet. The loudest ones cheering were most likely the football boys who were always having grody competitions during lunch to see who could be more disgusting. Let's just say I think Danny beat them harshly to the ground and I wouldn't be surprised if he was sitting with them for the rest of the year.
There weren't that many bad performances later on. Not all were…extremely terrible to say the least. A few freshman girls who thought they could dance were practically strip - teasing on the stage. Honestly, they allow that but they won't allow a few PG – 13 jokes. What the hell is wrong with our school? What is wrong with teenage girls these days? It annoys me greatly.
Time Until Performance: Fifteen Minutes
I must have lost track of time because soon Mitchie was sprinting my way and nearly ran me over.
"Whoa there Mitch. What got into you?"
"Are you joking?" Her voice frightens me and I start to panic. "Dude, we're supposed to go on soon and you still haven't tuned your guitar!"
Oh, well that's not so bad I guess…
"So move your skinny ass, Truscott. We got a prize to win!" She's dragging me back stage before even finishing her sentence.
I look across the crowd before going up the steps and I look in center of the middle row. Shocked at the people I see I stop and Mitchie gets pulled back.
"Lilly, what the fu-"
"They're here," I whisper quietly.
"Who's here?" She asks quickly, hoping to get me backstage quicker for us to set up.
"The populars," I whisper with venom in my voice. She still dragging me though making it seem like she's heard nothing but I know she has from the way her shoulders tense and her fingers cutting of the circulation in my fingers.
"Hey hey hey there. She needs those fingers to play the guitar," says Joanie once we come in to view. Since Mitchie was leading the way I guess she must have been wearing one pissed off expression.
Oliver was toning his bass while Joanie had her electric guitar in hand. I could see mine on its stand right behind the drum set which wasn't even an inch behind the velvet scarlet curtain where on the other side you could hear some juniors getting major laughs out of the crowd.
"Who's song are we playing first and how's the order going to be?" I ask as Mitchie hands me my guitar and I start to tune it.
"I want mine to go first," Mitchie says raising her hand lowly. "We may as well perform it when I still have the confidence." I can see Oliver out of the corner of my shaking his head with a small smile.
"Ooh! Ooh! I wanna go next!" I smile at Joanie's childish behavior. She's jumping up and down like a toddler that just got their first pet.
"I guess I'll go after that." Oliver pipes in.
"Alright so it goes Mitchie, Joanie, Oliver and then me. Any objections?" I ask. No one does anything.
"Alright guys. Let's do this." I chime as I hear Mr. Corelli begin to announce us. "Now let's get out there and win this!" We all stick our right hands in the middle and do a cheer. It's how we get pumped up before we play.
Joanie and Mitchie make their way to the other side of the curtain where uproarious cheers are being heard along with a few catcalls and whistles.
'Oh yeah, we're definitely winning. I love how popular the band is, not only from our fake loves but we've always been the band at a party.'
I laugh as we both return to the other side of the tapestry dividing us from the crowd. I stop mid-laugh as I notice the blue-eyed brunette sitting in the center.
Shit!
Only now do I start to panic and my hands start to become sweaty.
I gulp and take the microphone. Oliver was on my right, Joanie on my left and Mitchie diagonally behind me so the crowd could see her on the drums.
'Here goes nothing.'
"Hey everybody, we're December Sickness and we'll be playing quite a few songs tonight." I look around and the students seem to have their 'party-on-faces' while the parents and teachers seem to have the exact opposite.
"Hope you like the noise because we're turning it all the way up to 11!!!" shouts Joanie. The crowd starts jumping up and down as if they just won. It was like an actual high school party with lots and lots of chaperones.
'Oh boy, she could really cheer the crowd up.'
"You ready guys?" I ask the band members. Once again the students cheer and start jumping up and down while my three friends nod their heads. Oliver's got an expression on his face that shows he's ready to take on the whole world.
"Alright Oliver, count us off." He nods his head and counts down from three. Before we know it, we're all caught up in Mitchie's song. I loved it, I loved all of ours. We poured our heart and souls into these. But right once Oliver counted to zero I zoned out and felt the intensity behind every word. This was who we are. This is how we feel. (AN: Okay, the singer is italicized (so right now it's Mitchie) and the rest are bold)
"Love love, love love love love
You were everything I wanted
You were everything a girl could be
Then you left me broken hearted
Now you don't mean a thing to me
All I wanted was your
Love love, love love love love
Hate is a strong word
But I really, really, really don't like you
Now that it's over
I don't even know what I liked about you
Brought you around and you just brought me down
Hate is a strong word
But I really, really, really don't like you
I really don't like you
Thought that everything was perfect
Isn't that how it's supposed to be?
Thought you thought that I was worth it
Now I think a little differently
All I wanted was your
Love love, love love love love
Hate is a strong word
But I really, really, really don't like you (I really don't like you)
Now that it's over
I don't even know what I liked about you (Liked about you)
Brought you around
And you just brought me down
Hate is a strong word
But I really, really, really don't like you
Now that it's over you can't hurt me
Now that it's over you can't bring me down
Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh, oh oh oh
Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh, oh oh oh
All I wanted was your
Love love, love love love love
Hate is a strong word
But I really, really, really don't like you (I really don't like you)
Now that it's over
I don't even know what I liked about you (Liked about you)
Brought you around
And you just brought me down
Hate is a strong word
But I really, really, really don't like you
Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh, oh oh oh
I really don't like you
Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh, oh oh oh
I really don't like you
Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh, oh oh oh
I really don't like you
Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh, oh oh oh"
I glance behind me and see Mitchie beaming. She always did have this love/hate relationship with the crowd but right now I'm surprised I could still hear from the cheering. I quickly grab my acoustic guitar behind me and plug it in to the amp then give Joanie the okay to go.
"Tell me what you thought about when you were gone
And so alone
The worst is over
You can have the best of me
We got older
But we're still young
We never grew out of this feeling that we won't give up
I quickly jog over to my electric guitar. Slipping the strap around me I am once again ready to play.
Here we lay again
On two separate beds
Riding phone lines
to meet a familiar voice
And pictures drawn from memory
We reflect on miscommunications
And misunderstandings
And missing each other too
Much to have had to let go
has brought back together me and you
Turn our music down
And we whisper
"Say what you're thinking right now"
Tell me what you thought about when you were gone
And so alone
The worst is over
You can have the best of me
We got older
But we're still young
We never grew out of this feeling that we wont give up
Jumping to conclusions
Made me fall away from you
I'm so glad that the truth
Raising my eyebrow I look at the other three band members to see if they're okay with starting Oliver's song quickly. Getting nods from everyone I see Mitchie give the thumbs up to Becca, who has a very smug yet self conscious look on her face, and she presses play on the C.D. player. The slight techno rhythm that Oliver remixed starts to play and we're soon following.
"I wake up every evening, with a big smile on my face
And it never feels out of place
And your still probably, working at a 9 to 5 pace
I wonder how bad that tastes
When you see my face hope it gives you hell
Hope it gives you hell
When you walk my way hope it gives you hell
Hope it gives you hell
Now wheres you picket fence love
And wheres that shiny car,
And did it ever get you far
You've never seem so tense love
I've never seen you fall so hard,
Do you know where you are
And truth be told I miss you
And truth be told I'm lying
When you see my face hope it gives you hell
Hope it gives you hell
When you walk my way hope it gives you hell
Hope it gives you hell
If you find a man that's worth a damn and treats you well
Then he's a fool, your just as well, hope it gives you hell
Hope it gives you hell
Tomorrow you'll be thinking to yourself
Where'd it all go wrong, the list goes on and on
And truth be told I miss you
And truth be told I'm lying
When you see my face hope it gives you hell
Hope it gives you hell
When you walk my way hope it gives you hell
Hope it gives you hell
If you find a man that's worth a damn and treats you well
Then he's a fool, your just as well, hope it gives you hell
Now you'll never see, what you've done to me
You can take back your memories they're no good to me
And here's all your lies,
You can look me in my eyes
With that sad, sad look you wear so well
When you see my face hope it gives you hell
Hope it gives you hell
When you walk my way hope it gives you hell
Hope it gives you hell
If you find a man that's worth a damn and treats you well
Then he's a fool, your just as well, hope it gives you hell
When you see my face hope it gives you hell
Hope it gives you hell (Hope it gives you hell)
When you walk my way hope it gives you hell
Hope it gives you hell (Hope it gives you hell)
When hear this song and you sing along oh you'll never tell (Oh, you'll never tell)
Then you're the fool, I'm just as well
Hope it gives you hell (Hope it gives you hell)
When you hear this song I hope that it will give you hell (Hope it gives you hell)
You can sing along I hope that it will treat you well"
The crowd is WILD!!! Even the parents and teachers are getting into it. I swear to God I thought I saw Ms. Kunkle crowd surfing. How effed and awesome is that?
But even the jumping roaring crowd couldn't keep my eyes away from the southern girl who stole my heart and her friends who somehow made it to the front row. It ached to look into her eyes but I couldn't look away. Jake's face shows pain as if saying that he was going through hell. Mikayla's show desperateness and a little hope. Miley's shows pain. That's all I see and I feel…relieved…because then that means she's been catching glimpses of what I've been feeling for most of my teen years.
"Alright everyone," I start, my eyes still locked on Miley's. "This'll be our last song for tonight." The crowd starts to boo and the band members chuckle into their microphones.
"You guys ready?" Mitchie asks, rousing the crowd. I can't even hear myself think from all the noise and commotion from the standing ovation.
"I'd say they are, you guys." Joanie points out.
"You ready to wrap this up?" Oliver asks looking at me, waiting for my answer. I nod and count down from three.
I loved my song. It sounded creepy. Unreal. Scary. I even saw the crowd shiver.
"How can I decide what's right
When you're clouding up my mind?
I can't win your losing fight
All the time
Nor could I ever own what's mine
When you're always taking sides
But you won't take away my pride
No, not this time
Not this time
How did we get here
When I used to know you so well?
How did we get here?
Well, I think I know
The truth is hiding in your eyes
And it's hanging on your tongue
Just boiling in my blood
But you think that I can't see
What kind of girl that you are
If you're one at all
Well, I will figure this one out
On my own
(I'm screaming, I love you so)
On my own
(But my thoughts you can't decode)
How did we get here
When I used to know you so well?
How did we get here?
Well, I think I know
Do you see what we've done?
We're gonna make such fools of ourselves
Do you see what we've done?
We're gonna make such fools of ourselves
How did we get here
When I used to know you so well?
How did we get here
When I used to know you so well?
I think I know
I think I know
There is something I see in you
It might kill me, I want it to be true"
But what no one knew was that it already did kill me…
****************************************************
Mitchie's POV
As the band quickly cleans up all the equipment and chords we make our way back on to the stage where everyone who performed is there. Mr. Corelli was in the center with the microphone in his hand and a white envelope which held the answer.
I was still on my performance high. I sang…in front of a crowd. Me! Haha, yes!
I let out a small squeal which stops after Joanie elbows me in the side. I was so caught up in my thoughts I didn't realize our curly blonde haired spaz of a teacher already opened the envelope and was doing some sort of a traditional drum beat. Instead of stopping, he just kept going…and going…and going until finally I think everyone in the entire stadium had enough and yelled "MR. CORELLI!!!!" which seemed to have knocked him out of his daze.
"Oh, right. Our winners are…December Sickness!" Ohmigod!
Oliver, Joanie, Lilly and I all jump up and down in a huge circle. We congratulate the other competitors and then walk towards Corelli who has one of those gigantic checks like you see on T.V. I flip it over and it reads (mouth drops here)…$1,000 DOLLARS?!
I'm so caught up in looking at all of the amount on the check that I don't even realize until Oliver picks me up and carries me backstage that the talent show is over and everyone has given their bow.
Lilly and Joanie are already behind the curtains, engulfed in a huge crowd of people looking at the check and patting them on the backs and just saying 'nice job'. It was hectic just watching them struggle in the middle.
Setting me on the ground, Oliver and I venture towards our other two friends. Oliver and I are on the outside of everyone. I grab Oliver's hand and make my way in to the center of the circle and find the hand with the check. Bodies are everywhere, and let me tell you, none were that pretty smelling either. Tugging harshly I start to see the bright blonde hair of my best friend.
With my right hand I tug Oliver's and he starts to pull me back. On my way out Joanie must have tripped on someone's stray foot because we were all like human dominoes after that with her landing on Lilly, Lilly landing on me and me landing on Oliver who fell straight to the floor at five pairs of feet. Four in front, one behind them all.
I know who they are immediately as I spy converse shoes. This night could not get any weirder.
"Hey guys. Just wanted to say 'nice job.'" That was Amber who was standing in the center in front of us. Miley was on her left and Jake and Mikayla were both on her right.
"Ugh…thanks, Amber." Joanie wasn't sure what to make of this situation so she started with the easier thing…getting the hell off of Lilly.
Everyone was avoiding eye contact with each other. Most of them were glued to the ground where I noticed the pair of shoes behind the populars move forwards.
Needing to get out of the small space I look up and….oh my god!
It's, it's…December Sickness's long lost fifth member, my old neighbor, my best friend, my first love. My..my
My ex-girlfriend…Caitlyn Gellar.
'Fuck!'
***************************************
Mikayla's POV
I look up frightened as three of the four band members shout, "CAITLYN?!" and tackled her in one major bear hug and start rambling questions all at once.
Confused I notice that Mitchie was holding back on the hugging. Panic was coming off as waves from her.
My god she looks beautiful with her curled black hair. She was wearing her rectangular rimmed glasses, her Paramore shirt where there's a dinosaur playing guitar, black skinny jeans and pink zebra striped studded belt.
"Come on, Mitchie," this phrase knocks me out of my admiration haze. "Can't I get a greeting from you too?"
Mitchie hestitates, nods, and then gives a small hug.
"It's nice to see you again, Caitlyn"
'Again?'
"Oh, you know me, Mitchie. I just can't stay away from you guys." She says while grabbing Mitchie's right hand with her left.
I feel fire and the room getting warm. The girl is on her way to a one way ticket for the hospital.
I think of evil contraptions but they all disappear as I watch Mitchie give a slight blush.
*************************************************
Amber's POV
I grin as I see Mikayla turn red and clench her jaw and fists. Phase One for Couple One: Complete.
***************************************
Alright, remember, reviews are love and I want the honest truth. Anyway I do not own the songs from the talent show.
Mitchie's Song: Hate (I Really Don't Like You) by Plain White T's
Joanie's Song: The Best of Me by The Starting Line
Oliver's Song: Gives You Hell by The All American Rejects
Lilly's Song: Decode by Paramore (and yes I did switch the word man with girl and one. sorry)
We're sitting on the ground and we whisper
"Say what you're thinking out loud"
Tell me what you thought about when you were gone
And so alone
The worst is over
You can have the best of me
We got older
But we're still young
We never grew out of this feeling that we wont give up
Turn our music down
And we whisper
We're sitting on the ground
And we whisper
We turn our music down
We're sitting on the ground
The next time I'm in town
We will kiss girl
We will kiss girl
Tell me what you thought about when you were gone
And so alone
The worst is over
You can have the best of me
We got older
But we're still young
We never grew out of this feeling that we won't
Feeling that we can't
That we're not ready to give up
We got older, but we're still young
We never grew out of this feeling that we wont give up"
