Ghosts Of The Present Chapter 34: The Final Blow, a sky high fanfic

Disclaimer: Anyone or anything that wasn't in the movie is mine, and anyone or anything that was in the movie is not.

Author's Note: Sorry if this chapter, and the next one even more so, aren't very good; I'm not exactly used to writing this kind of stuff.

Chapter 34: The Final Blow

I was getting ready to light one of the band members' hair on fire, but couldn't decide which one. They'd gone behind my back and set this up with Warren! And there we were supposed to be a team. I was snapped out of my contemplation—I was leaning towards roasting Luke, or maybe Colin—when Warren turned to me and spoke into the microphone for all to hear.

"So, are you won over yet, or do I have to take drastic measures?" he asked, grinning wickedly.

I was so shocked at that that I phased through the stage and landed hard on the cement basement floor. Before I had a chance to seize the opportunity and run away from this awkward situation, Kyle phased through the ceiling and landed at my side. He grabbed my arm and unceremoniously teleported me back upstairs, placing me back in front of Warren, who was still looking at me expectantly.

"Why are you doing this?" I whispered, trying my hardest to be furious.

Warren nodded to himself before announcing to the crowd, "Well, on to my next song," he glanced over at me for a second, "Eve, you wouldn't know the words, I'm fairly certain, so you can sit this one out," he turned back to the crowd, "This song is dedicated to Eve, of course. I think it relates to my problem with uncanny likeness. If this doesn't work, I'll just have to resort to Lash's methods and see if she'll actually hurt me."

I was wide-eyed: for the first time in my life, I had no witty retort at all. Not even a not-so-witty retort. Nothing at all. All I could do was stare at him with my mouth hanging open in shock until Kyle pulled me off the stage to the bar. I just let myself be dragged along, all too aware of the way everyone was looking at me. I thought I'd been embarrassed that one time when I'd…never mind. But this, this blew that little incident right out of the water. I felt myself going invisible slowly, but forced that to stop, since it would've just made them laugh, and right then I preferred the stunned silence.

Once he'd made sure I was seated at a stool, Kyle teleported back to his drum set. They began to play a song that I vaguely remembered hearing on the radio, but for the life of me, I couldn't remember what it was called. Warren stared right at me as he began to sing.

She's cold and she's cruel but she knows what she's doing
She pushed me in the pool at our last school reunion
She laughs at my dreams but I dream about her laughter
Strange as it seems she's the one I'm after

Once again, he made rational thought impossible as he shamelessly sang to the whole crowd, some of which were still looking at me in amazement. Like I do in all my sticky situations, I found myself thinking about the most unimportant things possible. For instance, right then I was thinking something along the lines of, "Whoa, I actually did push him in a pool. Well, threw, anyway."

'Cause she's bittersweet
She knocks me off of my feet
And I can't help myself
I don't want anyone else
She's a mystery
She's too much for me
But I keep coming back for more
She's just the girl I'm looking for

I remembered the song now; it was by The Click Five. I realized then that Warren was not going to give up, no matter what I did. He was just like Lash, only he chose to be charming and use grand public gestures instead of trying to sexually harass me. Why was I running? Oh yeah, he'd just hurt me, or he just wanted something from me, or something like that. That was it, wasn't it? I would've shaken my head to clear my thoughts, but I was fixated on his dark eyes, and I couldn't move a muscle.

She can't keep a secret for more than an hour
She runs on one hundred proof attitude power
And the more she ignores me, the more I adore her
What can I do - I'd do anything for her

Hey, I can keep a secret! Okay, so maybe the songs not exact, but it's pretty damn close. Quit thinking like that! That would mean…Warren couldn't really mean it, could he?

Oh my God, he really does mean it…now what do I do? How can he feel that way about me? Nobody else does. Except Lash, but that's not love, that's Lash being lustful. Why am I using alliteration! Agh! I can't think! This is how he truly feels. I…what do I feel?

And when she sees it me
On her caller ID
She won't pick up the phone
She'd rather be alone
But I can't give up just yet
'Cause every word she's every said
Is still ringing in my head
Still ringing in my head

So, Warren was serious, otherwise he wouldn't have gotten up in front of a bunch of people and professed his…love…and pretty much shattered his 'bad-ass' image in the process. I don't think I can take this. Love supposedly means happiness, yet another foreign word.

Warren continued to stare deep into my soul, and I think he knew what I felt, even though I didn't.

She's cold and she's cruel but she knows what she's doing
Knows just what to say so my whole day is ruined

Could I even be happy? In the words of Titus: 'Normal people can live with happiness. Screwed-up people will try to destroy it.' If I'm not screwed-up, then I don't know who is. I'd just destroy it; I've already tried. Why did I try? Because…

'Cause she's bittersweet
She knocks me off of my feet
And I can't help myself
I don't want anyone else
She's a mystery
She's too much for me
But I keep coming back for more

This song was the final blow to my already fragile defences. He won't give up; he's too determined. Aren't I determined also? To do what again? Damn music fogging up my brain. Let's just hope that Lash can't sing.

Oh, I keep coming back for more

She's just the girl I'm looking for

Just the girl the girl I'm looking for

I'm looking for

Just the girl I'm looking for

The song finished, I could finally think again. My reflection about everything stayed in my mind though, much as I tried to tell myself that I was being stupid. What was I running from? I was so confused.

Warren held out his hand to me, saying softly, "Please don't make all my public singing be for nothing, Eve. It wasn't easy."

My eyes were getting teary as I fought my strange internal battle. He sang a song just for me. I was being ridiculous. I shook my head and blinked a few times as I teleported right in front of Warren and grabbed his outstretched hand. I instantly relocated the two of us to a more secluded place, because I wasn't about to talk with him in front of that crowd. This was not a public subject. The first private place I thought of was my room; unsurprising if you're the type that considers you're bedroom a sanctuary from the world.

Warren was startled by the change in scenery, and he looked around him at the dim room until I quietly asked, "You're not going to give up, are you?"

"No. I'm just stubborn like that," was his immediate response.

I looked down at the ground, struggling to find the words to say.

"Do you really mean all that you say?" I queried, my eyes still downcast.

"Eve, I got up in front of everyone and said so. Do you have any idea how hard that was? I'm seriously not a public speaker. So yes, I mean what I say," he told me, lifting up my chin so that I'd look at him.

"Alright, I give," I declared in resignation, and then warned him, "But I swear to God, Warren, if you make me regret this, you'll be in a world of hurt. I promise."

He grinned and mischievously replied, "Wouldn't have it any other way. Why, if you stopped being so violent, I just don't know what I'd do."

I couldn't help but smile at that, but then I became sombre again as I asked, "What happens now?"

"This," he answered quickly.

He grabbed me by the waist suddenly and pulled me close, that wicked grin of his returning as his lips found mine.