Hidden Beneath the Mask

Disclaimer: Well two shows I do not own: "Good Luck Charlie" and "How to Rock", so try not to give me grief, as I'm not claiming them.

A/N:

Chapter 35 (Finding Her Way)

When they left the auditorium, Skyler was amazed and overwhelmed by the amount of students standing around the courtyard. Everyone was watching her, cheering her. She froze and her cheeks shot red and she stepped back anxiously as the crowd slowly silenced. Someone stepped out of the crowd, a tall football player with curly brown hair. He smiled at her and extended his hand.

She shook his hand in response, still feeling just a tad awkward. "I think I speak for most people here when I say, welcome to Brewster, Skyler. Good to meet you." Her eyes dazzled as elation filled her, and piece by piece, her soul may very well be repaired. At this rate, there was no need for 'Molly', or at least, she didn't think it. Her eyes drifted towards the clock, it was break time from classes. She had a lot of work to do in getting her homework and projects that she missed turned in to her teachers. The jock cleared his throat and she quickly scanned the crowd. "It's a good thing what you did, going up there, and we're all willing to give you a chance. Just be honest with everyone, be true to yourself."

"Thank you." She tucked her hair behind her ear and looked over to PJ with a bright-eyed smile. He smirked at her, and her friends all pat her on the shoulder. She was still just a little uncomfortable with large crowds, and this was not one of the exceptions to that fact. Part of her still felt like running off. The rest of her was too shocked, too amazed, that the students at the school were actually accepting of her. She took PJ's hand and squeezed it gently, placing her head to his shoulder. "I'm ready to start healing, PJ…"

The crowd began to disperse. PJ kissed the top of her head, then glanced over to Kacey. "Kacey, I believe we haven't heard your 're-audition', do you want to run through that real fast?" Skyler lifted her head and smiled at Kacey. The girl frowned and shook her head, then grabbed Skyler's hand.

"I think you should let Skyler, she's the best singer here…" Skyler's eyes widened and she quickly shook her head, panic shot through her chest. Kacey raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong? You don't have any problems with singing."

"It's just that, I don't know if I want that." She also knew PJ couldn't have bias. If she auditioned, she'd have to do so before Mr. Davis, Emmett, and PJ. Skyler wrapped her arms around PJ's and put her head to his shoulder. "I don't know why you'd want to pass up that chance, anyway."

"Because I don't deserve it. I treated you wrong, and it was all because of greed. I almost destroyed you completely because I wanted that to spot, and…well, I don't think it's something that I deserve to have." Skyler bowed her head for a moment. She wasn't angry with Kacey. Sure, she was grateful that Kacey was honest and knew when enough had been enough, but she still didn't think it was good for her to put herself down. She felt a pull and yelped as Kacey dragged her back into the auditorium. The others followed her into the auditorium, all inquiring what she was doing. "I know you can sing, so…I heard this song that was perfect for you, and I think it can inspire you."

She raised an eyebrow and let herself be dragged onto the stage. "What's the song?" Kacey smirked and motioned for some of the band to come up. Skyler watched Gravity 5 move backstage, and return with their respective type of instruments. PJ and Emmett sat in the front row, chuckling at the sight. Skyler was beginning to feel a little more anxious. They planned for this? "What if I don't know the song?" She looked over to Grace, who was happily sitting in the front row with her ankle over her left leg.

"Grace said you know this song. It's 'Find My Way' by Samantha Boscarino." Skyler's eyes widened and her hands flew to her mouth, she did know this song. She wasn't sure she wanted to sing it, but she did know it. It was one of the songs that she heard from some movie a few years back that really spoke out to her, and when her mother passed, this was the song she listened to in order to try and move on. "I want to sing this with you, because I think it's perfect for you."

She bit her lip and glanced over to her, shrugging her shoulders. "I can try." She moved her gaze back to PJ and smiled at him. He was watching her with a proud expression. His right leg was resting atop his left, and he was leaning towards the right, with his hand curled against his jaw. She closed her eyes and listened to the band behind them beginning to play. She breathed in and started to sing. "How did I end up here? One of the cool kids this year. What a surprise now, 'cause all I feel is kinda weird." She looked over to Kacey, who was watching earnestly and tapping her foot on the ground. "Everyone's lookin' to me, thinking how cool it must be to be popular…" Kacey vocalized into her microphone and Skyler hummed, she could feel her breath stirring within her chest. "But I don't even know what that means. Am I supposed to feel like I've been known? Like I'm the king of the world and could do no wrong? I could just play along, play along."

She walked towards the center with Kacey, who opened her mouth to sing the chorus with her. "I-I-I…try to find my way, try to find my place! I-I…Try to find my way, try to find my place" Skyler started to bring her hands together in a slow clapping motion as Kacey snapped her fingers in the air, then brought her hand down, facing the audience. "I'm just as lost as you feel, though hope is kinda surreal. Don't know what comes next, 'cause all this growin' up is kinda weird."

Skyler's lips curved up as Kacey clapped in the air, now it was her turn to face the audience. "Am I supposed to feel like I've been known? Like I'm king of the world and can do no wrong? I could just play along, play along." Kacey and Skyler faced each other, leaning forward, their faces just inches apart and their eyes glued with each other. Their microphones were raised up, their microphone arms were interlocked with each other. Kacey swayed her head to the right, and Skyler vocalized before singing the chorus with her. "I-I-I'm tryin' to find my way, tryin' to find my place! I-I-I'm tryin' to find my way, tryin' to find my place!" Their voices raised, and their arms separated. Skyler clapped and Kacey put a hand to her waist, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm just tryin' to find my way, find my place-"

"I'm getting' skinned and I wanna fit in…like everyone else, wanna know myself…try to find my way, I'm gonna find my place, yeah…gonna be okay, gonna find a place…"

PJ had moved up to the stage towards the end, so she leaned back against his chest, vocalizing with Kacey as the song started fading out. She was ecstatic! It never felt so good to belt out a song on the spot like that, and in all honesty, Teddy would probably be jealous knowing she just sang a duet with someone else. She tilted her gaze up as PJ wrapped his arms around her waist, interlocking his fingers on her abdomen. He wagged his eyebrows and she quickly kissed the bottom of his jaw.

Kacey turned to them and smirked, raising an eyebrow. "I have to say, I've never seen anything cuter than that." Skyler blushed furiously and lifted her hands to her cheeks in an attempt to hide her blush. "So what do you think PJ? Your girlfriend can sing her heart out any time she wants!" PJ laughed and Skyler shot Kacey a quick look. He already knew she could sing, he knew it from when they dated in Denver. "So what do you think? Maybe you want to let her on the band? Either way, I'm bowing out…"

"Well that's up to you," PJ replied, "You are a good singer. You need to work on your ego, sure, but you're a decent singer." Kacey nodded. Skyler settled into his chest. "As for Skyler, I've known she could sing since she and my sister worked on a song together a few years back. However, I can't be biased, so if she wants to join the band, she'll have to go through the audition process like everyone else."

Skyler quickly nodded her head, she felt it was fair. "Yeah, and I'm not really wanting to join the band, I mean…I don't know, I'd like to, but I don't know if I'm ready to do something like that right now." She just wanted to relax, really. She needed to finish her homework, rest, and cope with the things that had been happening to her. PJ set his chin to her head and hummed.

"I wouldn't mind having you on the band as our singer though, Sky. You do have a beautiful voice, still."

"Am I better than Teddy, yet?"

"My sister? Yeah, sure, you're better." PJ chuckled and Skyler laughed, she wasn't sure if she really was or not, but leave it to PJ to once more deny his sister's talent. "You know, Teddy's really looking forward to seeing you again. Everyone is. I personally, would love to take you home for Christmas." He smirked with confidence and Skyler cheered inwardly at the thought.

"That would be amazing!" Christmas was just a short time away, and PJ's deadline for having the two new band members, so he was going to have to crack down. He released her and tapped his chin, humming thoughtfully.

"I'm thinking of how cute you'd look in a red bow." A red bow? Christmas? She playfully smacked his arm, not wanting to be turned into a Christmas present. Though the thought of meeting his family again was close to terrifying, even though she'd been talking regularly with them.

"You're not wrapping me up like some Christmas present, and no one's unwrapping me either." He laughed once more, then put his arms around her waist, pulling her in and kissing her. She was caught off guard. Skyler let herself sway into the kiss, moving her arms around his neck. Her right leg slowly lifted off the ground as the emotion of the kiss swept over her.

Everyone else on the stage groaned and began to walk off, laughing at them and telling them to get a room. She couldn't help it if she were so caught up with him. After all these years, she felt like she'd earned a little bit of happiness and love. Who better to give her that, than the man she loved most in the world. Aside from her father, of course.

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