Chapter Seven: The Song Was For You
Ren's POV
So, here's my little theory:
Even though he learned our new song in three days, he's still Larry Beale. And even though he is an awesome bass player, he's still Larry Beale. And even though he's making the Twitty-Stevens Connection 100 times better, he's still Larry Beale.
And my life stinks.
It was Wednesday afternoon. I was in our basement, squeezing in some science homework before practice. I was trying extra-hard to concentrate on the DNA structure, but all I could think of was Beale. Sure, he made us *sound* better, but he was not helping out the band to me. He was hogging up the glory of it all in my head. This band was my outlet from my stressful world, and my number one stress-causer clogged it up.
Louis walked down the stairs with Tawny and Twitty. Louis and Tawny were, of course, holding hands and whispering back and forth to each other. Twitty was playing an air guitar and singing the chorus of our song to himself.
"Hey Ren," said Louis and Tawny in unison. They approached me, all smiles, looking all lovey-dovey. Though it was Louis, it was still cute that he had somebody who loved him.
"Hey guys," I said, standing up beside them. "Ready to start?" I took my place behind the mike.
Twitty joined us. "Larry's not here yet."
That made me angry. The Battle of the Bands was in two days and we needed all the practice time we could get. And, of course, Beale wasn't here yet. Though I hated when he WAS around, now I needed him to be back-up to my voice.
Suddenly, I hear from behind me, "Hey Ren. Did ya miss me?"
I turn very slowly. There stood Beale, stupid, smug grin on his face. I really wanted to punch that face. I mean you don't know how much I did. The sensation to do so was growing inside of me.
"Hey Larry," said Louis. He handed him his bass guitar (A/N: Is that what it's called? I don't know). "Ready to rock?"
Larry gave me one last smirk then turned to Louis. He took the instrument and said stupidly, "You know it!"
Once we were all ready, I shouted into the mike, "Five! Six! Seven! Eight!"
Twitty started out with his guitar. Then Louis and Larry came in. Then Tawny. Then it was my turn. I was SO ready. I was born ready. I began:
"I've tried to ignore all signals that you sent my way.
I tried to forget all things people told me say.
And even though I tried,
Our chances multiplied.
I knew it was you I'd been searching for.
Could it be that we are more than what we were?
Not just friends but maybe more?
The way things were cannot be seen in a futuristic dream.
I think I'm feeling something that I've never felt before
I've seen crushes come and go and it didn't hold me for long.
But who ever knew the spell you had on me was so strong?
And without a care,
I made things nice and square.
I gave you my heart with all the right pieces.
Could it be that we are more than what we were?
Not just friends but maybe more?
The way things were cannot be seen in a futuristic dream.
I think I'm feeling something that I've never felt before.
I'll take your hand in mine and everything will be fine.
I choose you over everyone else in the world.
If only you would let me be perfect for you.
You made my dreams come true.
Could it be that we are more than what we were?
Not just friends but maybe more?
The way things were cannot be seen in a futuristic dream.
I think I'm feeling something that I've never felt before."
When we were done, I looked back at Larry. He was looking at me to. I don't know what came over us then, but we both smiled.
"That was good," said Twitty. "Go again?"
I woke myself up from the trance and turned away from Larry. "Um, yea," I answered, suddenly feeling like I was having an out-of-body experience. "Again."
I didn't look at Larry again for the rest of the practice.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Lizzie's POV
Gordo was looking me directly in the eye. His smile was so warm and understanding; I felt like I could tell him anything. I mean now he knew I liked him as more than a friend, but what did he think about that. He never told me.
"Lizzie," Gordo said suddenly. "I have to you something."
AL: Just look at how cute he looks. Whoa! Was that me? Talking about GORDO?
"Lizzie," Gordo repeated, his hands starting shake. "You know I like you. A lot. A whole lot. You're the person I care most about in the world. But, you know, if you want to keep crushing on Ethan Craft, I'm okay with that. Me liking you doesn't have to effect your love life."
I looked at Gordo then, trying hard to see through his tough appearance that was suddenly going soft. I knew he was lying, that he did care if I still liked Ethan.
AL: But I don't like Ethan anymore. I don't like anyone but Gordo. How random is that?
"Gordo," I began. But then I stopped. I had to think of just the right thing to say. After all, he was just the right person for me.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Gordo's POV
How could I have told Lizzie that she could like Ethan even though I liked her? I would never lie to Lizzie. Just because I didn't tell her the truth about me liking her until about two weeks ago, I would never flat-out lie to her.
But maybe she didn't like Ethan anymore. She DID say that she like me, too, but after going after Ethan for so long, how could she stop liking him for me?
"Gordo," she said softly. Then she stopped.
"What Lizzie?" I asked, egging her on to continue without being obvious.
She didn't say anything, only leaned in closer to me. I leaned in, too, not exactly thinking it over. We were really close now, so close I thought I would faint. Our lips were about to touch for a moment, a single moment, I knew.
But right as I was about to kiss the girl of my dreams, I stopped and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Lizzie's POV
So Gordo and I didn't kiss. Even though I knew it would be a quick kiss, I didn't think Gordo, who like me, maybe even loved me, would ruin the moment and give me a kiss on the cheek.
We pulled apart, both a little embarrassed. Our eyes just couldn't meet. Suddenly, I leaned in, knowing it was the right thing to do, and kissed him for a slight second (A/N: this about their quick kiss at the end of the movie. It looked like that).
"Gordo," I whispered to him as I pulled away from his face. "The song was for you."
Ren's POV
So, here's my little theory:
Even though he learned our new song in three days, he's still Larry Beale. And even though he is an awesome bass player, he's still Larry Beale. And even though he's making the Twitty-Stevens Connection 100 times better, he's still Larry Beale.
And my life stinks.
It was Wednesday afternoon. I was in our basement, squeezing in some science homework before practice. I was trying extra-hard to concentrate on the DNA structure, but all I could think of was Beale. Sure, he made us *sound* better, but he was not helping out the band to me. He was hogging up the glory of it all in my head. This band was my outlet from my stressful world, and my number one stress-causer clogged it up.
Louis walked down the stairs with Tawny and Twitty. Louis and Tawny were, of course, holding hands and whispering back and forth to each other. Twitty was playing an air guitar and singing the chorus of our song to himself.
"Hey Ren," said Louis and Tawny in unison. They approached me, all smiles, looking all lovey-dovey. Though it was Louis, it was still cute that he had somebody who loved him.
"Hey guys," I said, standing up beside them. "Ready to start?" I took my place behind the mike.
Twitty joined us. "Larry's not here yet."
That made me angry. The Battle of the Bands was in two days and we needed all the practice time we could get. And, of course, Beale wasn't here yet. Though I hated when he WAS around, now I needed him to be back-up to my voice.
Suddenly, I hear from behind me, "Hey Ren. Did ya miss me?"
I turn very slowly. There stood Beale, stupid, smug grin on his face. I really wanted to punch that face. I mean you don't know how much I did. The sensation to do so was growing inside of me.
"Hey Larry," said Louis. He handed him his bass guitar (A/N: Is that what it's called? I don't know). "Ready to rock?"
Larry gave me one last smirk then turned to Louis. He took the instrument and said stupidly, "You know it!"
Once we were all ready, I shouted into the mike, "Five! Six! Seven! Eight!"
Twitty started out with his guitar. Then Louis and Larry came in. Then Tawny. Then it was my turn. I was SO ready. I was born ready. I began:
"I've tried to ignore all signals that you sent my way.
I tried to forget all things people told me say.
And even though I tried,
Our chances multiplied.
I knew it was you I'd been searching for.
Could it be that we are more than what we were?
Not just friends but maybe more?
The way things were cannot be seen in a futuristic dream.
I think I'm feeling something that I've never felt before
I've seen crushes come and go and it didn't hold me for long.
But who ever knew the spell you had on me was so strong?
And without a care,
I made things nice and square.
I gave you my heart with all the right pieces.
Could it be that we are more than what we were?
Not just friends but maybe more?
The way things were cannot be seen in a futuristic dream.
I think I'm feeling something that I've never felt before.
I'll take your hand in mine and everything will be fine.
I choose you over everyone else in the world.
If only you would let me be perfect for you.
You made my dreams come true.
Could it be that we are more than what we were?
Not just friends but maybe more?
The way things were cannot be seen in a futuristic dream.
I think I'm feeling something that I've never felt before."
When we were done, I looked back at Larry. He was looking at me to. I don't know what came over us then, but we both smiled.
"That was good," said Twitty. "Go again?"
I woke myself up from the trance and turned away from Larry. "Um, yea," I answered, suddenly feeling like I was having an out-of-body experience. "Again."
I didn't look at Larry again for the rest of the practice.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Lizzie's POV
Gordo was looking me directly in the eye. His smile was so warm and understanding; I felt like I could tell him anything. I mean now he knew I liked him as more than a friend, but what did he think about that. He never told me.
"Lizzie," Gordo said suddenly. "I have to you something."
AL: Just look at how cute he looks. Whoa! Was that me? Talking about GORDO?
"Lizzie," Gordo repeated, his hands starting shake. "You know I like you. A lot. A whole lot. You're the person I care most about in the world. But, you know, if you want to keep crushing on Ethan Craft, I'm okay with that. Me liking you doesn't have to effect your love life."
I looked at Gordo then, trying hard to see through his tough appearance that was suddenly going soft. I knew he was lying, that he did care if I still liked Ethan.
AL: But I don't like Ethan anymore. I don't like anyone but Gordo. How random is that?
"Gordo," I began. But then I stopped. I had to think of just the right thing to say. After all, he was just the right person for me.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Gordo's POV
How could I have told Lizzie that she could like Ethan even though I liked her? I would never lie to Lizzie. Just because I didn't tell her the truth about me liking her until about two weeks ago, I would never flat-out lie to her.
But maybe she didn't like Ethan anymore. She DID say that she like me, too, but after going after Ethan for so long, how could she stop liking him for me?
"Gordo," she said softly. Then she stopped.
"What Lizzie?" I asked, egging her on to continue without being obvious.
She didn't say anything, only leaned in closer to me. I leaned in, too, not exactly thinking it over. We were really close now, so close I thought I would faint. Our lips were about to touch for a moment, a single moment, I knew.
But right as I was about to kiss the girl of my dreams, I stopped and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Lizzie's POV
So Gordo and I didn't kiss. Even though I knew it would be a quick kiss, I didn't think Gordo, who like me, maybe even loved me, would ruin the moment and give me a kiss on the cheek.
We pulled apart, both a little embarrassed. Our eyes just couldn't meet. Suddenly, I leaned in, knowing it was the right thing to do, and kissed him for a slight second (A/N: this about their quick kiss at the end of the movie. It looked like that).
"Gordo," I whispered to him as I pulled away from his face. "The song was for you."