Thanks to "spinelli woods, esquire", "mistress of balmoral", and "goofy monkey child" for reviewing! All of your reviews mean a lot!
Chapter Twenty Four: You Mean The World To Me
Location: At the Auditorium of Third Street School, around 3:30 PM on the last school day before Christmas Break
The stage lights shined away from the gang and randomly moved around and suddenly dance music was playing in the background. The stage curtain was raised and the gang sat on the edge of their seats mesmerized on what was going to happen. The stage lights increasingly swirled around them as if they were in a dance club or in a concert.
Randall walked into the auditorium, but the gang did not even hear him enter, and he snickered, "Ahh! Dirt! Moist! Wait 'til I call Principal Prickly, she'll get in so much trouble for holding this performance. Hee Hee Hee Hee Hee...." Their ears (the gang and Randall) then fixated on a soulful, vivacious singing voice.
"Finally it has happened to me right in front of my face and I just can not hide it..."
The gang was surrounded in a colorful energetic zone of music that seemed dream-like and euphoric. They finally saw a girl walk onto stage in a dancing mood singing on a headset, wireless microphone. Her face and eyes radiated endless joy and excitement deep within her soul. She continued singing...
"Meeting right friends, the ones I couldn't dream
The ones who shows me true friendship and what it should be
With just a small smile and being right there
It's just the way they look at me sometimes and I can't believe they care
Finally you've come along
The way I feel about you,
It just can't be wrong
If you only knew the way I feel about you
I just can't describe it..."
The gang and Randall did not even blink as they gazed deeper onto the girl mindlessly because they couldn't believe the spectacular sight around them and the amazing, overflowing talent of the girl as she continued to perform. She seemed glamorous and her personality was out of this world, that the gang could not even recognize her. The girl had straightened black hair with a few purple-colored streaks, amethyst earrings, a lavender blouse but with only the loose sleeves that were in a floral lace see-through style, a blue denim knee-length skirt with hanging ribbons on her hips that shook like tassels, and she wore long laced lavender plastic high heels (one and half inches high) where the laces tied up, wrapped, and crossed around each other up to halfway up of her calf muscles.
"...Finally it has happened to me right in front of my life
My feelings can't describe it
Finally it has happened to me right in front of my face and
I just can not hide it
Finally it has happened to me right in front of my mind
I can't process it
Finally it has happened to me right in front of my heart and
I still can't believe it
It seems so many times
Others seemed to want have fun
But all they ever wanted was to use me and be done
But now you've all come along
And brightened up my world
In my heart I feel it, I feel more apart of this world
Finally you've come along
The way I feel about you,
It just can't be wrong
If you only knew the years I've been through
I just can't describe it..."
The girl's dancing was breathtaking because she may have been just a kid, but the moves and vitality of dancing seemed like one of a professional modern 20-something dancer. The hip movements were fluid, she was doing the splits, her moves were quick and fast and were addictive but yet she made it seem so simple. Her singing entranced and captivated the gang because she was singing so purely, sweet, but yet so deeply soulful as if she was exposing her innermost emotions to them and the gang could see that resonating from her eyes as her barriers were being lifted and hurt was being released.
"...Finally it has happened to me right in front of my life
My feelings can't describe it
Finally it has happened to me right in front of my face and
I just can not hide it
Finally it has happened to me right in front of my mind
I can't process it
Finally it has happened to me right in front of my heart and
I still can't believe it
Finally.... Oh, Finally..... yeah.... yeah...."
(Lyrics from CeCe Peniston "Finally", the bolded words are modified by Stacey to fit her situation)
The girl was powerfully singing the last lyric line while tears were streaming down her face because finally...after so many years, after all of the rejection, after all the heart wrenching pain, and loneliness....finally, FINALLY she had friends. She finally understood what friendship really and truly meant. She built herself up again before the bridge part of the song could end and finished the song.
When she finished the song, she smiled nervously in embarrassment because of such a dramatic performance while the auditorium lights were all turned on. The gang just sat there mindlessly trying to take in what had just happened and their mouths were slightly opened in shock. The gang regained their senses after a few seconds and several blinks and then they carefully approached the girl that was waiting for them at the first row. This girl was almost barely recognizable and they slowly tried to speak wondering who it was.
Simultaneously, T.J., Spinelli, Gus, and Gretchen said, "Renee?!?" While Vince and Mikey said, "Stacey?!?" The gang looked at each other; confused that they called out a different name. Vince and Mikey were more unsure because they thought that Stacey had already left for vacation earlier.
T.J. questioned to Vince, "Stacey?!? It's Renee! Remember how she was on the dance floor?"
Mikey gently objected, "Ah... but T.J., if you were to hear her soulful voice you would know that it was Stacey." The gang was lost in confusion trying to decide who she was.
The girl interrupted the debate and presented, "I'm Stacey.......and Renee also."
The gang gasped, but then their faces turned into a puzzled expression since Stacey and Renee had two polar personalities. Stacey was the extremely shy, nervous, and somewhat melancholy girl while Renee appeared to be a happy, optimistic, and sly girl. Spinelli asked, "But..., why would you be two different people?!? How can we really be sure you are both?"
Stacey lightly smirked and said, "Well....you've seen me dance, so I guess that shows I am...or was Renee, and..." Stacey took out the thick 'Gus style' glasses that she really did not need since she had pretty good vision and placed them on her face. She finished, "....now do I look familiar?"
The entire gang was floored; they couldn't believe or put those two personalities together because it was so unreal and too unbelievable. The gang was frozen all over again trying to some how merge these two images of her as one. Spinelli stuttered, "It...but....NO....really?!? It can't be..."
Gretchen tried to somehow process it in her mind and she exclaimed, "This is inconceivable! How?!? But why?!?"
Mikey was the only one who wasn't too astonished by knowing that Stacey and Renee were the same person, because he 'saw' how Stacey's heart and joy was obscured and hidden behind the fortified wall of hurt and scarred emotions. Mikey answered Gretchen, "How can it not be, my dear friends..." Mikey and Stacey both shared a glance and she got the impression that Mikey wanted her to explain to the rest of them about the entire ordeal. The other five of the gang looked deeper and deeper into Stacey's eyes in amazement and curiosity about why she portrayed herself to be two different people. The gang sat on the first row seats while Stacey hopped onto the stage, took off her unneeded (she never wears them again) glasses, and sat on the edge. She took a deep breath reflecting her month here at Third Street, deeply thinking how she could best explain herself...
For the past few days after the gang saved Stacey from the roof, she could never had dreamed that she would be like this. Having friends that truly cared about her, enjoyed her presence, that were concerned about her if she didn't look well, and other genuine friendly behaviors she thought that never existed. During the past few days, she had finally opened her heart up completely because after the roof incident and with the gang saving her life....she knew she had TRUE friends. All of her anxiety and nervousness were extinguished in the days she spent with them. It may have been something seemingly simple like going to Kelso's, going to movies, playing on the playground, or visiting a friend's home but for her it was overwhelmingly touching because she had NEVER experienced these things when she was secluded from fun, friends, her generation, ....a crucial fulfilling aspect of life. A lot of the times, she would be just staring at her surroundings and the gang, trying to believe that this happiness was actually happening to her and it wasn't necessarily the activities that were causing this happiness but sharing them with someone who cared and enjoyed her. It was almost like they were sent from heaven, since she felt that her life was being so abundantly blessed with these friendships. She knew she had to tell them about how much they meant to her, so she decided to set up a surprise for them in the auditorium. She revealed her personality and talent that she had kept hidden from them earlier because of her past fears. She hanged up her sweatshirt and sweatpants style completely to express her true inner personality she never would have dared to do. (This new style of clothes would become her permanent style from now on.) She performed that song that she never could relate to in the past, but now she knew the meaning of the song. She changed the lyrics a bit to fit the friendship theme, but nevertheless it still expressed the deep appreciation and still unbelievable kindness she thought couldn't exist or at least in her life.
Stacey took another deep breath as the five of the gang zoned into her every word. She slowly explained, "Well...the reason I sang that for you guys was because..." she tried to take a deep breath trying to find the courage to confess her emotions, "...I never had friends like any of you before....never..."
The gang (even Mikey) was sinking further into disbelief and T.J. sputtered, "Never...?!?"
Stacey looked down on the ground and admitted, "Never..."
Vince engrossed asked, "What about kindergarten, second grade, or fourth grade?"
Stacey gave a weak smile and sighed, "No....ever since kindergarten...I never really had a friend."
Gus asked, "How...?"
Stacey looked at the six of them and remembered seeing how picturesque their friendship was from afar. She knew that they were ignorant about some things because they were too kind in their nature to really comprehend what she was implying. She asked, "How long have you all been friends with each other?"
The gang replied, feeling slightly awkward on were the conversation was going, "Since kindergarten....why?"
Stacey's assumptions about their ignorance were correct and she explained, "Well it explains it. You guys have been friends with each other for years and really, really...." her voice broke a bit, "...stuck with each other. And from what I've seen in just the past week, you have nooooo idea how rare your friendship is."
T.J. blinked several times, trying to understand, and questioned, "What do you mean?"
Stacey took another deep breath as she was revisiting those horrible experiences again, but at least they were not as overwhelming as before since she had unbelievably wonderful friends. She elaborated, "Back at my school....and most others I'm more than sure... most kids don't stand up for each other like all of you do...they give in to peer pressure to be cool." She closed her eyes for a second and confessed, "The 'friends' I used to have eventually ended up teasing me or hurting me....pretty badly. In order to be 'cool', they would betray me...in unthinkable ways...like hair ripping, tearing my clothes, throwing food on me, spitting, teasing, you know that type of harsh stuff... "The gang's eyes all bulged out in shock that some kids were that mean and harassing. When Stacey ended with 'you know that type of harsh stuff' they didn't have a clue what she meant because no kid they knew was treated that horribly like a beaten up, kicked dog.
Stacey continued as her eyes started to water up, "Being friends with you...is something I can't even being to describe. I mean, it's like, experiencing being a friend with incredible friends is completely new to me because no one really stood by me or wanted to be friends with me." She saw their disbelieving faces and as her voice was slightly broken, went on, "I know it's hard to believe but if you guys only knew....how mean...some kids can be...how cruel they can beat you inside. I mean being alone, being secluded from all of the kids, you feel invisible....it's like you feel life is slipping by and you have no idea what life is about since nobody wants to be bothered by you...as if you're a nuisance or something."
Stacey breathed a bit harder continuing, while the gang was just dumbfounded hearing it all, "You guys don't know how rare it is to have or even find a close group of friends, especially as diverse as you guys. Almost all groups of friends are based on cliques or similar interests and personalities...but you guys....somehow defy that... I mean just look at the Ashleys, or Lawson's group, or Mundy's gang....they are all similar but...." Stacey blinked her eyes several times trying to understand, "but how do you guys stick together?!? I mean it's unheard of...like take Vince and Gretchen....a jock and smart girl being friends?!? Or you Spinelli and Mikey… a tough girl and a patient, cool-headed boy poet being friends?!?" The gang look at each other and are blown away realizing that they are an exception to most usual friendships.
Stacey cleared her throat, apologizing, "Sorry for getting off track....but I mean you guys, whenever I'm with all of you, I enjoy being around you guys and not just the places because you guys actually being willing to spend time with me is overwhelming. It makes school and the weekends something to look forward to instead of chores, schoolwork, and the loneliness of radio." She sighed in embarrassment confessing, "It was kind a pathetic that I used music to escape to because I just didn't want to get hurt again and I feared taking that risk, but you still have that loss of....closeness and togetherness....and it makes you feel distant from your world and others..."
A lone tear from her wet puppy eyes was falling from her right cheek and she quickly wiped it away. She deeply thanked them, "Thank you guys...really.... I mean you guys have almost like proven that having friends is possible. The reason I dressed and behaved so quietly and obscured was because I couldn't take another betrayal or heartache from someone, but I realized that...I had to press on... So thank you guys...truly...It means a lot...I wish I could do more..." She gave a joyful smile thinking about how the old man was right and just the gang being right there...just listening to her and taking interest in her and everything about her...something that was foreign to her emotions.
Mikey saw Stacey was looking emotionally frail and he ran up, grabbed her, and gave her a huge bear hug. He warmly called out, "Oh Stacey! Your touching song was more than enough...." His arms squeezed her tightly as if he was trying to keep her warm or to ward off the lonely, sad feelings that had accompanied her for years. The rest of the gang soon immediately joined Mikey and they all gave Stacey a huge, group hug trying to emotionally heal her. She gasped and smiled in overflowing happiness and could feel their genuine, deep, warmhearted kind energy flowing from all of them. The gang gave her a long hug for a full minute and during that they smiled and were becoming teary-eyed feeling deeply sympathetic for her and grateful for her cherishing them so much in a way they never thought a person could enjoy their presence so much.
As they pulled away to see her condition, Stacey's cheeks were almost completely wet from her tears of joy and from that euphoric moment. She cleared her throat and wiped her tears, and teased, "Dang, I'm such a mess..." The gang smiled lightly with their blood-shot eyes.
Gretchen saw all of them were feeling emotionally heavy and sneakily went onto the stage and toward the audio controls. She played with the controls a little bit and then slowly walked out on stage. She softly, and happily spoke with a smirk to Stacey, "Stacey…why don't you show us how to dance again?" The auditorium lights were automatically turned off and only the stage lights were on.
Suddenly, a song started playing while the stage lights flashed and moved around as if they were in some type of dance club. The gang all smirked and rolled their eyes over to Stacey. Stacey looked down in slight embarrassment and looked up again with an addictive smile. She began to show the others how to dance while the song went on,
"Pump up the jam
Pump it up
While your feet are stompin'
And the jam is pumpin'
Look at here the crowd is jumpin'…"
The gang closely watched and followed Stacey as if they were playing 'Simon Says.' Stacey started swinging and shaking her hips in sync with the beat and looked around to make sure the gang caught on.
"Pump it up a little more
Get the party going on the dance floor
Seek us that's where the party's at
And you'll find out if you're too bad
I don't want a place to stay
Get your booty on the floor tonight
Make my day…"
(Lyrics from Technotronic "Pump Up The Jam")
T.J. soon started to humorously dance like a monkey, to get the others to laugh and the other six soon cracked up in laughter seeing the sight. In a few minutes later, Gretchen and Stacey teased the rest of the gang by lip-synching to the song as if they had the 'attitude' and 'coolness' of the singer. The seven of them lost track of time and were surrounded in happiness, excitement, and humor as they continued laughing and dancing on the stage. The gang didn't care if anyone saw them dancing horribly or not because their minds and hearts were only focused on the joy around them.
Back at the auditorium doorway, Randall was completely silent throughout the entire performance and hearing the gang's discussion. The gang did not even know that Randall was there in the first place since they were so captivated with Stacey and were focused on the dancing excitement. Originally Randall was planning to sabotage Stacey's performance, after hearing how Menlo helped arrange it with her, by getting a faculty member or calling an administrative member, but that plan had completely vanished from his mind. Randall stood their stiff, seeing the happiness that drenched the gang...especially with Stacey. In a few seconds, a sense of loneliness crept through his spine and body and even though he was stairway away from them, he felt a world away. He silently whispered, "I wish I could have... just even a hint...of what she felt...." He slowly made his way out of the auditorium doors and into the hallway feeling unusually downhearted...
To Be Continued…
Stay Tuned for the Chapter Finale… A Touching Christmas Special…