Blayne thought she was going to puke. No, she knew she was going to puke. She was annoyingly tapping her pen against her desk. She was in Spanish level three, and in ten minutes the bell was going to ring. Which meant in twenty minutes the talent show was going to start. She was a nervous wreak. Finally, when the bell rang she rushed out of the room and straight to her locker, knocking someone down on her way. She put her homework in her backpack, and closed her locker. She was supposed to go straight to the gym, for a short meeting with everyone who was performing that night. There was already a group of people waiting for Liberty, who was holding a clipboard and looking very unforgiving, to speak. She stood by Paige, Hazel, and Terri.
"Okay. Listen up. This better go smoothly. We have had way too many events like this screw up. You know your order. Anf when the person or peoples before you are on stage, I want you ready and waiting. We start in fifteen minutes, go get ready!"
Everyone rushed off the stage and behind the curtains to get ready. Blayne had set up her station by Paige's. All she had bothered to bring was her…well, Craig's guitar and some make-up. Nothing flashy, though.
"Hun, everything will be fine. You're going to turn blue if you don't breathe."
"Sorry. Go get stressed, I don't want to keep you."
"If you're sure your okay."
Blayne nodded and Paige ran off with Terri and Hazel to the girl's bathroom. They were doing a dance routine, and had very flashy and shiny outfits. Blayne grabbed the counter for stability and looked in the mirror. She was wearing dark blue jeans and a retro three-quarter sleeved baseball style Beatles tee Craig had bought her last Christmas. It was always her favorite shirt. She wore it when she needed comfort. She decided she didn't need any make-up. She looked fine to herself. Besides, her act was mellow. Bright make-up would throw it off. She could see Craig watching her in the reflection of the mirror. He caught on and looked away. She took a seat and patiently waited.
"Wow, Paige, guys, you look amazing!" Blayne said, seeing the three girls coming at her.
"You really think so?" Hazel asked, looking at her butt in the mirror.
"Definitely. You are going to blow everyone away. Aren't you guys first?"
"Yeah, we are."
"Lucky you, I'm like…almost last."
"Paige, Hazel, Terri! Stage left! Pronto, Tonto!" They heard Liberty yell.
"Ah! Good luck!"
Blayne quickly hugged her three friends and watched them rush off stage. She went and stood on stage right so she could watch. As they got into the position, and light flooded the stage when the curtains opened, J-Kwon's "Tipsy" roared through the speakers and everyone cheered. 'Paige knows how to do it right,' She thought as she watch the girls tare up the stage with hip-hop dance moves, ending with an amazing finale that sent the crowd wild. They all looked incredibly happy as they ran off stage. After taking a breather, Paige, Hazel, and Terri went and sat in the audience so they could watch the rest of the people. Everyone started doing that when they finished. Blayne stay right where she was for most of the acts.
"Excuse me." She felt someone push past her. It as Craig, holding his guitar. He was next.
"Sorry."
As JT walked off stage once done with his comedy act, Craig took a step when he heard his name announced by Liberty.
"Good luck," Blayne said quietly. He had heard, but didn't respond. He walked out on stage, center spot light. He sat in the chair, and looked up.
"This song is called 'My Inspiration.'"
He cleared his throat.
"You are the reason of, you are the one I love. And will forever you give illumination. You stare at me at night, you give me such a fright. You wander my mind all the way to the destination. It's all because of you and your temptation. I wanted you to know that you're my inspiration. Begin, to sin, you stop my mind from procrastination. A model to hold on, stand up for my nation. We try, to fly, you stop us from the succession. Til I keep going on, oh what's your indication."
Craig continued to sing the rest of the song flawlessly. He put a lot of emotion into it, at least it seemed that way.
"….you're my inspiration…" With the last line, he had looked to the left and stared right at Blayne. She wasn't too sure how to take it. 'He forgives me…right? I'm his inspiration? What an enigma.' She watched as Craig stood, went off stage, then went down the stairs and took a seat in the front next to Spinner and Marco.
Blayne stood holding the guitar. In approximately one minute and thirty seconds, her name would be called.
"Now, from the eleventh grade, Blayne Anderson!"
She heard her name, but didn't accept it. And then she felt someone shove her. She walked out onto the stage. The stage light was right in her eye, extremely blinding. She sat down.
"I wrote this song, it's called "The Only One."
She strummed the introductory cords and began to sing/talk. She was staring right at Craig, and never blinked or looked away. Not once. This was her way of telling him everything.
"Well I saw you with your hands above your head, spinning around, trying not to look down, but you did and fell hard, on the ground. Then you stumbled around for a good ten minutes, And I said I'd never seen anyone look so dumb before, And you laughed and said I still know how to turn you on though."
She stopped singing and strummed and then began with the chorus.
"You're the only one who, Drags me kicking and screaming through fast dreams. You're the only one who, Knows exactly what I mean."
Another instrumental break.
"And I probably forgot to tell you this, Like that time I forgot to tell you about the scar, remember how uncomfortable that made you feel? See you're not what I expected , But you're the only one who knows how to handle me, And you're such a great kisser and I know that you agree ."
Instrumental break, chorus again, and the next verse. Blayne began to cry, against her will.
"I hope you can forgive me for that time When I put my hand between your legs and said that it was small cuz it's really not at all."
Everyone laughed at that line, she knew they would, she even smiled a bit with it. She was still looking at Craig, and still crying, praying he knew what this was all about.
"Well I saw you with your hands above your head, Spinning around, trying not to look down, But you did, and you fell, hard on the ground."
She stopped. That was it. The end. She stood and whipped her eyes with her sleeves. Walking off stage, she listened to the clapping and hollering. The walk felt like a walk of shame. But even though it wasn't shame, it made her feel sick all the same. She went back stage, and set down the guitar in the guitar case. She closed it, and took a deep breath, calming herself. She turned and went down the stairs that led to the audience. She tried to go un-noticed, going to sit by Paige.
"Hun, that was impeccable. You truly are gifted. And emotionally distressed, if I may add." Paige whispered.
"Thanks." Was all Blayne wanted to whisper back. She did her best to enjoy the remaining three acts.
After the last act finished up, Liberty took to center stage.
"Wow, what a show!"
Liberty paused so everyone could clap.
"Out judges," She turned and pointed to five teachers sitting off to the side, next to the stage, " Have just finished voting!" She held up an envelope.
"And third place is…Paige, Hazel and Terri from grade eleven with "Tipsy Dance"!"
Everyone cheered and the three girls stood. They were ecstatic as they ran down to the stage from their seat and stood by Liberty. A younger student came from behind the curtains and handed Paige the trophy.
"Woo!" Paige yelled, holding it over her head.
"And in second place, Kendra Masson from grade ten with her karate act!"
Kendra bounced up to the stage, still in her white karate suit. Another student came from behind the curtains, handing Kendra an even bigger trophy. She bowed, karate style.
"And, in the coveted first place, from grade eleven," Everyone was on the edge of their seats, waiting for Liberty to finish her sentence. Everyone, except Blayne. She didn't care so much.
"Craig Manning with his song 'My Inspiration!"
The crowd roared as Craig stood. He slowly walked up to the stage. He took the giant statue handed to him by a grade eight girl. He turned and posed for a picture with Kendra, Paige, Hazel, and Terri, all of them in order and with their trophies. He looked into the audience and watched Blayne slowly clap with everyone else and smile at him. He felt some kind of weight lifted off of his shoulders. He was pretty sure they were okay and on the same page now, but he had to be sure. He looked around. At Liberty, then the judges, then back at Blayne, and once again at Liberty. He planted the trophy in her arms that she grabbed quickly so it didn't fall.
"Wha -" She said, not understanding.
Craig yanked the microphone out of her hands.
"Blayne. Blayne it was for you. This was for you. It has always been for you. YOU are my inspiration. I love you. And I know you love me."
He was talking very fast, in a nervous blabbering way, which he did quite often. She stood, and cupped her hands around her mouth.
"I love you, too!"
He smiled, and set down the microphone on the ground. He ran up to the bleacher she was on and grabbed her hand, dragging her out of the gym, leaving everyone in awe and laughing at how corny that had just been. Once they got outside of the gym, Craig turned around to her.
"I'm so sorry."
"No, no, I'm sorry. I lied to you. I wanted to tell you what was going on. But I couldn't. I mean -"
"Don't even stress it. I know how it is." he said, making a mental note back to the time of Ashley and Manny.
"My…it was for you too, Craig. My song was for you."
"I know. I found the lyrics in my garage."
Blayne hugged him and held him close.
"So what now?" She whispered into his ear.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Song "My Inspriation" belongs to Mind the Gap. Song "You're the Only One" belongs to Maria Mena.
"Okay. Listen up. This better go smoothly. We have had way too many events like this screw up. You know your order. Anf when the person or peoples before you are on stage, I want you ready and waiting. We start in fifteen minutes, go get ready!"
Everyone rushed off the stage and behind the curtains to get ready. Blayne had set up her station by Paige's. All she had bothered to bring was her…well, Craig's guitar and some make-up. Nothing flashy, though.
"Hun, everything will be fine. You're going to turn blue if you don't breathe."
"Sorry. Go get stressed, I don't want to keep you."
"If you're sure your okay."
Blayne nodded and Paige ran off with Terri and Hazel to the girl's bathroom. They were doing a dance routine, and had very flashy and shiny outfits. Blayne grabbed the counter for stability and looked in the mirror. She was wearing dark blue jeans and a retro three-quarter sleeved baseball style Beatles tee Craig had bought her last Christmas. It was always her favorite shirt. She wore it when she needed comfort. She decided she didn't need any make-up. She looked fine to herself. Besides, her act was mellow. Bright make-up would throw it off. She could see Craig watching her in the reflection of the mirror. He caught on and looked away. She took a seat and patiently waited.
"Wow, Paige, guys, you look amazing!" Blayne said, seeing the three girls coming at her.
"You really think so?" Hazel asked, looking at her butt in the mirror.
"Definitely. You are going to blow everyone away. Aren't you guys first?"
"Yeah, we are."
"Lucky you, I'm like…almost last."
"Paige, Hazel, Terri! Stage left! Pronto, Tonto!" They heard Liberty yell.
"Ah! Good luck!"
Blayne quickly hugged her three friends and watched them rush off stage. She went and stood on stage right so she could watch. As they got into the position, and light flooded the stage when the curtains opened, J-Kwon's "Tipsy" roared through the speakers and everyone cheered. 'Paige knows how to do it right,' She thought as she watch the girls tare up the stage with hip-hop dance moves, ending with an amazing finale that sent the crowd wild. They all looked incredibly happy as they ran off stage. After taking a breather, Paige, Hazel, and Terri went and sat in the audience so they could watch the rest of the people. Everyone started doing that when they finished. Blayne stay right where she was for most of the acts.
"Excuse me." She felt someone push past her. It as Craig, holding his guitar. He was next.
"Sorry."
As JT walked off stage once done with his comedy act, Craig took a step when he heard his name announced by Liberty.
"Good luck," Blayne said quietly. He had heard, but didn't respond. He walked out on stage, center spot light. He sat in the chair, and looked up.
"This song is called 'My Inspiration.'"
He cleared his throat.
"You are the reason of, you are the one I love. And will forever you give illumination. You stare at me at night, you give me such a fright. You wander my mind all the way to the destination. It's all because of you and your temptation. I wanted you to know that you're my inspiration. Begin, to sin, you stop my mind from procrastination. A model to hold on, stand up for my nation. We try, to fly, you stop us from the succession. Til I keep going on, oh what's your indication."
Craig continued to sing the rest of the song flawlessly. He put a lot of emotion into it, at least it seemed that way.
"….you're my inspiration…" With the last line, he had looked to the left and stared right at Blayne. She wasn't too sure how to take it. 'He forgives me…right? I'm his inspiration? What an enigma.' She watched as Craig stood, went off stage, then went down the stairs and took a seat in the front next to Spinner and Marco.
Blayne stood holding the guitar. In approximately one minute and thirty seconds, her name would be called.
"Now, from the eleventh grade, Blayne Anderson!"
She heard her name, but didn't accept it. And then she felt someone shove her. She walked out onto the stage. The stage light was right in her eye, extremely blinding. She sat down.
"I wrote this song, it's called "The Only One."
She strummed the introductory cords and began to sing/talk. She was staring right at Craig, and never blinked or looked away. Not once. This was her way of telling him everything.
"Well I saw you with your hands above your head, spinning around, trying not to look down, but you did and fell hard, on the ground. Then you stumbled around for a good ten minutes, And I said I'd never seen anyone look so dumb before, And you laughed and said I still know how to turn you on though."
She stopped singing and strummed and then began with the chorus.
"You're the only one who, Drags me kicking and screaming through fast dreams. You're the only one who, Knows exactly what I mean."
Another instrumental break.
"And I probably forgot to tell you this, Like that time I forgot to tell you about the scar, remember how uncomfortable that made you feel? See you're not what I expected , But you're the only one who knows how to handle me, And you're such a great kisser and I know that you agree ."
Instrumental break, chorus again, and the next verse. Blayne began to cry, against her will.
"I hope you can forgive me for that time When I put my hand between your legs and said that it was small cuz it's really not at all."
Everyone laughed at that line, she knew they would, she even smiled a bit with it. She was still looking at Craig, and still crying, praying he knew what this was all about.
"Well I saw you with your hands above your head, Spinning around, trying not to look down, But you did, and you fell, hard on the ground."
She stopped. That was it. The end. She stood and whipped her eyes with her sleeves. Walking off stage, she listened to the clapping and hollering. The walk felt like a walk of shame. But even though it wasn't shame, it made her feel sick all the same. She went back stage, and set down the guitar in the guitar case. She closed it, and took a deep breath, calming herself. She turned and went down the stairs that led to the audience. She tried to go un-noticed, going to sit by Paige.
"Hun, that was impeccable. You truly are gifted. And emotionally distressed, if I may add." Paige whispered.
"Thanks." Was all Blayne wanted to whisper back. She did her best to enjoy the remaining three acts.
After the last act finished up, Liberty took to center stage.
"Wow, what a show!"
Liberty paused so everyone could clap.
"Out judges," She turned and pointed to five teachers sitting off to the side, next to the stage, " Have just finished voting!" She held up an envelope.
"And third place is…Paige, Hazel and Terri from grade eleven with "Tipsy Dance"!"
Everyone cheered and the three girls stood. They were ecstatic as they ran down to the stage from their seat and stood by Liberty. A younger student came from behind the curtains and handed Paige the trophy.
"Woo!" Paige yelled, holding it over her head.
"And in second place, Kendra Masson from grade ten with her karate act!"
Kendra bounced up to the stage, still in her white karate suit. Another student came from behind the curtains, handing Kendra an even bigger trophy. She bowed, karate style.
"And, in the coveted first place, from grade eleven," Everyone was on the edge of their seats, waiting for Liberty to finish her sentence. Everyone, except Blayne. She didn't care so much.
"Craig Manning with his song 'My Inspiration!"
The crowd roared as Craig stood. He slowly walked up to the stage. He took the giant statue handed to him by a grade eight girl. He turned and posed for a picture with Kendra, Paige, Hazel, and Terri, all of them in order and with their trophies. He looked into the audience and watched Blayne slowly clap with everyone else and smile at him. He felt some kind of weight lifted off of his shoulders. He was pretty sure they were okay and on the same page now, but he had to be sure. He looked around. At Liberty, then the judges, then back at Blayne, and once again at Liberty. He planted the trophy in her arms that she grabbed quickly so it didn't fall.
"Wha -" She said, not understanding.
Craig yanked the microphone out of her hands.
"Blayne. Blayne it was for you. This was for you. It has always been for you. YOU are my inspiration. I love you. And I know you love me."
He was talking very fast, in a nervous blabbering way, which he did quite often. She stood, and cupped her hands around her mouth.
"I love you, too!"
He smiled, and set down the microphone on the ground. He ran up to the bleacher she was on and grabbed her hand, dragging her out of the gym, leaving everyone in awe and laughing at how corny that had just been. Once they got outside of the gym, Craig turned around to her.
"I'm so sorry."
"No, no, I'm sorry. I lied to you. I wanted to tell you what was going on. But I couldn't. I mean -"
"Don't even stress it. I know how it is." he said, making a mental note back to the time of Ashley and Manny.
"My…it was for you too, Craig. My song was for you."
"I know. I found the lyrics in my garage."
Blayne hugged him and held him close.
"So what now?" She whispered into his ear.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Song "My Inspriation" belongs to Mind the Gap. Song "You're the Only One" belongs to Maria Mena.