Beautiful Soul
By: Callie
Bradin Westerly walked into Playa Linda High School on the first day of his Junior year. After spending a whole year at the same high school, he wasn't really thrilled about going back to it. "Same old, same old," he thought, walking through the same Main Office, up the same stair case, and down the same hallway. "Geeze, I still have two more years at this place," he thought with a sigh.
After saying 'hi' to a few people he recognized, he made his way to his locker, finding that once again, he was put next to Lucas, his friend from the surf team. "Hey Lucas," Bradin greeted.
"What up my man?" Lucas asked, shaking his hand.
"Nothing much. I so didn't want to come to school this morning," he said, opening his locker, which had the same combination as the year before. "Great, another thing that's the same."
"Why not? I, for once, was thrilled."
Bradin gave him a questioning look and Lucas smiled and pointed behind them across the hallway at a group of girls giggling and pointing towards Bradin and Lucas. "That's why."
"Oh God, even the girls are the same," Bradin mumbled as he turned back to his locker, putting away a binder and some notebooks.
"What was that?" Lucas asked. He winked at the girls, causing them to giggle even more, and turned back to Bradin.
"Lucas, have you ever noticed that those kind of girls just think we're hot because we're on the surf team?" Bradin questioned.
"Uh…maybe?" Lucas gave him a strange look. "But who cares, B? I mean, that's just the price we have to pay for being popular."
"But don't you know that those kind of girls just want to date us so they'll be popular too?" Bradin asked.
"Okay, what is with you today? You have been Mr. Grouchy ever since you came into the school. What's up?" Lucas closed his locker and looked at him.
Bradin sighed and said, "I'm tired of the same girl falling for me; the one that just wants to get with me because I'm popular. I want someone deep and emotional and not with me to get what they want- popularity. And I'm sorry if I'm being grouchy, but this place…everyone in here is so boring and the same. If I met one person who wasn't all about their dad's money or surfers, I'd be in love."
Lucas just looked at him for a moment. "Well, good luck with that," he patted him on the shoulder before walking to the same group of girls, who instantly all checked their skirts and make-up in an effort to impress him.
"Yeah," Bradin said, rolling his eyes and going back to his locker. He was looking over his schedule when another person walked over to the locker right beside Bradin's. He didn't pay much attention to that person and began getting his books ready for the first couple periods before lunch, when he would get back to his locker.
Suddenly, the person right next to him asked, "Um, excuse me, but do you know where Mr. Pools room is? I have him for homeroom."
Bradin looked up from his schedule to see the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. And not just the regular, Playa Linda beautiful where she was wearing hardly anything for school, but a different beautiful, one with actual clothes on; ripped jeans and a white-collered polo shirt. He looked at her face and found the biggest brown eyes and cutest mouth and nose he had ever seen. Her whole image was complimented by her medium-lengthed soft brown wavy hair, bouncing as she took off her backpack and put it on the floor.
Bradin momentarily had forgotten that she asked him a question and soon recovered, "Oh ya, Mr. Pool's room is…oh wait, I have him too. I can take you there."
"Oh sure, just give me a few minutes to get my backpack ready," the girl said.
"Great." Bradin couldn't help stare as she took out her books and put them neatly in her locker, then turned back to him.
"I'm Amber by the way," she said. "And you are…?"
"Oh, I'm Bradin," he said. "Amber. What a pretty name," he thought.
"Nice to meet you, Bradin," she smiled. "Look, um, I think it's pretty obvious that I'm new here, so can you possibly help me find my classes on this map?" She took out the traditional school map from her pocket.
Bradin looked at it and thought, "Oh God. That map doesn't go anywhere." "Listen, I can help you, but that map…is strictly for the older classmen to get a kick out of watching the Freshman walk around with it. It basically doesn't lead anywhere. So I would put that away if I were you. You know, your rep could be ruined by being seen with that thing."
Amber immediately put it back in her pocket. "Thanks for the warning. I wouldn't want to get a bad rep on my first day."
"No problem. Now, if you want to get to your classes on time, I'll show ya all the secret passage ways of this high school."
"Secret passage ways?" Amber asked with a laugh.
"God, even her laugh is beautiful," Bradin thought with a small sigh, that thankfully she didn't hear. "Yeah," he winked. "C'mon, let's go to homeroom and I can tell you more there."
"Okay," Amber said as she closed her locker and followed him.
"Okay, listen students. We have a new student this year in our homeroom. Amber, could you please stand up and introduce yourself?" Mr. Pool asked after homeroom had started.
"Oh sure," Amber said. With a small smile at Bradin, who sat right in front of her, she stood up nervously and said, "Um, I'm Amber. I just moved here a few weeks ago from San Diego. Um, I'm sixteen and I like Fall Out Boy."
"Well thank you, Amber. And I wish you the best of luck here at Playa Linda high," Mr. Pool said as she sat down. "Now, in other news…"
"Great introduction," Bradin said.
"Thanks," Amber said. "I hate introducing myself in front of a lot of people. And besides, I don't think anyone here likes me."
"I do," Bradin thought, but knew that it was way too soon to say it. Instead he said, "Just give them time. I mean, it took them a whole year to accept me."
"Oh, you weren't born here?"
"No, born in Kansas," Bradin said. "You thought I was born here?"
"Well, yeah," Amber confessed. "I mean, you have that whole hot brooding-surfer look to ya."
"Well, I am a surfer," Bradin said, while secretly thinking, "She thinks I'm hot?"
"A surfer from Kansas. Who would've thought? So, why'd you move here?"
"Why'd you move here?" he asked, not answering her question.
"My dad got a job transfer, and you never answered me," she said.
But just before he was going to tell her, the bell rang, signiling the end of homeroom and the beginning of first period. Bradin stood up, saying, "Saved by the bell."
Amber laughed and said, "Whatever, Bradin."
Before she was going to walk out to the hallway, Mr. Pool stopped her by saying, "Oh, Amber? Do you need any help going to your classes?"
"Oh, um-"
"I'll help her, Mr. Pool," Bradin interjected.
"That's nice of you, Bradin. Well, go ahead."
"What's your first class?" Bradin asked.
Amber looked at her schedule and said, "Ugh, Biology. Room 509."
"You're in luck," Bradin said, looking at his schedule, "I have the same class. We can suffer through Mrs. Larson together."
"Great," Amber said with a smile.
A few hours later, Bradin was relieved to take a break from all the learning and chill with his friends for a while. After dropping his backpack off at his usual table, he got in the long lunch line. When someone tapped him on the shoulder, he was surprised as he turned around and saw Amber smiling up at him. "Hey Bradin," she greeted.
"Hey Amber. I didn't know you had this lunch period," he said, trying to sound casual and not as if he was practically jumping inside for the chance to spend some extra time with her.
"Yeah, I do. And since you're the only person I know so far…I was wondering-"
"You can sit with me and my friends," Bradin answered before she even had to ask.
"Thanks. You're a life-savor," she smiled.
"Don't mention it," he smiled back. "And don't worry, girls sit there too. And I'm sure they'd love to meet you."
"Great. Not that I don't mind having guy friends," she said. "But, I sorta connect better with girls."
"I could understand," he said with a laugh.
As they walked through the line, getting their food, Bradin couldn't help but stare at Amber every once in a while. He wasn't trying to, but it just sort of happened. "It's like I'm the fly going to the light," he thought with a small sigh. "I just can't look away." But, thankfully, Amber didn't seem to notice. When they finally got out of the lunch line and started walking towards Bradin's table, Amber suddenly stopped walking and stared straight ahead at the table.
"Are you okay?" Bradin asked.
Amber continued to stare right at the table while she said, "You're really popular aren't you?"
"Um…I guess so. Is that a problem?" Bradin asked.
"Um…There's one thing I forgot to tell you about me, Bradin," Amber said, looking up at him. "I'm really shy when it comes to popular people. Or a really big group of people."
"Oh, don't worry about that. Follow my lead," Bradin said, gently pushing her forward. As they approached the group, Bradin said, "Hey guys. I'd like you all to meet my friend, Amber. Amber, this is…everyone."
As she looked at everyone, they all greeted her with smiles and sayings like, "Nice to meet you." "What's up?" or "How's everything?"
Amber found this warm greeting empowering and she sat down at the table with a big smile right next to Bradin and another girl. The other girl introduced herself, "Hey. I'm Melinda. And these are my friends, Tara and Sophie."
"Hi," Amber greeted them. She had no idea popular kids were this friendly to new people. But, she wasn't complaining.
By the end of the period, Amber had met all of Bradin's friends and felt a part of the group. She felt like a member especially when Lucas announced to the table, "I think we found ourselves a new member of this table. Congratulations Amber, I hereby announce that you are popular!" This was followed by the whole table cheering for her and many laughs by herself at the hilarity of it all.
A few minutes later, the group disbursed for seventh period, each going their own way. "What's your next class?" Bradin asked, coming up behind her.
Amber looked at her schedule. "Um…Study Hall, room 367," she answered.
"Great, let's go," Bradin said. "I have the same class."
"Great," Amber smiled. "Oh wait, can we stop at my locker first? I couldn't get my books before."
"Oh sure, no prob. It's just down the hall from 367 anyway."
A few minutes later, as they walked up to their lockers, Amber asked, "So, am I really part of the popular group? Or was Lucas just kidding?"
"Oh no, you are definitely one of us now," Bradin said, leaning against a locker as she opened hers.
"Really? They just met me today, how do they know already if I'm cool enough?"
"Because I introduced you," Bradin said. At that, Amber gave him a questioning look. "Look, I don't mean to sound stuck-up or anything, but I'm like the co-leader of the popular kids. And the fact that I say you and talked to you today…well, that for itself means that you're cool enough."
"Why did you talk to me today? I mean, I know I asked you that question, but still. Why did you keep talking to me?"
"Are you doubting your popularity already?" Bradin asked with mock-shock.
"Maybe," she said, still looking at him to answer the question.
"I kept talking to you because…I just did. No need to explain why," Bradin said, kicking himself mentally for almost saying that he thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world.
"I guess I shouldn't question something that could easily be taken away from me tomorrow," she said, closing her locker. "Ready for Study Hall?"
"Yep. And don't worry, Miss Harper let's us talk."
"Oh good, I don't think I could go ten minutes without talking," she joked as they walked down the hall. "Oh wait, one question," she said.
"Yeah?"
"Who's the other co-leader of the popular kids?"
"Lucas," Bradin answered simply.
"Of course," Amber said, already suspecting it.
As they walked into the room, Bradin was surprised to find Lucas and Melinda sitting in two desks among the rest of the class. "Hey guys," Bradin greeted. "I didn't know you had this period study hall."
"Yeah, just found out," Lucas said. "They had to switch a few kids around."
Bradin sat down into the seat right across from Lucas and as they started talking, Amber walked over to Melinda and asked, pointing to the seat in back of her, "This seat taken?"
Melinda looked up and smiled when she saw Amber. "Hey Amber. Of course not. I'd much rather you get it then a geeky Freshman."
Amber laughed as she sat down and asked, "So I guess at this school older classmen don't really like them, huh?"
"Hunny, they don't like them at any school," Melinda said, causing the two of them to laugh.
20 minutes later, Bradin and Lucas were talking about nothing impeticular, when Lucas suddenly asked, "So, you like Amber right?"
Bradin immediately went silent and looked at Lucas. "How did you know?" he finally asked.
"Dude, it's pretty obvious. I mean, I saw you looking at her during Lunch and even now you catch side glances at her when you think I'm not looking."
"Is it that obvious?" Bradin asked, becoming worried.
"Don't worry, I don't think she knows. But why don't you tell her?" he asked.
"Are you serious, dude? I just met her today, I can't just tell her."
"Are you ever gunna tell her?"
"Probably. When the time's right."
"So is she the kind of girl you talked about wanting this morning? 'Cause I'm pretty sure she fits the description," Lucas said, looking over at her.
"Yeah, she is. I mean, she's beautiful without all that make-up and skanty clothing. She could be wearing a sack on her head and I would still think she's amazing," he sighed.
"Dude, I think you should go for it; tell her before someone else does picks her up first," Lucas said, then went back to his homework.
While he did that, Bradin looked over at Amber, laughing at something Melinda said. He could so imagine himself with her, but Lucas was right, he needed to act fast before some other guy did.
While Melinda was talking to her, Amber could feel someone watching her. She looked around and saw Bradin smiling at her. She smiled back, until he turned back to talk to Lucas. While his back was turned, she continued to look at him, that she didn't hear Melinda saying her name. When she did, she turned back to look at her and asked, "Yeah?"
"How's the view?" she asked. She looked at where Amber was looking and found Bradin. "You like him, don't you?" she asked.
Amber looked at her with questioning eyes and asked, "How did you-"
"It's pretty obvious, girl," she answered simply.
Amber took a deep breath and admitted, "Yeah, I do like him. But, I don't think I should. I mean, it's pretty obvious that Bradin only wants me to be his friend."
"You never know," Melinda mumbled, looking at Lucas and getting an idea.
"What was that?" Amber asked.
"Oh, nothing. Oh, I forgot, I have to do my Math homework. You don't mind, do you?"
"It is a Study Hall," Amber said.
Melinda smiled as she turned around and began writing a note for Lucas, explaining everything.
It was a week later, Bradin and Amber finding that they became even more attracted to each other, it was almost impossible to act like they were just friends. But they still both were very shy and didn't want to tell each other how they really felt. But, with the support of Lucas, Bradin began writing a song for Amber, telling her in it how much he liked her and that he wanted to be with her. After he was done writing it, he was still too shy to actually sing it for her. So, he put it in his locker, hidden from the world by a few books.
Amber was having a hard time concentrating on anything else but Bradin. In fact, his face was a constant image in her head. But still, whenever she saw him, even with the support of Melinda behind her, she couldn't do it; she couldn't say that she secretly liked him and was even beginning to love him as the days went by. Because, as she talked to him more and more, she found the most random things about him, that he sleeps on the right side of the bed, interesting and attractive. But, as much as she wanted to, her own shyness stepped in and she couldn't tell him.
Fortunately, Bradin and Amber were too caught up in their own problems and shyness, that they didn't realize that Lucas and Melinda were mapping out a plan to get the two of them together behind their backs. It took them a while to make sure everything would work out, but they finally found the perfect plan.
That Friday, before Lunch, Lucas sneeked into Bradin's locker and, after a few minutes of searching through all his books and junk, uncovered the song he had written for Amber. He pocketed it and walked to the cafeteria with a mischeivious smile on his face.
A period later, when they all had Study Hall, Melinda and Lucas talked briefly, before Bradin and Amber walked in, about what they had to do- convince them to go to a club tonight where Lucas would then convince Bradin to sing the song for Amber. When they both walked in, Melinda and Lucas were already in their seats across the room of each other, waiting for them.
Lucas greeted Bradin and, after ten minutes into the period, asked, "So, um, wanna go to a club tonight?"
"Uh…I don't know. I'm sorta tired," Bradin said, taking out a notebook.
"Oh come on man. I haven't had a chance to hang with you for a while," Lucas said, going for the guilty approach.
"That's 'cause you're always with Melinda," Bradin stated. "Why are you always hanging with Melinda?"
Lucas panicked in his mind for a few minutes, trying to think about what to tell him. Luckily, Bradin asked, "Are you with her or something?"
"I don't know, man. She's cool. But, I don't think so."
"Then why? You never really talked to her before. What's been happening the past week? Anything I should know?" he asked.
"Oh no. It's nothing. We're just in a few classes together and I've gotten to talk to her more. That's all. Why? You dig her?" Before Bradin could answer, Lucas said, "Oh right, I forgot. You're into Amber."
"Dude, shush! Don't say that too loud, she'll hear you," Bradin panicked.
"Dude, I should probably have told you this sooner, but…"
"What? Told me what earlier?"
"Amber…she…likes you, dude," Lucas said. Melinda had said that if nothing else would work to get them to go to the club, tell them that they liked each other. And, with the look on Bradin's face, it looked like that idea worked.
"Are you serious, dude?" Bradin asked, totally shocked.
"Totally, man."
"Did she tell you this?" he asked.
"Well…not really. But it's totally obvious, dude. She has the hots for you."
"Really?" Bradin's whole face seemed to light up with joy.
"Yeah, really man. Believe me, she likes you."
Bradin sat back in his seat and said in awe, "Wow. I never would have guessed. I guess I can tell her now."
Lucas smiled, "Yeah, you should. Tonight. At the club. You should sing your song."
"Wait, wait. Hold on a minute. She's coming tonight too?"
"Yeah, Melinda's asking her now. You're not supposed to know this, but I really think you should. And it'll be the perfect opportunity to sing to her. I checked before on their site…tonight's open mic night!"
"Oh wow. I guess I can sing it to her," Bradin said.
"You totally can!" Lucas said.
"And I think I totally will," Bradin said with a smile at Amber.
Meanwhile, Melinda was talking to Amber, asking the same question, but getting a completely different answer. "Sure, I'll go," Amber said.
"Cool. It's gunna be total fun," Melinda said.
"Who's going? Just us?"
"No, the four of us- me, you, Bradin, and Lucas."
"Oh, okay. Cool. Can't wait," Amber smiled. She secretly thought, "Oh yeah! I'm so happy that Bradin is going!"
That night, Melinda and Amber met Bradin and Lucas at the club. Bradin took one look at Amber and immediately thought, "Damn!" She had decided to wear low-rise hip-huggers, holes in the knee, and a blue sparkly halter top. "You really good," he said.
"Thanks. So do you," she said, looking at his jeans and green t-shirt that fit well on his upper body.
"Thanks," he smiled. "Wanna dance?"
"Sure." They walked out onto the dance floor where 'Dance, Dance' was playing.
As they started dancing, Melinda and Lucas looked on, smiling to themselves on how good their plan was going. As if things weren't going any better, suddenly a slow song started playing, 'You and Me'.
Amber and Bradin looked at each other for a brief moment, before Bradin smiled and brought her closer to him. She smiled too and wrapped her arms around his neck, while he put his arms around her waist. Both of them secretly wished that that moment would last forever.
But, it didn't. When the song ended, an announcer came up saying that it was open mic night and that anyone could come up and sing, dance, tell jokes, or serenade the audience. Amber started walking back to Melinda, thinking that Bradin was right behind her. She turned around and saw that he wasn't. She found him and Lucas talking right by the stage, Bradin holding a guitar.
"What is he doing?" she asked Melinda.
Melinda simply shrugged and said, "Let's get a closer view." She grabbed Amber's arm and walked over to a table right by the stage.
"Okay, here's your lyrics," Lucas said, handing Bradin the paper with the lyrics to the song that Bradin was about to sing.
"Don't need 'em," Bradin said. "It's all here." He patted his chest and smiled.
"Well, good luck, man," Lucas said.
"Thanks," Bradin said, before walking up to the stage. Lucas took a seat next to Melinda.
Bradin took a deep breath and said, into the mic, "Amber, this song is for you." She looked up at him, surprised at what he had just said.
Bradin sat down on the stool and began playing:
"I don't want another pretty face
I don't want just anyone to hold
I don't want my love to go to waste
I want you and your beautiful soul
I know that you are something special
To you I'd be always faithful
I want to be what you always needed
Then I'll hope you'll see the heart in me
I don't want another pretty face
I don't want just anyone to hold
I don't want my love to go to waste
I want you and your beautiful soul
You're the one I wanna chase
You're the one I wanna hold
I won't let another minute go to waste
I want you and your beautiful soul
You might need time to think it over
But I'm just fine moving forward
I'll ease your mind
If you give me the chance
I will never make you cry
C'mon let's try
I don't want another pretty face
I don't want just anyone to hold
I don't want my love to go to waste
I want you and your beautiful soul
You're the one I wanna chase
You're the one I wanna hold
I won't let another minute go to waste
I want you and your beautiful soul
Am I crazy for wanting you?
Baby do you think you could want me to?
I don't wanna waste your time
Do you see things the way I do?
I just wanna know that you feel it too
There it nothing left to hide
I don't want another pretty face
I don't want just anyone to hold
I don't want my love to go to waste
I want you and your beautiful soul
You're the one I wanna chase
You're the one I wanna hold
I won't let another minute go to waste
I want you and your soul
I don't want another pretty face
I don't want just anyone to hold
I don't want my love to go to waste
I want you and your beautiful soul"
After he was done, people started cheering and clapping, some people saying how cute it was that he sang that song for a girl. Amber just sat in her chair and stared up at him, a small smile forming in the corners of her mouth. When Bradin walked up to her, she stood up, took his hand, and led him out the club doors, with Melinda and Lucas smiling.
They walked along the beach without a word, hand-in-hand. Suddenly, Amber dropped his hand, stopped walking, and faced him. "Did you really mean what you said in that song?" she asked him.
"I meant every word," he answered.
"Good," she smiled. Then, without a word, she leaned up and kissed him. "Cause I like you too."
Yeah, I know it was RLY long, but I just felt like writing a lot. Promise, next one won't be so bad.
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