AN: Aah. This one actually only took me two days to write…with sufficient inspiration. The song is in here (finally) and the last scene contains light swearing, hence the rating. Standard disclaimer applies. I do own Nicholas (the sleazy bastard) and the song, which I've titled "Reverie." Enjoy.
A Night to Remember: Layla
Friday night. The school had actually rented an auditorium for us to perform in, down by the mall. Of course, the Weatherton Boarding Academy did not sound quite as impressive as Sky High, but they were going to get the trophies engraved later. As in, after the competition and certainly after the 'regular people', like relatives and others not in on the super (hero) secret, had left.
We stood behind the curtain, setting up the instruments as the act before us took the stage. We, the Social Misfits, as Maj had (so rightly?) dubbed us, were almost ready for our first gig. Zach was glowing slightly, as he tends to do when nervous, but what made it sad was that his glow was a bit…green. Maj was talking to him, though. And I had another problem to deal with.
"Ohmigod, ohmigod, ohmigod," Yuri hyperventilated. "We're not ready yet, Layla. Kill me now." She fiddled mercilessly with her guitar, probably thinking of trying to tune it again…for the tenth time in as many minutes.
"Now, Yuri," I said matter-of-factly. "Everything will be perfectly fine. We'll go on, play, and have a great time." Smiling, I looked over at her. She still looked like her cat had died.
"Geez." We all looked up to Warren, who'd been relegated to checking to see what the audience was like. When he noticed us staring, he shrugged. "It's packed. Who'd you guys invite, anyway?" After a moment's hesitation, he glanced at Yuri and I. "Nicholas is out there."
"What?"
"Warren," I chided, "did you have to tell her that?"
He had the gall to smirk at me. "Of course; it's what I do."
I rolled my eyes at him.
Ethan sighed from his position behind the electric keyboard. "Good luck, guys."
The crowd began applauding and we could hear the act before us, a stand-up comedy routine courtesy of Larry, beginning. It sounded like he had a dummy with him, too.
Will walked up behind me, placing his hand on my shoulder. "We'll be fine."
I laughed. "I'm not that one that needs convincing."
He shrugged, grinning. "But it makes me feel better."
Shaking my head, I looked over at Yuri. She was peeking out from behind the curtain and I knew who she was looking for. Sighing, I pulled her away from the stage-fright inducing crowd.
"Don't worry about him," I suggested.
"But-"
"Just don't. Have fun. Play, sing, do what you do and just don't think about him." Smiling, I half-dragged her over to where the rest of the group had gravitated.
"Okay everyone," Maj began as we huddled in a circle before the curtain went up. "Good luck, have fun, no sweat."
Zach smiled…or grimaced. "It'll be…good."
"No doubt about it," added Ethan.
I felt Will nod behind me. "We're awesome."
I grinned, having to agree. "Thanks for agreeing to this, guys. It'll be so much fun."
Picking up her guitar, Yuri strummed a chord. "Yeah. I guess." Rolling her eyes when Will poked her, she laughed. "Okay; it will be awesome."
"Warren came up behind us, leaning over between Maj and Zach. "We are going to kick some serous ass."
Well. Who could argue with that?
Taking our positions, the curtain rose. I gasped. Warren hadn't been kidding when he said the auditorium was packed. It looked like the entire school, their parents, and the extended family had taken time out of their busy schedules to see…us. Will squeezed my hand reassuringly. Looking over at him, I smiled. We'd be fine.
The hall went quiet. Maj counted us off and Ethan started up the keyboard, arpeggiating eighth notes to set the mood. Zach joined him after a few moments and Will, Maj, and I quickly followed suit. Yuri picked out the first few bars of the melody and smiled back at us. Turning back to face the crowd, we all looked over at Warren.
"I've
always known you, looked right through you,
I
never notice the obvious," he
sang breathily, sexy-rockstar just oozing from his persona. In the
audience, a few girls screamed his name.
Warren
continued, unfazed. "Do you remember the way we danced at
midnight?
No
one was watching, baby it felt so right."
Smiling over at Yuri, who was also grinning ear-to-ear, Warren grabbed the mic from the stand. Walking to the front of the stage, he knelt down, reaching for a lucky young woman.
"But
when I try to speak, the words all fall away;
And
then you spread your wings and fly…"
Maj was in her element, picking up the tempo as we dove into the chorus.
"I
never realized I was uninvincible,"
Warren sang. The crowd roared.
"Though
I live my life without you everyday."
Zach looked over at Will and I, nodding his head with the music. We grinned back.
"I
fight the feeling you might be a real-life fantasy,\
A
fancy daydream or an alternate reality,"
Warren trailed off, returning to his mic stand.
Leaning closer, he cupped the microphone in his hands and growled.
"My reverie…"
The energy settled as Yuri moved to her own mic, beginning the second verse.
"On
those dark nights, when the rain falls,
I
always wish for something else,"
caught up in the music, she stared wistfully into the audience.
Finding something, she
quickly turned her eyes back to Warren, who smiled reassuringly.
Eyes
closed, Yuri's voice flowed, "I still remember my hero and my
lifeline,
And
when you asked 'who', why couldn't I just say 'you'?"
Swaying slightly, she concentrated on her guitar.
"If
I had the chance to show how much I care,
Would
I tell you, would I dare?"
Looking again at the audience, a fiery determination took over her features. Warren caught her eye, nodded, and the second chorus seemed to explode.
"I
never realized I was uninvincible,
Though
I live my life without you everyday."
They were smiling at each other, having fun…being awesome.
"I
fight the feeling you might be a real-life fantasy,
A
fancy daydream or an alternate reality…"
Yuri turned back to the audience, letting out a soft harmony.
"My reverie…"
Taking
his mic, Warren moved closer to Yuri. "Is this hallucination
An
ac'tual indication-"
Joining him, Yuri leaned in.
"Of
the dreams that stem from
Your
origination."
Taking the solo, Yuri slanted back to her mic.
"And
while I'm visualizing
A
whole brand new horizon-"
Joining her again, Warren abandoned his own microphone in favor of sharing Yuri's.
"The
castles in the sky show
There's
just no disguising…"
Then it was just Maj and Yuri's voice.
"When the past is gone and all the doors have closed," she began.
And the music swelled.
Then Warren joined Yuri and their voices soared.
"Do we know who holds the keys…"
"I
never realized I was uninvincible," they sang together.
"Though
I live my life without you everyday."
Warren was back at the front of the stage, touching hands of screaming girls. Turning back to grin at us.
"I
fight the feeling you might be a real-life fantasy," they
continued, Yuri laying it on thick with her guitar.
"A
fancy daydream or an alternate reality."
We built up another wave and sent it crashing toward the audience.
"I
never realized I was uninvincible
Thought
I live my life without you, nothing's real."
Retreating from the adoring fans, Warren reached us again, actually grinning.
"I
fight the feeling you might be a real-life fantasy,
A
fancy daydream or an alternate reality…"
Yuri smiled tentatively.
"My reverie…"
Will and I faded out.
"My reverie…"
Yuri and Zach strummed their last chords.
"My reverie…"
Maj and Ethan finished to total silence. Then, a roar of applause. Everyone was beaming. Collecting ourselves just enough to take a bow, we exited the stage for a huge group hug.
"See, that wasn't so bad," Zach mused. Maj punched him.
You were the nervous one," she reminded him.
Oh, shut up; we were so awesome." Will and Warren high-fived for the umpteenth time.
They lined us up, all nine acts, on the stage. Grasping Will's hand fiercely, I was smiling so hard that I thought my face would break. Yuri seemed to be in a similar predicament and was bouncing on the balls of her feet.
"Please, please, please, please, please," Zach chanted under his breath as they brought the trophies out. Maj pinched to shut him up.
"Dude, chill; we so kicked ass," Warren stated plainly.
"Once again," Coach Boomer began, "we'd like to thank our judges and our audience for being here and supporting Weatherton Academy."
A faint applause.
"And how about another hand for all of our performers!"
Thunderous applause.
"All right, we've kept you waiting and here are your results." Picking up a trophy from the stand, Boomer cleared his throat. "Third place goes to…Jessica Ellesworth!"
Jesse? Bouncy ball Jesse? I looked around for her. She dashed up to Boomer, still in her dance costume, giddy. Waving to the audience, she took the trophy and returned to the line of performers. We gave her high-fives and congratulations, nervously waiting for the second-place announcement.
"Second place…" Boomer…boomed. "Goes to…Luke Barton!"
Acid Spit walked up to the podium dressed in a…tuxedo! Tapping a 'magic wand' against Boomer's hat, he produced a piece of paper. Unfolding it, we could see it read 'Thank you!' Grinning, he took his trophy and moved back to the line. High-fiving Tracy Berdeaux, he settled in to wait.
"Now," Boomer looked over his notes again. "First place."
We held our breath. Zach was chanting 'please' again. Maj smacked him upside the head and he shut up.
"First place goes to…"
Boomer held the dramatic pause for as long as humanely possible and then some.
"The Social Misfits!"
I screamed. Maj and Yuri screamed. The guys were all high-fiving each other. Will kissed my cheek. It was pandemonium. People were congratulating us. Maj and Zach were actually kissing. Ethan was hugging Yuri, Yuri was hugging Ethan, Will was high-fiving Warren again, and I was in shock.
"Guys," Larry tapped my shoulder. "Guys! You have to get your trophy!"
We all stopped. Then beelined for Boomer.
Later, the backstage after-party in full swing, we got to relax. The school had catered food from a Mexican place down the street and…I think his name was Sean, a telekinetic senior, was deejaying. Will sidled up, nonchalantly placing his arm around me. I grinned up at him.
"So, how you doing?" he asked.
I nodded. "Fine. Where's everyone else?"
"Um…" He thought for a moment. "Well, Maj and Zach are dancing and I think Ethan is talking to Larry about the pros and cons of some science-y stuff. Warren's over on the couch. And I don't know where Yuri is."
I patted his head. "Good boyfriend."
Will rolled his eyes at me, but smiled good-naturedly.
"Hey!"
I turned to see Zach and Maj heading for us, a cup of punch in each of their hands.
"Thanks." Will relieved them of the two extras, handing one to me. We gravitated to Warren, who didn't seem willing to forgo the couch and chat with us. Curled up next to him was Yuri. Will proceeded to tease her for her shortness which earned him a well-deserved slap on the arm. By that time, Ethan had finished talking to Larry and wandered over.
"So, guys…first place," said Zach, grinning smugly.
There were murmurs of agreement and more high-fives. I looked at Maj, who was looking at me, and we both sighed. Boys.
Someone pushed past me. "Scuse me."
Yuri's eyes widened. "What are you doing h-"
"Can I talk to you?" asked Nicholas.
"You're not supposed to be here," she stated firmly, looking around to make sure no one was using their powers. They weren't…yet.
"Yeah, I know. I snuck in through the back; can I just talk to you?" he asked again.
Shaking her head irritably, Yuri looked up at him. "Come on," she said, standing up and grabbing his arm. "Guys, I'll just be a minute." So saying, she dragged Nicholas out to the back entrance. We followed them to the door, but Yuri shut it firmly behind her.
An awkward silence followed.
"Dipshit," Warren snorted. Maj and I glared at him. "What? He is. Creep." He glared at Will. "Shut up, Stronghold."
Will held up his hands in defense. "I didn't say anything."
"Yeah, but you were thinking it."
"Guys," Maj stopped them, leaning toward the door. "…I think they're fighting."
We all leaned closer. Maj was right; whatever they were doing, it most definitely wasn't kissing and making up.
The yelling got louder.
"Guys, maybe we should check up on them," Ethan suggested. Warren was already yanking the door open.
A slap echoed through the still night air. Yuri was glaring hard at Nicholas, breathing heavily. "You take that back," she ordered furiously. You could cut the tension with a knife.
Nicholas reached up to touch his face, wincing. "Bitch," he whispered. "And I'm not taking anything back because it's all true."
Yuri strode briskly toward him, "Take it back."
Nicholas caught her hand before it reached his face a second time. "No. You went to your rich new Boarding Academy and your new 'Social Misfit' friends and forgot all about us normal people, didn't you?" he sneered.
"You were the one cheating!" she reminded him, yanking her hand. Nicholas' grip held firm.
"Well, are you surprised? I had to do something on the weekends since I never saw you anymore."
Yuri slapped him again with her free hand. "I never cancelled dates. You did that all on your own. And let me go!" she yanked hard again.
Warren started for them, but Will held him back. "Let her do this," he chided. Warren grumbled, but stayed put.
Yuri stomped on Nicholas' foot, hard, and wrenched her hand from his grip. They glared at each other in the dim street light.
"Bitch," Nicholas whispered again.
Yuri massaged her wrist, holding her ground. "And you're an ass. It just took me a really, really long time to figure it out," she spat venomously.
Nicholas advanced, "You-"
"I didn't do anything wrong except ignore how much of an asshole you are when you're not trying to get something you want. And I've had enough. I told you before and I'm telling you now, we are no longer we," Yuri affirmed, shaking.
Nicholas glared at her again, but seemed to sense that he'd lost. He whispered "Bitch" one more time, then turned to walk away. We closed the door and waited for Yuri to come back.
She entered softly, pissed off and depressed. "Hi, guys."
"You okay?" I asked.
Yuri nodded. "Yeah, I'll be okay." She sighed.
Warren placed his hand on her shoulder. "Come on," he said quietly, "I'll take you home."
O-kay. So, thanks to all for reading. There are only…two more chapters left! (I consolidated some stuff.) Nevertheless, it'll be…interesting. I'm heavily debating parts of the next plot point. Will Warren sing? And, if so, what song? Bwaha. Should be fun, no?
Thank-yous go to horsebookwork, smokeydog, Off Dreaming, and Lady11Occult.
And now, I am le tired. So good night.
Love, SeraphStar.
