Most of my reviewers say they want to see some Gina and Jake action, so here you go! I hope you enjoy this chapter, haha. :D
CHAPTER ELEVEN
It takes Gina about ten minutes to find Breadstix. When she arrives, Marley, Jake, Unique, and Sugar are already huddled in one table, talking and laughing over drinks and French fries.
"There she is!" Marley waves at her, a big grin on her face. Jake turns around and nods at her. Gina can feel her head spinning. Jake looks gorgeous tonight; he has a dark blue hoodie over a white shirt, black jeans, and white sneakers. Under the yellowish glow of the lamps he looks tidier, more handsome. When he smiles… wooh, Gina thinks. I hope I don't look like a complete idiot right now, because I feel like one.
"You're just in time," Marley says. "The karaoke's starting in five minutes." She points to the end of the restaurant, where a small, makeshift stage has been set up. There are large speakers on either sides of the stage, a plasma TV, and a large machine with buttons that Gina reckons must be the karaoke machine. There is also a drum set, a keyboard, and a bass guitar, just in case someone decides to do an impromptu performance. A microphone stands in the middle of the stage, gleaming silver under the mini spotlights placed on the ceilings.
"Come on, sit," Marley invites her, and to Gina's excitement, she finds that the only empty seat left is the one right next to Jake. Awkwardly, she sits down. Jake turns to say something to Marley, but it doesn't matter. Gina can smell his perfume; their arms lie so close together, she can feel the heat coming off his skin. His voice sounds clearer, now that she's next to her. She wonders if this is how Marley feels whenever Jake is around. She glances at Jake's hand, lying on the table, twitching as he talks to Marley. Gina feels the sudden urge to reach out and hold it.
"All right, Breadstix!" the boom of a man's voice snaps Gina back into reality. They all turn to face the stage. "Let's get this karaoke started!"
The guests cheer and clap. The MC, a pudgy, bearded man, bellows over the microphone, "Do we have a first volunteer for tonight?"
"Me, me, me!" Sugar leaps to her feet and runs to the stage excitedly. She grabs the microphone from the MC, pushes him away, and says, "I'm going to sing the song Lollipop, because I love lollipops and they are sweet and made of sugar, just like me." She turns to the MC and snaps her fingers. "Hit it!"
Reluctantly, the MC reaches for a remote and chooses Sugar's song. As soon as the playful, girly music to Lollipop plays, Sugar starts to sing.
"Lollipop, lollipop, lolli, lolli, lolli, lolli, lollipop,
Lollipop, lolli, lolli, lolli, lolli, lollipop."
She sings in an off-key note, followed by a bizarre sequence of dancing, tapping, and flailing her arms around. She wriggles this way and that, puts on sexy poses, and sighs occasionally. Gina watches Sugar dance in horror.
"She dances like a strangled, drowned cat," Gina points out, frowning at the horrendous performance. She shakes her head in disbelief. "She makes the funky chicken dance look top class."
Beside her, Jake laughs. "Finally, someone with sense," he says. "I've been telling that to these two for the last year and they tell me to shut up."
"When is this horror going to be over?" Gina whispers.
Jake hands her a straw. "Depends on how fast you can cover her with spitballs." He points the straw at Sugar. "Race you?"
"You are not going to throw spitball at Sugar," Marley scolds, taking both Jake and Gina's straws away. "You are unbelievable!"
"Oh well," Jake sneers at Gina. "Worth the shot."
Gina grins, and the two of them high-five.
After Sugar's disastrous performance is over, silence settles over the entire restaurant. Everyone looks as awkward as her dance moves. "You may clap now," Sugar prompts, and everyone claps reluctantly. Only Marley and Unique seem happy. They are on their feet, clapping and cheering at their friend. Jake and Gina exchange a look, and they roll their eyes.
"All right, thank you for that, um, glorious performance. Now, who will the next volunteer be? And please, no more funky dances for the rest of the night." The MC pleads, eyeing Sugar with unspoken terror.
"Clearly I'm the best dancer in this entire restaurant," Sugar says, smoothing her hair proudly. "No one can top Sugar once she dances."
Jake and Gina give each other meaningful looks.
"No one can top that, huh?" Jake wriggles his eyebrows playfully.
"The best dancer in this entire restaurant?" Gina grins. She leans over to Jake and whisper in his ear. Jake raises his eyebrows. "You sure? You think you're up for that?"
"What is this? Are you underestimating me, Puckerman? Inconceivable! Get your lazy ass off and show me what you got!" Gina laughs, and pulls Jake out of his seat. The two of them jog to the stage. When the MC offers them both microphones, they stop him. "We won't be needing the mikes for this one." Gina says. She turns to the karaoke machine, finds the song she wants, and clicks play.
"Please don't stop the music!"
Rihanna's catchy dance tune, Don't Stop the Music, starts playing. Both Gina and Jake start swaying to the intro. Then Jake steps forward and takes the first solo.
"It's getting late, I'm making my way over to my favorite place,
I gotta get my body movin', shake the stress away,
I wasn't looking for nobody when you looked my way,
Possible candidate, yeah"
He dances as he sings, moving his body to the beat. Gina then joins him in the dance, singing her line as she moves.
"Do you know what you started? I just came here to party,
But now we're rockin' on the dance floor, acting naughty"
As they enter the chorus, Jake and Gina coordinate their dance moves. They seem to be in sync with each other, knowing how, when, and where to move. Jake takes Gina's hands and they twist each other around the stage before breaking apart and dance individually again. Around the middle of the song, they come closer together and dance hand-in-hand.
"I wanna take you away, let's escape into the music,
DJ let it play"
As they come closer to the end of the song, their dance intensifies. At one point, Gina jumps towards Jake, who catches her by the waist and turns her around, completing a nearly 360-degree cartwheel. They dance and dance, and for four minutes, the world seems to be entirely their own.
"Mamase, mamasa, masa, gusa
Mamase, mamasa, masa, gusa
Please don't stop the music!"
When the song ends, both Gina and Jake are out of breath. They look exhausted, but the entire audience is on their feet. Marley, Unique, and Sugar are cheering endlessly at their table. Sugar is halfway to standing on the table before Unique stops her and pulls her down.
Jake and Gina look at each other – they have just done magic together. They are drenched in sweat, Gina's hair is all messy, Jake's hoodie is slumping off his shoulder, but they're swelling with pride. Simultaneously, they laugh. Jake pulls Gina into a hug.
"That was awesome," Jake says, grinning widely. "Man, you're awesome! I didn't know you could dance like that! I mean, that was great!"
This time, Gina doesn't even feel nervous. She just feels… happy. On top of the world. "Right back at you, Puckerman."
The MC strides over to the stage and takes Jake's microphone. "Well, a friendly reminder that this is karaoke night, NOT a dance-off, but well done! Well done! Give it up for our two volunteers! Mr…?"
"Jake," he says. "Jake Puckerman. And this is Gina Halim." He pats her on the back. Gina flinches as she feels his warm hand on her. "My new best friend."
Gina feels like floating to the sky. She is still amongst the clouds as the MC ushers the two of them down the stage so the next volunteer, a half-drunk, middle-aged woman, could take the stage. She is still having a hard time believing what has just happened when Marley rushes to give her a hug.
"Gina, you – are – amazing," she says, squealing with delight. "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, you should definitely dance for Regionals!"
"Yeah," Gina smiles and nods, pretending to listen to the praises she gets from Marley, Unique, and Sugar. But all that she can think of are Jake's words. His compliments, ringing in her head like a bell.
"Man, you're awesome!"
"This is Gina Halim. My new best friend."
She doesn't think she'll be sleeping tonight.
What do you think about Jake and Gina's impromptu dance-off? I would love Glee to cover Rihanna's Don't Stop the Music. I think it would be very, very cool. Anywaaays… so, Jake and Gina are going good! What do you think will happen next?