"But why do you wanna hear me sing?" I asked. "It doesn't make any sense. None of this does..."

"Come on. Please?" Joe said, looking disappointed. "Well... I mean... You don't have to if you don't want to..." He looked down. I felt horrible and extremely surprised. I didn't want to hurt their feelings. It was such a simple request and I was SO stupid to be rude and say "no". I smiled and tapped Joe's shoulder, shocked at how comfortable it felt to do so.

"No. I'm sorry. That was... mean of me. There's no need to get upset." I assured him. I looked down at my feet and shifted my weight to my right foot. I looked up and saw the hopefulness in Joe's eyes. When my eyes met Nick and Kevin's face, it looked like they were a little hopeful too.

I took another breath and felt heat rise to my face, again. I began to sing, quiet at first...

"N... now I'm spee... speechless. Over the edge. I... I'm just breathless..." Now I got louder because I realized yet weren't plugging their ears in agony. "I never thought that I'd catch this love bug again. Hopeless. Head over heels in the moment. I never thought that I'd get hit by this love bug again." I stopped and looked down, letting my hair fall around my face.

It was silent for a minute. Then I heard a low clap, and another. As the claps increased, I looked up. Joe was smiling widely and it was his hands that were clapping. I looked over at Nick and Kevin. They looked impressed. I felt my face heat up again as they raised their hands and joined Joe.

'No. Way.' I thought, slowly. 'They're just... being nice? I'm not that good... Am I?' I only saw pure honesty in their eyes. 'Did you really like it?' I asked the question in my head and not out loud.

"Did you really like it?" I repeated, this time to them. They stopped clapping and Joe frowned. "What?"

"You really have to ask that?" He said. I was confused and I was sure it showed across my face. Joe tilted his head to the left and got more serious. "Danielle, you have a beautiful voice. When somebody does, they should be told." He straightened back up and smiled. I inhaled a very deep breath.

"Wow. I can't believe this. None of this can possibly be real. I MUST be dreaming." I said. I lifted my arm and pinched it. It hurt. Maybe this was real... but how?

Joe chuckled and I joined him. Soon, all four of us were chuckling. I shook my head and rolled my eyes.

"Man... This is so surreal. I'm just in shock. I guess." I said as we calmed down. "You guys are my favorite band. I never thought, in a million years, that I'd be able to have this comfortable of a conversation with you." I turned and leaned my back against the stair railing. Chuckling in disbelief, I saw Joe move to my side and copy me.

"So, do you live here in Denver or somewhere else?" Kevin asked.

"I live in a very small town. It's four hours south of here. Trinidad." I answered. Joe nodded.

"Do you have a ride home?" Nick asked. I looked up in surprise.

"Oh my gosh! What time us it?" I asked grabbing at Kevin's watch.

"Whoa." They all said. 11:57 pm.

"No way. I didn't just miss my bus. Awww man!" I gasped as I dropped Kevin's arm. My face dropped and I felt my chest get heavy. I reached into my back pocket and grabbed my cell and turned it on. I started dialing the bus schedule number. When I went to press send, I saw Joe move his hand toward the phone. I moved my hand and phone away. "What are you doing?" I asked.

He laughed and said, "I just thought..."

"Thought what?" I asked him. He so was NOT about to say what I thought he was, was he?

"Well, I just thought that you'd like to get to know us better. By that I mean, want us to give you a ride home?" Joe said.

Author's Note

One more chapter of this tonight, then the first chapter of my Twilight fanfic. :)