Chapter 11: The Ballad of Lettuce

(Back in Chapter Ten…)

It was then that she started to move a little to get into a more comfy position. She opened her eyes for a second to check on Eddy, only to see him fully awake.

"Eddy?" she questioned as she opened her eyes for good. She was fully awake herself, "Are you… feeling better?" she asked as she got into a position that was more comfy for her.

Eddy nodded his head weakly, "Yeah, I'm alright," he replied.

Corina soon got up and walked over to him, "That's good," she said with a sigh, "I… just wanted to thank you for saving me, Eddy."

"… I-It's no problem…"

They were quiet for a moment before they both glanced at each other and both made a smile to each other. They both hoped that this was the start of something new… for both of them.

(And now, onto Chapter Eleven…)

It was a somewhat peaceful Thursday day here in Peach Creek as we come upon the local middle school; Peach Creek Middle School. It has been five days since the incident in town at the new Café Peach. Eddy is now back at home and school after spending two days at the hospital from being struck by lightning; or so he and Corina say.

Well, last Monday, the school decided to do something fun this year; a singing competition! Why, you may ask? I have no idea… Anyway, the whole school started to set things up all this week for it, and have the competition on Thursday; which was now today. There were only a handful of people to participate; let me name them all, shall I…? Eddy, Nazz, Jimmy, Ichigo, Kikki, and Bridget… Yes, these are the one's that will sing! (AN: I won't let all of them sing… just the two important ones… But I will say which songs they sung, for those who would like to know! XD)

Anyway, it was now time to start the show, which was almost at three o' clock; the end of school. All of the students gathered in the staged gymnasium and sat down in front of the stage. First up was Nazz, who sang Blowin' in the Wind by Bob Dylan. Next up was Jimmy, who sang Closer to the Heart by Rush. Next, there was Ichigo, who sang Your Song by Elton John. Next, it was Kikki, who sang Heart of Gold by Neil Young. Next up was Eddy; he cleared up his voice a little before he started to sing…

Desperate for changing
Starving for truth
Closer to where I started
Chasing after you…

I'm falling even more in love with you
Letting go of all I've held onto
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you

Forgetting all I'm lacking
Completely incomplete
I'll take your invitation
You take all of me now

I'm falling even more in love with you
Letting go of all I've held onto
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you…

I'm living for the only thing I know
I'm running and not quite sure where to go
And I don't know what I'm diving into
Just hanging by a moment here with you

There's nothing else to lose
There's nothing else to find
There's nothing in the world
That could change my mind
There is nothing else
There is nothing else
There is nothing else

Desperate for changing
Starving for truth
Closer to where I started
Chasing after you

I'm falling even more in love with you
Letting go of all I've held onto
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you…

I'm living for the only thing I know
I'm running and not quite sure where to go
And I don't know what I'm diving into
Just hanging by a moment here with you
Just hanging by a moment
Hanging by a moment
Hanging by a moment
Hanging by a moment here with you…

(Hanging By a Moment by Lifehouse)

Everyone was almost in awe after Eddy finished his last note; that was unexpected of him to sing, he also sung it very well. Everyone gave him an applause as Eddy soon trailed off the stage with a confident smirk; this competition was in the bag!

Soon Bridget came walking onto the stage; he hands seemed to be shaking a little with nervousness and anxiety. She then cleared her voice so she could sing her song…

Quietly awakening…
I always, always wish
That these fleeting thoughts
Would reach you…

Unable to move forward across "just a little more" distance
The way I see before me is always blocked
Every time the days I want to see you but can't pile up,
My strong heartbeat turns into heartbreak…

If there is such a thing as "eternity,"
I want to believe, even if I have to take the long way.
Although I know that I've been hurt before because I'm clumsy
I won't stop; I won't give in to anyone…

I think of you
And that alone is enough
To make the tears start to flow now
I always, always wish
That these fleeting thoughts
Would reach you…

I've known all too well about pretending to be strong.
But since then, my doubts have vanished…

There's definitely things I want to show you
And so many words I want to hear
I want to see all sides of you, when you laugh and cry
So I'll stop waiting
And seize my "chance…"

I think of you,
And I feel like that alone is enough
To make my heart grow stronger.
I always, always wish
That these fleeting thoughts
Would reach you…

I think of you
And that alone is enough
To make the tears start to flow now
My distant voice can't reach you now, but so that someday
It definitely will…

Believe. La la la la la la…
Believe. La la la la la la…
Believe. La la la la la la…

(My Will by dream; off of the Inuyasha Anime)

Everyone had a slacked jaw at what they just heard; they never knew a voice like that could come out of Bridget. They applauded for her performance as some of them even stood up to clap; one of them being Double D. Bridget caught site of this and blushed at all that was happening. She quickly trailed off the stage as Double D noticed that Bridget seemed a bit distressed when she walked off the stage; he made a worried face.

"Alright, now that it is over, the judges will decide who will win in a few minutes," stated the principal, "But let's give a round of applause for those who participated!"

Everyone made a clap for the kids that sung today as they all came back onto the stage. The six preteens were then told to stay on the stage while the judges voted on who won. And a few moments later…

"We have come to the two winners now!" called out the principal as he came to the center of the stage and opened up the envelope that concealed the winners, "Our runner-up for our first singing competition is… Mr. Eddy Wendell!"

Some people seemed to gasp at the announcement, even Eddy; he thought he was going to win the first spot! He soon stepped up to receive his prize; a twenty and a five dollar bill, which is twenty-five dollars in total, 'Oh well; at least I got something out of it!' he thought positively as he stood back in the line of six contestants.

"And finally, the winner of our first singing competition is… Ms. Bridget Verdant!"

Everyone also gasped a little at that before they broke out into applause. Bridget widened her eyes to the size of saucers; she won? She stepped up hesitantly to receive her prize; a fifty dollar bill. She then turned to the audience and blushed a little, "I-I thank you all…" she stated as she also eyed someone in the crowd; Double D. Bridget smiled a warm smile, "Thank you…"

Rrriiinnnggg!!

The bell to go home had just rung.

"Thank you all for coming!" said the principal, "I will see you all here tomorrow!"

Soon all of the students got up from where they sat as they gathered up their stuff and went to the school buses. It was also the same for the people on the stage; they gathered up their stuff as well and headed towards the buses. Soon all of the Cul-De-Sac and Peach Creek Estates kids arrived to their bus… except for Double D and Bridget.

"Oh dear…!" Double D gasped as the bus was already heading down the road towards the Cul-De-Sac and PCE, "It seems we were too late!" he made a sigh as he looked over towards Bridget on his left, "I guess we must walk on foot to our neighborhoods."

Bridget blushed at the situation at hand, "Y-Yes, I agree…"

The two of them soon trailed off down the road to their neighborhoods, not noticing that they were being watched by a figure not too far away…

(Ten Minutes Later…)

Double D and Bridget could now see the Cul-De-Sac in the distance as they continued to walk towards their neighborhoods. They finally arrived to the bus stop of the Cul-De-Sac.

"Well, I guess we part here for now," Double D said as he turned to Bridget.

"Yes, I-I guess we must…" Bridget stated quietly, tilting her head down and to the side a little.

Double D noticed her unusual behavior, "Is there something wrong, Bridget?" he asked.

Bridget blushed a deep red at his question as she tilted her head back up, showing her red face, "I-I, umm, well…" she started to mutter, "… I-I don't know."

It soon clicked in Double D's mind of what was happening. The shyness towards him, avoiding eye contact, the blushing… it was an obvious sign to him; how come he was only starting to notice it now? "Bridget…" he stated with a bit of surprise.

"I…" Bridget started to mutter again, "I-I must be going!"

Before Double D could stop her, Bridget ran past him towards the direction of her neighborhood, "Bridget, wait!" he called out as he turned to where she ran off to. He watched her disappear towards the direction of her neighborhood, "Bridget…"

Suddenly, Double D heard a feminine scream from where Bridget was walking towards. Double D widened his eyes in fright; it was Bridget's voice that made the scream. Without thinking it over, Double D ran towards the source of the scream. And when he arrived to the scene, he was surprised at what he was witnessing. He saw Bridget being held up off of the ground by a red haired preteen boy his age that was floating about twelve feet in the air. She was being held up by her arm; she was hanging on to the preteen boy, but was also trying to let herself free. Bridget then spots Double D from the ground as she stops squirming and starts to tear up in her eyes, "Double D…"

"So, do you want to be released that badly, Lettuce?" questioned the red haired teen with a sinister smirk, "I will grant you your request!"

The preteen then proceeds to loosen his grip on Bridget as he then let's go of her completely. Bridget screams as she drops to the ground like a stone, "Bridget!!"

But before she could hit the ground, she could feel herself being caught by a pair of arms, waiting for her arrival. Too bad this person was not strong enough for catching things, so she and the person who caught her fell down more gently.

"Ha! How amusing for me to see such actions and affection for one another," the preteen stated as he then disappeared into the sky, but not without saying, "The name's Crizum; don't you two forget it."

There was a long silence between Bridget and the person who caught her as Bridget then got off of the person that saved her, only to see… "R-Ruby Knight?!"

Indeed it was true; she was expecting Double D to be there, but he was not. It was Ruby; he was starting to get up from where he had caught Bridget, "A-Are you alright, Bridget?" he asked with a now more familiar voice.

Bridget widened her eyes at this turn of events as she saw Ruby's clothes changing into Double D's clothes. It couldn't be…?!

"Double D…?" Bridget questioned aloud, "Y-You're… Ruby Knight?"

"Oh… so that's what that transformation is called," Double D replied with a sigh, "I guess I am."

Bridget was a bit speechless at this point; she didn't know what to think, "Double D…" she started to ask with a blush coming across her face, "C-Can you walk me home? J-Just in case… if something happens."

Double D was surprised at her request, but quickly hid it away, "Of course."

Soon the two of them got up from where they were and walked towards Bridget's neighborhood, the Peach Creek Estates…

Yippie! Got another one done! 83 I wonder how the next chapter will go...?