Hi guys, sorry for the delay, with summer, it brought on a flurry of things like cottages, visits, writers block and health problems, but I'm back and ready. Thank-you again for all the reviews, it's nice to know there are people who actually enjoy my work. With that being said, I bring you, the next chapter of the battle of the bands
"Well you two..." Ralphie began, "Drug-X has gone far from where we first began..." DA and Carlos nodded. "Yes." Ralphie continued, "when if first began, I had lower self worth, DA was getting played like a harp and Carlos was banging everything with a female crotch." "You make us sound so pathetic." Carlos grumbled. "Point is, we were all pathetic." Ralphie continued. "That can change though. We have just one more bump in the road. Our final show." The three of them slapped each other five. "Question is, what song have you two chosen?" DA and Carlos froze. "Shoot!" DA yelped. "We only have one week left!" She screamed. "You two haven't chosen yet?" Ralphie asked. They shook their heads. "We were so caught up first with Judd and keeping my reputation intact, then the drama with Janet..." Carlos began. Ralphie paused. "Well then, there is a solution." Was all he replied. DA and Carlos looked at him surprised. "It's very simple, really. Remember when DA and Judd broke up?" Carlos nodded. "She pulled a Taylor Swift on him." Ralphie nodded, "but, she sang a medley of songs that we helped choose from." "So, we do the same thing?" DA asked. Ralphie nodded. "You two, on your own, choose three duets each, and in fifteen minutes, you present to me. I shall have the final say." The two nodded and went off into separate corners with pencils and paper, writing down song titles. Carlos had no trouble. He jotted down song after song until he selected three from the mix. DA on the other hand was struggling. Ever since Carlos told her of his almost becoming a father, something felt different between them... Broken. She had smiled and told him it was okay, but every time she saw Dahlia, all she could picture was a mini Carlos developing inside her... Until his dad forked over the cash to end the process. The thought alone made her sick. Quickly jotting down three songs, she got up and the two of them headed over to where Ralphie was banging some ear-splitting beat on his drums. "Ok you two, let's begin. Ladies first." DA whispered her first song to Carlos, pulled out her iPod and turned to a song. The two of them took turns performing their songs, all of them getting rejected for either being too short (good little girl) already used (wouldn't change a thing) or just too overly sexualized (the ding-dong song, which also got Carlos a smack from DA) "seriously you two!" Ralphie yelped. "The finals are in one week. Carlos, your last song, please." Carlos gulped before playing it. When the song was over, DA's jaw was on the floor and Ralphie was wiping tears from his eyes. "Drug-X? That's our song!" He cried out. Drug-X rehearsed long into the night, until finally they had to go home. As Carlos was packing up his guitar, he felt something tap him on the shoulder. Turning in surprise, he saw DA staring at him, a look of discomfort. "We need to talk," she said. "Alone." Carlos followed her outside and in the driveway. "What's up?" He asked. "Is everything alright?" DA shook her head. "No, it isn't." She began. "I'm not okay with this." "Your not okay with the battle of the bands?" He asked, puzzled. DA shook her head. "Not that! Dahlia Horton!" "This again?" Carlos asked "I thought we were done with the subject!" DA shook her head. "I thought we were, but I realized I'm not okay with it." "Why not?" Carlos asked. "Every time I see Dahlia," DA began, "I keep picturing what could have been your kid." "But that was a year ago!" Carlos protested. "But still." DA continued. "The fact that you even got her pregnant in the first place, you weren't using protection, if you and I slept together, would you let me run the risk?" Carlos eyes narrowed. "I was wearing protection! It just broke! And besides, I actually offered to stick around, not like a certain someone who would have left had you let him bang you!" DA's eyes widened. "Don't bring my dating Judd into this!" She snapped. "He and I are never getting back together!" Carlos was about to say something else, then he realized doing so would get him more in trouble. "What do you want me to do?" Carlos asked, his voice breaking. DA lowered her head. "I need some time alone." She said. Carlos felt the floor drop out from underneath him. "What?" He began. DA nodded. "I just need to spend a few days alone." "Did we just break up?" Carlos asked, hands shaking. DA shook her head. "No, I just need to be alone with my thoughts. We can still perform that song for battle of the bands, and were still dating, I just..." "Need some time alone." Carlos finished. DA nodded, then tore off down the street. As she ran, rain began to fall, mixing with Carlos's tears. Wiping them away, he began singing.
My whole life waiting for the right time
To tell you how I feel.
Know I try to tell you that I need you.
Here I am without you.
I feel so lost but what can I do?
'Cause I know this love seems real
But I don't know how to feel.
We say goodbye in the pouring rain
And I break down as you walk away.
Stay, stay.
'Cause all my life I've felt this way
But I could never find the words to say
Stay, stay.
Alright, everything is alright
Since you came along
And before you
I had nowhere to run to
Nothing to hold on to
I came so close to giving it up.
And I wonder if you know
How it feels to let you go?
You say goodbye in the pouring rain
And I break down as you walk away.
Stay, stay.
'Cause all my life I've felt this way
But I could never find the words to say
Stay, stay.
So change your mind
And say you're mine.
Don't leave tonight
Stay.
Say goodbye in the pouring rain
And I break down as you walk away.
Stay, stay.
'Cause all my life I've felt this way
But I could never find the words to say
Stay, stay.
Stay with me, stay with me,
Stay with me, stay with me,
Stay, stay, stay, stay with me.
Turning, he climbed into his car and drove off.
hey, don't kill me for this chapter, like they said, they haven't broken up. ;)