Second Place
Or Is It?
Disclaimer: everything you need is in chapter one – thanks!
Pairing: Ross/Laura/Riker
Author's Note: "I Want U Bad" by R5
SP*SP*SP
"What the fuck is going on here?"
Laura jerked back, startled, her eyes huge with panic as she turned to face Rocky. "R-Rocky," she stammered, "What-What are you doing–"
"–I should be asking you that," he exclaimed, cutting her off. Frantically, he waved a hand between her and Ross. "What the hell is this? Explain yourselves – now!" Oh God, Riker was going to have a meltdown. Laura and Ross, seriously? Rocky hadn't seen this coming. "Geezus, does Riker know about this?"
Unlike the brunette in his lap, Ross kept his cool. He rolled his eyes as he gently placed Laura back into her original seat. The poor girl looked comatose with dread. "God, Rocky, could you be any more melodramatic?" he rhetorically asked. Standing, he faced his brother with his arms crossed over his chest. "This is going to sound cliché but this isn't what it looks like."
As expected, Rocky's expression dropped into a dry, dull look. "That's what everyone says – and it normally is what it looks like, Ross," he retorted.
"Well, this isn't a normal circumstance."
"No shit, Sherlock." The brunette waved a hand between Ross and Laura. "You and Laura, seriously? Riker is going to–"
It was Ross's turn to cut him off. "Riker doesn't need to know anything, Rocky. We weren't doing anything wrong."
Rocky, incredulous, couldn't help but exclaim, "Then, what the hell were you guys doing, making out on the couch like that?"
"Simple – We were rehearsing one of the scenes for the movie we've been offered."
The brunette blinked, his mind drawing a sudden blank as the words processed. Laura, too, was surprised by what Ross said, and she discreetly glanced in the blonde's direction.
"What movie are you talking about?" Rocky finally asked, confused but still suspicious.
Ross rolled his eyes, but leaned over to grab a script that had been laid out on the living room table. Again, Laura was surprised; she hadn't seen him put it down earlier. Handing it over to his brother, Ross explained, "Disney offered me the lead role for their new original movie. They know I'm close to Laura, so they offered her the main female role. It's great exposure for her, too."
Quickly scanning over the script, Rocky hummed, then flipped it closed once more. "Okay, I get the movie," he slowly said, "But that still doesn't explain why you two were practicing the kissing scene now, of all times."
"You're kidding me, right?" the younger teen replied. Then, seeing how the other boy's eyes narrowed, he sighed in exasperation. "Dude, think about it: Laura and I are best friends. Don't you think it would be a little weird if we didn't practice the kissing scene? It's the most important one – it wraps up the movie, and we can't afford to show how awkward it would be for two friends to kiss. We have to sell it."
Rocky seemed to think about it for a second, before slowly nodding in understanding. "Okay, I'm listening to what you're saying."
"Look, the main characters have an established relationship, of sorts," Ross said, warming up to his speech. "So, it stands to reason that – as good actors – Laura and I need to be comfortable with touching each other, and making sure our 'relationship' is believable, especially on camera. We can't treat each other like friends. Fans, especially of the Disney-kind, notice and aren't shy to point it out."
Again, Rocky had to nod in agreement. The Disney fans were always the most loyal and dedicated, especially when it came to their favorite stars. However, he needed to ask one more question before he was fully convinced of their innocence.
"All of that makes sense," he acquiesced, "But, I'm confused over the whole kissing part. You two are such close friends, as you say, so why would kissing each other be awkward?" Heck, he wouldn't mind kissing Laura for a movie, truth be told. The only problem was that Riker would glare holes into his soul during the whole production.
Sometimes, big brother showed his dark side. And it was scary.
Ross sarcastically answered, "Besides the fact that we've known each other for how long, exactly?"
"Right, right," he mumbled, thinking about it. Their friendship dated back to when Rydel brought Laura to their house for the first time, back in Colorado. Of course, Rocky had only been a year behind them, so it wasn't like he hadn't seen Laura before. But Laura and Ross had instantly clicked as friends, so their history (although not a romantic one) was deep. A kissing scene, at worst, could change all of that.
Finally, after internally debating with himself for several moments, Rocky released a giant sigh of relief. His shoulders slumped, and a grin was plastered onto his face as he slapped the script back into Ross's hands.
"Oh, thank God this wasn't what it looked like," he said in relief. "Geezus, you two, I almost had a heart attack when I walked in and saw you guys kissing!" Laughing, he started to leave the living room with a wave. "Sorry about interrupting your guys' rehearsal. I'll just play some online games on my laptop. See you later!"
When he was gone, Laura was finally able to breathe normally. Placing a hand over her racing heart, she looked up at Ross, who casually flipped through his script. Her brows furrowed. "Mind telling me what that was all about?" she semi-demanded to know.
"What?" he replied, clueless. "It wasn't like I completely lied to him, Laura." He waved the script at her. "See? We were offered the lead roles in a new Disney movie. Aren't you excited?"
Laura huffed, feeling slightly indignant. "It would have been nice to know about it before you told Rocky," she said.
Ross smirked sexily, retaking his seat and pulling the petite brunette onto his lap once more. The script slipped downward, landing soundlessly onto the ground but neither teen seemed to notice.
"I was too busy 'rehearsing' with you to think about that." With one hand, he brushed a few strands of hair away from her face. "Now, how about we get back to where we were before being interrupted? We have a lot of 'rehearsing' to do, after all."
Before she could protest, Ross swooped down to claim her lips.
SP*SP*SP
"Ross, we can't keep doing this," Laura said, adjusting her clothes so that it was presentable. Sure, it wasn't like he'd undressed her like he normally would have, but the wrinkles were incriminating (in her opinion, anyway). She didn't want anyone, especially Riker, to get the wrong idea.
Although, that's a redundant statement, she mentally reprimanded herself, inwardly rolling her eyes. It was exactly what it looked like. I feel a headache coming on. Laura was seconds away from rubbing her temples but refrained.
"Can't keep doing what?" the blonde teen replied, buttoning his shirt. Running an absent hand through his hair, he messily fixed it.
She huffed when he smiled in satisfaction. Her annoyance grew as Ross reached for the abandoned script on the ground, flipping through it like he hadn't just spent nearly an hour making out with her, on the couch, in the living room, in broad daylight.
"This, Ross," she said, gesturing between them with frantic, frustrated waves of her hand. "Our relationship, if you can even call it that. I don't want to keep cheating on Riker."
Sighing, he laid the script down to give his full attention to the brunette. "Look, Laura," he started, using his most soothing voice, "I don't want to hurt Riker either, but what I feel for you isn't something I can just ignore." Gently, he clasped his hand with hers, staring deeply into her eyes. "I love you," he whispered. "I love you so much, Laura. Giving you up is just not possible for me." Not now, not ever.
Doe-like orbs watered, and Laura's expression softened. "I didn't know you felt that way about me…" she trailed off, her words barely above a whisper. An unreadable emotion flickered in her gaze. "But, Riker almost caught us. And Rocky… Rocky will believe anything, if it means someone he knows won't get hurt. I'm not going to risk my relationship, Ross… Not even for you."
When the brunette stood to leave, Ross easily kept her where she was. Their eyes locked, chocolate and chocolate, clashing in an electrifying battle of wills. One was determined with a sheen of desperation. The other was compelling with a resolved strength that could move mountains.
"Admit it," Ross finally whispered, breaking the silence, "You love me, too. Deep down inside, you love me. And that scares you."
Laura's gaze skittered away from his, and Ross had his answer. His heart thumped loudly in his chest, feeling elated that the girl of his dreams finally, finally felt the same way for him. Now, all she had to do was admit it to herself. It would be a struggle – the biggest one yet – but he knew he just had to be patient.
As she continued to come to grips with being so thoroughly exposed, the blonde teen took mercy on her. Rubbing his thumb against the back of her hand, he smiled gently when she looked up.
"I know I'm asking a lot from you, Laura." Freeing one hand, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I can't promise it'll always be easy, because it won't, but I'll do my best to make sure nothing jeopardizes your relationship with Riker, okay? The last thing I want to do is hurt him, let alone see you heartbroken. Just give it – give us – some time, and everything will fall into place, you'll see."
In response, all Laura could do was nod. After all, what could she say? He could read her like a book, and yes, some part of her knew she'd fallen for Ross. It didn't matter how many times she refused to acknowledge her thoughts, her feelings, they weren't going away. Not anytime soon, anyway. She should just take things one day at a time; it was pretty much the only option she had at this point.
"Okay." She smiled uncertainly at her companion, relaxing into the couch cushion. "Okay, let's see where this goes."
Ross's answering smile was equal parts relieved and pleasantly surprised by her response. "Really?"
"Really. Now, you were mentioning something about an original Disney movie?"
He laughed a little, his dark eyes sparkling with happiness. "Let me grab your script. I think you're gonna love the plot…"
SP*SP*SP
He was right. She loved the plot from the moment she flipped open her copy of the script and read the first page. Laura had a lot in common with Ally Dawson, the character she would be portraying; they both loved music; they both could be awkward; they both liked school and learning new things. She felt she could relate to her character perfectly, so she felt excited about filming.
When Laura and Ross broke the news to the rest of the household later that night, everyone was equally excited and happy for them. This would be their first big production, and Stormie wanted to celebrate their accomplishments. Congratulatory hugs were passed around, and laughs were shared, along with excited chatter.
"So, what's the movie about?" Mark asked, sitting at the head of the table as dinner was served and everyone started to fill their plates.
Ross answered, "It's about this group of friends who overcome obstacles in order to reach their goal: becoming famous."
"Isn't that called life?" Rocky snickered.
The blonde rolled his eyes but, when he opened his mouth to retort, Laura stopped him. She smiled. "It's not just about becoming famous and living your dream," she said, "There's also music involved, and Ross plays a character that becomes an Internet sensation. I think this movie is gonna be great!" To add emphasis, she wiggled in her seat excitedly. The gesture made everyone laugh.
"What else can you tell us about the movie?" Riker asked, curious. Although he had mixed feelings about his girlfriend working so closely with his younger brother, he couldn't complain. Ross and Laura were best friends; if Riker couldn't trust them to be professional, then, who could he trust?
Besides, it wasn't like Ross had any romantic feelings for Laura. He would have told Riker if he did, and they would have settled everything between them.
"Well, I play a character who's a singer-songwriter, so that should be fun, right?" Laura grinned. "I also read that we're going to be filming some parts in Miami. Isn't that so amazing?"
Rydel squealed, clapping her hands together. "We should all go to Miami," she exclaimed. "R5 isn't doing too much right now, and doesn't filming start soon, anyway?"
Ross tapped a fork against his plate thoughtfully. "It is almost summer time," he slowly said, "And that's the type of weather the movie needs." He shrugged, a smile working its way across his facial features. "Laura and I have a meeting tomorrow, so I'm sure we'll discuss the final details and other stuff."
"Tomorrow?" Laura asked, a little stunned by the short amount of time she had to prepare but still excited about doing the project.
"I would have told you sooner about the movie, but they were still casting roles for the other main characters. If they couldn't find the right actors, they were going to hold off the movie until next year."
The brunette nodded in understanding. The main things about movies were location and timing. Everything about the set had to be perfect. It set the whole tone and setting of the film, so Laura understood their need to find the right people, in the right part of the year. Her inner perfectionist hummed in approval.
After being quiet for so long, Ryland finally asked, "So, what's this movie called, anyway?"
Ross and Laura shared a smile before answering together, "Austin & Ally."
SP*SP*SP
After dinner, Riker called Ratliff for a band meeting, seeing as how R5 would be put on-hold until Ross (and Laura) finished filming the movie. The blonde bassist had no doubt that the other boy would want to come to Miami, too; they were like family. It would be weird to leave Ratliff behind.
While he waited for the drummer to arrive, Riker wandered around the house until he found Laura in the backyard. The patio lights were on, and she was seated in one of lounge chairs by the pool, scribbling in her songbook. He thought it was cute how her brows were furrowed in concentration as she wrote down lyrics, and the way she bit her bottom lip could drive a man insane with desire.
"Hey," he said, not wanting to startle her.
Laura didn't look up, but her lips curved into a smile as she continued to write. "Hey, you," she replied, "What's up?"
Riker took a seat in the lounge chair next to hers. "Nothing. I called Ratliff for a band meeting, so we're just waiting for him to arrive." His chocolate gaze traveled over her songbook. "How long have you been writing for, babe?"
She shrugged, her pencil scratching across the paper. "Maybe since dinner ended? I'm not sure, but these lyrics wouldn't leave my mind, so I had to get them down. You know what I mean?"
"Yeah, I totally understand."
Laura finally stopped to look up at her boyfriend. "Was there a reason why you were looking for me?" she asked, curious with a hint of suspicion.
He should have known she would immediately see through him. It was both a curse and a blessing. Sighing, he nodded slowly, uncertainly. "I guess so…"
"What is it, Riker? You know you can talk to me about anything."
Riker shifted, feeling a certain level of discomfort he didn't normally feel. He was being ridiculous, and he shouldn't be worrying his girlfriend over nothing. It wasn't like this movie would change anything between her and Ross; they've been best friends for years. Why would that change while filming a movie?
Simple, it wouldn't, he reassured himself. A new surge of confidence entered his being, and his shoulders straightened. He had nothing to worry about. Ross didn't have any romantic feelings for Laura, and vice versa. Riker trusted them to tell him if it ever happened.
With his little mental pep talk done, he smiled at Laura. "On second thought, everything is fine," he said. Leaning forward, he pressed a kiss to her cheek before standing up. "Sorry I bothered you, babe. I'll just leave you alone to work. Okay?"
Laura watched her boyfriend head back inside, head cocked curiously. She didn't know what was wrong with him, but she supposed she should be glad it seemed to have resolved itself. A win was a win, right?
"I was so sure he was going to express some form of jealousy," she muttered under her breath. Shrugging the non-issue away, she went back to writing the lyrics buzzing in her mind. She would need to contact Neo later. She was positive he would be thrilled with the new song she wrote. It expressed everything she was feeling at the moment.
Everything.
SP*SP*SP
The next morning, Laura drove herself and Ross to the meeting with Disney for the upcoming movie project. She wasn't nervous, per se, but she was apprehensive, while Ross appeared as cool as a cucumber. She didn't know how he accomplished that, but she figured it was due to the fact that he personally knew the creators and some of the producers.
It was fine, though. Laura would just draw strength from Ross's presence. He'd always had a charismatic aura, so she figured he wouldn't miss some of it rubbing off on her.
Walking to the conference room reminded the brunette of her first meeting with Disney, when she was being contracted into singing a song for one of their soundtracks. It felt like so long ago, but it was only a matter of weeks. Time flew by without her even noticing.
Ross stopped Laura in front of a set of double doors. Smiling encouragingly, because he knew she needed it, he said, "This is it. Don't be nervous – they're gonna love you."
"Who said I was nervous?" she pouted. Inwardly, her roiling emotions settled into something resembling calm, and she was grateful to Ross. But she wouldn't tell him that. Nope.
He chuckled. "Laura, we've known each other too long for you to try to fool me." Grabbing the doorknob, he twisted it. "Now, come on. Take a deep breath, and walk in there like you own the place." With that, he opened the door in a gallant show of mock-seriousness.
It did the trick. She giggled, rolling her eyes playfully. "Thanks, Ross," she whispered. Then, she entered the conference room.
"Ah, you must be Laura Marano," one of the men seated at the long table greeted, smiling. He, along with his associate and two other people, stood and extended his hand out for a handshake. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Ross has talked nonstop about you."
"It's nice to meet you, too," she replied, smiling politely. "Thank you so much for this amazing opportunity." If her cheeks heated slightly at the Ross comment, she didn't acknowledge it.
Said blonde teenager came up behind her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, steering her towards a couple of seats for them. "Laura, I'd like you to meet Kevin Kopelow and Heath Seifert. They're the ones who created Austin & Ally," he smoothly introduced. "And, of course, I'm sure you remember Raini Rodriguez."
The girls spent a good five minutes squealing and catching up since they hadn't seen each other very often since the TV show job they did together. While the two girls quickly caught up, Ross exchanged a handshake that only guys could do without it being awkward with the tall redhead.
"What's up? I'm Ross Lynch," he introduced, smiling.
"Calum Worthy," the other replied, smiling too. "I've listened to R5 before. You guys are awesome."
Ross grinned. "Thanks, man. You should come to one of our rehearsals some time."
"Yeah, that sounds great."
It wasn't long before Laura introduced herself to Calum, and Ross could already see friendships building, bonding them together for the rest of their lives. The four of them would be close; their off-screen chemistry was already potent.
Yeah, this movie will definitely rock, he concluded.
Kevin and Heath had the four seated once more, all excited about Austin & Ally. Heath cleared his throat, deciding to speak first.
"Now that everyone knows each other, we can get started," he said, smiling at the four gathered. "The basic premise we have for Austin & Ally is pretty simple. The movie is going to follow the partnership between polar opposites."
Kevin took over from there. "Ross will be playing the character named Austin Moon. Austin is a teenager that wants to make it big in the music business, but he doesn't know how to write his own songs–"
"–Which is where Laura's character, Ally Dawson, comes in," Heath cut in. "Ally is a brilliant but shy songwriter. The moment Austin and Ally meet, it's love at first sight, despite being so different. They're the perfect match, both musically and personality-wise."
Kevin added, "Of course, their relationship doesn't get established instantly." He chuckled. "Austin and Ally, along with Raini's and Calum's characters, Trish and Dez, work together to create a music video that will make Austin an overnight Internet sensation."
"I like this so far," Laura commented, a wide grin on her face. Ross, Raini, and Calum nodded their agreement.
"That's great," Kevin replied, also grinning. "So, after becoming semi-famous and getting his name out there, Austin decides that he wants to confess his feelings for Ally."
Ross rubbed his hands together, giddy. "Ooh, this should be good. What does Austin do to show her how he feels?"
"He writes her a song," Heath answered, chuckling at the enthusiasm. "Of course, it's a one-shot type of deal. Ally will remain his songwriter, but he was able to focus on writing out his feelings long enough to create a song for her."
Laura placed a hand over her heart, practically swooning in her seat at the thought. "That is so sweet," she cooed. "I love love."
"Tell me about it," Raini commented, "I would love it if a guy wrote me a song about his undying love for me." Placing the back of her hand against her forehead, she dramatically swooned while fanning herself with the other hand. "He'd be able to totally sweep me off my feet."
The guys chuckled over the girls' antics, but soon went back to discussing the movie. With the beginning basically covered, Kevin and Heath decided to skip ahead to the movie's climax.
"For the climax," Heath explained, "It's summer, and Austin and Ally have now been dating for a few months. In order to continue getting Austin's name out there, they decide to enter a radio contest, which will then introduce Jimmy Starr. Jimmy is the CEO of Starr Records, the record label that wants to sign Austin as their next artist."
Kevin then said, "This is where the group of four faces their biggest obstacle: Austin."
Ross sat forward in his seat, interest shining in his chocolate eyes. "What happens to Austin?" he asked. "Does he lose his voice or something?"
"We thought of that," Heath said, "But we decided to try something a little different; something teens could relate to a little more in the scheme of things."
"Austin is going to let fame get in the way of his friendship with Dez and Trish and his romantic relationship with Ally," Kevin finished.
Laura wiggled in her seat excitedly. "Ooh, drama," she semi-sang out.
Calum asked, "How do things get resolved between them?" Sure, they had all read through the script by now, but it was still exciting to hear about it with the actual creators of the movie.
Kevin chuckled. "During a performance, Austin changes the set-list and sings a song that had originally been created by him and his friends. It's called Better Together and it really captures the importance of friendship."
"That's so sweet," the two girls cooed as one.
Heath held up a hand. "Of course, Austin still needs to make up with Ally, so we're planning a very special song for them." He grinned as he turned to look at the youngest member at the table. "Actually, we were hoping that Ross and R5 could write something for that?"
Ross's expression positively lit up at the request, and Laura had to stifle a chuckle at how adorable he appeared.
"Really? You want R5 to write something for the movie?" If it looked as though he was vibrating with happiness and excitement, no one said anything.
Kevin and Heath nodded, both chuckling. The former then said, "Yeah, why not? Everyone who's a part of the movie loves R5's music, so we felt this would be a good idea. Besides, it's not just the love song we're asking for."
"You mean there's more?" Ross asked, wide eyed. This would be an excellent opportunity for him and the band – he wasn't going to pass it up! No way. Yes, they had a contract with Hollywood Records, but there was nothing wrong with exploring other musical opportunities that happened to be in their favor. Besides, Disney was an awesome company to work for.
"If anything, we were hoping to ask for two songs," Heath explained. "You see, the summer contest Austin and Ally enter is centered on summer activities; what teens like to do; how they spend their summer breaks – things like that."
Kevin added, "We already have one song that will be featured, but we want another one that will be the 'winner' for the movie. We thought it would be fun if we featured original music by R5, too."
"That sounds so amazing," Laura said, turning to look at her blonde companion. "What do you think, Ross?"
"What do I think?" he rhetorically replied, the biggest grin breaking across his boyish features slowly. "Where do I sign? I'm in!" Of course, he'd have to actually ask his band mates, but he didn't think they would object. R5 was going to be put on-hold, anyway, until the movie was done filming, so it wasn't like they were currently doing concerts.
Kevin and Heath exchanged grins, happy that they would be getting the opportunity to work with such talented individuals.
"Excellent," Kevin said, clapping once, "Now, filming will take about two months, including when we're in Miami, Florida, and we'll start recording the music we have in a couple of days. In the meantime, we'll draw up a contract for R5 to read and look over before signing. We can work around scenes in the movie until the songs are complete. Does that sound good?"
"Sounds great," Laura, Ross, Calum, and Raini said as one, grinning.
SP*SP*SP
As soon as Ross and Laura returned home from their meeting, everyone, including Ratliff, was eager to hear what had been discussed and what the overall plan was. Laura explained the premise, and Ross eagerly talked about the request made by Kevin and Heath. The rest of R5 were, of course, excited about being able to include some songs for the movie, and the band started planning lyrics and ideas.
Now, later that night, Laura was still with the band as they went over chord progressions to see how they wanted the song to go. Everyone had read the script to get a feel for the direction they needed, and Laura was bopping her head to the beat they had so far. She just knew their song would be awesome; all their songs were.
Finally, Rocky placed his guitar down. "I think we need a break," he announced. Stretching his arms above his head, he sighed in relief when his joints popped and loosened. "We've been at this for hours. We could at least play something else."
"How about the song Ross came up with?" Riker suggested, craning his neck back and forth to loosen his posture too. "I mean, it's not like we rehearsed it a lot."
Laura perked up at the news, her gaze singling on mentioned blonde teen, who appeared relaxed. Not giving anything away as to what kind of song it was. She was more than curious now.
"I wouldn't mind hearing it," she commented, catching the others' attention. She smiled. "This is the first time I've heard of it. I didn't know Ross came up with something new for the band."
Rydel flexed her fingers in preparation. "Well, I wouldn't mind performing for Laura," she chirped happily, grinning at her brothers and Ratliff.
"It's been a while since we've done that, hasn't it?" the drummer added, grinning.
Ross sprung to his feet, hands instantly reaching for his own guitar. "I'm game," he said, smiling widely. "How about it?" The question was directed towards Riker and Rocky, and they smiled in response.
Getting into place behind their microphones, Laura sat forward in her seat in anticipation. As the beat started, she didn't think her smile could get any wider. It had a groovy feel, and she was sure the lyrics would sound just as awesome.
"This is called I Want U Bad," Ross announced into his microphone, secretly winking at the brunette. He grinned when she wrinkled her nose cutely but her smile stayed in place.
I Want U Bad:
"In the back of a taxi cab,
Just one turn and it happened fast,
We touched hands and we pulled them back, yeah,
I want you bad!"
Laura was sure her cheeks were turning a nice pink color. She could see by the way Ross looked at her everything he sang was true. He really did fall for her that fast.
"And even though it should be so wrong,
I can't help but feel this strong,
Cause you've flipped my whole world on
Like a light switch.
I might just go crazy,
'Cause you're my best friend's baby,
But you got me thinking maybe, just maybe,
I don't know what to do!"
She lightly laughed at the 'light switch' line. It reminded her of Ross's sixteenth birthday, when they were alone in his room and how dark it had been in there. She should have known he'd been planning something then, but she couldn't bring herself to care too much at the moment.
And, gosh, could this song get any more literal? Riker was like Ross's best friend but, then again, so was the rest of the Lynch siblings (and not including herself) along with Ratliff.
"I'm in love with someone else's girl
You rock my world,
But you're the one that I can't have,
Girl, I want you bad!
In my crazy mind
I'm with you all the time,
Cause you're the best I never had,
Oh girl, I want you bad!
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
Oh, oh, oh, oh,
Oh, oh, oh, oh,
I want you bad!"
As Ross continued to sing and play the guitar, he couldn't help the way his eyes stayed glued to Laura's petite form. It was a little risky writing this song, especially when one considered the timing, but he couldn't resist. He had to make his feelings for her known even if it meant everyone else thinking it was just a random song he came up with.
"So hard to just pretend.
It's 'cause you're his girl and he's my friend,
No good way for this to end, yeah,
I want you bad!
I wish someone could help me,
This is just so unhealthy!
And everything you got just kills me,
Got me guilty!
Go crazy!
'Cause you're my best friend's baby,
But you got me thinking maybe, just maybe,
I don't know what to do!"
While Ross and Laura were basically lost in the music, Rocky couldn't help but let his earlier suspicions resurface. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to rehearse this particular song? Sure, Riker didn't know about the practice scene Rocky had walked in on (there was no real reason to tell him), but that didn't mean the picture painted within his mind had faded.
If anything, this song confirmed what he'd feared:
Ross was in love with Laura, and the feelings could be mutual.
"I'm in love with someone else's girl,
You rock my world,
But you're the one that I can't have,
Girl, I want you bad!
In my crazy mind
I'm with you all the time,
Cause you're the best I never had,
Oh, girl I want you bad!
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
Oh, oh, oh, oh,
Oh, oh, oh, oh,
I want you bad!"
Discreetly, he glanced between his younger brother and Laura, trying to see if he could spot any sparks being exchanged. He wasn't an exact expert on romance, but he felt confident that he would be able to see if any intimate emotions had been discovered.
After all, it wasn't uncommon for best friends to develop feelings for each other. It probably happened every day, to Rocky's way of thinking.
He just hoped he was wrong.
"I want you, I want you, (Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,)
I want you, I want you, (Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,)
I want you, I want you, (Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,)
I want you bad!
(I want you bad!)
I want you, I want you, (Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,)
I want you, I want you, (Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,)
I want you, I want you, (Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,)
I want you
I might just go crazy!
'Cause you're my best friend's baby,
But you got me thinking maybe, just maybe,
I don't know what to do!"
Oblivious to Rocky's staring, Laura and Ross continued to gaze into the others' eyes. The song spoke of his inner feelings, how much he actually cared for her and Riker but unable to keep completely silent. It said everything he wanted to say out loud, in front of everyone, but knew he couldn't. Not if he wanted to ruin Laura and Riker's relationship, anyway.
And Ross didn't want that. He loved them and didn't want to see either heartbroken. But, how could he ignore his feelings for Laura? He couldn't. But this song was a good outlet for his roiling emotions, and he knew Laura would understand what he was saying every time it played.
"I'm in love with someone else's girl,
You rock my world,
But you're the one that I can't have,
Girl, I want you bad!
In my crazy mind
I'm with you all the time,
'Cause you're the best I never had,
Oh, girl, I want you bad!"
Rocky's ears perked up when Ross suddenly sounded more soulful, if that was the correct word for the sheer emotion Rocky could suddenly hear. His eyes went to the younger boy, seeing what he hoped he wouldn't bear witness to.
Ross's eyes were trained on Laura, his chocolate eyes speaking (quite loudly) of his true feelings for her. And Laura… Laura had the exact same look in her eyes, if a little less obvious.
"Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, (want you bad)
Oh, oh, oh, oh, (yeah)
Oh, oh, oh, oh,
I want you bad!
Ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh ooh,
Ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh
Oh, girl, I want you bad!"
As the song came to an end, all Rocky could think was one thing:
Fuck, I hate being right…
Until*Next*Time
Thoughts on what you think will happen next? I have to admit, I didn't expect this ending until it actually happened :P Don't forget to review!
Thank you for reading! (:
~babydoll92
PS: I pretty much know how this story is going to end (NOT THAT IT'S ENDING SOON!), and I was wondering if people would be interested in a sequel? If so, let me know through a review! (: