Madison Middle School
Auditorium
Bellwood, California
November 17, 2000
6:53 PM
.
There were faint strains of music in the background when Ben opened the door to the building. As they walked through the door into the lobby, he saw a half dozen heads turn at the sound of the girls' clicking heels, and a dozen eyes opened wide before narrowing and tracking them across the foyer.
A memory flashed through his mind of a time when Grandpa parked the Rustbucket next to a lake in the high Sierra, when they all sat in camp chairs around a fire having breakfast. They were admiring a lone bald eagle majestically circling the lake. Grandpa said it was hunting when suddenly it dove at the water and leveled out inches from the surface, talons out, and briefly plunged them into the water before snagging a good size trout flashing silver in the morning sunlight as it struggled to unhook itself. Gwen had gasped at the sight while Ben cheered. Now he knew how that fish felt just before getting impaled by the big raptor.
He knew he'd attract attention tonight, if for no other reason than just by showing up to a social event for the first time since starting 7th grade. But on top of that he would literally be in a spotlight, first on the stage to start the show. He was ok with that, excited even, but he knew most of his classmates would be talking about him because of it. His recent experience as the MVP who led the soccer team to the championship had been good enough, but the cool kids weren't all that great about sharing the limelight; some were as predatory as that eagle. He hoped to keep Gwen and Michelle away from all that and get in the auditorium without being noticed, but their conversation in the atrium put them at the start of the ticket crush instead of ahead of it, as several groups of kids came down the opposite end of the hallway. With the way they both looked - an exotic-looking olive-colored girl and a flaming red head, both drop-dead pretty - and hanging out with him… Well, completely avoiding notice wasn't really gonna happen.
Gwen must have had a similar feeling of being the eagle's prey when she felt the stares. She kept her head up and walked confidently the way Aunt Lili taught her, but she grabbed Ben's hand and held on tighter than usual as he led her and Michelle the thirty feet from the building entrance to a folding table in front of the auditorium doors, where three girls from his class were taking admission payment. Two were busy, so he stopped in front of the middle one, who was busy poking at her phone. A girl with dirty blond hair, Heather, part of the cool kids clique. If she paid him any attention at all before now, it was to give him a pained, judgmental look after he got busted for some goof up or other.
"Three, please." he said, reaching for the cash he had in his pocket.
The girl looked up, brushing her hair away from her face, and recognized him with a bored look that suddenly turned friendly. "Well, Ben Tennyson. I didn't expect to see you here. I didn't think dancing was your thing - it's not as exciting as winning the league championship, is it?" She smiled sweetly and put her hands together on the table in front of her. Ben heard Gwen inhale sharply behind him, like she did at the Garden before the karate show, when she saw him talking to that girl… Emily? Becky? Whatever. Good thing they weren't drinking smoothies.
"Um, hi Heather? Yeah, I like dances OK I guess, I just didn't go to any last year. DJ music is kind of lame. A live band is way better."
"With the way you saved all those goals during the season, I bet you've got some cool dance moves. Especially at the last game!" she beamed at him. If he didn't know better he'd think she learned that fake smile from the redhead behind him, but his Dweeb wouldn't be caught dead hanging out with this girl.
"Um, yeah, thanks? … Can I get three tickets, please?" Ben pressed, pulling the money out and peeling off three tens. This pointless conversation was wasting more time, they needed to get to the right spot inside.
Both Gwen and Michelle stepped to his sides with mild objections to his action. "Ben, you can't pay for us! Here…" "No, I'll get my own ticket…" the girls said in unison, digging into the small purses they were carrying.
"Don't worry, you can pay me back. It's just quicker if I take care of it." he said as he held the three bills out and put the rest back in his pocket. That's what his dad and uncle always said when they argued over who was going to pay a fast food bill.
"Three?" The mousy blond couldn't ignore the two girls next to him, and for some reason got a slightly irritated look before the fake smile came back.
"You brought some friends?! Tch… You always do surprise the rest of us. I hope they can keep up with you. I'll dance with you when they get tired." Heather said with a sympathetic smile. The way she said that made him think of the way movies showed a cobra hissing and spreading its hood before striking. He wondered briefly if the eagle gave any thought to what that fish was feeling just before getting ripped from the water.
Ben grinned in a not completely friendly way. "Uh, yeah, I'll let you know. We know one of the guys in the band. We only came to hear them, really." He choked back a laugh at the girl's astonished look as she took the money he was holding out. The cool kids weren't used to rejection.
Her jaw dropped as both Gwen and Michelle picked up her mean girl vibe - this girl was nothing compared to Marci - and somehow silently decided to put on a show, each taking Ben by the arm with wicked grins as they turned towards the door.
"Let's go, Ben, we don't want to miss the band get started." Gwen said with exaggerated sweetness. He couldn't put a hand to his mouth to stop the snort he made, so he bit his lip to at least muffle it. That didn't work too well, though, and Gwen and Michelle only added to his amusement by snickering at each other.
The gobsmacked reactions of his classmates at the table and in line behind them and the teachers nearby was priceless!
Gwen and Michelle let go of his arms as they walked into the auditorium. Several more heads turned as they noticed the motion through the doors, glancing over before looking back at whatever they had been doing. Only to do a blatant and almost comical double take at the two impossibly good looking girls at his sides as they crossed the floor.
Dreams was halfway through playing as Ben led the way towards the stage, one of the last few songs Charlie had programmed to lead in to the start of the dance. He smiled and glanced over when Gwen brushed against his arm and slipped her hand into his, interlocking their fingers. She gave a little smile back when she squeezed his hand before looking down at the floor. There it was again, her bashful attitude that he wished he knew how to take away. Hopefully the music and dancing would do the trick.
The stage was set up with all the stuff that goes with a live pop-rock band - a five piece drum kit in the back; a spot up front with two keyboards stacked one over the other; guitar stands and amps for a bass player and a guitarist or two; microphone stands at each place with cables snaking to a control station with a laptop computer and a control board; and a couple lighting effects boxes bracketing the whole setup. And, of course two large speaker cabinets facing the dance floor. The ceiling lights flashed like strobes off all the chrome on the stage. Ben had scoped out the area in front of it during the pre-dance setup and practice, and settled on a spot to the right in front of some double doors leading to the backstage area. It had a good view of his and Paul's place, and was also perfect for ducking away to join the band without leaving his Dweeb and Michelle exposed to his classmates for too long.
A group of mostly 8th grade girls he knew were also part of the cool kids crowd - the dance committee - had taken a spot near them, closer to the stage. Some of the chaperones were also nearby, a few parents and teachers who gave him a close look as Ben approached, until they saw the girls with him. All their eyes widened in surprise when they saw he was holding Gwen's hand, and Michelle was walking close by his side. The kids and the adults started whispering to each other as they all took turns staring in their direction.
The Van Halen song finished and Magic, the second to last of the DJ tunes, began to play. Ben couldn't help the self-satisfied half smile he got from it - the tune had been a last minute addition to the song list he sent to the Dweeb last Saturday as part of his 'ask her to the dance' routine. It fit perfectly with his magic theme as well as being a killer song for electric guitar, and Gwen told him last night when they snuggled up together to listen to the list that Michelle said the sentiment in the lyrics was the sweetest thing he'd said to her. He liked that Army Girl had been there to witness his invitation; he knew Gwen would've liked an at-school production, but there was no way he could make that happen.
Michelle and Gwen grinned at each other as the intro played through the big speakers. Michelle turned to him and said "If I didn't know better, Ben, I'd say you arranged for this tune to play, like you did a week ago!"
"Oh, come on, 'Chelle, he's not that good! He couldn't have pulled that off!" Gwen smirked, before facing him "Did you."
"Nah. I had nothing to do with this song." he replied, returning her look.
The intro finished and The Cars tune started the "uh oh it's magic" lyrics as they stood facing the stage and got absorbed in the tune. After half a minute Ben slipped behind Gwen when she wasn't paying attention and put his hands on her bare shoulders, enjoying the shiver that went down his back when he did. He let out a short, quiet laugh when she jumped at his touch.
"Give me some warning before you do that, Doofus!" she hissed back at him, turning her head to glare at him over her shoulder.
"Geez, Dweeb, jumpy much?! Who did you think it would be?"
Ben shifted his arms down to circle her stomach, hugging her against his chest. He felt her stiffen for a couple moments before leaning back into him. "Relax!" he said softly in her ear. "No one here knows you, remember? We're not gonna get ratted out."
"Then why are those girls staring at us?" Gwen nodded in the direction of the stage.
"Which…? Oh, them." he said with a snort. "Because I'm with the prettiest girls in the room, duh!" he said. "You two are making them all look lame!" Ben saw the dark haired girl smile as a bit of pink started to color her cheeks and felt the Dweeb he was holding put her arms over his. He grinned as his girlfriend - he was really getting to like calling her that, in his mind at least - let herself settle back into him and sigh softly when he hugged her just a little tighter, a sound and feeling he couldn't get enough of. He leaned forward to rest his chin on her shoulder as they swayed together while the song played through the guitar solo, with Michelle next to them moving her shoulders and arms in time with the music.
The chorus started back up, and Ben grinned at how the music and the words seemed to reflect his feelings better than he could say. As much as he loved holding her this way, though, he had things to do.
He picked his chin up from its resting place and spoke into her ear. "Hey, um, I've gotta go take care of something…" as he unwrapped his arms and put his hands back on her shoulders.
Gwen twisted around and gave him a dirty look at the interruption. "Really, Doofus? You pick five minutes before the dance starts to go to the bathroom?"
Not the excuse he had planned, but it was better, so he went with it. "What can I say? I drank a lot of soda. When ya gotta go, ya gotta go", he said with a smirk, not really confirming her accusation. "Don't worry, I'll be back." He leaned in to her ear and whispered "I do know what the next song is. Check it out." before giving her a quick peck on the cheek, then let go and started walking to the back stage doors.
Gwen let out an annoyed "Hmmpf! Geez, Ben, I can't believe you didn't go earlier", glaring at him. "And what song are you talking about?" she said as he turned to look back.
"Don't worry, you'll know it" he said with an enigmatic smile as he opened the doors.
- G -
As he disappeared behind them, a new song started, a 70s tune from Queen. The scowl Gwen fired at his back faded to a dreamy smile from the lingering tingle on her cheek as well as the song title she knew - You're My Best Friend. He'd told her that several times over the past three months, first in a musical dialect of Tetramand and then in English, but always just between them. He wouldn't admit it, but he'd gotten good at sending her messages in music that only she would get, even when her parents heard her playing the songs he sent. It figured that he'd do it again like this - he might as well be screaming the words to her in front of his classmates, and they had no clue!
Michelle did, though. Gwen saw her friend roll her eyes and mumble "Real subtle, Ben." to herself, before noticing she was being watched.
"Well, it's not! It's sweet, but there's no way to miss it, is there?" she said with an apologetic grin.
Gwen just grinned back and nodded her head in time with the music and listened to Freddie sweetly crooning the lyrics.
Ooh you're the best friend that I ever had
I've been with you such a long time
You're my sunshine
and I want you to know, that my feelings are true,
I really love you,
ooh, you're my best friend...
Whoa, whoa.. what?!
The soundtrack in her mind screeched to a halt, like when a cassette player did when it ate a tape. The song kept going, but it faded into background noise as her mind and heartbeat raced.
What did she just hear?! And why did he make a point of telling her about this song?!
Could he have meant that to be a message, buried in a song with a title she had gotten used to hearing? Especially when he'd said she was more than a best friend. But he never said what he meant by that. Was he really thinking of her that way?!
She did about him. She'd been thinking it for a while now - she loved her Doofus. Even though she wasn't exactly sure what that meant, because the meaning kept expanding. Every time she felt terrified and overwhelmed by a memory or dream of their shared nightmares, or when she was hurt, and he was there to take it away; every time they reversed the roles and she was the one comforting him, she felt it. That was love. When they did homework together, watched movies and ragged on them, played Sumo and other video games, when he played songs he learned for her on his guitar, when they got smoothies, when they went heroing (yes, even before Phoenix) - that was love. When she felt horrible for him when the Watch dropped off his wrist. When they teased each other and played their private game. When they were just hanging out. When they told each other their secrets and dreams. When they were snuggling and kissing. And now, after last weekend, his touch and the feel of him… All that was love.
Wasn't it?
That's what she knew from romance books and movies, anyway, and watching her parents. His, too.
Gwen shook her head once and was glad the lights weren't at full strength so the burn in her cheeks wouldn't be quite so noticeable. It had to be; she wasn't just feeling the effects of hormones and growing up. She'd seen how fast that flared and faded.
"Doofus!" she barely whispered to herself. Why did he make a point of paying attention to this song? Did he really mean those words? Or were they just part of a song that repeated words he'd already said?
She didn't have time to worry much more about it, though, as the last chord of the song faded away. He still wasn't back, and the mood the song started was short lived because of it. "Where the heck is he?!" she growled in exasperation, loud enough for Michelle to hear.
"Don't worry, Crazy, he'll be back. He's only been in there for a few minutes." Her friend smirked at her. "Boys can take care of business quicker than we can, but they still need some time."
Gwen grinned back sheepishly. "Yeah, I guess you're right. … Interesting that you pay so much attention to this particular boy thing!"
"I've got two little brothers, remember? Who do you think has to wait for them when they have to go?"
The lights faded to half brightness as a single guitar broke the quiet. There was no one on the stage, though, so it could have been another recording. That thought was chased away a few seconds later when she recognized a fast series of notes starting with low tones progressing up and then back down the scale - she'd seen and heard Ben do it plenty of times, moving his left hand back and forth over the neck of the guitar in his hands while his right picked and strummed the strings - he called it finger warm-ups. But this couldn't be him…
And then she heard it, the sequence of notes that almost got lost in the flurry of wicked licks he was tearing from his axe. The one that made her taste marshmallows and smile happily as she thought of the first time he played it and they realized he'd used musical notes as words. Again he was screaming almost as loud as he could what he felt about her, and she loved hearing it!
"You're my more than best friend, too, Doofus!" she whispered to herself, and wondered how she could make the perfect situation to make sure he knew it.
She listened closely as the guitar started the introduction to a piece she knew, something she encouraged him to learn half a year ago and heard many times since then. Cliffs of Dover. The energetic, happy tune that he was so proud of the day he did his private performance for her. One of the last times they had fun together when he was Fourarms… She took in a deep breath, then let it out slowly as she smiled wistfully into the dark curtains for a second or two at the memory, something Michelle noticed.
"Gwen? What's wrong?" her friend said softly.
Gwen shook her head and said "It's nothing". Then she brightened up and looked at her and whispered "That's my Doofus!"
"What!? How…"
Before either girl could say anything else, the curtains at the back of the stage moved, grabbing their attention. A shadow figure holding a guitar emerged from behind them, backlit so the shape was faceless; the lights caught hands on the instrument, though, and confirmed the shadow was playing. The other kids scattered in clumps around the auditorium started paying attention and drifted to the dance area in front of the stage, many of them nodding their heads appreciatively along with the music. At the middle of the intro another figure came out from the curtains and sat behind the drums to start a basic four beat rhythm. The anonymous guitarist stood in front of the curtains concealed by a shadow with his head bowed so he could watch his hands on his instrument. Gwen couldn't see a face, but the figure seemed to be too small to be Paul, confirming to her that she heard it right - it was Ben. As he began the chorus, the figure looked up and started walking slowly towards the front of the stage, crossing in and out of spotlights across it, revealing glimpses of shaggy brown hair and a green and navy plaid shirt behind the guitar. She sucked in a breath and grinned as Michelle recognized the figure.
"It is him! … Did you know about this?!"
"No! The little freak kept it a secret!"
He reached the front of the stage, looking down at his hands again as he finished the chorus for the first time, and stopped in a pool of light. He raised his head up with a big grin and looked out over the auditorium and the now crowded dance floor. Gwen heard shocked gasps and comments when his classmates recognized him. "Is that…?" "No way!" "Ben Tennyson?!" "What's he doing up there?" "Playing the hell out of this tune, that's what!" "I didn't know he could play a guitar." "Is he with the band?" "What happened to the girls he was with?" "Pssht! Girls? With that twerp?! Get real!"
He turned his head towards their place at the side of the stage. His green eyes sparkled as they found hers and he gave her that smile, fixing her in place. Her breath caught even as her heart was racing and she smiled back at him. Gwen saw out of the corner of her eye that Michelle was bouncing along with the music, but she couldn't take her eyes away from the stage. Ben nodded at her once and bent his head back down, a look of concentration on his face as he started the bridge. She knew this was the hardest part of the piece, and he still complained he couldn't get it right whenever he played it for her. His fingers scrambled up and down the guitar's neck as he picked out the notes, and this time she didn't hear a single misplaced one. Some of his classmates knew he aced it, too, as they shouted out catcalls during the trickiest riff - "YES!" "Shred it, dude!" "Woo hoo!"
Gwen's smile almost hurt from the cheers and the exuberant way he was playing. He hit the last high note of the bridge, his left hand strangling the guitar where the neck joined with the body and his eyes closed for the three beats that he held the note, then popped open as he started the last time through the chorus. He looked up at Gwen again, beaming as she finally let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding.
Four more figures wearing long sleeve shirts, a couple plaid like his, over colored Ts came out from behind the curtain, as the rest of the band took their places while Ben finished. Paul positioned himself next to his friend and plugged in his guitar, then watched with a grin and his arms crossed over his chest as Ben played the last intricate run, his fingers flying over the strings.
He hit the last chord with a sweep of his arm, held it for several seconds before dialing the volume knob on the guitar to make it fade out. He smiled at her again, then exchanged looks with Paul as the taller boy held up his right hand for the high five Ben slapped him with. Gwen laughed and applauded with the crowd, her heart finally slowing down a bit as it also swelled with pride in her Doofus! The urge to run up and kiss him was almost too much to hold back, but just like after his match she bit her lip until it passed.
"Well! That boy does know how to spring surprises!" Michelle said through a grin of her own. "And he sure looks like he belongs up there."
Gwen nodded her head. "Yeah" was all she could manage. He did, and it wasn't just because of the way he was dressed.
- B -
"Showoff!" Paul murmured as Ben ended the last chord before returning the high five. Neither could contain their grins at how Ben slew that tune, or how the crowd reacted with applause. The adrenaline rush Ben felt after that performance was awesome!
"Think you can keep that up for another couple of songs?" Paul said as he started adjusting the microphone stand between them, which was currently pointed squarely at Ben's forehead. He lowered it to where Ben would have to stretch up a little to use it, while Paul would have to lean his head down. "Don't know how we missed this." the tall blond mumbled.
"Can I sing?" Ben asked, eyes wide in surprise. They hadn't talked about this at all, let alone practiced.
"I don't know, Squirt. Can you?" Paul replied with a smirk. "You can't play with the mic in your forehead, that looks ridiculous." He chuckled at Ben's shocked face and held his hand over the device.
"Ok, so, if you're up to it you can join in on the backing vocals. If it turns out your voice sucks, Charlie will fade us out, no one will know. It's a decent mic, you don't need to scream into it. Remember you're up here to play guitar, though, so stay focused on that. Just like we rehearsed. Got it? … Here we go."
The frontman looked at them, silently asking if they were ready. Paul nodded, Steve counted out the tempo and Paul started the intro to Dance the Night Away, Ben picking up his part just after the drums started. The Van Halen song wasn't at all like Cliffs, no intricate runs or fast picking, just strong chords and single notes with a simple strum pattern backing up the vocals, but Ben concentrated on his hands anyway. He didn't want to crush his solo tune only to mess up now. Once he got into the groove, he looked up to see Paul grinning at him while he cranked out the lead guitar line - he must be doing his rhythm part all right. The crowd in front of the stage were dancing, with more kids coming in at the sides; he was still getting stares from his classmates but he didn't pay much attention.
Ben didn't join in for the first backup vocal, stepping back a bit to let Paul have the mic, so he looked over at Gwen. She was dancing at their place with Michelle, both girls grinning as they moved (and the way she moved, hips swaying back and forth making her dress swirl…. Stop that! Stay focused!). Gwen caught his gaze and flashed that dazzling smile at him, that he returned before he had to look back at his axe. He got the hang of the song and the way the band backed up the lead singer, and added his voice at half volume for the first time they did the 'Dance!' vocals, leaning up opposite Paul to sing into the mic. His friend smiled when he heard Ben's tenor find his natural place in the harmony, and when they both looked at Charlie the sound master grinned and gave a thumbs up.
The bridge led in to the guitar feature, and Paul and Ben got into it, standing a foot in front of each other as they enthusiastically added their parts of the music, grinning like maniacs as their hands danced over the strings. The third time they hit the 'Dance' vocal Ben leaned in to the mic until his face was three inches from it, Paul doing the same from the other side, and sang at the same volume as his buddy did through a smile he couldn't wipe away. To say they were having fun would be a criminal understatement! Every time Ben stole a glance at his Dweeb, she was smiling right with him, giving him encouragement just by how she enjoyed the music! He heard her and Michelle squeal and clap their hands as the song came to the end.
The lights came up a little as the band finished the song and the frontman talked to the audience, giving Paul and Ben time to adjust the tone controls on their guitars. "Hello, Madison Middle School! Welcome to your fall dance! I'm Steve, and the name of the band is 'Night Flyer' and we'll be rocking the hall for you tonight, so get on the dance floor and have a good time. The last song was a Van Halen tune called Dance the Night Away, and that's what we want you to do! We cover a lot of current and old time tunes - that's classic rock for the adults - so if you have any requests let Charlie over on the side know." He turned and stepped away as if to start a new song, then turned back to his mic.
"Oh, yeah, the first number was Cliffs of Dover and was shredded by a guest of our lead guitar player. For those in the back who haven't figured out who he is yet, he's one of your classmates, Ben Tennyson. Go on, Ben, stand up so the people in the back can almost see you!" Steve turned to him and smiled at his joke while the kids below the stage laughed amid a smattering of applause. Ben felt his cheeks heat up and looked over at Gwen and Michelle, who were both in the middle of a laughing fit, the traitors!
"Great playing, kid! And not a bad singing voice - yeah, I heard you. … All right, this next tune is Everlong."
Steve nodded to the drummer, who struck his sticks together to set the tempo. Ben started the intro with a simple sequence of picked notes, then Paul took the lead with some strong power chords. Ben's picking gave way to his own rocking chord counterpoint, and the dance floor was moving before Steve started the lyrics. He couldn't help grinning again - as much as he liked shredding, this style of playing was what he learned first, strumming powerful chords that accentuated the vocals. The feeling of the strum pattern and the sound of his chords blending with Paul's and the rest of the band were amazing, made even better by the way his Dweeb looked at him while she danced next to Michelle.
- M -
"Oh my god, I can't believe he said that to Ben!"
"I know! He usually gets pissed off when he gets short jokes. I'm surprised he let it go without even a dirty look!" Gwen replied.
"Guess your boyfriend is getting better at civilized behavior." Michelle said.
"It's not that he isn't civilized, 'Chelle. It's just knowing what civilization he belongs to."
Michelle giggled at the joke, then both girls looked at the stage as Ben got the next song started, playing an introduction of individual notes. The other guitarist, Paul, started playing chords shortly after, with Ben switching to a different set of chords as a counterpoint to what the cute blond teenager was playing. Between the two of them she felt an intense wave of sound washing over her, complementing the singer's voice. Her experience playing the violin in an ensemble as well as a soloist added to her appreciation of their musicianship and how well they blended in with the rest of the band. Telling her parents that she was going to the dance to hear Ben and Gwen's friend play wasn't a complete lie after all - their karate buddy was a good musician, too. And Ben's surprise certainly was worth hearing!
The song had strong guitar chords and a driving rhythm, almost like head-banger stuff - What a surprise Ben would get into that!, she thought sarcastically, suppressing a giggle at the way he and his friend were acting - but even through that she could tell from the lyrics it was a love song. That thought, and the way Ben kept looking their way made her glance at her best friend. Gwen was looking at the stage, but only had eyes for her boyfriend, more than she usually did when they hung out together. Michelle sighed to herself - she hoped her bestie knew what a good deal she had even as she wished she wasn't jealous of it. Justin was nice and all, but he was taking his sweet time gathering up the nerve to talk to her outside math class…
She looked back at the band and saw that Ben was mouthing the words of the refrain along with the singer, and he was definitely focused on Gwen.
Come down
And waste away with me
Down with me
Slow how
You wanted it to be
He looked back at his hands as he and Paul got to a particularly dramatic riff - which was saying something, considering the whole song seemed to be nothing but power chords strung together with intricate strumming and a strong vocal line.
Ben looked up again as the chorus finished but kept his mouth closed, and when Michelle looked back at Gwen she wasn't really surprised to see it was the red head's turn to lip sync.
Breathe out
So I can breathe you in
Hold you in
And now
I know you've always been
Out of your head
Out of my head I sang
She suppressed laughing out loud as best she could. The lyrics fit them, and while the girl had been trying to keep from showing her feelings for him too obviously, there was no hiding them right now. Michelle couldn't help the smile she had; after all the drama and pain the two went through this year they deserved to be happy. It was fun to watch, even if they were acting over-the-top sappy.
The song progressed into a quieter interlude, giving her an opportunity to nudge up to her friend and talk quietly "He's playing this just for you."
Gwen blushed but didn't look away. "Uh huh" she nodded, smiling back.
"Do you guys do that every time he plays this?"
"What? … Do what?"
"Do what" Michelle deadpanned. The crazy thing probably didn't even realize what she just did. "Lip sync the words of a love song back and forth to each other. That's what! … if you two don't stop being so damn cute I may burst!"
Whatever Gwen was going to say got drowned out as the two boys increased their volume along with the bass and drums through the interlude and rocked out, pumping their hands across their guitars in different but complimentary patterns as the frontman started the last time through the chorus. Both of them looked just like they were actually playing with the Foo Fighters at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium!
"Look at him!" Gwen said, star struck as Ben hit a particularly rock hero pose, just like one she saw on the cover of a guitar fan magazine Ben left in Gwen's bedroom.
Ben and Paul both looked at them and Ben finished silently along with the singer without missing a note.
And I wonder
If everything could ever feel this real forever
If everything could ever be this good again
The only thing I'll ever ask of you
You've got to promise not to stop when I say when
Even in the dim light Michelle saw Gwen was blushing hard, even though lots of kids in the audience had been singing along at the end. The look in Ben's eyes gave him away, though, as the olive skinned girl heard murmurs around them "Who was he doing that for?!"
The last chords faded away as Steve spoke to the crowd, wiping away a little sweat from his forehead. "Always love doing that song! Thanks for the assist at the end, everyone, glad you liked it. … We're going to let your classmate go now, but we're not close to being done so stay out there!" Ben had unplugged his guitar and slung it across his back and gave Paul another high five before turning to return another one with the singer. "Nicely done, kid!" the frontman told him, loud enough for the microphone to catch it. Ben had a Cheshire Cat smile before he disappeared through the curtain as the band got ready to start a new song.
"So lucky", Michelle muttered to herself as she glanced at her friend again.
- B -
Ben's head was buzzing as he put his guitar into the case and hurried to get back to the auditorium while the band started the next song. He vaguely remembered hearing Come Sail Away before, but the tune had all the signs of being good for slow dances, and as jazzed as he was it'd still be good to have a quiet song so he could talk to Gwen. He couldn't wait to hear what she thought of his surprise.
Steve was singing alone and showing his skill on the electric piano when Ben got back into the auditorium. He made it three steps beyond the backstage doors before his Dweeb was on him, hugging him tight before pulling back so she could put both hands to his cheeks with a short laugh that turned into a smile. He returned her gesture, grinning as they stared into each other's eyes. The shadow they were in hid the kiss she graced him with next, and he kissed her back firmly, swaying side to side with her, entranced by the feel of her soft lips against his while the piano music and Steve's voice played sweetly in the background. He closed his eyes and sighed softly…
… and completely missed seeing Gwen pull back and smack his chest.
"Ow! What was that for?!"
"Something you had to take care of?!" she mimicked his words, her eyes shining playfully. "You set me up! This is what you ditched me last weekend for, huh?" she said, smiling brightly. "And Paul said you were just helping him learn some new songs."
Ben smiled back, pleased with the sparkle in her eyes. "Yeah, well… I did that, too. … And for the record, I didn't ditch you. I was only gone for a couple hours."
Gwen hugged him again and murmured in his ear "That was a great surprise, Doofus! You were awesome!"
He saw Michelle appear at Gwen's back, also wearing a big grin. "You sounded really good up there, Ben! Gwen never said anything about you having a decent voice, too. I half expected you to take over for the singer!"
Gwen took a step back, turning towards her and brushing a shoulder against his. "Yeah! What are you doing down here? You looked like you were having fun with those songs; I figured you'd want to keep playing with Paul and the other guys! This is your big chance to be the rock hero you've dreamed about!" she teased.
Ben felt his face start to heat up; she was right, he had that daydream a lot. Gwen had been with him more than once when he'd said almost those exact words when he played at home. It was a tempting idea, but…
He rubbed the back of his head with his free hand and looked towards the stage. "That wasfun, and I really wanted you to hear those songs." He looked back at her. "It looked like you thought they were OK..." he said with a questioning face.
Gwen jumped in before he could finish. "Are you kidding?! Yes, I thought they were great! I mean it, you looked like a regular part of the band."
He hesitated a second and considered what he wanted to say. It was in the music, but she didn't seem to have caught on. Did she really not know?
"Good! … I hoped you'd like it." he said, and suddenly felt a tightness in his chest. "But that's not why I asked you to come." He said, talking in a low voice.
The look on her face shifted from the playful one they shared when they were in the middle of their game, the one their families often still mistook as being antagonizing and mean - everyone except Grandpa - to something he couldn't quite place. The smile was gone, but she wasn't mad. She wasn't sad or confused, either, he'd seen all those moods and more over the last few years and knew every one. This was… expectant, a little anxious, hopeful, and trusting.
Where was all this coming from?! The song in the background that was somehow leading them on? The tunes he just got done playing? Did they affect her the way they did him? He hadn't felt like this since the night she called after her nightmare, after they'd shared secrets they'd been holding in for a long time. Right before she drifted off to sleep, mumbling words he wasn't sure he was supposed to hear and still hoped he heard right. He couldn't see into her eyes then, of course, but what he saw now felt like what he heard in her drowsy voice.
"No?" Gwen said. "Then why?" she asked softly, with that shy half smile. And more than a hint of that tone again.
The words were there, ready to roll off his tongue. He'd been thinking them for a while and knew they were true, but he still couldn't say them out loud. Instead he was using music to try and get the idea across to her, and now… Was she waiting for him to say it? What if she didn't feel that way about him? The last time he acted on this feeling and assumed she shared it, it took a long while before it finally worked out the way he hoped, but it was… painful. For both of them.
Did he really want to say it to her here, someplace they still had to be careful about showing what they felt? In front of his school? … He resisted the urge to shake his head, that would definitely be taken as a bad signal. But no, not here. Absolutely not here! She deserved to hear it in a way better setting.
He dropped his hand and took one of hers in it as he took a step so he could look into her eyes. "I want to be here with you. I want you to dance with me tonight." he said, hoping his eyes reflected what he saw in hers.
"Oh, for … Will you two stop making moon eyes at each other!" Michelle interrupted their trance. "Get out there already!"
Gwen was startled by her friend's voice. "Um, yeah…" she said, gaining volume in her voice. "Yeah! Let's go, Doofus." Ben let out a nervous chuckle and took a step towards the dance floor still holding her hand, but she held him back by his outstretched arm.
"You too, 'Chelle. There's room for all three of us."
"For a slow song? I don't think so! … Go on, Crazy! I'll catch up for the next one."
Gwen nodded. "Oh, yeah. OK." She turned to follow him as he led the ten feet or so to the side of the floor. They both heard Michelle talking to herself, although he was sure the girl thought Ben couldn't tell what she was saying.
"Fatat majnuna!"
The distinct sugary-bitter taste he got let him know his brain bugs were proving her wrong.
He turned to face Gwen, wrapping his arms around her back as she stepped close in front of him and put her arms over his shoulders, holding her hands behind his neck. She leaned her head down so her forehead was almost touching his as they started dancing slowly, barely shifting their feet as they swayed to Steve's voice and the piano.
"When did Michelle start calling you Lucky Girl? And what language was that? I can't get that taste out of my mouth!"
"It's Arabic. She uses it when she doesn't want me to know what she's saying. I try to not let on." Gwen replied, rolling her eyes. "So what do you taste?"
"Really sweet coffee! It's disgusting! … Well?"
Gwen huffed a breath at her bangs, forgetting that they were caught up in the braid over her forehead. "Huh, it's sorta like Fig Newtons for me…" She sighed when she saw he was waiting for the rest of her answer. "It's nothing… she started last weekend at the mall."
"Yeah? What makes you lucky? And why would she want to hide saying that?"
"She's talking about you, you dummy!"
"Me?! I make you lucky?! What do I have to do with it?""
She let out an exasperated snort. "You really gonna make me do this?" Gwen murmured to herself. She looked Ben in the eyes as they danced. "What do you think, Doofus? If you were her, what do you think she sees when you're around?"
Ben looked around the floor while he tried to figure out what his answer should be. There were couples all around, doing some variation of holding each other close and also mostly swaying to the music. Several of the chaperones were close by to make sure no one was getting too close, and some of them had a weird smirk, like they knew something the kids on the floor didn't.
It was easier to figure that out than to know how to answer his Dweeb. Girls!
"I don't know… a good looking, athletic musician? Who likes hanging out with his girlfriend?" he said sarcastically with a lop sided grin. Hopefully this would be good enough - he had no idea what else to say. He thought Michelle was happy for them, but he really didn't know what else she thought about their situation. She never said anything about it; not that they ever had conversations without Gwen.
"Well, that's not totally wrong, anyway" Gwen muttered to herself as she rolled her eyes again. She spoke a little louder "Hmpff! You're such a doofus! You can't think of another reason why she'd think I was lucky when you're with us?"
An unexpected change in the song spared him from wherever else the conversation was going. The band had been steadily adding other parts to the piano and vocals over the last half a minute in a steady crescendo - bass, drums, a new keyboard line - as it quickly shifted from the slow tempo, romantic feel it started with into a much faster paced and energetic beat. The addition of Paul's electric guitar hammering out enthusiastic chords before settling into an up-tempo track finished the transition, and all the couples on the floor suddenly found themselves trying to slow dance to a fast, bright song - not an easy thing to react to when you didn't know it was coming. The adults that had been smirking were now openly laughing - somehow they knew about this, the dirt bags!
The louder volume drowned out any attempt at talking some more, at least not without moving away from the speakers; so did the faster tempo that completely changed the style of dancing. Gwen quickly got the feel for it and watched with an amused look as Ben did his best to match her moves, then looked over to her friend. He followed her gaze, and saw the left-out look in Michelle's eyes and glanced back to his date, and Ben figured out the silent question the Dweeb was asking. He grinned and nodded as he danced, and Gwen smiled back before taking the few steps towards Michelle.
She reached out her hand and called out "Come on, 'Chelle, there's room for all of us!" Michelle reached back with a bright smile and followed Gwen back to him, then dropped her hand as the three started dancing together. Ben got caught up in the music and the girls' happy faces and smiled broadly back at them before looking up to find they had become a center of attention. He found himself suddenly way more than the previously nondescript and mostly ignored classmate he had been just two weeks ago. Now it seemed every pair of eyes with a direct line of sight were focused on him with the two best looking girls in the place, most with a look of pure bewilderment. He laughed and then ignored them - he was used to doing that, he'd been practicing it for years, after all - in favor of his girlfriend and her friend, and lost himself in the girls, the music - especially the way Paul was making his axe wail! - and the dance.
The mob on the dance floor clapped as the song ended, and Steve barked out a laugh and started talking again. "Looks like that song was new to most of you, but I think a lot of the adults knew it! That was Come Sail Away from a '70s supergroup called Styx. You may not have heard this next number, either, but it's a great dance tune. This is called It's All Been Done."
Steve turned to Paul, and the tall blond looked at the drummer and the bass player while nodding the tempo before starting the song with attention-getting power chords along with a steady bass line and driving drum rhythm. The frontman was right, the song was new to the crowd, but after the first few lines of the chorus they'd started dancing to the fast, easy to figure out four count rhythm.
Gwen and Michelle were both laughing as they moved opposite him, and Gwen called out over the music "What are you doing, Doofus?"
"Dancing, duh! What does it look like?" he replied as he twitched and flailed his arms and legs like he did at Michelle's Halloween party only three weeks ago. Gwen thought he did fine then. Why was what he was doing funny now?
"You look like a spider on roller skates! That worked with the songs Michelle had, but it's all wrong for this. You need to be smooth and move with grace - well, some grace, anyway - not be all jerky and random. Here, let me show you." She stopped dancing and moved to get behind him.
She put her hands on his shoulders and started guiding his motions, making him follow the tempo. "Michelle, keep doing what you're doing. Watch what she's doing, Doofus, and try to do it too. … Follow my hands. … Move your shoulders more side to side and don't twist so fast."
Michelle giggled and nodded her head but kept dancing with slightly exaggerated motions while wearing a big grin. "Just can't keep from being a tutor, huh? Good luck with thatstudent, Crazy!"
"Oh, I can teach Ben this all right. He did pretty good the last time I did."
Ben grinned and followed the pressure she put on his shoulders, trying to adjust his movements to fit with Paul's guitar track, with positive results. "Good, Doofus! … You're getting it. Keep doing that…"
She moved her hands down his arms, in no particular hurry he was happy to feel. He was starting to adjust how he moved them with her hands on his forearms as she talked into his ear. "You're a musician, move with the music… Yeah, like that … smoother… don't let your arms fly out so far…" Gwen was almost hugging him from behind, her arms resting on his and her hands now past the rolled-up ends of his sleeves at his uncovered wrists. Her left hand was right where the Watch used to be, but that never felt like this… A shiver ran down his back to go along with the goose bumps on his arms.
He thought he was getting the hang of it, making his arms move better with his shoulders, when he was distracted by what was going on with the song. Steve had gotten through most of the second time through the chorus when Ben heard him sing the tag line - It's all been done
Instead of Steve singing it again, though, he heard Paul's voice and then the bass player - what the hell was his name, Dave, Doug? Didn't matter. Hearing the three lines by three voices separated by common woo hoo hoo group vocals and then Steve taking lead again sounded great! And Paul's ever present electric guitar track, adding depth to the vocals.
"Stay with me, Ben" Gwen murmured in his ear, pushing a little firmer on his arms as he started moving again. He jerked his arms totally opposite to his shoulders, like he was doing before she got behind him, and she snorted.
"What was that? Geez, you lose focus for a second and you're spazzing out again!"
"I didn't spazz out!" he objected, as she pressed on his arms harder to guide him back to the smooth, rhythmic motion she was trying to get him to do. Michelle rolled her eyes but kept demonstrating what his girlfriend wanted him to mimic. "Well… maybe I did, a little."
Gwen giggled near his ear. "Yeah you did! All right, keep following me…" Ben matched her arm motions again along with his shoulders and back, feeling her moving behind him.
"Right… more like that… now you got it." He felt her hands let go of his wrists and almost was disappointed until she put them on his hips, her thumbs pressing into his sides just above the waistband of his jeans. He shuddered and caught his breath at the unexpected touch, then relaxed as she whispered in his ear with a worried tone at his reaction "You OK? You're not going to have a problem, are you?"
His face started to heat up as he remembered what she was referring to - as if he could forget that. Not gonna happen tonight. "Yeah, I'm good." he breathed out. Michelle was still dancing in front of them, but her grin was replaced by wide eyes over a smirk as he felt his cheeks turn crimson.
Gwen was pressing on his hips now, with more instructions "Loosen up your hips… more… now sway them side to side, like this… good, now turn a little right and left like you're doing with your shoulders ". He could almost hear the smile in her voice as she pushed and pulled at his waist. "That's the way, Doofus! You're doing great!"
Paul started a solo, demanding his attention. He stopped dancing so he could really listen, and grinned at his friend's enthusiastic riffs. And the fact Gwen stopped to listen, too, and gave him a full and awesome hug. Her arms circled his stomach as she pressed into his back, resting her chin on his right shoulder with her head against his. Her felt her body moving against his to the music, and she started humming softly along with Paul's guitar. Ben covered her arms with his and leaned back into her and closed his eyes, soaking in the warmth and closeness and feel of his Dweeb along with the music.
He opened his eyes when the vocals started back up, and Gwen let go to put her hands back on his hips to finish the song. Her hands slipped up from the top of his jeans as he moved, and the feeling of her palms and fingers on his sides was exciting and nerve wracking at the same time, even through two layers of shirt. Before today he would've expected her to turn a touch like that into a tickle attack, and she'd probably do it again after tonight. But now he knew from the way her hands and fingers pressed into him and lingered that she liked the feeling as much as he did. Besides, having a full-on tickle fight here would be really awkward, to say the least. Ben looked up at the stage and caught his friend's eyes; Paul had a wicked grin while he kept playing. Ben gave him a sheepish grin and quirked his left eyebrow in return as he kept dancing with Gwen's direction and distraction.
When the song ended she hugged him again with her hands over his chest. She whispered into his ear "Way to go, Doofus! I knew you'd catch on!" then pressed a firm kiss on his cheek.
"Well! That was quite the dance class!" Michelle said. "I think half the school was taking notes! I didn't expect you could be that sexy, Ben!"
"Oh my god, 'Chelle, stop! It was just simple dance moves!" Gwen said over his shoulder. Ben heard her sigh softly as she let go and stepped to his side.
"Uh huh. If you say so" Michelle sing-songed with a smirk. She leaned towards him and Gwen to talk in a fake whisper. "I think those girls over by the speaker would agree with me." flicking her eyes towards a group of seventh grade girls facing their direction, murmuring and giggling to each other.
They danced to another song, Ben demonstrating how good his red headed tutor really was as he alternated his focus between Gwen and Michelle. Three more followed before they took a break to get something to drink and cool off. Several kids he had classes with said hello between the dance floor and the refreshment table, and a couple said they liked the songs at the start of the dance. Mostly, though, they were left alone, although there were still plenty of sideways looks.
And a couple awkward moments between songs, when there was relative quiet that many of the kids on the edges of the dance floor used to ask if one of their schoolmates wanted to dance. A few of the more self-confident boys - who Ben knew were also the most obnoxious - made attempts to get Michelle to dance with them. She turned out to have good instincts for reading their limited interactions, politely but firmly saying no. Not something the boys liked, but they mostly didn't make a fuss about it, either. Seeing Ben and Gwen's determined looks backing their friend up didn't hurt; at least that reputation of Ben's was useful for a change. She did accept some invitations, staying within view of Gwen when she wasn't dancing with them, as another half dozen songs played out.
None of his classmates had the cajónes to even approach his Dweeb. Not that she gave any indication she'd even consider saying yes. Ben liked it that way.
Another lively tune finished, but instead of the frontman talking to the crowd Paul stepped up to his microphone with a tight grin. "Hope everyone is having a good time out there!" He paused for some applause and catcalls. "So are we! Playing music like this and seeing you all dance is a blast! … This is all new to me, I just joined the band a few weeks ago and I've gotta say, these guys - Steve over there, Doug on the bass, Jack on drums and Charlie running the electronics that make us sound so good - they've been really great." He looked around the stage as the applause started back up.
"Yeah, that's right, give it up for these guys! … We're gonna slow things down a little for a few minutes. … So, before I joined the band, I was tinkering with a song for some friends of mine who had gone through a really rough patch. It was hard for me to watch, and even harder for them to get through. But they did! And I started writing this song … I guess so they'll remember how they did. Together." He looked out over the crowd on the dance floor.
"Well, these guys heard what I was working on and encouraged me to finish it, and they think it's good enough to play tonight, so here it is. This is called You Snuck Your Way Right Into My Heart." Paul looked over and caught Ben's eyes, then Gwen's, and shot them a quick wink and a grin.
He turned back to the band, called out a four count beat and started playing a bluesy melody that turned out to be the musical theme for the song, at a moderate tempo that was just right for the slow dances he claimed to hate. Michelle picked up on the romance feel of the tune and told Gwen she was going to take a rest or something - Ben missed it, his brain racing to figure out what his friend was up to as well as wanting to not waste what was sounding like a cool song.
Gwen turned to face him and they positioned their hands the way she taught him - his left hand holding her right and held out, her left on his right shoulder and his right at her left waist - and started dancing a box step close together.
"Do you know anything about this?" she asked with a mix between a smirk and a worried look. If it was about them, as they both expected, what was their friend about to reveal?
"Nope. This is as new to me as it is to you."
Then Steve started singing with the sentimental melody…
I should have known
from how I felt
when we were together
And even more when we were apart
You tip-toed in
and you got under my skin
You snuck your way right into my heart
Paul played the chorus again, if anything with even more feeling than the first time. Ben was surprised how the words and the music were making him feel - his chest suddenly felt tight again in the way he'd only felt a few times with his Dweeb: when they carved their initials into the tree, when she huddled with him in the back seat of Paul's car, when she called him after her nightmare. They were affecting her, too; not that he minded, as she pressed up against him cheek to cheek when the second verse started, pulling their outstretched hands to his shoulder. He circled her back with his free arm, his hand at the top of her dress, fingers resting on the bare skin between her shoulder blades.
I put up a barrier
to shield my emotions
A wall that you could never break apart
But like a ninja of love
Rappelling down from above
You snuck your way right into my heart
That really got to her - after the third line Gwen buried her face into the crook of his neck and he felt her back shudder through his fingers. Her sniffle was too much, though, so he leaned back from her so he could see her face, but didn't let go - his hand slipped down her back to its place at her waist. He'd seen the sad look in her glistening eyes before, but that was only a small part of how she was looking at him. He couldn't describe the rest of it, but he felt it, too. He felt a lump grow in his throat.
Her misty left eye overflowed, and a single tear slid halfway down her cheek. She wouldn't let go of his hand to catch it, though, or move the other one from his shoulder, instead letting it stop on its own. Another one would extend the track to her jaw, but that possibility didn't seem to bother her.
Ben laughed softly. "Seriously Dweeb? When did you get this mushy?" he murmured. He took his right hand from her waist and reached up to put it against her cheek and gently wiped the tear with his thumb.
She sniffled again and looked up with a happy sparkle in her watery eyes.
"Up yours, Doofus!" she teased back in a slightly quivering tone of voice. "You're about to do it, too, but I'm going to let it track down your face for everyone to see, Mr Tough Guy!"
He blinked a couple times before replying. "Mmmm… Not gonna happen. I'm the ninja in this story, we don't do things like that."
She let out a quiet snort. "Ninja? You?! I wonder what Sensei would think of that delusion?" He moved his thumb from her cheek to the corner of her mouth and gently toyed with her lips. Gwen closed her eyes and pressed her face against his palm as the music flowed around them.
The way Paul was playing the rest of the song in a particularly soulful way as the band sang 'na-ah na's with the melody … Gwen wasn't wrong. Ben's chest was still tight as he blinked a few more times; even so, his vision was blurry. His friend had been observing them way closer than he let on after their birthday party, and his music and lyrics were spot on and leaving a mark. Ben knew Paul was friends with the beautiful girl in his arms long before he joined the dojo, so of course Paul could see how she was acting during those long and often painful months from winter into spring. The second verse might just as well have been his Dweeb's voice, as her reaction now was showing.
If all that was true, then so was the idea that the first verse was Ben's. He had confided almost as much to his new maybe friend during that time, as he suffered through the misery that was the first week of the new millennium after he kissed her. He didn't tell Paul about that, but the older teen recognized the awful feeling he had when she ignored him afterwards, and was there to help him get through it. Sometimes by taking his mind off it with karate practice together, sometimes by just talking about whatever. And then the day they discovered their mutual interest in music; the day Paul finally knew the truth of their family and personal relationship and didn't freak out over it.
Paul for real became his friend after that. One of the few he really had, and if it weren't for his Dweeb he'd consider the older boy his best friend. Gwen stayed friends with him as well, and clearly Paul at least thought of them the same way. Why else would he even think to write a song like this? He could have turned it into an attack, or at best an extremely embarrassing parody if he had wanted to, but he didn't. He kept their privacy and trust, just like all those other times since the beginning of the year. Including the dark month after they got home from their last summer trip, the one that only lasted three weeks before it turned tragic - Paul had been the one person he could confide in, and the teen did the same for Gwen.
Ben dropped his hand back to Gwen's waist and closed his eyes as he considered how much his friend had helped them both get through their emotional turbulence, and shuddered to think of how they might have turned out if he hadn't been around. He felt a soft hand on his face just as a tear spilled out of his eye, catching the drop before it ran further than the top of his cheek. When he opened his eyes, he thought he should have been surprised by the touch, but he wasn't.
"Thought you were gonna let me show what a wuss I am" he said softly as he looked into her eyes.
"Yeah, well… I lied. So sue me." his Dweeb said tenderly, loud enough only for him to hear. "Not sure I'll do it again, so don't make this a habit, Doofus."
He smiled back at her. "Uh huh. I know you will. But if it makes you feel better to think that, OK". He leaned up to give her another soft kiss as many of the kids in the audience joined in with the band's song. When he pulled back a few seconds later her lips followed after his before opening her eyes, then gave him a small smile.
"Guess we still need to be kinda careful here, huh?" she said quietly.
"Yeah, at least on the dance floor, even if we're at the edge. Sorry." he said, cringing as he ducked his head. "They may not know you, but I don't want my nosy teachers telling my parents about us. Mr Rodriguez has been watching me more than usual."
"Do you think they will?!" He knew what he just saw in her eyes.
"Don't panic" he said with a tight smile. "I don't think so. We had parent teacher conferences in October. For a change I wasn't in trouble, and I haven't done anything to get bad attention lately." The way she shifted from that worried look to relief almost made him laugh; it did make him feel good. "I just don't want to give them an excuse, you know?"
Gwen leaned back into him, putting her head next to his again. "Seriously, Doofus? When did you get this responsible?" she murmured, moving her hands from their dance positions to hug him just as Paul's song ended. He gave her a quick squeeze before they let go and applauded like all the other couples on the floor.
The band picked up the tempo with several more up-beat songs, including one titled Run, Runaway that started with a pounding bass drum and tom intro that sounded like the songs from Michelle's party. When Paul joined in with ridiculously strong chords with his axe overdriving the amplifiers, Ben reverted to the jerky, chaotic dance moves his Dweeb tried to cured him of, making her and Michelle laugh as they did their best to keep up with him. Surprisingly, six or eight of the other kids around them - guys on the soccer team and girls they were with - joined in his frantic moves, the boys in particular grinning hard as they cut loose from the more graceful style the girls preferred.
The three stopped again to get something to drink and catch their breaths after that almost five minute marathon. Another two songs went by, and they were heading back to the dance floor when Steve started talking.
"Hey everyone, glad to see so many of you out here on the dance floor. We're going to do one more song, then we're gonna take a break so we can all keep going for the rest of the night. After this we'll be back in fifteen minutes or so. For you die hards, Charlie will have one of his DJ lists going until we're back." The drummer counted out a tempo and started with a bass drum beat before Steve started a song Ben knew well.
Nothing so loud
as hearing when we lie
Gwen knew it, too - All I Want. She should, she told him she liked it during the holidays last year. It was also one of the first songs he played for her after they started feeling almost normal with each other after he chucked that snowball. Ben saw her eyes go wide before she turned to her friend.
"Michelle, um… would you mind if I have this dance with just Ben?"
The girl looked from Gwen to him and back. "Sure, Crazy. It's a little too slow for three, anyway. And I've been wanting to try something." She smiled in a knowing sort of way, then turned and approached a group that included some of the boys they danced with three songs ago. She tapped one on the shoulder, the one who had gone out of his way to dance next to her; the boy turned with an almost-irritated look that quickly went through confused before settling into a smile and a head nod when Michelle said something to him and tossed her head towards the dance floor. She turned and led the way to a spot several yards away, smiling bashfully at the Dweeb over the boy's shoulder like the cat that got Tweety again.
Gwen grinned back at her with a raised eyebrow as she took Ben's hand and led him to their own place in the shadow at the edge of the stage. She faced him as he put his arms around her back, and she put hers over his shoulders and they started dancing close and slow.
"Do you remember playing this for me, Doofus?"
"I remember every time I play a song for you the first time, Dweeb. … Do you still think it's talking about us?"
He watched as she turned crimson from her shoulders to her cheeks and nodded. Of course he remembered that! The first time he played it for her was nearly nine months ago, after they had almost gotten over the awkwardness of hanging out again. When she was still trying to make sense of New Year's; when all he wanted was for her to be his best friend again. She was the one who said out loud what they both knew - some of the words could have been written just because of them, the way they were acting at the time and the way they wanted to. They both knew it, and they both pretended not to.
He heard the words of the chorus, just like he heard in his mind that night.
Nothing's so cold
As closing the heart when all we need
is to free the soul
But we wouldn't be that brave I know
Gwen smiled in a not quite sad way, capturing his eyes with hers. "Yes, Doofus, I do. But not this part. Not any more."
She waited for the refrain, as they moved slowly with each other.
All I want is to feel this way
To be this close, to feel the same
She looked with her beautiful emerald eyes deep into his, as he returned her gaze. Her hesitant smile turned shy and trusting. "This part… this part is for us."
"Yeah. … That's what I want, too, Dweeb." he said softly. He gathered her into a close hug with his forehead against hers as they listened to the song and moved together. She leaned into him, moving her right hand to his chest and her head over his shoulder so her cheek was nuzzled up against his, and took in a deep breath, then let it out as a slow, almost silent, contented sigh. The soft feel of her cheek and the motion of her chest against his was intoxicating, and in that moment the music blanketed them and the words of the song really were all he wanted - to be with her.
Ben moved his right hand up her back until he felt the warmth of her skin above the dress, felt the muscles there tense for a second before she relaxed to his touch. He pulled his head back from her and Gwen did the same, showing him the happiness in her eyes that he felt as well. He returned the smile he saw on her lips, then tilted his head to meet those amazingly soft lips with his, feeling his Dweeb kiss him back. He sighed as he felt fingers tangling into his hair.
If anyone had been looking in their direction just then, the faint glow of light coming from the stone pendant at Gwen's throat might have attracted their attention. But no one in the auditorium was paying attention to the boy and the girl in the shadow.
.
NOTES
Music to write by - the last few chapters took a while, so lots of music went with them. All of the tunes in the story plus:
I Think We're Alone Now, Billy Joe Armstrong
What Makes You Beautiful, One Direction
Do You Believe in Magic, The Lovin' Spoonful
Dance With Me, Orleans
I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me), Fall Out Boy
Dance With Me Tonight, Olly Murs
Shut Up and Dance, Walk the Moon
You Snuck Your Way Right Into My Heart, Love Händle (Phineas and Ferb) (Should be obvious, I didn't write the lyrics. They just worked really well for my story.)
They Don't Know About Us, One Direction