Okay! Here is a new story idea and I want to know your guy's opinion of it. I know it gives off some neighbors vibes, but I am going for a Duff vibe. Again, if I were to continue it, I would not post it until I have 3 of my other stories done before publishing the complete and edited first chapter!
Next update will be Two Worlds!
ENJOY!
Mal's POV
I rolled my eyes when I heard Chad's annoying voice coming into the room. Why of all the classes did he have to pick this one as one of his electives. I looked up and saw Chad walking in with Ben and Jay behind him. Now, I understand why he was here. Gods, why can't they just leave me alone? It's bad enough that Ben would let Chad talk to anyone like that, but for them to join the choir is a different story. I didn't think any of them could sing.
"Hey, Mally," Jay said as he walked up to me and smiled.
"Hey, Jay," I said as I looked up from my book and smiled at him.
"Hey, Mal," Ben said as he walked up behind Jay and Chad was behind him. "Mind if we sit here?" He asked.
"Nope," I said as I closed my book and grabbed my bag. "All yours," I said, before I got up and walked across the room to sit in a different chair.
I was so happy that this was my final class of the day, but I had two classes with Chad and the same two with Ben. Jay I didn't mind. He was nice, and I thought Ben was too, until I heard him. I guess people aren't as nice as they seem.
Ben's POV
Fuck! I sat down in the chair Mal was in and hated that she hated me. Why couldn't I fucking just say what I wanted to? Why couldn't I just tell Chad to fuck off? But no, I had to joke around to pretend that I didn't like her, and look what happened, it bit me in the fucking ass and she hates me.
"What's wrong with you?" Chad asked as he shoved my shoulder.
"Nothing," I said, before I slouched in my chair and looked at Mal.
She was sitting across the room, with her head in her book. Probably trying to avoid looking at me, and I wouldn't blame her if that was what she was doing. I could see her twirling the end on her long blonde hair and she pulled her legs up so that her knees came to her chest. In all my years of meeting girls and dating, Mal was the only one that I thought was a genuine person, but we never even dated. I talked to her because she was babysitting my sister. We had always gone to the same schools since I moved here, but I never looked her way, because we were from different crowds. She was just the girl who read books and drew on the pages when she was deep into them. She had a couple of friends, and she seemed like a very nice girl, but I didn't notice how great she was until I walked in and saw her babysitting my sister. I had never seen Rosie laugh and smile so much, but that wasn't saying much because she was only 1, but when they noticed me I realized just how amazing Mal was. Someone who liked me for me, and not for me being the popular jock. Mal was not like the other girls I dated. She was unique. Her laugh was infectious, her smile could brighten a room, and her sass made me laugh.
"You sure?" Chad asked as he leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. "You look hella mad."
"I'm fine," I said as I snapped my head toward him. "Now, stop asking."
"Geez," he said as he held up his hands. "I was only asking. What is up your ass?"
"Just leave him alone, Chad," Jay said, before he clasped me on the shoulder.
"Whatever," he said, before he put his headphones in and started his music.
"Hey," Jay said as he nudged my shoulder, making me look at him. "Why don't you try talking to her?" He asked. "I know that is why we are in this class," he said.
"I signed up for this class," I said as it turned my body to face him. "Chad just made you sign up, because I was in here too."
"True," he said with a laugh. "But, I know you are only here because of Mal."
He had a point. I was only here because of Mal. When we were signing up for electives, I saw her sign up and didn't even know what I was signing up for. All I knew was that I wanted to be in whatever class she was in.
"She hates me," I said as I kicked my leg out. "I don't blame her either. I fucked up and I deserve for her to hate me."
"She doesn't hate you, man," Jay said as she shook his head. "Do I agree you were wrong to play the 'jock' role, but I know that you are not that guy."
"Am I though?" I asked. "I could have easily told Chad to shut up, but I didn't. I played fucking along, because I wanted to make him laugh."
"I have known Mal for 10 years," Jay said as he peaked at Mal. "She has been through a lot, and what you said did hurt her, I am not going to lie. But if you give her time and tell her how sorry you were, she'll forgive you."
"I doubt it," I said before I turned around and crossed my arms over my chest.
"Just try talking to her after class," he said and I nodded my head as Mr. Crane walked into the room.
"Hello, everyone," he said as he put his bag down on the piano. "Welcome to choir. I am just going to go through the roll before we get head deep into this." Mr. Crane took roll and did a quick introduction to the class. "I see we have many new faces this year, and I am glad to have all of you here. I would like to dive head first into this and see where all of you are with your 'singing abilities'," he said, making the class laugh. "But I would like some of our returning choir members to start," he said with a smile. "Mal, Evie, Ariana, and Ruby," he said as he held his hands out. "Would you mind?"
Evie jumped out of her seat as she pulled Mal's arm. Mal rolled her eyes and I hid a smile and laugh, because she looked cute when she was annoyed.
"M and E," Jay said as they turned to look at him. "The double duo. The dream team. The…"
"We get it, Jay," Evie said as Mr. Cran put music stands in front of them.
"Thank you, Mr. Jabara," Mr. Crane said as he walked over to us. "And I would like it if some of us would pay attention," he said as he pushed Chad's legs with his, making him snap up and take his head phones out. "It is nice to finally have your attention, Mr. Charm," he said. "Now, if you would please pay attention, this is not going to be an easy A class for you."
He walked down toward Mal and the other girls, just as Chad threw his head back and groaned.
"Why did you even pick this class?" Chad asked, making me look at him. "You never had any interest in this."
"I need an elective," I said as I shook my head. "You didn't have to take this class," I told him.
"Well, I had nothing better to do, and now we can see where all of the freaks hang out," he said with a laugh. "I mean, the blonde girl is in here too," he said as he pointed at Mal.
"She has a name," I said as I turned to look at him.
"Like that even matters," he said with an eye roll.
I was about to say something, but mr. Crane tapped his baton.
"Now," he said, making everyone turn their attention back to the front. "Ladies, can we start with flashlight? I like that one from last year."
They all turned their pages and had them ready, before he raised his hands and pointed at Evie.
(Evie)
When tomorrow comes
I'll be on my own
Feeling frightened of
The things that I don't know
When tomorrow comes
Tomorrow comes
Tomorrow comes
He smiled and nodded before he turned and pointed at Ruby.
(Ruby)
And though the road is long
I look up to the sky
And in the dark I found,
I lost hope that I won't fly
He pointed at Ariana and Evie, who sang the next verse, before he pointed at Mal and she started to sing.
(Evie and Ariana)
And I sing along, I sing along
And I sing along
(Mal)
I got all I need when I got you and I
I look around me, and see a sweet life
I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight
You're getting me, getting me through the night
Kick start my heart when you shine it in my eyes
Can't lie, it's a sweet life
I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight
You're getting me, getting me through the night
'Cause you're my flashlight (flashlight)
You're my flashlight (flashlight)
You're my flashlight
I smiled as Mal sang. I had never heard her sing before, and she had a beautiful voice. It made me feel warm in my chest and I wanted to hear more.
(Evie, Ariana, Ruby, and Mal)
I see the shadows long beneath the mountain top
I'm not afraid when the rain won't stop
'Cause you light the way
You light the way, you light the way
"Who would have thought that weird Mal could sing?" Chad whispered, before Jay hit him over the head. "Ow," he whispered. "What the hell was that for?"
"For making fun of my friend," he said as he sat back in his chair. "Mal is my friend and you better shut your mouth about her."
"Whatever, man," Chad said, making me roll my eyes. "Ben knows what I am talking about."
I turned to look at him, making him smile and nod his head. "No," I said. "I don't know what you're talking about."
He looked at me confused, but I turned to look back at Mal and ignored him.
(Mal)
I got all I need when I got you and I
I look around me, and see a sweet life
I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight
You're getting me, getting me through the night
Kick start my heart when you shine it in my eyes
I can't lie, it's a sweet life
(Mal (the girls))
I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight
You're getting me, getting me through the night
(Light light light you're my flashlight, light, light)
Light light you're my flashlight
Light light light light light, oh
(Light light light you're my flashlight, light, light)
You're my flash, oh
Mal was singing with her soul. She looked so beautiful as her hair was swaying back and forth. I wanted to apologize to her for what she heard, but mostly I just wanted to explain that I didn't mean what she heard.
(Mal (Ariana))
I got all I need when I got you and I
I look around me, and see a sweet life
I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight
You're getting me, getting me through the night
Can't stop my heart when you shinin' in my eyes
I can't lie, it's a sweet life
I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight
(You're my flashlight)
You're getting me, getting me through the night
'Cause you're my flashlight
'Cause you're my flashlight
You're my flashlight
The song started to soften and the other girls stopped singing, letting Mal finish. She looked pained and I wanted to make her feel better, but I needed to get her talking to me before I could do anything else.
(Mal)
You're my flashlight
Light light
You're my flashlight
Light light ye-yeah
You're my flashlight
"Brava! Brava!" Mr. Crane clapped as everyone else in the class started to applaud too. "Magnifico! Gives me chills like it did last year! Please take your seats ladies."
They went to take their seats and I watched as Mal sat back down. She was smiling, until she caught my eye. I smiled at her and lightly clapped my hands, but she turned away from me and looked toward the class. I clenched my fist, before shaking my head.
"Next!" Mr. Crane said, making me turn to look back at him.
The class was over sooner than I was anticipating and I was on my feet faster than ever.
"Let's go, Chad," I heard Jay say, making me glad that he was going to make this easier for me. "We'll meet Ben outside."
I walked over toward Mal, ignoring that Chad was calling my name. She was putting her things back into her bag and she paused when she saw my shoes in front of her. She looked up and her shoulders slumped.
"What do you want?" She asked as she started to put her things away again.
"Can I talk to you?" I asked as I shoved my hands in my pockets.
"And what about?" She asked. "Don't you have a freshman to throw in the trash or something?"
"I want to come and…"
"Is this going to take long?" She asked as she stood up and threw her bag over her shoulder. "I have somewhere to be and I can't be later," she said, making me frown.
"I just wanted to come and apologize," I told her, making her roll her eyes at me. "I understand…"
"Listen," she said as she looked up at me. "I get that you don't want to seem like the bad guy to everyone and if you are wondering if I am going to tell anyone about what I heard you say about me, I'm not," she said. "I understand that you made me think that you were nice, but I was wrong and I can admit that."
"But…"
"I'll stay out of your way," she said, before she looked at her watch. "I have to go or else I am going to be late."
"Where are you going?" I asked, hoping to have another two minutes to talk to her.
"I am going to get my hair done," she said with a sigh. "And if I don't leave now, I am going to be late for my plans tonight."
"What are your plans?" I asked.
"Why do you care?" She asked, before she walked away, leaving me standing by myself.
I walked out of the class and to my car to see Chad and Jay waiting for me. I could hear Chad asking where the hell I was, and Jay was telling him to shut up.
"Where did you go?" Chad asked as he looked to see I was walking toward them.
"I was talking to Mal," I said as I unlocked my door and threw my bag in the back. "Where do you want to go and eat before practice?"
"I'm fine with anything, but Chad is sitting in the back," Jay said, before he ran around my car and hopped into the passenger seat.
"What the fuck?" Chad asked.
"Let's go," I said, before I got into the driver's seat.
I was backing up out of my parking spot, when I saw Mal, Evie, and Mal's brother walking toward her car. I stopped and watched as she walked past my car. She was laughing and her brother was trying to climb on her back.
"What are you waiting for?" Chad asked, breaking me out of my thoughts. "Let's go."
I waited until I saw Mal get into her car and drove toward the gate of the school. I followed, but she turned left and I turned right. I wanted to see where she was going, but I also didn;t want her to think I was taunting her. We were sitting and eating when Jay told us that we should go out after practice.
"There is this club I go to from time to time, but we could go to tonight," he said. "I mean, we can't drink, but you only have to be 18 to go in."
"I'm down," Chad said with an excited smile. "That sounds fun!"
"Fine," I said. "But how have you gone when you just turned 18?"
Maybe it would take my mind off things, but honestly I didn't know if I wanted to stop thinking about it. I wanted to make things right with Mal. I wanted her to like me again.
"Cool!" Jay said. "It's a really cool place and they have bands and singers that perform live every week!"
I nodded my head, hoping to be able to enjoy the night. When practice was over Chad and Jay came over to get ready, and Rosie came and knocked on my door. I opened it and saw her standing on the other side with her bottle in her hand. She held her hands up for me to pick her up, making me laugh. I picked her up and she curled into my shoulder and put her bottle back in her mouth.
"Are you serious?" Chad asked as he saw Rosie in my arms. "We are getting ready to leave."
"And I will give her back to my mom on our way out," I told him with a glare. "She is not even two for gods sake, Chad. And I haven't seen her all day. I spent a lot of time at home over the summer so she got used to me being here."
I bounced her up and down, trying to get her to sleep before I left. I remembered hearing Mal hum to her one night and I started to hum the melody. She started to breathe heavily and when I looked down she was asleep with her face pressed against my shoulder. I laid her down on my bed and went to change. When I came out of my bathroom, Chad was waiting by the door, and Jay was holding Rosie who was still asleep.
"I got her," Jay said as he rubbed her back. "Let's go."
I smiled and nodded my head and followed them out of my room and downstairs. My parents were watching a movie.
"Oh!" My mom said as she looked up to see us standing there. "Did she get out of her bed and go to yours?" She asked. "I didn't even hear her on the baby monitor."
"She is fine," Jay said as he gave her Rosie.
"Well, you boys have fun," Adam said. "Text us when you get home, Ben. Just in case we are sleeping."
"Okay," I said with a wave. "I'll see you tomorrow."
We left and Jay told us where to go. When we got to the club, I saw that it was packed and I wasn;t sure that we were going to get in. Jay was walking in front of us and he walked up to the bouncer and tapped on his shoulder. The bouncer turned to see Jay and smiled at him, before giving him a hug. They chatted for a couple of seconds before the lumber let Jay and us in. The club was dark, but it was lit up by flashing lights and the stage lights too.
"How did you get us in here?" I asked as Jay walked us over to a table in a secluded area.
"Do you guys remember when I said that Mal is my friend?" He asked as I nodded my head and I saw that Chad rolled his. "Well, her dad owns this club. I am kind of a VIP member here."
"How the hell are you a VIP member here?" Chad asked as we sat down.
"This place is called the core four," Jay said as he held his hands out. "Mal, Evie, Carlos, and I were super close as kids," he explained. "We were best friends. Basically, inseparable. Last year, we were having a barbecue at their Mal's house and her dad said that he was going to open another club, and he was going to name it the core four after the four of us."
"You were friends with the weird girl, the flirt, and the wimp?" Chad asked with a scoffed laugh.
"I am still friends with them," Jay said. "We are still close and have family dinners all of the time."
"That's weird," Chad said. "I know that I am newish and all, but I have known Ben since we were 5," he said. "Sure Ben moved away, but my parents moved here and now Ben has his best friend back."
"That had absolutely nothing to do with what I just said?" Jay said as he shook his head. "How is you moving back here related to Mal's dad naming this club after us?"
"Just stating facts," Chad said with a shrug. "But since you have the hook up here, what do you say about you getting us some actual drinks?" He asked.
"Absolutely not," a man said, making us turn around to see a tall man standing behind him.
"Hey, Hayden!" Jay said as he stood up and gave the man a hug. "How are you doing?"
"I'm good, Jay," he said. "Robert said you were here so I came to say hi."
"I was going to find you, before you got the chance to find me, but. I guess I can't hide from the owner," Jay said with a laugh, and before he turned to look at us. "Hayden, this is Ben Anderson and Chad Charm."
"You're Adam's boy," he said as he pointed at me.
"Yes, Sir," I said as I held my hand out for him to shake.
"My daughter was babysitting your sister wasn't she?" He asked and I nodded my head.
"Yes," I said as I nodded my head. "My parents like her a lot and so does my sister," I said. "She may be 1, but she doesn't like strangers."
"Yeah, my girl said that she liked babysitting," he said before he turned back to Jay. "Hey. They're going to start soon. You better head up there."
"Thanks," Jay said as he smiled and ran away from us.
"Where is he going?" Chad asked.
"He is going backstage," Hayden said. "He is going to be going on any minute."
"What do you mean?" I asked in confusion.
"Jay, Mal, Evie, and Carlos are going to perform in a minute," he said as the lights started to dim. "More of a couple seconds now," he said with a laugh, before I turned to look back at the stage.
It was dark, but a light shined bright and my eyes widened when I saw Mal's hair. She had dyed it a silvery purple color and my mouth almost hit the floor when I saw her. She looked absolutely stunning. Not that she didn't already. She looked different, too. I leaned against the railings and looked down wondering what else was different. She wasn't wearing her glasses. She typically wore her dark purple glasses and she wasn't. She was also wearing different clothes, making her curves show a bit more. She looked great, but she always looked great to me.
"Is that Mal?" Chad asked as he walked up next to me and leaned against the railing.
"Yeah," I said, trying to maintain my cool.
"She looks… hot!" He said, making me look at him with a are-you-kidding-me look. "You think she'll go out with me?" He asked.
"With what you said about her a couple of days ago," Hayden said as he walked up to the railing on my other side. "Absolutely not."
Chad threw his head back and walked away, leaving Hayden and I alone.
"Mal… told you what happened?" I asked as I looked up at him.
"She did," he said with a nod. "If I am being honest, I want to believe that you wouldn't say that, but I also saw how hurt she looked when she got home," he said, making my heart grow heavy. "And by the way you are looking at me, I can tell that you don't mean what she heard."
"I didn't," I said as I shook my head. "I would never want to hurt her."
"Well, just give her time," he told me. "She'll need it, but she'll come around."
I nodded my head and turned to look back at the stage and saw Mal getting ready to perform. She took the microphone off the stage, just as the music started to play.
Until next time my Lovies! xoxoGM