A/N: Thanks for sticking around with me so far (still much story to go) we are at the halfway point overall.
Definitely shaping up to be my longest story to date!
But hey, I'm having too much fun and this is just too good to be in a hurry (isn't that right, Teentitan12?)
Chase was muttering to himself while his uncle drove him to the restaurant.
"You need to throw up?" he grinned.
The teen shook his head.
"Don't be so nervous," Neil sighed. "She said yes. That's half the battle."
Chase groaned.
"She only said yes because it's not a real date."
"Then why is it just you two?" Neil asked.
"Because..." moaned Chase in reply.
"Because...what...?"
"Because I trust her, okay!"
"You trust her?"
"Yes!" Chase huffed.
"You like how she makes you feel?"
"Yes!"
"You like her?"
"YES!"
Neil leaned back in his chair as he pulled over to park.
"Sounds like a date to me."
Chase buried his face into his hands.
"Just friends," he whispered.
As they stopped, his eyes were immediately drawn to Lauren. She was wearing a yellow t-shirt and blue jeans. The girl smiled and waved at the familiar face. Chase reverted to a dopey expression and Neil caught that.
(Yeah, I've seen your friends, Chase. They don't make you look like that!)
"Hi, Lauren!" Uncle Neil said. "Nice to see you again."
"Hi," she smiled. "You ready, Chase?"
The boy had vapor locked.
"Sorry, honey, your date appears to be buffering."
Chase snapped out of it when Neil dropped the d-word.
He scrambled out of the car and shut the door.
"There he is," Neil smirked.
"Oh, Chase, I need to use the restroom. I'll meet you inside?"
Chase nodded, "Uh, sure, be right there!"
Lauren smiled back and entered the restaurant.
"Just breathe," Neil offered.
He listened to his uncle and took a deep one in and let it out.
"Chase, listen to me. She's a lovely girl. And I've been on a few dates to know this one has something between those ears. Just be on your best behavior and you'll do fine."
The teen cleared his throat and put his hands in his pockets.
"Okay, okay."
"Knock 'em dead. Call me when it's over."
"Thanks, Uncle Neil."
"Later."
"Bye."
He zoomed away and Chase turned to face the establishment. He psyched himself out as he entered.
Stepping through the doors, was one of a dozen in the foyer. The other people were having conversations. Some were saying the hellos and others their goodbyes. Chase stood there, waiting until he heard...
"There you are!"
He turned to see Lauren get right up close to him.
"Pretty busy here," she noted.
"Uh-huh," Chase nodded in agreement. "Can't say I've ever been in this place before."
"Me neither. Come on, let's find somewhere to sit."
They saw right away that "restaurant" was generous. It was more of a Chinese buffet. But that was fine, Chase actually relaxed that this evening got more casual.
There were tables forming little sections that surrounded the food stations where you could grab a plate and dig in to your heart's content. In the rear was a hibachi grill that had all kinds of meat and fish to be prepared on demand. Between that and the main entrance was the stage where customers could go up and perform karaoke.
"What do you think?" he asked.
"This place seems cool," Lauren said.
She took a peak at the empty stage.
"Nobody seems to be singing right now. Should me do it now or later?"
Chase was hungry but he was nervous about the possibility of him tossing his cookies if performance anxiety took hold of him.
"Maybe best we eat afterwards."
Lauren took in the vacant platform and the long food lines. What topped it off was seeing somebody walk off with the last of the creamed spinach. Might be a few until they replenish it.
"You know what? I'm starting to agree."
"Now or never, right?" Chase sighed.
He was tempted to take her by the hand toward the stage but hesitated.
The pair got up and some people noticed them but were mostly focused on their food. It may be a public space, but karaoke doesn't exactly have expectations set high.
A server nodded to them and came up to turn on the machine. Now a screen came to life and would display the lyrics. Firs thing on the monitor appeared a list of songs listed alphabetically.
Lauren started scrolling through the monster of a roster to find something.
"Looking for anything in particular?" Chase asked.
"A duet," she said while keeping her focus on the screen. "Ah-ha!"
She selected the option and confirmed OK.
The instrumental began as the title of the song appeared on screen. Chase nodded, knowing this was a true duet. It would be both of them together throughout. He was thankful for her selection. Lauren could sing circles around anyone out here. So, she didn't want to add pressure by singing a part and then having him do his section. Her choice was deliberate. If he was going to sing, no way she was going to let him sing all alone.
Lauren gave Chase a nod to see that he was ready.
Chase nodded in return.
He blocked out the crowd and focused on her.
Don't go breaking my heart
I couldn't if I tried
Oh honey if I get restless
Baby you're not that kind
Don't go breaking my heart
You take the weight off of me
Oh honey when you knock on my door
Ooh, I gave you my key
They knew the song by heart, only checking for clarification of a line here and there. Lauren and Chase mostly looked at each other as they sang.
Ooh, nobody knows it
When I was down
I was your clown
Ooh, nobody knows it (Nobody knows it)
Right from the start
I gave you my heart
Oh, I gave you my heart
So don't go breaking my heart
I won't go breaking your heart
Don't go breaking my heart
People were really paying attention to them now, all with smiles on their faces.
And nobody told us
Because nobody showed us
And now it's up to us babe
Oh, I think we can make it
So don't misunderstand me
You put the light in my life
Oh, you put the spark to the flame
I've got your heart in my sights
Ooh, nobody knows it
When I was down
I was your clown
Ooh, nobody knows it (Nobody knows it)
Right from the start
I gave you my heart
Oh, I gave you my heart
Chase took a quick peak at the crowd and indeed, they were watching them. He could feel his heart pounding. But Lauren's reassuring face put his nerves at ease.
Don't go breaking my heart
I won't go breaking your heart
Don't go breaking my heart
Ooh, nobody knows it
When I was down
I was your clown
Right from the start
I gave you my heart
Oh, I gave you my heart
Don't go breaking my heart
I won't go breaking your heart
Don't go breaking my
Don't go breaking my
Don't go breaking my heart
Don't go breaking my
Don't go breaking my
I won't go breaking your heart
Don't go breaking my heart
Don't go breaking my
I won't go breaking your heart
Don't go breaking my heart
Don't go breaking my
I won't go breaking your heart
Don't go breaking my heart
Don't go breaking my
I won't go breaking your heart
Don't go breaking my heart
Don't go breaking my
I won't go breaking your heart
Don't go breaking my heart
Don't go breaking my
I won't go breaking your heart
Don't go breaking my heart
Nearly everyone in the restaurant cheered, even a couple of servers gave their approval. One table stood up as they applauded. Both teens blushed and bowed in gratitude and rushed off the stage.
"WOO! What a rush!" Lauren exclaimed.
"I know right!" added Chase.
She could see he was shaking but it wasn't like before. This wasn't fear. It was borderline euphoria.
"They loved you," she smiled.
"No, they loved you!" he pointed.
Lauren noticed an employee carrying a steaming tray filled with delicious green spinach.
"Buuuuuut not as much as I love spinach, let's eat!"
"I'm starving!"
"Hey, mom!"
Jade rubbed her eye as she looked up from her computer screen. She dozed off for a bit.
"Oh, hey, what's up?"
"Remember that play I was working on?" Alice asked.
"I remember a cavalcade of teenagers descending on my house, yes."
The girl shook her head at her mom's classic sarcasm.
"Well, the director was a real jerk and long story short, he quit."
"Oh no," Jade said. "Who are they gonna get?"
Alice broke her eye contact and blushed.
Jade folded her arms, her eyes growing big.
"No."
"Yeah," Alice said.
She charged toward her daughter and enveloped her in a tight hug.
"Sweetheart, that's great news! But how? I never heard of a freshman directing..."
"They actually picked me," Alice admitted.
"Whom?" Jade asked.
"All of them I think," she shrugged.
Suddenly Jade was thrusted back to her time in the theatre at school. Apart from the three-way rivalry between her, Tori and Cat for roles; Jade enjoyed her time on stage. She had directed a little herself, but it wasn't her thing in the long run.
Jade loved her daughter so much and seeing proof that other people could see the amazing girl she was filled her heart.
Today was such a nothing day and hearing this made her burst with pride and excitement.
"We need to celebrate!"
"Mom, it's no big deal."
She looked at Alice and saw a glimmer of herself.
It was an undertaking, but Jade recognized the ambition and confidence in her eyes. And she refused to undermine that by building up how big this whole thing was.
"You're right," Jade nodded. "It's no big deal because you got this!"
Alice smiled at her mom.
Most kids are embarrassed by their parents, but she had always been in awe of her. That said, while her praise had been abundant, it never stopped being special.
"But I insist we celebrate your first directing job!"
"Fair enough," Alice sighed while she hugged her mom.
"It's getting time, how about some dinner? Anything you want."
Alice put on her thinky face.
"I could go for some pizza to be honest."
Jade nodded and left with Alice to the kitchen to look for a takeout menu.
"And please get two this time," she added.
Her mom whipped around in mock surprise.
"WHAAAT? You didn't like the Hawaiian style last time?"
"Eww, mom! Pineapple does not belong on pizza!"
Jade gasped.
"How dare you?"
Lauren and Chase left the restaurant, feeling much better after having finally eaten.
"This was fun," she said.
"You were great up there," Chase said.
He felt like he must have said that a million times but couldn't help himself. He always loved her voice when she sang.
Lauren playfully smacked his chest.
"You, too!"
"I did feel bad for anyone that followed us," Chase said.
"Chase, nobody went up after us."
"Exactly! Kind of raised the bar."
The two chuckled, not holding hands but staying pretty close.
Lauren smiled.
"It still doesn't feel real, you know?"
"What?" asked Chase.
"Being finalists. I mean we're singing our song in front of everyone."
"Don't tell me you're nervous," smirked Chase.
"No way, boy! It's just different singing in front of a crowd this big without ladies wearing very fancy hats."
There were some things at school but Lauren's biggest audience growing up was always her congregation.
Chase took out his phone and sent Neil a text.
"Letting my uncle know to come by. Where's your ride?"
Lauren peered around Chase's tall frame and saw the red Chevy Impala pulling up.
"That's my mom," she explained.
He turned and started walking her to the parked car.
She rolled down her window as they got close.
"Hello, Mrs. Jackson!"
"Hello to you too, Chase. Did you both have a nice time?"
Before Lauren began to explain, he rushed over to open the passenger side door for Lauren.
The mother and daughter exchanged looks.
"Well, it's been great."
Chase swore to himself for such a clunky line.
"I had fun," Lauren said.
"Me, too."
Lauren put her hand on his shoulder, using that as stability so she could get on her tip toes and kiss him on the cheek.
chase_brooks . exe has crashed.
Do you need technical support?
The boy stood like a statue, so outside of his body, he doesn't remember closing the door for Lauren after she got inside.
The car pulled away as Chase's mind continued to be offline.
Suddenly, a taxi honking its horn snapped him out of it and he quickly got back on the sidewalk.
Now that the previous few seconds were replaying in his head, Chase held his cheek.
He pondered if you could have a heart attack at sixteen.