This story features the song

Girl Crush by Little Big Town

and was written by Lori McKenna, Hillary Lindsey, Liz Rose

from the Little Big Town album Pain Killer

Author's Note: Originally I was going to end this story with the last part being Brenda's daydream. However, my proofreader sweetlips7477 here, was very vocal and livid with that ending. I still got my main idea for the ending and didn't really change much. So, did I choose the right ending? Feedback is appreciated.

Girl Crush

Brenda is standing a few feet away from the stage curtains watching as her acting classmate Pablo finishes up his original soliloquy based on "The Glass Menagerie" by Tennessee Williams. As she watches him, Donna and David approach her with two other men Brenda has seen around campus, but did not know personally.

After Donna had gotten Brenda's full attention, David, wearing his usual ensemble of jeans, white t-shirt, and gold chain; goes to introduce his friends to her. "Bren, I found someone to play guitar and drums for your performance. They are my classmates from music theory."

David continued, "Brenda this is Foster, he'll be on guitar." Brenda reached out her hand in greeting as the young black man with braids and wearing a Bob Marley t-shirt extended his. "It's my pleasure, Brenda," Foster smiled at her and she returned it.

Brenda turned toward the other young man who had long blond hair that seemed perfectly styled and was wearing an AC/DC t-shirt. David seeing Brenda looking at his friend, "Zach, your drummer this evening." Brenda smiled at him as Zach also shook her hand. Brenda looked at both men and thanked them for joining her.

Donna sized up Brenda's outfit, "Brenda you look wonderful. Blue jeans and that black lace blouse, classic you. Oh and your hair is so beautiful with those long loose waves." Brenda thanked Donna and took a look at Donna's outfit. "Wow, Donna," Brenda said aloud.

Donna gave Brenda a quick spin so Brenda could see the whole ensemble that featured various shades of pink, including an off the shoulder blouse paired with a tutu like skirt and matching sneakers. She wore her hair down with a headband that was yet another shade of pink. "That's a lot of pink, but it works on you," Brenda commented. Donna gave Brenda a big grin while David pulled Donna into a side hug, vocally agreeing with Brenda.

Donna watched as Pablo made his way off the stage and rushed by her. David, Brenda, Zach, and Foster were all huddled together nearby going over the song one last time. Donna joined them and spoke to Brenda. "Bren, I still feel weird about singing this song." Bren came closer to Donna, "Is it too much for you? If you're really that uncomfortable we can do it without you, but I really wanted you to do this with me. It'll be just like Hello Day in high school, well minus a couple people."

"But Bren, these lyrics, they seem a little suggestive, I don't know..." Brenda smirked as David spoke up then "I think that's the point, Donna. Bren is sending a message to someone in particular and she doesn't care who knows. She can't keep her feelings bottled up anymore."

Brenda embraced David in a hug as she thanked him for his support and understanding. Donna thought about it some more and agreed that Brenda needed him to know in no uncertain terms, but Dylan couldn't be that blind. In Donna's opinion it was causing him relationship issues because he felt the same about Brenda, she had seen it with her own eyes that he wanted Brenda back.

D'Shawn Hardell returned to the middle of the stage. "Thank you Pablo. Thanks to all of you for joining us for tonight's event. Next, we have Brenda Walsh with some friends to grace the stage. Please, let's give them a warm welcome."

As each one came out on stage and took their place, Donna and Brenda quickly exchanged a few words quietly. "Looks like everyone is here, I see Kelly and Steve together in the middle seats in aisle 3," Brenda stated. "You know who is seated with your brother and your parents aisle 4, middle but more toward the left," Donna replied. "Thanks Donna,"Brenda quickly replied.

Brenda took her position beside Donna making sure she was in the exact position to be in his direct line of sight as the music started. Dylan would always be one of her biggest supporters and she could use that to keep calm during the performance. She grabbed the microphone and began to sing.

I gotta girl crush, hate to admit it but

I gotta heart rush, ain't slowin' down

I got it real bad, want everything she has

That smile and that midnight laugh she's giving you now

Brenda started to loosen up and let herself feel the lyrics. She also decided to try to work the crowd a little by making quick eye contact with a few audience members. She found Kelly in the audience and her brother behind her to the left, she decided to concentrate on the person's shoulder who sat two rows behind Brandon instead of her brother.

I wanna taste her lips, yeah, 'cause they taste like you

I wanna drown myself in a bottle of her perfume

I want her long blonde hair, I want her magic touch

Yeah, 'cause maybe then you'd want me just as much

I gotta girl crush, I gotta girl crush

Kelly heard the lyrics and started to have questions run through her head. "What is Brenda getting at? Is Brenda singing about me, she wants to kiss me? Is she in love with me? No, that can't be it. Is it about Dylan? Is she trying to break us up? Does she know?"

"Everyone knows that Brenda still loved Dylan, but was she still in love with him? Does she know the state of her relationship with Dylan?" Other questions and thoughts continued to swirl in Kelly's head, but she was pulled out of her thoughts by Steve commenting about the song.

"Whoa, this is a hot song. Is it hot in here or is it just me?" As he said that he unbuttoned two buttons of his shirt and pulled at his collar. Then he sat up straighter in his seat and rubbed his hands together obviously eager to hear more.

Kelly looked over at Steve, and whispered in an irritated tone "Stop it, Steve." He looked over at Kelly, shrugged his shoulders and decided to give her the same attitude she gave him, "who put a bug up your ass?" Kelly just glared at him.

Kelly and Steve started to bicker until Brandon leaned forward, "Hello, I'm trying to watch and hear Bren's performance, take it outside or wait til she's done please." They both looked like children who had been caught and slouched down in their seats as they apologized to Brandon. The three of them turned their attention back to the stage.

I don't get no sleep, I don't get no peace

Thinkin' about her under your bed sheets

The way that she's whisperin', the way that she's pullin' you in

Lord knows I've tried, I can't get her off my mind

The first thought that Brandon had is apparently the gossip mill had not spread the word about Dylan and Kelly breaking up earlier that morning. Brandon knew about it because he had talked to both parties within the hour of the breakup. He wasn't sad about it because he knew how each one felt. Dylan couldn't lie to himself anymore, he was sorry that he had hurt Kelly, he thought his feelings for her were real. Dylan was even questioning why he had had the fling.

Brandon had thought it was because they both had been lonely. The other big reason was his own dad. Dylan had grown tired and seemed like he had given up in trying to get Jim to leave him and Bren alone, to see Dylan as separate from his own dad Jack. Brandon knew Dylan loved Bren deeply and still did, but he didn't think either were ready for the next step their relationship had progressed to, both were still too young. He knew he wasn't ready for his sister and best friend to take that next step and neither were his parents.

Brandon knew Kelly had been left to feel like she was being used as a place filler, that's even after everyone had told her that Dylan would not use someone like that, even Dylan himself. Brandon had talked with Kelly, she was clear that she knew Dylan had checked out of the relationship and had been wondering why he even had bothered to date her when his friendship with Brenda had pushed her aside so many times.

It had been days into her new relationship with Dylan that she could see he was still in love with Brenda, but she had worked so hard to get him to look her way. Kelly had confessed to Steve who had told Brandon, that things were not how she thought they should be, she found herself not liking who she was with Dylan and she missed Brenda's close friendship so much. Kelly had admitted that she felt she had put herself somewhere she didn't belong, but couldn't figure out how to get herself out and save face at the same time.

Brandon had thought Steve had been a little cruel with Kelly when he had told her that she made her bed and she'd just have to suck it up. All the secret conversations about Dylan and Kelly with each one themselves or Steve had left Brandon wondering if he himself had been ignoring his own long held feelings for Kelly. Could he have prevented this mess by not telling Kelly he saw her as a sister?

But, he had kept his feelings under wraps for Kelly because he had just as strong feelings for Andrea. He figured he was doing both girls a favor by not choosing to date either and maintaining close friendships with both. Brandon had been left with how his indecision had caused so much of a mess and had ended up breaking his twin sister's heart and possibly his close friends' as well.

One thing was for sure, Brandon was shocked that Brenda had gotten on that stage and had admitted to everyone in attendance that she was in love. He wasn't surprised that she made her feelings known, but the way she had done it, in such a public way had absolutely floored him. He did a quick glance over at Dylan thinking there was no way that their group of friends didn't know who she was singing about.

I wanna taste her lips, yeah, 'cause they taste like you

I wanna drown myself in a bottle of her perfume

I want her long blonde hair, I want her magic touch

Yeah, 'cause maybe then you'd want me just as much

I gotta girl crush

Dylan didn't know whether he should stay still or try to slouch down in his seat. He was feeling overwhelmed with emotions. In some ways he felt like running out of the building. Other ways he knew he couldn't leave if he tried, his body felt heavy. He just knew he did not want to draw attention to himself.

He couldn't deny that he was secretly thrilled that Brenda still loved and wanted him so deeply, he just hoped it didn't show on his face that he felt the same because he wasn't ready to say it aloud. He had caught Brandon glancing in his direction, had even seen Kelly and Steve look back at him. He was relieved that Donna and David were on stage and not in the audience. He was also relieved that Andrea wasn't there due to her ordered pregnancy bed rest. Currently, what he couldn't take was the staring he was getting from Jim and Cindy Walsh.

He could tell that Jim was highly bothered by the song's lyrics and that he had already connected the dots that Brenda had feelings that matched them that were about him. While Jim wanted to watch Dylan's reaction he seemed like he'd also like the floor to swallow him. To Dylan, Jim came across as a man that didn't think certain thoughts should be made so public. Dylan was getting the same vibe from Cindy. Every time he looked in her direction, she was staring at him trying to read him, he knew the look. Just like Jim, the lyrics made her uncomfortable, but trying to read Dylan had distracted her from her unease.

After a few moments Dylan had decided he would do his best to ignore the Walsh stares as best as he could. He tried to think where Bren's head was with her performing this song that she was obviously telling him something. Or he at least hoped he was reading things right. His last thought was did he want to try again with Bren, did she want to try again with him? He glanced around and found himself looking directly in front of him that would make him have direct eye contact with Brenda.

I gotta girl crush, hate to admit it but

I gotta heart rush, it ain't slowin' down

As Brenda finished the song she locked eyes with Dylan. She tried to compose herself, but she couldn't keep the tears from running down her face. To her surprise, she saw Dylan wipe a tear from his eye too. As she kept staring at him she knew that he was reading her innermost feelings because she was reading his. They had dropped their walls to each other.

She watched as he approached her, even coming up on the stage with her. He came right in front of her, tried to wipe her tears away, then pulled her into a tight embrace and crashed his lips onto hers. They didn't care what anyone thought, were oblivious to anyone around them, they were lost in their kiss. A kiss that was very similar to their very first kiss.