Writing Our Song Read Free

Actually, seeing as band practice is cancelled for tomorrow I was wondering if…you know… you’d like to… uh… maybe catch up and grab a bite to eat… uh… maybe a movie too?”  Blair asked, seeming to shy away from making eye-contact.
    “Oh… yeah.  Are Drew and Darrin coming?”
    “Well… no.  It’d be just… um… you and me.”
    I swallowed hard… could this really be happening?  After the last couple of years pining for him, and the last several months of being so-near-yet-so-far, I could hardly believe what my ears were telling me.  It had to be a misunderstanding, but what if he really was asking me out on a date?
    What would be worse?  Assuming he was, or assuming he wasn’t?  If he was just asking me out as a friend I’d look like such an idiot if I made myself look all pretty and stepped over some friendship-lines.  On the other hand, if it really was a date and I put out the wrong signals I might lose my one chance with him.  Oh boy.
    “Would it be a… date?”
    I clenched my eyes shut and faced forwards in the dim light of his car, unable to even look at him after having asked such an embarrassing question.
    “Yeah… if that’s OK with you.”
    My eyes opened again and I had to wrestle with my mouth to keep my smile looking sane when I turned to him.
    “I’d really like that,” I said.
    Blair visibly relaxed and let his hands fall off the steering wheel, shifting in his seat slightly and breaking into a smile.
    “Great!  I’ll pick you up around seven?”
    “Sounds good, see you then!”
    I went for the door handle, my mind racing with this whole situation, but Blair reached out and put his hand on mine.  I halted, looked down, and then up into his eyes.  I could have sworn that my skin was literally tingling where he touched me.
    “Bea… could I…”
    Blair didn’t finish his question, instead leaning over the central console towards me.  I sat there caught in a turmoil of emotions that must have averaged out to a shell-shocked-looking expression as he touched his lips to mine for my first kiss.
    I barely remembered I was supposed to close my eyes in time before he pulled away again, my own head following his for a few inches before my eyelids raised and I looked at him dumbfounded but happy.  After a few moments I closed my mouth and had to suppress the urge to giggle like an idiot.
    It was so perfect, I had to get out of there before I really made a fool of myself.  I opened the door and tried to get out only to find that my seatbelt was still on and I wasn’t going anywhere.  With a distinct lack of grace I collapsed fully back into the seat again and fumbled for the release button as my face burned.  Eventually I freed myself and stepped on to the curb.
    “See you tomorrow,” said Blair.
    “See ya, Blair.”

Chapter 2
    I was up so late sending text messages to my friends from under the covers of my bed that I slept-in the next day.  When I wandered into the kitchen and sat down at the table, my cheeks were actually hurting from all the smiling and I wondered if I had been grinning while I slept.
    My Dad looked up from the local newspaper he was reading and raised his eyebrows as he lifted his cup of coffee.  My Mom gave me a quick smile from the sink where she was doing some dishes.
    “Morning.  Check this out, you made the papers, can you believe that?  ‘Local band Apollo Gone set the stage alight with their crowd-pleasing covers’.”
    “No way!  Already?  Let me see!”
    “Your dad said you were amazing, honey, good job,” said my mom.
    “Thanks,” I said, scanning the article for the paragraph or whatever on us.
    “Yes, she really was,” said my dad, “all eyes were on the stage, it gave me ample opportunity to steal from all the stands immediately behind the crowd.  I’m keeping the cash for myself, but you two can choose your Christmas presents from the loot.  You’ll have to fight over the candied apple and the Seattle