Will It Be Forever

“Can I ask you something?”

AJ paused for a moment and looked up at Matt. They had been hanging out at her place, watching Hell Boy Two because it had just come out on DVD and she didn’t mind the pause, but the question had sort of caught her off guard. She raised an eyebrow as he kept his arm around her. It must not be a bad question then. “Sure,” she said sitting up a bit more. “What is it?”

She watched his cheeks flush for a moment. Aw… Oh. Wait. Shit. She had a feeling what was going on if he was getting embarrassed liked that. He swallowed hard for a moment before looking away. Her eyebrows furrowed for a moment as she felt her heartbeat starting to race as he looked back at her. She watched his hazel eyes settle their gaze on her and here came his question, “I was wondering if you’d like to take the next step.” The next step…

Oh. AJ couldn’t help but crack a small smile. “Matt…” She started and he moved his arm from around her and held her hand. It wasn’t like they were really that intimate. They hadn’t had sex because AJ honestly didn’t think that Matt was ready for that, but who knew? She hadn’t asked.

“I haven’t exactly asked out a girl for a while,” he told her, “So I’m a bit rusty.” It was AJ’s turn to blush. That was what she had liked so much about Matt. He had a way of making her feel like she was in high school, and in a good way.

“Oh babe,” she started and leaned in and kissed him. “Yes,” she told him, “I’d love to.”

“So yes?”

“I just said that.”

“Just checking.” He unpaused the movie and they went back to watching it. Personally, AJ didn’t like the movies but Matt was a fan. She cuddled close to him and yawned a bit. It was almost at the end of the month. She had two weeks to start on seeing whether or not he would sing again. AJ had seen him on stage and that was where he had looked really happy. She just wanted to see the look on his face again when he was doing what he loved.

“Matt,” AJ began, “Can it be my turn to ask the question?”

He looked down at her and let the movie continue. He raised an eyebrow for a moment. Oh, yes Mr. Sanders, how was it to finally be at the other end of the question asking? She smiled a bit at him and he replied, “Yeah. Sure. What’s up?”

“Why don’t you sing anymore?”

A shadow fell over Matt’s face (no pun intended). He didn’t look too happy with her question but AJ figured that it was going to come up eventually. “I just…” His voice trailed off. What? Did he not even know anymore? AJ sighed heavily and waited for him to continue. “I just lost inspiration to a long time ago,” he finished. AJ moved her legs over his lap and looked at him.

“Did you ever think that you could get it back?” She asked. Matt looked away from her for a moment. She would’ve given anything to know what he was thinking then.

“I haven’t thought about it,” he told her in a low voice. He turned his head back to look at her and gave her a small smile. “Why?”

“Because I want to see you sing again,” she told him. “I’ve seen what you looked like on stage babe and you looked so happy.”

“I am happy.” Was he kidding? Of course she knew he was happy. They were happy together but in her opinion there was just something missing from Matt and that was it. AJ knew that it was going to be hard to get him to go back on stage but it’s something she’d do. Or at least try to do.

AJ felt her eyebrows furrow together for a moment. “Are you sure?” She asked him. Matt looked at her and then leaned in, giving her a kiss. He put their foreheads together and pulled her closer to him.

“Quite sure,” he told her. AJ looked at him and then a smile spread across her face. “What?” Matt asked. AJ made a motion like she was zipping her lips as she got up. “Heeey,” he groaned and tried to grab her but she slipped out of his reached. She grabbed her jacket and turned to look at him as she made her way to the door.

“Coming or not?” She asked.

Matt sat there for a moment. “Where are we going?” He countered.

“It’s a secret,” she said and started to wave her hand, making a motion for him to follow her. “Now come on,” she added before whipping out her phone to text a few people. She had an idea and hopefully it was going to work.

-Time relapse-

“You’ve got to be shitting me.”

“Is she serious?”

AJ looked at the girls for some back up. Leana chuckled a bit as she lifted both of her hands and smacked Jimmy and Brian in the back of their heads. “Shut up,” she said. “As far as I’m concerned, I think this is a good thing so you.” She paused and pointed at Jimmy. “Better help.” Gena and Lacey laughed a bit and looked at Zacky and Johnny, letting them know the same thing applied to them. AJ had noticed that Michelle hadn’t shown… Not like she had expected her to but still… She was beginning to think that there was no winning with her.

“He doesn’t know yet,” AJ told them.

Brian laughed as he raised an eyebrow. “And you picked that song?” He asked. Amusement had taken over his features along with his voice. AJ looked at him. She didn’t see anything wrong with the song and as long as Matt was in the bathroom, she figured that the plotting would work.

“I think it’s an adorable song,” Lacey said.

“Of course you would,” Jimmy teased and she flipped him off. AJ grinned a bit. Oh yeah. This was the song. Outside it didn’t exactly say that it was a karaoke bar so that didn’t give it away. Oh, Matt was going to hate her after tonight but it was going to be worth it. Plus… Everyone would be able to get a few laughs in.

“Alright,” AJ started. “Gena tell the DJ to put those lyrics on the monitor. Matt’s coming.” She looked at Brian. “Don’t give it away,” she warned him. He tried to look innocent but it just wasn’t his thing.

“Would I do that?” Brian asked as Gena walked away. Everyone just stared at him and answer ‘yes’ in unison. AJ sat down nervously, wondering if she was going to get a bad reaction out of tonight. She didn’t want to piss Matt off but she really did believe that this could help him out big time. It looked like he was starting to move on and singing again was just the next step.

Matt took a seat next to her and she turned to kiss his cheek. “You’re up to something,” he said in a low voice. He was starting to know her all too well, so all AJ did was stick her tongue out at him as she saw Gena coming back towards them. The other woman winked at her and she heard Matt let out a scoff. “Spill it,” he started, “Or I’ll kick someone’s ass.”

“Next up. Johnny Dawson with ‘Be Yourself’ by Audioslave,” the DJ announced over the speaker. No one had replied back to Matt but they just watched this Johnny guy go through with his song. AJ had to admit that he wasn’t bad. Maybe this would encourage Matt a bit.

“I’d hate to go up there,” he said making a face. Jimmy let out a cough and Matt looked around with a cocked eyebrow. “What?” He asked. AJ bit her lower lip as they all looked at her. “No way,” Matt started.

“Next up Matt Sanders singing…Abba’s ‘Dancing Queen’.” AJ saw something fly at her head and she ducked.

“No way in hell,” he protested and refused to leave his seat. Then Jimmy and Zacky started a ‘Matt’ chant that the rest of the bar had joined in on. Matt looked straight at me. “Of all the songs,” he said flatly as she puckered her lower lip.

“Oh come on. It’ll be fun,” she started and Matt narrowed his eyes at her. He stood up and the crowd started to cheer.

-Matt’s POV-

Dear God, someone shoot him now. He couldn’t believe that AJ would pull something like this on him but he had to admit, it was something that he should’ve expected. Especially since she had gotten the guys in on it. He had a feeling that something else was up but he was going to let that go later.

He had to sing.

He winced at the thought. Matt listened to the crowd cheer. He had to sing a ridiculous song. If he had a choice, he wouldn’t have picked that song… Maybe that’s why AJ did it in the first place… Because if he had a choice, he wouldn’t have done it at all. He went up to the small little stage that the bar had set up for this sort of thing and picked up the mic.

The music started and Matt’s eyes went straight to the monitor. He didn’t know the lyrics. Oh he was going to look like an ass. The yellow words flashed across the screen and he started to sing, “You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life. See that girl, watch that scene, digging the Dancing Queen. Friday night and the lights are low, looking out for the place to go where they play the right music, getting in the swing. You come in to look for a king. Anybody could be that guy, night is young and the music's high with a bit of rock music, everything is fine. You're in the mood for a dance and when you get the chance...” He held out the last note and the music continued. He heard more cheers. Maybe he wasn’t doing so bad.

He looked over at the table with his friends there. AJ was smiling at him and he couldn’t help but crack a small smile. It faded when he heard the catcalls coming from Brian. Shit head. Well… He might as well get into it. “You are the Dancing Queen, young and sweet, only seventeen. Dancing Queen, feel the beat from the tambourine. You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life. See that girl, watch that scene, digging the Dancing Queen.” Matt found himself actually dancing along. What the hell was wrong with him? He shook his head and went over to his friends table and pulled AJ out of her seat.

“Oh no,” she started and he watched her face flush red. He asked her to be his girlfriend earlier and then she pulled this? Oh it was payback time…

“Sing with me,” he said in the mic which caused their spectators to erupt with more cheers.” He flashed a grin at AJ as they made their way back to the small little stage. “You're a teaser, you turn 'em on,” he sang and then AJ decided to join in, “Leave them burning and then you're gone, looking out for another, anyone will do. You're in the mood for a dance and when you get the chance...” The music started to go a little faster and Matt grabbed AJ’s hand, making her dance with him. He even pulled the old fashion ‘booty bump’ with her. He watched her laugh and at least they were having a good time together.

He wrapped his arm around her and twirled her around as he started to sing the last of the song, “You are the Dancing Queen, young and sweet, only seventeen. Dancing Queen, feel the beat from the tambourine. You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life. See that girl, watch that scene, digging the Dancing Queen.” Matt pulled back as the music faded and bowed towards AJ. He made a face at her as he heard the applause.

AJ blushed and it looked like she was the one regretting making him sink. Oh his payback had just begun. He leaned in and kissed the top of her head before whispering in her ear, “Thank you.”