And So the Romance Blooms

It all started with a small room in which twenty seven people took temporary residence in for the night. Eight out of the twenty seven were members of two local bands, three were merchandise crew for the bands and the rest were kids who had come along just for the hell of it. A young girl stepped through the doors haphazardly; it was obvious she had been dragged along against her will by some of her friends. It was also obvious that this was new to her as she did not wave or make conversation with anyone else in the room except with the ones who had entered the room with her. She kept herself hidden, tucked behind a corner between a table, the sound boards and a small fridge of bottled water. The lights were already set up and pulsed slowly around the stage area though no musicians had stepped upon it yet.

"Hi, I'm Lee," A young boy with short hair spoke up behind her, shooting his hand out instinctively to shake. The girl responded with a confused look but shook his hand nonetheless.

"I'm one of the guitarists for a band playing tonight, Bring me the Horizon? You probably haven't heard of us, you look like one of the newer kids, anyway. It's great that you came out, though; we need all the support we can get, really. Hope you enjoy yourself," and with that he smiled and left her to be.

She was confused. Whilst the gesture was friendly enough, it still made her ponder as none of the other bands nor their members came up to greet her. They laughed with the few that came every week without fail, instead. The next moment her thoughts were distracted as the lights above them turned off and orange and blue lights turned on above the stage, circling it in a slow haze. A group of four men and a female vocalist stepped up to play and smiled at the crowd enthusiastically before the night officially began.

-

"So, I turned to Oli and said, 'We've got to do this mate, no way can we pass up an opportunity like this' and he nods his head cockily and agrees and we get up there and play like absolute maniacs. 'Course, the only one moshing was Oli and the only head bangers were us lot," Curtis, the other guitarist in the band smirked as he spoke, eyes turned to the side as though he was watching the memory unfurl dramatically beside him. Lee continued the story for him as he smiled and laughed occasionally, shaking his head at the antics.

"So, we finish our set up and the kids just look at us like we're idiots, we laugh, say goodnight and then as we take our gear back to the boot of the car, a kid runs up to us and asks for a picture. We agree, thinking maybe it'll help spread the word about us, plus we felt like celebrities.

"So, we take the picture and all, and then she turns to face us one last time and says 'Thanks guys, that's right nice of you. Who knew Gene Simmon's son and his mates were so nice?' We've all agreed that she was referring to Oliver as his son, though," he finished up and Oliver glared at him. The group laughed, Curtis patting Oliver on the back. Oliver's glare was still evident and he held his head in his hands, pouting slightly.

The conversation eventually turned into a slow murmur of voices and the large group turned into five separate conversations. The boy named Lee turned again to the young new girl. He smiled and she smiled feebly back before directing her eyes towards the table top. The material was very similar to linoleum but slightly different, though whatever it was she couldn't quite put her finger on it. His voice brought her out of her own world and she peered at him curiously as he spoke.

"You know, I never got your name but you know mine. So, what's your name?" he asked while playing with a loose thread in his jacket's sleeve.

"Oh, it's Jenny," she smiled. She smoothed a wrinkle out of the table before Lee continued with the questions.

"How old are you, Jen?" Lee questioned, accentuating on the girl's name before smiling as though he was a child who'd just been given free ice cream.

"I'm sixteen and a half, yourself?" she replied before tilting her head to the side and waiting for his answer. It came in a slightly muffled voice as he began to wipe his sleeve against his mouth after having a sip of soft drink. "Seventeen in two weeks," he replied before taking another sip.

"We're not very far apart, then," she murmured, mostly to herself.

"Yeah, I reckon," he agreed before taking another sip, this one the longer of them. He sighed happily before pushing the cup aside lazily.

The groups around them had now begun to put their jackets on and some brought beanies out from their pockets before shoving it roughly down onto their heads, matting their hair in the process. Lee did the same with a beanie before rubbing his hands together and breathing through them. The pair became a part of another discussion with a separate group and was soon laughing and smiling with the others. An hour later, the now conjoined groups left with a squeaking of metal against plastic before a rattle of keys, a jingle above the doorway and an occasional beeping tune as they got into one another's or their own cars.

Jenny left with her friends, one of which was slightly tipsy even though the take away restaurant they were at hadn't served alcohol from what she could see. Mentally, she shrugged it off and physically she took no notice of knowing about the stench on her friend's breath or the unnecessary giggling. The only thing she could really focus on, curiously enough, was the scratch of her nails against the linoleum-like material before Lee had caught her name.

-

Jenny awoke the next morning in her bed with a slightly scratchy voice and very tired eyes. She yawned and rubbed at her eyes before pushing her body forward and her arms back, stretching and waking up at the same time. She proceeded to get up before flicking the stereo on, uncaring of what song was on. As long as it was a Cd, she knew she would be safe with her choices.

She walked softly into the kitchen, her feet padding their way down a bland hallway, before going to the cupboard and getting a bowl and box of cereal down. She got the milk and spoon and tossed it all together quickly before munching quietly into it. It was a Sunday, which meant it was her quiet time as well as her relaxation day. She smiled as she thought of the books she would re-read and possible markets that could be open to buy antiques and an odd arrangement of furniture and place settings from. Her thoughts were interrupted as she felt her pockets vibrate.

She slipped her blue phone out before opening the message, are you up for the movies today? The new comedy one, 12:45, usual location, the boys from bring me the horizon will be there. Reply ASAP! She smiled before replying with a simple yes, excited to see the movie and also to see the boys again. They had been great fun to hang out with, and she could only imagine what sort of antics they would get up to during the movie. Part of her also wanted to see Lee again; he was the first of the boys to talk to her and had made sure she was included during every conversation whenever she was around him. She felt loved and comfortable when she was around him. Mentally, she put this down to just connecting well with him, but emotionally something else was brewing beneath it all.

She decided against the part that wanted to rest and proceeded to throw her phone onto the table and go and get ready. Forty-five minutes later, she was ready and heading out the door to catch the bus. She made it there just in time and was met with a squeal before her friend came up and ran to hug her. She laughed back and ran over to her as well, both enfolding each other in a hug and compliments before turning to the others. The boys either nodded or smiled in greeting to Jenny and she smiled at each of them, smiling more exuberantly to Lee before the group joined together in a messy line formation and passed through the electric sensor motion doors.

They each paid for their tickets, a somewhat tedious process but necessary nonetheless and proceeded to the ticket merchant. It was a kid roughly the same age as them, the only difference being that he was in uniform and clearly didn't want to be there. He directed them to their cinema before moving onto the next lot of ticket holders. They ran over and squished through the doors before running up the cushioned path and into the smooth, velvet like seats. Jenny smiled to herself as she sat down and quickly became comfortable, only just before she heard a faint growl and giggle emit from the other end of the row. A voice whispered in her ear as her face took on a questioning look.

"Oli is the screamer in the band, and he often growls or screams out of boredom. However, I'm guessing your friend has a thing for vocalists and he fancies her and decided to show off," she nodded and turned to face Lee before giving him a smile. He exchanged it before turning to the screen.

A few more growls and ads later, the movie started up. She sipped quietly on a drink her friend had brought for her, watching intently as the plot thickened in the movie but also noting the eyes that scanned her face beside her every few minutes when the darkness wasn't lifted by the movie. A particularly dark scene came up, picturing the inside of a cliff or dark room, she wasn't quite sure, but the whole time the scene played the eyes never left her face. The scene was a good ten minutes long before a torch was turned on by one of the characters and the cinema was lit up again. She could feel her body flood with calm as this happened but noticed the body that belonged to the eyes tensed in fear of being caught. She carefully held back a laugh and took a long sip of her drink again before placing it back into its holder. She lost track of the movie and instead watched from the corner of her eyes as the other pair of eyes casually flickered to her own.

It had barely been five minutes into this before she got a text message saying, just kiss the boy all ready! She glared in a joking manner at her friend who smiled innocently before turning to face Lee. He pretended to watch the screen and gracefully turned to face her, faking curiosity.

"What is it? Have I got butter on my face?" he asked, wiping at his cheek before smiling. She leaned over to him and he looked slightly shocked but this soon wore off as she began to whisper in his ear.

"Lee, I'm going to kiss your cheek. Kiss my other cheek and turn to the side slightly. Our hair should cover our faces, plus my friend wants to see it happen," she explained the joke to him before showing him the text message. He smirked before giving her the phone back. She smiled genially at him before they began the joke. Curtis, who was sitting on the other side of Lee, leaned forward slightly to watch before realising what was going on. He faked a look of horror, going along with the joke, before patting Matt Kean's shoulder, who looked extremely disturbed before nudging Nicholls.

He had a look of astonishment written on his face for a good five minutes before deciding it best to punch Oli in the shoulder and point out the scene to him. Oli, however, was in a deep kiss with Jenny's friend and told him to bugger off. He looked like he was going to kill Nicholls as he finally turned around after Nicholls had constantly punched his shoulder but then broke into a fit of laughter. Jenny's friend was smiling like a person who had just taken marijuana, but soon had her jaw dropped and eyes bulging.

"Jenny! I didn't mean for you to actually do it!" she exclaimed loudly, but Jenny moved the pair's hair to reveal what was really going on. Her friend scowled slightly and turned back around in her seat before smiling wickedly at Oliver. The rest of the group turned back to the screen once they had noticed this, but Jenny didn't seem to be able to concentrate.

Tingles had started up in her cheek as Lee had gently pressed his lips against her delicate skin and heat had flown into her face as his hair tickled along her neck. She stitched her eyebrows together, mentally shaking the not-so distant memory out of her head before attempting to focus on the plot again. She stared at the screen, confused by the dialogue and why the main character was now in tears when a mere minute ago she had been laughing with her friends. The main character held up a picture and it dawned on Jenny then that the main character's fiancée had just passed away. She let out a sad sigh and sympathised with the lead, even if they were fictional and couldn't see her doing so.

Lee, however, was empathising with the lead. He knew what it was like to have lost someone you loved so deeply. His eyes felt dull and ached, so he rubbed at them. Jenny mistook this for tears and laid her hand onto his when it was placed gently back onto the arm rest. Could it be possible? they both thought as they exchanged smiles.

-

As the group travelled around the shopping centre, they decided to split into pairs to find the best place to hide out. Lee and Jenny opted for the top floor of the shops and found a small, glass cubicle which included a lift and a perfect view of all the levels below. They both leaned over a small metal railing to view the scenes erupting below. Oliver and Jenny's friend kissing at the food court and Kean joking around with Nicholls. Curtis and a friend he had found were nowhere to be seen. Mothers with daughters, elderly women with young children, workers. Nothing of real interest to be seen, but a somewhat curious scene nonetheless.

"Do you think the others will find us up here?" Lee asked casually as they watched the colourful scene play out before them.

"Not for another ten minutes or so, I'd say," Jenny replied. Lee nodded in understanding before turning around, leaning his back and hands on the railing before sighing quietly. It was a comfortable quiet with a low ambience noise of traffic and slow conversation winding its way into the pair's ears. No words could be made out, but it was calming enough for the two. Jenny quietly admired the levels below while Lee thoughts got the better of him. He wondered who Jenny really was, not just the person she was when around them. He knew very little about her other than she was nervous in new places, younger by a few months, and enjoyed movies and her friend. He turned to face her and gave her a questioning look, however she couldn't see him as her eyes were closed now, but she was smiling still. Who are you? He thought to himself before sighing again.

-

"Lee?" Jenny asked after him, roaming around a dimly lit house with blaring music. Her friend had decided to go to a party and she and the boys were invited along. Her friend and the majority of the boys were in the back room drinking and dancing as much as possible. Lee and Curtis were the ones who had decided to be the drivers for the night, so couldn't touch the alcohol that was on offer. Curtis was under the most pressure as he stayed in the room with the drunks and was looking at a bottle of Schooners with a desperate plea for just one drop written across his features.

"Curtis, have you seen Lee?” Jenny asked him as she approached the group before Curtis replied with a shrug of his shoulders before a light bulb seemed to appear above his head and he smiled brightly.

"Actually, I think I saw him in the lounge room. He looked really bored, and I have to admit I feel his pain," Curtis answered, throwing a look at the bottle again with solemn eyes. Jenny thanked him before heading to the lounge room. He was where Curtis had directed, and was in the same state Curtis had described. Jenny walked over to where he was sitting and smiled at him before sitting on his knee lightly. He smiled at her and held her waist to prevent her from falling or losing balance.

"Lee, do you believe in anything philosophically related?" she asked, a seemingly random question. He pondered for a moment or two before nodding with a more or less expression evident on his face.

"What about fate or infatuation?" she asked, slightly more cautious now. He nodded and smiled before replying with, "many a time have I believed in infatuation and followed it like the highest religion," before Jenny nodded slowly in understanding.

"Do you believe in love?" she asked, averting her eyes to just above his face now. He considered the question for a few minutes before nodding slowly.

"If you don't believe in love, then it's like saying you've given up on life in a way, isn't it?" he questioned. She nodded again in understanding before giving him a curious lopsided grin. Oliver came over shortly with Jenny's friend practically hanging off him.

"Hey guys! You know something? You guys would make the best couple in Sheffield! Apart from me and her and my awesome hair, that is," Oli winked before departing, heading to a case of Baileys now instead of the Schooners.

Jenny looked attentively at Lee and considered it. Couple. it wouldn't be so bad, Lee's smile had already made a small part of her love him, but what if they did get together? What would happen? Would it be too sudden or perfect timing? As she considered this, Lee considered if now would be the right time to kiss her or not. Jenny turned to face him and smiled, but her eyes still held the inquisitive look that Lee loved, even if it confused him and wanted him to know her thoughts and how she really felt. He finally decided with himself what his choice would be.

Lee tentatively leaned forward and smiled at her before slowly rubbing the small of her back, leaning further and further forward into her until he could feel the hot breath emitting from her lungs onto his lips, until he could smell the juice she had drunk an hour or so before and a mint lolly she'd had a few minutes ago, until the only thing he could see when he looked at her were her icy eyes boring into his own. Now or never, he thought to himself before delicately placing his lips onto hers.

He made it a quick peck and pulled away, leaving them both to ponder about it. Weren't there meant to be fireworks? They both thought to themselves, looking onto opposite sides of the room with a questioning look. They slowly turned back to face forward and Jenny looked sideways at him with a curious look. She felt her hand lift up and turn his face towards hers before she kissed him, no hesitations or long waiting.

There they are they both thought to themselves as each fought to beat each other based on how deep they could make the kiss, and for how long. Jenny ran her fingers through Lee's dark hair, lifting the beanie he was wearing off in the process, letting it drop to the floor with a dull, soft thud. Lee leaned into Jenny and wrapped both arms around her waist, moving her closer to him in his need to feel her skin on his and to close the paper thin gap between them as much as physically possible. They slowly broke apart, inhaling deep but quiet breaths as they did so, keeping eye contacted once their lids had lifted.

"That was...Nice," Jenny slowly smiled at Lee and he nodded, still feeling slightly euphoric.

"Definitely nice," he added and she giggled before intertwining their fingers and pulling him up.

"Come on," she began, "best we go take the others home now," she told him, walking him over to the other side of the room. He groaned and asked why, making her giggle again.

"Because, silly, they'll think we'd have been abducted, or worse, gone home," she told him.

"Don't worry, love, if anyone ever tried to steal you away I'd stop them. They wouldn't be able to cope with my strength and witty comebacks," he smiled, letting their hands swing and drop before snaking an arm around her waist.

"My hero," she smiled up at him and pecked the underside of his jawbone before pulling him through to the next room. She scanned the area quickly before walking through more and more rooms throughout the house at a quick and determined pace.

-

"Lee Malia, you dog, you!" Curtis laughed at the approaching figures as he noticed Lee's arm around Jenny's waist and the slight bruising on his lips. Jenny's cheeks developed a faint pinkish tinge to them and Lee merely smiled and laughed it off. Too quickly, too soon, Jenny thought to herself but the thought was pushed away by Lee's comforting grip. Never too soon, came into her head instead and she smirked. It had been a wonderful day and everyone left the party shortly after, slightly buzzed, slightly dazed but with the widest grins on their faces and the loudest laughter known to man.

Lee drove Jenny home last and kissed her quickly on the cheek when he'd dropped her off, giving her a short wave and smile as he accelerated onto a street opposite her house to get to his house. Lee had conquered few things in his life, but he was glad to now be able to say that Romance was one of them, as was love. What he felt for Jenny was, in his eyes, indescribable, a word that couldn't be properly described by any language and a feeling one would be unable to plant into a song without properly understanding and going through the same emotions as a person in love did. Even those who did know what it felt like would have difficulty with it. He smiled and shortly pulled up in the driveway of his home.

Jenny sat in her room, cross-legged and staring out her window, watching as the trees swayed slightly in the swift September air, watching as the leaves grew back and drew colour onto their stems and as Lee's figure retreated towards his home. It had been an interesting two days, and today only confirmed that her question on whether or not it was too sudden, was dead wrong. She got up and switched her Cd player on, a slow piano piercing through the speakers before a quiet voice seeped through. She smiled and swayed slightly to it, picturing Lee sitting and listening to it with her before leaning over and kissing her slowly and lovingly while she carefully caressed his face. She played the daydream over and over again in her head until she wanted it so badly that she had no other choice, or so she thought, to call him. Lee was in his room and practising guitar and didn't hear the first three rings until he noticed the flashes of light next to him. He quickly answered and smiled as he heard the beautiful voice of his angel.

"Hey Lee, I know it's barely been a half hour since I last saw you and that it's nearly two in the morning, but could you come over? I've got something I need to show you," she asked, weighing out her words in her head before deciding to use them.

"Yeah, I'll be right over hon," he replied with a smile before telling her he loved her and would be over shortly.

He knocked on her door firmly a mere five minutes later, still regaining composure in the rush to get to her house. He coughed shakily and breathed deeply for a few seconds before she opened the door. She smiled brightly at him and pulled him in by the hand. He smiled back at her and was quickly escorted to her room where she pulled him down onto the floor next to her. She hit play on her stereo before resuming her spot next to him. He smiled and crawled his fingers over to hers, letting them entangle and join together. They swayed softly and with very little speed before she leaned over and kissed him. It was soft, sweet and meaningful. She pulled away unwillingly and watched as Lee's eyes opened once more.

"What was it that you wanted to show me, love? That you have complete and total control of my heart?" he whispered to her before enfolding her in a hug.

"Maybe. But, that was my daydream, and I felt it would be a good one to share with you," she whispered back, seemingly memorised by his eyes. Such a beautiful shade and shape, she felt like they were made for her to fall in love with him.

They stayed, staring into one another's eyes and letting the music play to flow through them, going through each emotion of the song with one another. A dream come true, a reality long awaited. They continued to stare well into the hours of the rest of the night and the following morning, uncaring of the fact that barely a word had passed but knowing it was okay for that to not happen. Jenny eventually fell asleep with Lee still holding her, and Lee drifted off soon after. Jenny dreamed of a grand piano floating above her and Lee dancing with her to the tune below it, while Lee dreamed of a week spent in his room with only Jenny, the only necessary thing being to hold and keep her safe. Even in dreams, they could not escape their love. As they woke up, they smiled and exchanged a quick kiss.

"I love you, Lee Malia," Jenny told Lee before smiling at him with tired eyes.

"I know love, I love you, too," Lee replied before kissing her again. More than you'll ever hope to know.