Sweet Caroline

I looked to Michelle, who was over by the drink table, and her jaw was dropped too.

“What the…” I whispered under my breath, heading over to where she was standing.

“What is this?!” she screamed over the music, her eyes wide. “Isn’t this what we heard Brendan and Tanner playing?” She gestured up to the stage. I nodded, my arms going to cross over my chest. I wasn’t even listening to the lyrics. I was too…shocked. “So are they...?” She nods towards the stage again, and I nod back.

“They must be.” It was true. Brendan and Tanner were one half of the YouTube sensation, Skyliners. My best friend was the bassist of one of my favorite bands, and he hadn’t even told me. What. The. Crap? We waited till the end of the song, then, once they’d stepped off stage and out of the gym, we followed them back into the dressing room. Without even acknowledging that they could be half naked for all we knew, I stormed into the entry room. At the same time, Brendan was coming into the entry room from the separate bathroom. I grabbed him by the collar (literally), without even thinking, and shoved him against the wall. I surprised even myself. I must have been really pissed, because I’m usually, to put lightly, a total wimp.

“Whoa, Care, what’s wrong?” I fought the urge to laugh, but was afraid that given the situation, it might come out as a cackle.

“What’s wrong?” I screeched. “What’s wrong?” I tightened my grip on his shirt and pushed harder on his shoulder, pressing him against the brick. “I’ll tell you what’s wrong! I just worked out that my best friend of two freaking years didn’t tell me that he’s part of an insanely popular YouTube band that we both listen to.” He didn’t even deny it. He just looked at me, then down to the ground.

“It was the song wasn’t it?”

“Yes it was the song!” I practically screamed.

“I thought maybe you recognized me on stage.” I looked at his outfit. I guess I should have figured. It was classically Brendan. He was wearing those purple Vans he always did.

“And the mask you’re holding behind your back…” I pulled it from his hand, holding it in front of his face. “It totally wasn’t obvious or anything.” He looked at me, looking slightly guilty, and then, before I could say anything else or scream more, before I could react, Brendan had grabbed my shoulder in the same way and flipped me around, pinning me against the wall.

And the next thing I knew, he was kissing me. Not just a peck, either. It was total lip lock, his hand moving up to cup the side of my face, the other one, still holding the mask, roughly grabbing my waist. And without thinking, I was kissing him back, my arms wrapping around his neck. I could feel the hard edge of his mask hitting my side through the fabric of my dress, and I savored in the feeling of the way the hairs on the back of his neck stood straight up the entire time. What pulled us out of it was a loud, low whistle. We broke apart to see Michelle, Tanner, AJ and Garrett standing in the doorway to the dressing room. The three guys were in the matching red shirts.

“Really,” I said, laughing. “AJ and Garrett too?” They laughed, and I looked at Brendan. His hands had dropped to wrap around my waist, and he looked me in the eye for a minute, before looking at everyone else.

“Uhm, guys,” he said plainly. None of them took the hint. “Can we get a little privacy?” They laughed, but went back into the dressing room. Michelle was probably freaking out. Typical her. But, I on the other hand, had a million things going through my head at once.

“How long have you…?” I gestured to the space between us, and he smiled.

“Would you kill me if I said since I met you?” My eyes widened.

“Seriously?” He nodded. “What the heck? If I’d known…” I looked to the side, and saw him smile.

“If you’d know, you would’ve what?” I laughed, pecking him on the lips.

“Why didn’t you tell me about Skyliners?” I questioned, watching his face. His eyes went dark, guilty, and he looked back at me.

“I was worried you’d be mad,” he said. “Our songs aren’t really for girls to sing, and we already had a guitarist with Garrett, so…I thought you’d be mad because we didn’t ask you to be in the band.” I tried not to laugh.

“You thought I’d be mad? I’m madder that you didn’t tell me then anything!” He smiled.

“Well I guessed you’d figured it out after you heard us practicing last week. I mean, those lyrics are kind of obvious.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Did you not get them?” I guiltily shook my head, and he smiled and pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket, handing it to me. I unfolded it and leaned against the wall. “I couldn’t use your first name. It’d be way too obvious,” he said, pointing to the word at the top, which happened to be my middle name.

Ashley-Ashley, baby. We’re going down slowly, take me. I’ve heard the worst, but honestly, I can’t get over you.

I looked back up at him. “Can’t get over me, eh?” I laughed, and poked him in the shoulder. He smiled and pulled me close to him again, kissing me for a third time. It all made sense. The only person I knew who was good enough with computers to be able to hide all the stuff on the Youtube and Myspace was Garrett. And the fact that someone at school “knew them” was a load of crap.

“You had to play it here, where everyone could hear?” I asked, smiling. He did the same back, grasping my hand.

“All the world’s a stage.” He gave me that same cocky grin.

“Is it safe to come out?” Tanner called.

“Yes, it’s safe,” I said back. The four of them piled out grabbing Brendan as they went.

“Dude, we gotta go back on!” We ran back to the gym after the guys put their masks back on, and listened to the second act.

The last song was by far my favorite I’ve ever heard Brendan perform. Tanner let him sing that one, and it made Michelle and I both giggle. “The last song for the night is an oldie,” Brendan said into the microphone.

“It’s not one of ours, but it has a special meaning for all of us. So, here we go.” He started playing with everyone else, and sang into the mike. “Where it began, I can't begin to know when. But then I know it's growing strong. Oh, wasn't the spring, whooo. And spring became the summer. Who'd believe you'd come along. Hands, touching hands, reaching out. Touching me, touching you. Oh, sweet Caroline. Good times never seem so good. I've been inclined to believe it never would.”

So I guess I am Sweet Caroline. Brendan’s best friend. And later that night, Brendan’s girlfriend. And things turned out good for us. All because of that stupid house on the end of the street that stayed vacant for years, and the love of music I shared with my best friend.