Status: Oh Dakota...
It's Like I'm Singing Karaoke
1/1
"Mason you make me feel so alive." She whispered to him as they lied in the field two hours out in the country.
"Dakota--" but before he could say anything she was on her feet and grasping his hand.
"Mason, lets go!"
He didn't know where they were going; he didn't care. He wasn't in love with her yet but he wanted to be and he was so close that he could feel it. So he let her pull him into the night and together they would make everything right.
Dakota with her thick, black hair sat under the stars holding Mason's hand and staring into his eyes. She watched him so intensely that he was starting to feel intimidated.
"If you could be anything in the world, what would you be?"
“If I could be anything in the world I’d be the person that understands you.” He was silent as he waited for her to say something. To say anything. He didn’t want her to be angry or upset. He just wanted her to understand him. In all fairness he didn’t understand her and it was killing him.
She leaned over and kissed him. First on the left cheek then as if she thought better of it she kissed him on the mouth. Then she smiled at him. “You will.” She whispered so quietly that he wasn’t sure that he heard her correctly. But that’s how he knew that she meant it. That eventually he’d have the privilege of knowing –really knowing –Dakota with the long, black hair and the enticing black, almost purple eyes.
“C’mon,” she said as she stood up and took his hand to pull him up off the ground. “Let’s go back.” So, they did. They went back to reality where the world turns, people die, babies are born, and lives are unpredictable.
"Mason, dude the tables aren't going to clean themselves." Mason's co-worker Charlie told him as they wipe up the tables at the coffee shop that they work at.
“Yeah, I’m beginning to figure that out.” But all he had on his mind was Dakota and her mysterious way of life. He wondered what she did during the day when she wasn’t with him. He wondered if she tied her hair up while she worked and went to school or if she wore contacts or glasses.
To him Dakota was this ghost that took control over his mind while he was away from her. They weren’t in the same universe. He worried about everything. She had this carefree spirit that made everything work out in her favor. He needed to do something that would make her see him not as the guy who is predictable and unimaginative but as the guy who could whisk her away on an adventure at any given moment.
Charlie and Mason cleaned up the rest of the tables and mopped the place and they locked up the shop. But just as they were walking out a hot pink paper on the bulletin board in the back of the room caught Mason’s eye; he walked over and looked at it.
Karaoke Night
Original song or not. Come and sing.
July 23, 2010 at the Melbrook Coffee House. 7 p.m.
It stuck a chord in Mason’s mind. He would write a song for Dakota and perform it for her. It would either make or break their relationship but he knew that it was necessary for it to thrive and survive.
That night Mason sat on his bed in his dorm room with his guitar in hand. He stared down at the instrument like it was going to write the song for him. He strummed a D chord then an F chord and decided that those weren’t the right chords for whatever it was that he was going to write. After a few more failed attempts at doing the chords, he began to write his lyrics. He looked over at the clock that read 7:47 p.m. He figured that he had until morning to write the most incredible piece of three minute literature that he’d ever composed.
So he began to think of the things that he knew about Dakota. He knew that she didn’t like to be known only for her looks so he would have to get more in depth about her personality. But that was his problem: he didn’t really know her.
He sat there staring at the paper trying to come up with anything. But he couldn’t come up with anything about her. The clock read 8:32. Then it came to him: he’d write about how he felt about her. Then the words came tumbling out of him and he hoped that he was doing the right thing.
The next time he looked at the clock it was 2:34 a.m. and it was completed. The lyrics, the chords, his thoughts—all done and written for the world to know. The date was July 20th so it gave him three days to get Dakota to agree to attend the show. He knew that it was easier said than done.
The next afternoon he called Dakota and she answered on the fourth ring.
“Hello Mason.” She said as he could hear the smile on her face.
“Hey, Dakota. Umm I was umm wondering if you are busy this Friday night?” He took a sharp intake of breath waiting her reply.
“Mason what would happen if I am busy?” Her voice tickled him through the phone lines and his heart sank for the quickest second but he worked up his courage again.
“But what if you’re not?” He countered back, catching on to her little game.
“Pick me up at seven?”
“How about you meet me at the Melbrook Coffee House at six forty-five. I’ve got something I need to show you.” He felt like he was going to burst with anticipation.
Dakota’s heart rate sped up as she debated going or not. Mason had caught onto her flirtatious hints and it excited her as well as thrilled her. “Yes. I’ll see you there at six forty-five.” Then she hung up quick.
Mason smiled as he closed his phone. He was going to do this. Dakota on the other hand wasn’t so calm; she was spinning and felt as if nothing in the world would make her stop.
Friday night came quick for Mason. He was dressed simply in an outfit he knew Dakota would like. His hair was gelled to perfection and his eyes were shining bright. He was at the Coffee House at six-thirty and was all checked in. He stored his guitar in the back as he practiced his lyrics in his head as his fingers found the imaginary chords in the air.
He waited at the door of the Coffee House for Dakota. He saw her through the glass as she approached the Coffee House. She was wearing a blue dress and had her black hair tied back. She was nervously running her hands down her dress as she stood outside the Coffee House. Then she smiled and opened the door and walked in.
“Hey.” Mason said as he kissed her on the cheek.
“Hey, yourself.” She smiled at him. “So, where’s this thing you have to show?” Her eyes darted around as she took in the karaoke scene in front of her.
“Oh,” He whispered into her ear. “I think you’ve already figured it out.”
She had figured it out. She took a seat in the front row of the six rows of chairs and Mason sat next to her and they held hands as they awaited Mason’s turn to take the stage.
They heard many different songs, some original and some mega hits. Dakota was almost skeptical about what Mason had in store for her with that song. But he kept looking at her in a simple way and that took away all her doubts and just made her smile.
A girl with red dreadlocks just finished singing a ‘Taylor Swift’ song when Mason’s name was called. He stood up and gave Dakota a long look then took the stage.
He sat down on the stool as he took his guitar out of its case. He slipped the strap over his shoulder and stared out at the audience. He cleared his throat then spoke into the microphone, “I wrote this song for Dakota. So Dakota, I hope you like it.”
He started to strum an F chord then a C to a G and then onto an A-minor. Until the rhythm took a four-fourths time and it seamed like the chords flowed effortlessly from his finger tips. Then he began to sing.
She knows exactly what to do
Whenever I'm alone with her
I can barely make a move
By the time she opens up her eyes
She sings to me at night
She's singing
Ba da ba ba ba da ba ba da ba da
Ba da ba ba ba da ba ba da ba da
Dakota watched him without blinking. No one had ever written a song for her before and it was riveting and frightening. All because she didn’t know what he was going to sing next.
I know that she barely knows me
I'm not faking love with her
It's like I'm singing Karaoke
And I forgot the second verse
But I can make up my own words
Oh, Dakota
I know our love is new
I barely know ya
I've fallen over you
It's the way you do the things you do
That made me fall in love with you
Dakota, are you in love with me too?
They locked eyes with each other for a minute as she gave him an angelic smile. Mason strummed the guitar in quick beats then smiled directly at her and went on with the rest of the song.
She's got a little bit of money
And a little bit of this
And it's all she needs to live
I got a little bit of love
And a little bit of that
And it's all I have to give
This time I'll try not to show
That I am not letting go
Oh, Dakota
I know our love is new
I barely know ya
I've fallen over you
It's the way you do the things you do
That make me fall in love with you
Dakota, are you in love with me too?
I'll show ya, I'll show ya
That your love, that your love
I'm not letting go
I'll show ya, I'll show ya
That your love, that your love
I'm not letting go
Ba da ba ba ba da ba ba da ba da
Ba da ba ba ba da ba ba da ba da
Oh, Dakota
I know our love is new
I barely know ya
I've fallen over you
It's the way you do the things you do
That make me fall in love with you
Dakota, are you in love with me too?
Oh, Dakota
I know our love is new
I barely know ya
I've fallen over you
It's the way you do the things you do
That make me fall in love with you
Dakota, are you in love with me too?
I'm in love with you
Are you in love with me too?
As he strummed the last few chords the rhythm got slower and more spaced out until his fingers ceased strumming. Then the crown of twenty people applauded loud and for a sizable amount of time. But all Mason could do was put his guitar away and walk off stage and up to Dakota.
“So, whad’ya think?” A smile smiled danced on his face as he was starting to get nervous since she didn’t say anything.
She smiled at him and began to sing.
“ Oh, Mason
I know our love is new
I barely know ya
I've fallen over you
It's the way you do the things you do
That make me fall in love with you
Mason, I’m in love with you too.
Then he took her hand and they didn’t need to speak or do anything except exchange glances. They were off into the night before anything could get in their way.
"Dakota--" but before he could say anything she was on her feet and grasping his hand.
"Mason, lets go!"
He didn't know where they were going; he didn't care. He wasn't in love with her yet but he wanted to be and he was so close that he could feel it. So he let her pull him into the night and together they would make everything right.
Dakota with her thick, black hair sat under the stars holding Mason's hand and staring into his eyes. She watched him so intensely that he was starting to feel intimidated.
"If you could be anything in the world, what would you be?"
“If I could be anything in the world I’d be the person that understands you.” He was silent as he waited for her to say something. To say anything. He didn’t want her to be angry or upset. He just wanted her to understand him. In all fairness he didn’t understand her and it was killing him.
She leaned over and kissed him. First on the left cheek then as if she thought better of it she kissed him on the mouth. Then she smiled at him. “You will.” She whispered so quietly that he wasn’t sure that he heard her correctly. But that’s how he knew that she meant it. That eventually he’d have the privilege of knowing –really knowing –Dakota with the long, black hair and the enticing black, almost purple eyes.
“C’mon,” she said as she stood up and took his hand to pull him up off the ground. “Let’s go back.” So, they did. They went back to reality where the world turns, people die, babies are born, and lives are unpredictable.
"Mason, dude the tables aren't going to clean themselves." Mason's co-worker Charlie told him as they wipe up the tables at the coffee shop that they work at.
“Yeah, I’m beginning to figure that out.” But all he had on his mind was Dakota and her mysterious way of life. He wondered what she did during the day when she wasn’t with him. He wondered if she tied her hair up while she worked and went to school or if she wore contacts or glasses.
To him Dakota was this ghost that took control over his mind while he was away from her. They weren’t in the same universe. He worried about everything. She had this carefree spirit that made everything work out in her favor. He needed to do something that would make her see him not as the guy who is predictable and unimaginative but as the guy who could whisk her away on an adventure at any given moment.
Charlie and Mason cleaned up the rest of the tables and mopped the place and they locked up the shop. But just as they were walking out a hot pink paper on the bulletin board in the back of the room caught Mason’s eye; he walked over and looked at it.
Karaoke Night
Original song or not. Come and sing.
July 23, 2010 at the Melbrook Coffee House. 7 p.m.
It stuck a chord in Mason’s mind. He would write a song for Dakota and perform it for her. It would either make or break their relationship but he knew that it was necessary for it to thrive and survive.
That night Mason sat on his bed in his dorm room with his guitar in hand. He stared down at the instrument like it was going to write the song for him. He strummed a D chord then an F chord and decided that those weren’t the right chords for whatever it was that he was going to write. After a few more failed attempts at doing the chords, he began to write his lyrics. He looked over at the clock that read 7:47 p.m. He figured that he had until morning to write the most incredible piece of three minute literature that he’d ever composed.
So he began to think of the things that he knew about Dakota. He knew that she didn’t like to be known only for her looks so he would have to get more in depth about her personality. But that was his problem: he didn’t really know her.
He sat there staring at the paper trying to come up with anything. But he couldn’t come up with anything about her. The clock read 8:32. Then it came to him: he’d write about how he felt about her. Then the words came tumbling out of him and he hoped that he was doing the right thing.
The next time he looked at the clock it was 2:34 a.m. and it was completed. The lyrics, the chords, his thoughts—all done and written for the world to know. The date was July 20th so it gave him three days to get Dakota to agree to attend the show. He knew that it was easier said than done.
The next afternoon he called Dakota and she answered on the fourth ring.
“Hello Mason.” She said as he could hear the smile on her face.
“Hey, Dakota. Umm I was umm wondering if you are busy this Friday night?” He took a sharp intake of breath waiting her reply.
“Mason what would happen if I am busy?” Her voice tickled him through the phone lines and his heart sank for the quickest second but he worked up his courage again.
“But what if you’re not?” He countered back, catching on to her little game.
“Pick me up at seven?”
“How about you meet me at the Melbrook Coffee House at six forty-five. I’ve got something I need to show you.” He felt like he was going to burst with anticipation.
Dakota’s heart rate sped up as she debated going or not. Mason had caught onto her flirtatious hints and it excited her as well as thrilled her. “Yes. I’ll see you there at six forty-five.” Then she hung up quick.
Mason smiled as he closed his phone. He was going to do this. Dakota on the other hand wasn’t so calm; she was spinning and felt as if nothing in the world would make her stop.
Friday night came quick for Mason. He was dressed simply in an outfit he knew Dakota would like. His hair was gelled to perfection and his eyes were shining bright. He was at the Coffee House at six-thirty and was all checked in. He stored his guitar in the back as he practiced his lyrics in his head as his fingers found the imaginary chords in the air.
He waited at the door of the Coffee House for Dakota. He saw her through the glass as she approached the Coffee House. She was wearing a blue dress and had her black hair tied back. She was nervously running her hands down her dress as she stood outside the Coffee House. Then she smiled and opened the door and walked in.
“Hey.” Mason said as he kissed her on the cheek.
“Hey, yourself.” She smiled at him. “So, where’s this thing you have to show?” Her eyes darted around as she took in the karaoke scene in front of her.
“Oh,” He whispered into her ear. “I think you’ve already figured it out.”
She had figured it out. She took a seat in the front row of the six rows of chairs and Mason sat next to her and they held hands as they awaited Mason’s turn to take the stage.
They heard many different songs, some original and some mega hits. Dakota was almost skeptical about what Mason had in store for her with that song. But he kept looking at her in a simple way and that took away all her doubts and just made her smile.
A girl with red dreadlocks just finished singing a ‘Taylor Swift’ song when Mason’s name was called. He stood up and gave Dakota a long look then took the stage.
He sat down on the stool as he took his guitar out of its case. He slipped the strap over his shoulder and stared out at the audience. He cleared his throat then spoke into the microphone, “I wrote this song for Dakota. So Dakota, I hope you like it.”
He started to strum an F chord then a C to a G and then onto an A-minor. Until the rhythm took a four-fourths time and it seamed like the chords flowed effortlessly from his finger tips. Then he began to sing.
She knows exactly what to do
Whenever I'm alone with her
I can barely make a move
By the time she opens up her eyes
She sings to me at night
She's singing
Ba da ba ba ba da ba ba da ba da
Ba da ba ba ba da ba ba da ba da
Dakota watched him without blinking. No one had ever written a song for her before and it was riveting and frightening. All because she didn’t know what he was going to sing next.
I know that she barely knows me
I'm not faking love with her
It's like I'm singing Karaoke
And I forgot the second verse
But I can make up my own words
Oh, Dakota
I know our love is new
I barely know ya
I've fallen over you
It's the way you do the things you do
That made me fall in love with you
Dakota, are you in love with me too?
They locked eyes with each other for a minute as she gave him an angelic smile. Mason strummed the guitar in quick beats then smiled directly at her and went on with the rest of the song.
She's got a little bit of money
And a little bit of this
And it's all she needs to live
I got a little bit of love
And a little bit of that
And it's all I have to give
This time I'll try not to show
That I am not letting go
Oh, Dakota
I know our love is new
I barely know ya
I've fallen over you
It's the way you do the things you do
That make me fall in love with you
Dakota, are you in love with me too?
I'll show ya, I'll show ya
That your love, that your love
I'm not letting go
I'll show ya, I'll show ya
That your love, that your love
I'm not letting go
Ba da ba ba ba da ba ba da ba da
Ba da ba ba ba da ba ba da ba da
Oh, Dakota
I know our love is new
I barely know ya
I've fallen over you
It's the way you do the things you do
That make me fall in love with you
Dakota, are you in love with me too?
Oh, Dakota
I know our love is new
I barely know ya
I've fallen over you
It's the way you do the things you do
That make me fall in love with you
Dakota, are you in love with me too?
I'm in love with you
Are you in love with me too?
As he strummed the last few chords the rhythm got slower and more spaced out until his fingers ceased strumming. Then the crown of twenty people applauded loud and for a sizable amount of time. But all Mason could do was put his guitar away and walk off stage and up to Dakota.
“So, whad’ya think?” A smile smiled danced on his face as he was starting to get nervous since she didn’t say anything.
She smiled at him and began to sing.
“ Oh, Mason
I know our love is new
I barely know ya
I've fallen over you
It's the way you do the things you do
That make me fall in love with you
Mason, I’m in love with you too.
Then he took her hand and they didn’t need to speak or do anything except exchange glances. They were off into the night before anything could get in their way.
♠ ♠ ♠
Ta Da!