The Heart Never Lies

I fidgeted with the tassel on my hat as I waited for my name to be called, looking out into the crowd for my family. Mum and Dad were sitting down in the folding metal chairs. Mum caught my eye and waved. I waved back, then frowned when the four seats next to her were empty.

Crap. I hoped against hope that they didn't do anything to embarrass me.

My class was sitting in the same type of chairs as the audience, and they made squeaky noises every time you move. I opened up the bulletin they gave us, and briefly looked over it.

5 P.M.-- Greeting
5:15 -- Valedictorian Speech
5:40 -- Awards & Diplomas
6:10 -- Closing Ceremony

Blahhh. This is going to take a while. Fifteen minutes after the principal finished speaking, the valedictorian of our class was at the podium, his voice filling the auditorium. I dropped the paper in my hands and bent down to pick it up.

Squeeeeak.

I resisted the urge to giggle as I froze, my fingertips inches from the paper. I reached a little more to get it.

Sqeeeeeeeak.

I quickly snatched the paper up, my face slightly red. The girl next to me giggled quietly under her breath. Then she leaned over slightly.

Squeak. We both giggled, trying our hardest not to make it audible.

This went on for the whole of the speech, and I didn't mind missing it. Soon after, it was time for the Awards and Diplomas.

"Denise Arnsberger." The girl stood up to receive her diplomas and awards. She shook hands with the principle, then returned to her seat. The principle went down the list of students alphabetically. It seemed like ages until he got to the F's.

"Arlene Felder."

"Brittany Fleming."

"Adelaide Fletcher."

As I made my way to the principle, I quickly scanned the audience. When I saw Mum and Dad, I returned the smile they sent me, then checked the four seats next to them.

They were still empty.

My high hopes crashed -- no, plummeted, feeling as if my heart had been broken. I felt numb as I accepted my papers. Sure, they had just missed me getting my diplomas. Maybe they were in the loo. But it's not fair! I argued with myself once I was in my seat again. During Tom's graduation, I had to pee really bad, but I held it until it was completely over; which was quite a feat for someone aged thirteen.

Anyway, I held in my disappointment. Soon, the whole thing was over.

"Dad, where are they?"

"Honey, you know that Gran and Grandpa couldn't make it," said Mum soothingly.

"I wasn't talking about them, Mum," I said, slightly frustrated. "My brother and our friends. They're supposed to be here." I bit my bottom lip to keep it from quivering.

"I don't know where they are," said Dad as he scanned the area for the quartet.

"Do you think they're okay?" I asked, my thoughts jumping to the worst things.

"Calm down, love," Dad told me. "They did follow us here; so they're here somewhere."

Tom Fletcher

"Harry, stop drumming in my head!" I shouted to the hyper:ACTIVE drummer in the backseat.

Get it? Hyper:ACTIVE? Radio:ACTIVE?

I crack myself up.

"Alright Mr. Grump," Harry muttered, folding his arms over his chest.

"Aw, look what you've done!" shouted Danny. "Now he won't play at the graduation!"

"Yes I will!" replied Harry. "But I'll do it for Addie, not you." He then stuck his tongue out at me, like the child he is.

"Thanks mate, I appreciate it," I said with a roll of my eyes.

An hour later

"So, what are we gonna play?" Dougie asked once we were at Addie's school.

"Eh, I'm not sure," I said slowly, letting out a deep breath. It was a stress-relief technique that Addie taught me when she was going through her "Yoga can fix anything!" stage.

"I've Got You?" suggested Harry.

"Nah."

"I Wanna Hold Your Hand? Addie loves The Beatles," said Dougie.

"Nuh-uh," I said, rejecting it also. It was silent as we thought hard.

"No Worries," Danny finally said. We looked up at him in astonishment.

"That's... perfect!" I said, my eyes widening. "Because she's growing up, and she doesn't have to worry about anything 'cos she's got us!"

"Could've done 'I Got You'", Harry grumbled.

"Quiet, you," I joked. He made a face at me, then went to practice quietly on the drum set we brought with us. As I also sat down to practice, I marveled at my genius plan.

We paid the girls to chase us the previous night on our way to the movie theater. And they were good actresses -- they didn't even want to talk to us once they recognized us. I guess some people just don't appreciate good music, I thought with a sigh. But it was the plan for us to get separated from Addie and Dan; we were going to sneak back home to arrange permission to play at Addie's graduation, while Danny stayed with Addie so she could see the movie. I was going to go with her, but Danny volunteered, and I didn't really have a reason to say no.

Danny and Dougie were late to my old house because they had to go borrow some sound equipment that they were supposed to get ages ago. And now, I had to miss my sister's graduation so we could prepare for her graduation present.

Well, we didn't have to really miss it; we were right behind the second stage curtain, being as silent as possible so the student wouldn't notice us. I could peek through a crack and see and hear everything. In fact, I was right behind her. I knew it was her because she was wearing a simple silver band on her left middle finger. I had a matching one. They both had something inscribed in on the inside; mine was the title of the song we'll soon be playing, whereas hers is "The heart never lies."

"Mate, it's time to go on," said Doug. I snapped out of my thoughts, and sure enough, I could hear the principle speaking in his annoying Queen's English.

"Alright, let's go."

Adelaide Fletcher

Our conversation was interrupted by the principle, who was on the stage of our gymnasium once again, nervously tapping the microphone.

"Excuse me, excuse me. Tom Fletcher and his band would like to give his little sister and the graduating class of two-thousand-and-eight a present."

I let out a sigh of relief; then noticed the sound equipment on the stage. Tom, Harry, Dougie, and Danny filed out onto the stage, each assuming their positions behind their instruments.

"This one's for you, Addie," Tom said into the microphone.

We ran past strawberry fields and smelled the summer time,
When it gets dark I'll hold your body close to mine,
And Then we'll find some wood and hell we'll build a fire,
And then we'll find some rope and make a swinging tire.

Captivated by the way you look tonight the light is dancing in your eyes
Your sweet eyes,
Times like these we'll never forget,
Staying out to watch the sunset,
I'm glad I shared this with you,
You set me free,
Showed me how good my life could be,
How did this happen to me ,
Yeah, oh

And then I'll swing you girl until you fall asleep,
And when you wake up you'll be lying next to me,
We'll go to Hollywood make you a movie star, (movie star!)
I want the world to know how beautiful you are,

Captivated by the way you look tonight the light is dancing in your eyes
Your sweet eyes,
Yeah!
Times like these we'll never forget,
Staying out to watch the sunset,
I'm glad I shared this with you,
You set me free,
Showed me how good my life could be,
How did this happen to me ,
Yeah

There are no secrets to be told,
Nothing you don't already know,
bum bum bum,
We've got no fears of growing old,
We've got no worries in the world.

Ba Ba Ba Da Ba Ba Da
Ba Ba Ba Da Ba Ba Da Baaa Ba Da Baaa

At the end of the song, Tom jumped down and engulfed me in a bear hug.

"I love you, sis."

"I love you too, bro." Tears were running down our faces. I was glad that he finally showed up.

"I'm so proud of you!" he wailed. Suddenly, Harry and Danny leaped off the stage and tackled me and Tom to the ground.

"Dog pile on the Fletchers!" they shouted. Mum and Dad backed away. As soon as those words left their mouths, most of my classmates piled on top of us, making it very difficult for me to breathe.

"Addie," Tom gasped slowly. "Where's Dougie?" I looked up at the stage (which was quite a feat, considering all of the people I was underneath) and gasped.

"Dougie!" Mr. Poynter was still on the stage, a mischievous grin on his face. He stepped back a few meters and started running.

"DOUGIE, NOOO!!!" Tom and I screamed.

Dougie sailed off the stage, landing square on top of the large pile.

"Dougie, you fat ass, lose some weight!" groaned Tom. Dougie laughed, and wiggled his bum, squishing us even more.

And even though my lungs were flattened inside my chest, my whole body was aching, and I felt like I'd never be able to breathe again, I had never felt more loved in my entire life.