Give It a Chance for Our Love to Start

"So when are we going," Joe sighed, falling down onto my bed. "She could be up right now."

I rolled my eyes, still typing on the computer. "The previous year's winner always goes last Joe. And Tinsley is always the previous year's winner. Trust me, you do not want to see the other performers."

He laughed. "Are they that bad?"

"Let's just say that other contestants think fake rapping with no beat and no rhymes is talent," I replied.

He laughed again, getting up and sitting on the edge of the bed so that he was right behind me. "So what are you doing?" He peeked over my shoulder.

"Applying to colleges in L.A.," I replied.

"L.A.," he gasped. "I'm moving to L.A.! I'll show you around." He smirked.

I laughed. "If you can find your way."

He ignored my comment, merely rolling his eyes. "What are you studying?"

"Music," I answered.

"Music," he gasped again. "Tinsley likes music too. You know Bethany, you and Tinsley are really alike." I held my breath, wondering if he would figure it out. "You guys are like the perfect best friends," he said.

I slowly breathed, my heart still racing. That was a close one. I would have to watch what I said. "Well we've been best friends since we were little."

We got quiet then, not really knowing what else to say. He let out a sigh. "Are we going yet?"

I sighed too, rolling my eyes and turning away from the computer. "Fine, let's go."

"Yes," he shouted, jumping up. "I'm going to go tell Nick and Kevin, though Kevin's probably talking to his girlfriend." He smirked as we left my room, walking down the stairs..

I laughed. "Kevin has a girlfriend? How come no one mentioned that?"

"It's still on the DL," Joe shrugged.

"You did not just say DL," I laughed.

Joe stuck his tongue out at me. "So what if I did?"

"Then I'll have to kill you," I shrugged. He glared at me until I started laughing. "So what's her name?"

"Katelyn," he said. "She lives in L.A. Kevin met her when we went out there for a few weeks a few years ago, and they've been together ever since."

"Aww that's so cute," I cooed.

Joe rolled his eyes. "You're such a girl. But yeah, you'll meet her if you come to L.A. Can I tell you a secret?" I nodded. "He's going to ask her to marry him soon."

"Aww," I cooed again.

"You're such a girl," he repeated, sighing and shaking his head.

"Well, that should be a good thing," Kevin said out of nowhere, as we stopped in the living room. He was sitting on the couch, on his laptop, and Nick was on the other couch, listening to his iPod. "She is a girl Joe."

Joe glared at Kevin. "Had a nice chat with Katelyn?"

Kevin glared back at him. "Funny."

"So we're going to the show now," I said.

"Finally," Nick sighed, getting up. He put his iPod into his pocket.. "Kevin has been on the phone for the last hour. It's so gross."

Kevin glared at him too as Joe and I started laughing. "Let's go," I said, heading to the door. "We're going to be late."

"And we know how much Joe wants to see Tinsley," Nick breathed as we headed out the door.

[&&&]

I stood at the head of the stage, looking out at the crowd, completely in awe of the number of people. I was used to a large crowd, but it never ceased to amaze me. My heart still raced every time. I turned back to the girls, half of them green with fear. "Okay ladies. We can do this. Just like we practice." They looked around at each other, obviously not sure about that. I sighed. "You'll be fine," I promised. "Ready," I said, turning around and scanning the audience, looking for the one person I was secretly dying would be here. I saw Bethany, Nick, and Kevin. But he wasn't with them. I scanned around again, but still, there was no sign of him. I sighed, shaking my head. "One, two three," I shouted, and we waited for the music to start. But it didn't come. I looked at the DJ's booth, wondering what the hell was going on. But he was gone.

I looked out at the audience, and they all looked confused. I shrank back a bit, trying to get out of the spotlight fixed on me. And then it turned off, leaving the whole room in darkness. I could hear the gasps and confusion of the audience. I silently cursed, knowing I had lost for the first time in years. And then the spotlight came back on. But it wasn't on me. It was on the end of the stage, down the catwalk. And it was on him.

He had a guitar in his hands, and he was standing there, smirking at me. I put my hand on my hip, smirking at him. I didn't know what hew as doing, but I was pretty sure it had something to do with his sneaking into my house the other night. I looked behind me quickly, and saw the girls had copied my gesture and were, too, leaning on their hips. I sighed, knowing they'd be following me with any improvisions. I knew I had to swing this in my benefit. There was no way that I was going to lose this year. And then he started playing. I gasped. He was playing the song we were going to do. I started moving, and the girls, shocked too, started their stuff too.

I'm hot, you're cold
You go around like you know
Who I am, but you don't
You got me on my toes

I'm slippin' into the lava
And I'm trying' to keep from going under
Baby, you turn the temperature hotter
And I'm burning up, burning up for you baby

I fell
So fast
I can't hold myself
Back
High heels
Red dress All by yourself, gotta catch my breath

I'm slippin' into the lava
And I'm tryin' to keep from going under
Baby, you turn the temperature hotter
And I'm burning up, burning up for you baby

Walk in the room,
All I can see is you,
Starin' me down
I know you feel it too

I'm sinking into the lava
And I'm tryin' to keep from going under
Baby, you turn the temperature hotter
And I'm burning up, burning up for you baby

I'm slippin' into the lava
And I'm tryin' to keep from going under
Baby, you turn the temperature hotter
And I'm burning up, burning up for you baby

I'm slippin' into the lava
And I'm tryin' to keep from going under
Baby, you turn the temperature hotter
And I'm burning up, burning up for you baby

By the end of the song, Joe was next to me, holding the necklace out in front of me.

"And the winner is," the DJ called, back in his booth again. "Tinsley Carmichael!"

The crowd went crazy, but I stood there, arms crossed, smirking at him. He was just smirking back, holding the necklace out. I sighed, and reached out, taking it in my hands. He had me.

[&&&]

"Okay, another one," Bethany's dad said, holding the camera out as we stood in front of their fireplace. We all rolled our eyes, having been taking pictures with the trophy for the last 30 minutes. And they were all in the same pose. Tinsley and I were in the middle, holding the trophy. Bethany, Frankie and my mom and dad were on my other side, and Kevin, Nick, Bethany's mom, and Tinsley's dad were on Tinsley's other side.

"Come on Dad," Bethany whined next to me. "We're all tired."

"Fine, fine," he sighed. "One more and then one with just the winners then?"

"Say it," I whispered to Tinsley.

"Say what," she whispered back.

"Say you love me," I whispered bluntly. Next to me, Bethany stumbled.

"Sorry," she mumbled. "Um, I think I'm going to sit this one out."

She sat down next to her dad, and my dad moved closer. "Say it," I whispered to her again. My dad looked at me, smirking.

"Uh hi dad," I said awkwardly. He just smirked, knowingly.

"Okay, one with the winners," Bethany's dad announced. Everyone but Tinsley and me happily moved away. After he took that, he told Bethany to come back in. After much protest, she stood on my side.

"I already know," I whispered to Tinsley. "You can say it."

"You say it first," she whispered.

"I love you."

"Um," Bethany said, moving away. "I think I'm going to go to sleep now. Night everybody."

"Night," we called as she practically ran up the stairs. Tinsley moved away from me then, sitting next to her dad. I knew there was no way to get to her now, to get her to say it back. I looked around the room and saw my dad still smirking at me. "Um," I said awkwardly. "I'm going to go to bed too. Good night everybody."

I ran up the stairs too. As I was passing Bethany's closed door, I could have sworn that I heard a sob. I stood outside her door, listening to see if I heard it again. But there was nothing. Maybe I had just imagined it. Nothing had happened to her. And she had seemed totally fine all night. I mean, what else could be bothering Bethany?