A Musicians Geek

Signals

Collin had gotten his lunch from his locker, he quickly headed to where the performance was going to be starting. He was able to pretty easily find a seat since he wasn’t that picky. As he finished getting settled into his spot, his food laid out, it was perfect timing as the band got started.

Skaiylee approached her microphone. "Happy lunch break everybody! Yall know we're Skymouth and were about to rock the lunch quad with a brand new song to kick things off! We hope you enjoy it! It's called "Signals!" NOW LETS ROCK!"

'Signals' Collin thought….

As he heard the first notes, his whole attention started to focus on the performance, getting quickly into its flow.

"Does he see me? Cus I've been right here this whole time.

Has he listened to me? I've been showing so many signs.

Whenever hes near me, he makes me feel like a somebody- who isn't on her way to nowhere.

And I wonder ifff he knows Im right there?

********

It was more than time to get these worse out spoken to Collin with no hesitation, no trying to hope he guessed and felt the flirting coming from her. No more playing around. And Skai was determined to make him see.

As the words flowed out from Skais lips, Collin could not help but be drawn to her as she sang. Her eyes found him in the crowd and locked onto his eyes, not allowing them to be pulled away as the words from her heart came forth. He wasn’t really hearing the words so much as he was feeling the meaning behind them. He could hear what she was trying to say as she sang. Her eyes also locked onto his had left no doubt who she was singing about. Had he really not seen anything about her trying to catch his eye all of this time? Was he blind to her showing interest in him? Since he never really talked all that much he didn’t expect that anyone would have a real interest in him. So how did he miss this? Was it that he had just shut himself off from the very thought of anyone ever falling for him, as he mostly kept to himself?

**********

Im sorry that it's taken me so long to find my Start….

With signals loud and clear from my head to your heart.

One hour in the morning makes everything fine. And I think ive been quite obvious that I want you as mine….."

Skaiylee made sure her eye contact with Collin stayed convincing and steady. She wanted to make sure that he knew exactly what she felt. She wanted t ok make sure that he knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was singing to him.

"Signals Falling free from my heart and my head....

Should I keep this all quiet or tell him my . Thoughts instead?

These feelings messing Up my brain? And Driving me to go insane but I cant let it go that he makes me feel so……

They're obvious to me, I know you have to see….. it's so impossibly simple as can simple can be… that boy its you who makes me feel like somebody…….

Can you read my signals?"

************

Collin was one of the smartest kids in school. and yet somehow he had missed something that should have been slapping in the face up till now. Could he really have been this blind?

Skailee had sung, “signals loud and clear from my head to your heart”... It was like she was confessing everything that was in her mind and laying it at his feet. How could he have been so callous not to have even noticed it before now. The only excuse he could come to was maybe he was just plain dumb when it came to things having to deal with his personal life that he didn’t yet understand.

The guitar player straightened his mic, ready now, switching places with Skai for a new verse, though Collin stayed and followed Skaiylees gaze as she broke eye contact with him for the first time in over a minute.

Coby's sung verse was written intentionally to give his friend a push to make things REALLY obvious for Collin and show him that not only is his friend awesome, but to make SURE he knew that she was wanting him as her beau.

"Shes a popstar…..with a rockers state of mind. any adventure is gonnna light her flame. The world is her spotlight. Shes a master of her time.. And she Seizes every moment without shame."

"Even though Shes a blaze of disaster! With a heart of gold and Glee.

And hes a sealed up book with a clean cut look and a quiet mystery….

And she has waited long to find the right song to let the words flow true and free..

Now it's time to start listening. Shes Taking a chance so that maybe you will see-

*********

Coby was 100% Behind his best friend in helping her perform this song. If he'd had to listen to one more love ballad shed written about un-reciprocated love or longing for someone who didn't notice she existed, he was going to scream. She needed to get her feelings known out loud and as clearly as possible. This song was the key and he was more than happy to contribute and get his bestie her guy.

As Skais best friend had sang, she kept consistent eye contact with Collin any time she looked up from her piano. She was feeling that he was enjoying the performance. But was he understanding its message?

That she couldn't know.

Collin was focussing carefully on the lyrics right now, and it was as if the clouds had been obstructing the sun, only now for the wind to blow it all away and reveal a truth that he should have seen a long time before now. Shes shown him some of these lyrics weeks ago. And he'd been completely oblivious. Yet in this performance, he was being overwhelmed with the obvious signals he had missed over the course of the last couple of months.

"Shes Sending out signals from her song to your heart.

She thought it would be easy for someone so smart.

With months of sharing mornings and with him staying so blind,

Its miraculous through all that, her truth you couldn't find.

Signals falling free from her heart to your head.

No longer will she be quiet, this all needed to be said.

These feelings messing up her brain. Driving her to go insane, cus she cant let it go that he makes her feel--- like somebody.

**********

Collin was awestruck as the two singers repeated their chorus in unison. It was overwhelmingly frustrating to Collin that hed not realized Skai was yearning for a relationship with him all this time. And holding her gaze through the last few minutes was intense. She was very talented. And very attractive. And maybe he wasn't as smart as he thought he was.

The last verse, and the nerves had completely dissipated as Skai and Collin had shared such telling glances for the past few minutes. She was pretty confident he was understanding. He was confident that the message was indeed for him.

"So hear me loud now. My signals clear. I want you even though I fear… rejection hurts. But at least you'll know, whats in my heart my feelings so….. don't you know . that You make me feel like, somebody."

*

As Skai finished Collins mind could not help but go numb, as he just watched them wrap up the song.

His sack of food completely forgotten, he watched Skaiylee intently until the song was fully ended. He definitely was not at all paying attention to anyone else.

Following the final chords of the song, cheers erupted throughout the quad, clapping and screams alike. Collin joined in to clap as soon as he could think straight. It took him only a few seconds after the cheers had began.

Skaiylees guitarist mate walked over to his friends spot at center stage and hugged her tightly before looking directly at Collin, to shoot him a telling smile. As if he had needed it, Cobys glance surely gave Collin further confirmation that the song had been about him.

Wow. Collin thought.

Skai slowly fixed her center stage mic stand once more and had a smile that almost challenged him when she met his stare for a brief few seconds. He was unable to smile back as large as hers before she had looked away to the rest of the audience. And Collins eyes were locked onto hers still, following them as they looked all throughout the quad at all of the clapping students and faculty. Collin was also the last person she looked at as the cheers died down.

And gosh. Why didn't he ever notice her eyes? Her eyes were light brown and her gaze at him was so piercing.. Had it always been so piercing?

~~~~~~

SkyMouth finished their 3 song set for the lunch entertainment and at its conclusion, Skaiylee hopped off the stage, leaving the boys to clean up all of the bands equipment and stuff as previously discussed.

She had a boy to confront. This was it.

Skai made her way to the quad doors accepting high fives and saying thank yous to a handful of students on the way before sending an obvious gesture for Collin to follow her outside to the courtyard where less kids were gathered.

Collin picked up his lunch and stuffed it into his backpack, following the girl outside.

When they'd each stopped walking a few feet from the doors, Skaiylee faced him and waited.

Collin figured, 'she just sung me a song.... I have to talk first now....'

"That was a great song" he managed to say with some genuine feeling behind it.

Skai only blinked.

"Thank you........ did you GET its message?" Skai said sassily.

Collin gave a nervous lick of his lips and a shy nod. "I think so."

Skai met his eyes waiting for more.

She gave a motion as if to say, "and!?"

Collin smiled. He could definitely take a moment to play with her mind a bit. It was too easy.

"You want to be my study partner right?!" He said clearly and then mentally braced himself for some sort of attack.

Skaiylee only took a deep trying to mask her slight annoyance with comfort instead.

"I mean if that's you want to call it...." Skai said, but actually did wonder if he was too innocent to get the joke......

But he couldn't have been serious... he was smiling after all no doubt holding back laughter.

Collin shook his head slowly with an even bigger smile now.

"I don't really know what I'm supposed to do from here", he says with a shrug. "I've never really had a girlfriend, or dated actually...." his voice trailed off very low to a point that Skai barely heard it.

"Ever?" She asked.

Collin only nodded in response.

Skai thought for a moment.

"Well... if it makes you feel any better, I've never had an actual boyfriend..... I've dated and stuff.... but no actual like, established relationship defined or anything. I'm picky with the guys I choose."

Collin raised an eyebrow wondering how someone as social as her had never had a relationship. With him, he understood as he kept so too himself... but Skai?

"And stuff?" Collin wondered aloud.

Skai flushed embarrasedly.

".....yeah….. Stuff…. Don't ask questions."

She said smiling shyly and emoting some anxiety of her past.

Collin thought 'why did she say it if she didn't want me to ask questions about it."

"So...." she tried to change the subject as Collin stayed quiet.

"So..... you would like to try a relationship with quiet little me?" Collin responded after taking a moment to gather the right words.

Skai licked her lips this time. "Not try. I would like to BE with you.... if you want to be with me."

"Be with me?" He asked with a swallow. Lots of emotions and thoughts were running across Collins face, as his mind went over what his parents had told him when he began middle school and again when he became a freshman; and that was to focus on his studies and not get wrapped up in girls too much. Though now, with this cute and talented girl standing before him, all he did want was to get wrapped up in the girl.

How easy it would be to say the few words and tell her such.... Would he be able to get them out and go against what his parents wanted for him though?

It may have been a solid thirty seconds of different words rushing through his head, but finally, he decided that his parents owed him one for doing his best to be a good son and following rules any and every time they'd put them in place for him..... He could focus on his studies and have a girlfriend. He would just have to exercise balance. Everything took practice right?

Taking a deep breath, he finally spoke his truth. "I would love to be with you, Skaiylee Farris." He turned a deep shade of red as he grabbed a strand of her hair and tucked it behind her ear, showing more emotion then he ever had before at school.

He of course had no way of knowing what adventures and trouble those few words were going to get him into later.

Skai shared in Collins blushing now and tucked her hairs on the other side of her face behind her ear to match. Their eyes locking now as they had throughout her performance. And it was intense, their shared gaze. Almost overwhelming Skaiylee.

The teen blinked and tried to pull herself out of the trance.

"Okay..... So... we're going out." She said with finality.

"We're going out." He repeated.

Skai waited to see if Collin would move first. When he hadn't in a few painful quiet seconds, Skai got more courage.

"This is where I would hug my new girlfriend." She told him.

Collin straightened his neck. "Oh!" He exclaimed almost attacking her with a nervous, but tight hug.

Skai hugged him back and felt butterflies in her stomach for the first time at Collins hands around her waist squeezing gently.

She was hugging Collin Garrett. The boy she'd been crushing on for 3 months! He was hugging her.

Collins hands lingered, but slid slowly off of her lower back and rested a moment on her sides before he let go completely.

'Oh my god I just hugged a girl that was not part of the family for the first time! I can't believe I did that! And she felt so warm in my arms, and i didnt want to let her go. And she's smiling!' He didn't know why that urge had taken over him but when he'd forced his hands down and away from her body, his face was more than a little flushed.

Skai thought she might hyperventilate... She'd never felt butterflies that heavily with anyone else before. And he smelled like a mix of fabric softener and fresh books.

Skai looked at her shoes and back up to Collins eyes. "That was nice....."

He replied with a smile, "Yes it was."

The school bell rang then ended their little fantasy bliss world abruptly. Neither of them had eaten a single bite of lunch, and neither of them wanted to leave their current spot and go to class.

But, as Skai noticed Collin pick up his backpack and put it over his shoulder, she knew she had to do one more thing. She realized that there was one good bit about having to part ways right now.

"I'll see you in 5th period, Collin." and with a large smile, Skai leaned up on her toes and kissed the boy on the cheek.

She was so excited to have Collin as her boyfriend, she couldn't help but take the chance to learn what it'd feel like to kiss his skin. Skai smiled and began walking backwards and over through the quad doors not taking her eyes off her boyfriend who she'd just shocked to death with her kiss. His mouth had fallen open a bit, before he snapped it shut as Skai backed away.

"You coming, Boyfriend?"

When Collin stood still and didn't move, she just waited in the open doorway.

Collin snapped out of his moment and gave a nod before following Skaiylee through the door.

Skai kissed him.

She had just kissed him. He tried to shake his head clear of the wild afternoon he was having and started questioning if this was really happening or not.

Skai retrieved her bag from just below the stage and shouldered it waving off Coby and Jeb who were giving her thumbs sideways to ask how it was going.

Collin noticed it and chuckled nervously, but was otherwise quiet and seemed a bit baffled still.

"Where's your next class?" Skai asked to distract him as they walked through the quad.

"English in T wing." He answered.

Skai smiled happy for more opportunity to test their new waters.

"I have Algebra in J wing.... Walk me?"

Collin happily held out his hand to her, with no hesitation and his other hand pointing questioningly toward the best direction to the J buildings.

Skaiylee smiled huge and took Collins warm hand in her own, coby and jeb erupting in applaude behind them. She felt like she was dreaming as they walked hand in hand down the hallway. Collin didnt notice the clapping kids behind then. It was quiet between them, but it was okay.

Walking with Skaiylee in school was just a different experience for Collin, holding hands going down the halls? It was so different. A small little jolt that he couldn't explain went through him when they first started to hold hands..

Was that normal he wondered? He'd gave a mental shrug to himself as he decided that his hand in hers had felt right so whether normal or not, he wouldnt question. Collin did not speak at all any more enjoying their first walk like this together through the campus. When they finally arrived in J wing, he was a bit bummed. 'That was a fast walk...' he thought. He also noted that his hand did not want to let Skaiylees go, and he had to make a very strong mental effort to get his hand to release hers. And yet it took no thought at all to have grabbed her hand to hold at the beginning of their walk.

Quite curious.

He needed to do some major reading about relationships. Maybe the human brain?

"I'll see you in our next class Skai." He said softly with a small smile. And he pondered for 5 seconds mimicking what she had done to him out in the courtyard, and kiss her cheek; but was afraid of doing something wrong. When Skaiylee nodded back to him, he could see a hint of sadness cross her face when he'd let go of her hand and took a step away from her.

Skai forced a smile and gave him a shy wave, "See you...."

Was she disappointed that he hadn't kissed her?

Collin took a few moments looking at her before he sucked up his fear and leaned in to do it. He kissed her cheek, same as she'd kissed his outside.

Immediately the smile he already was starting to adore on this girls face returned before he spun to begin his remaining walk toward T-wing. He looked back once to give a final wave before taking a deep breath and forcing himself to walk to the English class.

Skai bit her lip and walked into math class after Collin gave her a final wave from several feet away and found her seat.

Concentration was not going to come easy for the rest of the day......