Chapter 7
"No, Minnie!" Ms. Hale sighed in frustration. "Go to the left side of Tyler! Act happy! Remember, you're reminiscing those happy 'summer nights'!"
Happy schmappy. If I were Sandy I'd commit suicide before I'd consider those summer nights as happy. Good lord. I mean, c'mon, Danny was some dumb gangster kid who was too stupid to even play sports. Who would fall in love with someone like that?
"Did you know that smart girls have a tendency to like bad boys because the girls think they can help the guys?" I asked, breaking out of my trance. Ms. Hale raised an eyebrow.
"Then they're not that smart are they?" Tyler returned in response to my question. Before I could open my mouth to protest, he continued. "Besides, you don't have anything to worry about. You're not smart enough."
Without meaning to, my right eye twitched. And you know what it means when my right eye twitches…
"What the fruit do you know about my academic progress? I have higher than a 4.0, thank you very much. What do you have, huh? A negative 5?" I sneered.
"First of all," Tyler countered smoothly. "You displayed real maturity when you used the word 'fruit'." I blushed. His tone suggested sarcasm. "Second of all, I also have a higher than 4.0 average."
My eyes popped out. "Y-y-you?"
"Yes, m-m-me," he mimicked my tone. I huffed in indignation.
"You are the most-"
"Handsomest, hottest, and most gorgeous man alive?" Tyler grinned. "Yes, I've heard."
"Tyler! Minnie!" Ms. Hale thumped her hands on the table to get our attention. "As much as I enjoy your little lovers' spat, like the rest of the cast," her head nodded towards a cluster of students eyeing us oddly, "I really must stop it. That is too un-Sandy like and un-Danny like."
Geez. As if I wanted to be S-s-s-s-s-Sandy anyways. I could tell Tyler was thinking the same thing.
"Try it again," Ms. Hale chastised with that braying mule voice of hers. I winced.
"I met a boy, cute as can be," I mumbled when it came to my solo. Ms. Hale motioned for the music to stop.
"No! No, no, no!" Ms. Hale wailed. "Where is that bee-yoo-tee-ful voice you demonstrated when you auditioned?"
"It's on vacation," I muttered back. Nearby, Tyler snorted.
"Pardon?" Ms. Hale asked.
I fidgeted. I could feel everyone looking at me. Darn it, don't those freaks have anything better to do than look at me? Apparently not.
"I just don't feel comfortable singing in front of people," I admitted.
My choir teacher frowned. "You do it in choir."
"But that's with a group," I reminded her like I was speaking to a little kid. Yes, I know. I can be such a witch sometimes.
Tyler turned towards me with a mischievous glint in his ocean-like eyes. "I bet the reason you're not singing right now is because you can't sing."
See what a moron he is? If I couldn't sing, how could I have landed the part of Sandy, I ask you?
"Yes, I can," I shot back. I mentally grimaced. Out of all the better comebacks I could think of, I used that one?
Tyler shook his head over-dramatically. "You probably lip-synched when you auditioned."
"No, I didn't!" I shrieked with indignance.
"Prove it."
Yes, those were words of a four-year old's mentality, but they somehow always do the trick.
"Ms. Hale, could we try to sing 'Summer Nights' again?" I asked her sweetly.
Ms. Hale smiled that creepy signature smile of hers. "Sure."
"I met a girl, crazy for me," Tyler began. He had a good voice, I'll admit it. It was smooth and rich and creamy, reminding me of chocolate. He was probably better than me… My eyes widened. I had just complimented the enemy! What was the world coming to? I gave thanks that he couldn't hear it.
"Uh, Calahan?"
I broke out of my little prayer of thanks and blinked. Standing in front of me was Tyler with a smirk on his face.
"What?" I asked annoyed. Wait a second… "Where's the music?"
"Weeeeeell…" Tyler drawled. "We had to stop it because you missed your cue. You were too busy staring at me."
I flushed and looked to Ms. Hale for confirmation. She was frowning. Uh-oh, not good. I let Tyler's comment about me checking him out slide and apologized to Ms. Hale. The music started again.
This time I didn't miss it.
"I met a boy, cute as can be," I sang as I shot Tyler a death glare. He smiled.
"Summer nights," we sang in unison. "Driftin' away…"
We actually sounded pretty good together; my soprano voice with his chocolatey tone sounded… well, pure together. Off to the side, I saw Lexi glance up from the magazine she was reading (she's too cool to associate with the drama freaks, or so she says) and curl her lip.
For a second, that unnerved me. But then the boasting came in. Why should I care what she thought of me? I was Sandy; she wasn't. That was that.
Well… maybe it was because she was my best friend. I did care about what she thought. We'd been friends since kindergarten, with her being the girl everyone loved while I was the lowly sidekick. Only now… Now…
Who's the sidekick now? A snide voice cheered in my mind. I quickly banished that thought and continued singing.
"We made out, under the dock," Tyler gave me a lopsided grin and waggled his eyebrows.
"We stayed up, until ten o'clock," I retorted sing-song.
"He got friendly, holding my hand," I beamed a look towards Tyler that screamed "Hold my hand, and you'll be missing yours".
"She got friendly, down in the sand," he winked exaggeratedly at me. I wrinkled my nose in disgust.
"Summer heat," Tyler grinned cheerfully while I was spitting out the words in song style. "Boy and girl meet… But uh-oh those summer nights."
"Very good!" Ms. Hale stood up and clapped her hands. Lexi looked up but didn't acknowledge the performance. "But, Minnie, try not to look towards Tyler. Same with you, Tyler. Remember, you don't know each other's there. Look anywhere else but at each other." She paused to let this information sink in. "And Minnie, don't be angry while singing. It does horrors to your voice. Plus, this is a happy song. We," she gestured towards the empty auditorium, "Want you to be happy."
Well, that's not gonna happen. Especially with Tyler there.
Tyler noticed the look on my face and started howling with laughter. "Haha… A sadistic Sandy!" Another peal of laughter rang out in the auditorium.
Lexi.
"Sadistic Sandy! Sadistic Sandy!" Tyler chanted.
Noticing the look on my face, Ms. Hale quickly called the rehearsal to an end.
I have such an influence over people.
"This station sucks," I bit angrily as I adjusted the radio. Tyler leaned back in the driver's seat.
"Really? I thought an angry girl like you would like punk music," he said conversationally.
"I am not angry," I narrowed my eyes. "And I loathe ska or punk or emo music or whatever it's called; it hurts my head."
"That's a surprise." I finally adjusted the station. I didn't listen to the radio often, so I didn't really have an idea which station was good. I paused on a station which seemed ok.
"So then, what type of music do you like?" Tyler swerved his black mustang to the right.
"Are you trying to start a conversation with me?" I demanded.
"Yes."
Well, fine. Two could play that game.
"I like whatever sounds good."
"Nah, really?" Tyler asked rolling his eyes.
I paused as I listened to the station change songs. "Hey, I know this song…"
Tyler hummed to the melody.
"You know it?" I looked at him.
"Well, seeing as it's the number one song right now, I'd be sort of a loser if I didn't," he replied dryly.
"Oh." I strained my ears to hear come guy crooning out words to the song. "What's it called?"
"Summer Nights."
"Summer Nights?" I repeated.
"Yep."
"But when the sun goes down… I'll be ready to party," I sang with the radio.
"You know, you're a pretty good singer," Tyler said casually.
Really? Tyler just said I was a good singer? Of course, our moment of civility ended when I said…
"You suck."
He laughed, as if he knew I didn't mean it. He just kept on humming along with the stupid song.
"Shut up."
He hummed louder.
"Make me."
Yes, once again he demonstrates the vocabulary of a four-year old, but I really couldn't say I was any better.
I sighed in resignation. "I like the Grease 'Summer Nights' better," I pouted.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Ok."
Tyler pulled up in front of my two-story house. I quickly got out so I wouldn't have to stay with him a second longer.
"Bye, Minnie," he called. "You're welcome for the ride too. Oh yeah, no need to thank me. Just keep on walking."
Grudgingly I turned to acknowledge him. "Thanks."
As I turned the key, I heard Tyler's mustang zoom off. The front door opened after I hit the doorknob a few times.
"Yoohoo! I'm hooooome!" I yelled. "Not that anyone cares!"
My little sister bounced down the stairs and looked at me, disgust evident in her eyes. "You're a dork," she informed me.
Nah, really?
"Why, thank you," I beamed at her.
"You're so uncool."
I tell you – with a family like this, how am I ever going to learn any good insults?
"Well, at least I'm not an idiot like you," I retorted.
"If I'm an idiot, what are you?" She shot back triumphant.
I blinked. "A dork," I replied slowly. "Isn't that what you just said?"
When she opened her mouth to answer, I held up a hand. "I'm tired; don't mess with me, loser. End of discussion."
With that said, I climbed up the stairs and headed towards my bedroom. Below, I could hear Tammy harrumph angrily and stomp away.
A/N: Don't kill me! I know I said I wasn't going to update any time soon, but this chapter came pretty easily. It's also sort of short… But the main focus of this was the rehearsal, and I thought if I stretched it out it would be pointless.
Thanks so much to:
City-gal 7 - :Winks: Aren't all little girls supposed to be like that?
Birdytamel – It was a mistake. I finally got some brains and deleted the other chapter.
Sam – You'll find that Minnie can be extremely sensitive… Maybe not when she's hurting other people's feelings, but when her own are hurt. Heh.
Sara Kay – I'm glad you like Tyler. I wasn't planning on making him evil…
TwistedFAerieTALes – Thanks for the review! Hehe… I updated!
Queen-lala – Why thank you.
Dorydafish – Oh. My. Gosh. Are you serious? You think I'm in league with Against All Odds? My goodness. That is a HUGE compliment. I don't think I'm anywhere near to being Myrika's quality of a writer. That is one of my most favorite stories on fp; thank you SO MUCH for saying that!Sexual tension? We'll see. Imight add in a few snippets here or there... heh.Thank you so much for the compliment!!!
Reira – Sigh. I most certainly hope I can finish this.
Rockisrocken – Actually, I changed my mind. Right now, "The Princess of Tirea" is probably going to be the least updated.
Sugpup – Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!
Well, until next time!
Intelligent Ditz