TRACK #4 MUSIC:

🎵 "Everything You Want" - Vertical Horizon

🎵 "Smooth" - Carlos Santana ft. Rob Thomas

🎵 "It's Gonna Be Me" - *NSYNC

__________

TRACK #4 - FALL

"Everything You Want" - Vertical Horizon

When I got home from Gran's, I was too wired to sleep. I changed into comfortable clothes and let my braid out to hang in loose curls while I waited for the internet to dial up. "You've got mail!" rang through the speakers, as usual, and I began to click through my instant messages. Suddenly, a gray box popped up, letting me know I was receiving a request from someone new.

"FenderBear412" would like to send you a message.

FenderBear412. I didn't recognize the username. I clicked ACCEPT on the box to find out who in the world wanted to message me.

FenderBear412: hey

Piano___Rock: Hey... who's this?

FenderBear412: guess

Piano___Rock: Well... give me a hint.

FenderBear412: ummmm....

FenderBear412: i think ur pretty cute

Piano___Rock: Well, gee... That was a great hint. That could be anyone. ;]

Did I really just type that? I had to have still been on an adrenaline rush from hanging out with everyone, especially since I just winky-faced a stranger. Well, maybe not a complete stranger. I had a sneaking suspicion as to whom this could be...

FenderBear412: ha ha funny

Piano___Rock: How'd you get my username, Brock? ;]

That was two winky faces in a row. Yep. Definitely still hyped up. Was I flirting with him?

FenderBear412: little birdie gave it to me

Piano___Rock: Aren't you lucky?

FenderBear412: yup. seriously, u looked beautiful tonight

Well, whatever this was, it seemed to be working for him. I can't believe the Brock Miller just called me beautiful. Okay, keep calm, Aria. You just have to keep the ball rolling without tripping over your own two feet. Or hands.

Piano___Rock: Thank you. You looked pretty good yourself out on that field. Congrats on the win!

FenderBear412: thanks. told ya i'd throw a few for u

Piano___Rock: Well, I'm flattered.

More than I cared to admit, actually.

FenderBear412: good. so r u really free tomorrow? do u want to do something? i know a couple parties that are happening or we could see a movie if thats more ur thing

A party? Ha! Hard pass on that one. I barely breached the talking-to-other-people threshold. There was no way I was going to a party. Not even with the Brock Miller.

Piano___Rock: I'd be up for a movie. Parties aren't really my thing.

FenderBear412: that's because u haven't been to a party with me. movie is good. i can pick u up. what's ur address? 7 ok?

I smiled as I typed out my address. I thought about the time. Shrugging, I responded.

Piano___Rock: 7 should be fine. I just have to double check with my parents that it's okay. I don't know if they had something planned.

FenderBear412: it's cool... so ur dad is like... famous?

Piano___Rock: He's a pretty well-known musician, yes, but not super popular with people our age.

FenderBear412: u were on tour with him?

Piano__Rock: Did you run a background check on me?

FenderBear412: i might've asked around... U a musician too?

Piano___Rock: Just piano and voice. My mom started teaching me when I was young. I'd love to learn guitar, but I don't have one yet. Need my social next?

FenderBear412: funny. u know, i could teach u some stuff on guitar...

My vision was suddenly filled with an image of Brock's arms cradling me as he guided my hands along the instrument, and I had to swallow it down a very swollen throat. Be cool. Be cool. Be cool.

Piano___Rock: Oh, you play? That would be fun.

FenderBear412: ya, I'm in a band... just lemme know...

Piano___Rock: Well, I'll let you know when I finally get one. Hey, listen, I'm going to get some sleep. I'll send you a message tomorrow either way. Goodnight!

FenderBear412: night beautiful ;-)

I slept soundly even as butterflies danced in my stomach. When I finally awoke, I ran down the stairs to the aroma of my mom's famous chocolate chip pancakes.

"Good morning," my mom greeted, flipping a perfectly golden disc. The table was set for two. My father must have still been asleep.

"Morning! Smells so good in here." I inhaled the sweet scent before I opened the refrigerator, grabbing the orange juice to pour myself a glass.

"Good! Hope you're hungry. How was the game?" Oliver, my fluffy orange cat, slithered into the room, weaving his way between my mom's feet. She gently pushed him aside with her foot, crushing his feline dreams of a delicious snack.

"Really fun! Actually, do we have plans tonight? A friend asked me to go to the movies with him..." I asked the question as casually as I could, but my stomach soared; I had never asked for permission to see a movie with a boy before. I sat down at the table with my orange juice, impatiently awaiting her intentionally slow response.

"'Him?'" I could see the wheels turning in my mom's head as she poured the last of the batter onto the pan.

"Yes, it's a him..." I confirmed, taking a swig of my juice. My thoughts raced while my internal monologue was set on repeat. Come on, Mom. Please? It's Brock-freaking-Miller.

"Well, I guess it would be okay. Is he picking you up? I'd like to meet him, and I'm sure your father would, too..." My mom brought a full plate over to the table and sat it between us.

My eyes lit up at the scene. I quickly took a few forkfuls of the warm pancake. I replied to her between bites, my cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind stopping in. Do you think it'd be okay if I went to the mall after breakfast? I don't really have anything to wear." I scraped my plate, contemplating another serving.

"That's fine. I actually had several responses from my ad and have a few piano lessons coming to the house today..." We continued to chat as we finished our meal and cleared the plates.

With my belly full of both pancakes and excitement, I went upstairs to check my AOL Instant Messenger. Just like he said, Brock was still logged in, so I left him a message.

Piano___Rock: Hey! Everything is all good for tonight, but my mom is being a mom and would appreciate it if you stopped in and said hello before we went. I hope that's fine with you. Let me know.

His name immediately darkened out of the idle state, and he replied.

FenderBear412: morning. totally cool. i'll come at 6:45 to give us some time. see u then

Piano___Rock: Great. See you later!

I logged off and picked up my phone. The cord tapped against a few things while I glanced over to my digital clock on my nightstand. 10:30. That's not too early, right? I grabbed the piece of paper Emma had given me with her information on it. The phone rang twice before she picked up.

"Hello?" her chipper voice sounded through the receiver. She was definitely up.

"Hey, Emma! It's Aria," I started.

"Hey, Aria! What's up?" she asked. I could hear her fidgeting with the cord of her phone.

"I was curious if you might be free this afternoon to go to the mall. I kind of have a date tonight and could really use someone to help me pick an outfit. I'm not exactly used to this kind of stuff." I was hoping I didn't sound too pathetic. Emma and I hadn't known each other long, but I didn't have any other close female friends, and I certainly didn't want to ask my mom.

"A DATE?! With Brock?" She sounded more excited than I was.

It all seemed to click at once. "Yeah. You're the one who gave him my screen name, didn't you?"

She giggled. "Guilty. I hope that's okay? You seemed into him, and he asked, so..."

I laughed. "Yeah, that's totally fine. He just wouldn't tell me who gave it to him! He was being very secretive about it. So, mall?"

"Oh, absolutely. This definitely calls for a major shopping trip. I can be ready by noon."

"Great! I'll pick you up!" I exclaimed, perhaps a bit too enthusiastically. I was just happy she was willing to go.

"See you soon!" she answered. I hung up the phone after she gave me her address, then went to get changed.

Bridgeview Mall wasn't huge, but what it lacked in size, it made up for in ambiance. The building was constructed mostly out of white concrete, but the semi-domed ceiling was made completely out of steel beams and glass, giving it more of an outdoor atmosphere. Each storefront had its own design to match its individual style, brought together by the main halls of the building. Beautiful black wrought iron railings sectioned off the green spaces that ran throughout the center of the aisles. Trees almost as tall as the two-story mall itself were joined by other tasteful greenery to set the scene and make it feel as though you were strolling through a park. Decorative floral baskets hung from the black old English lamp posts that stood proudly on the corners of the green spaces, and there were park benches to allow for shoppers to rest their weary feet. The food court, while small, held enough options that kept the mall's shoppers happy to sit in the black metal armchairs while eating at the matching tables.

"So, what stores do you usually hit? I need to get a feel for your style before I start making suggestions." Emma and I strode side by side along the marble tile floor. I was surprised how natural it felt to be out with her while people passed with bags bouncing beside them.

"I don't know; I can shop anywhere. I'm not sure I really have a style," I laughed before glancing at a storefront with a large sign that read Sonic Sounds in bold, red letters. As I peered inside the store, familiar long blonde hair caught my eye. "Hey, look! It's Noah!" I pointed. He was seated on a stool, guitars lining the faux brick wall behind him. Noah hummed while his fingers danced along the frets. A familiar riff rang through one of the nearby amplifiers as we walked towards him.

"Hey, loser!" Emma yelled, standing in front of a very oblivious Noah, who was still working on perfecting the run. He abruptly stopped and looked up, nearly losing his balance when he spotted us.

"Oh, hey..." Noah smiled and tried to casually reposition himself. Elijah sat beside him toying with a run on one of the many worn, leather couches throughout the store. He hadn't glanced up yet, so I took a brief second to admire my surroundings. Carlos Santana's "Smooth" filled the store.

My fingers itched to touch the brightly colored electric, acoustic, and twelve-strings that rested on their stands on opposite sides of the boys. There were pedal boards and amplifiers on top of a few of the area rugs that sporadically decorated the hardwood floors. The store did its best to provide soundproofing, using a black and white checkered pattern halfway up the walls. More instruments were scattered throughout the store in random places between the racks of CDs, albums, cassette tapes, and band paraphernalia. Brass, woodwind, and stringed instruments littered the walls where there weren't autographed band posters. I felt like a kid at Christmastime standing there. It truly was a musician's paradise.

"So," Noah's voice brought me back to the conversation, "what are you guys doing here?"

"Just shopping. Aria has a date tonight!" Emma blurted. My face flushed. That was not information I was planning on sharing with the Walker brothers... or anyone else for that matter. "Hey, Elijah." Emma smiled warmly at him.

"Hello," Elijah said in a smooth, confident voice. His fingers continued to move along the top frets, trilling on a few notes as he practiced a solo. "Who has the pleasure?" he asked, hazel eyes shifting to meet mine.

Looked like I was sharing now. "Brock Miller," I replied. Noah grimaced and turned his attention back down to his guitar to start picking out a few riffs, seemingly disappointed with this revelation. Elijah looked slightly disheartened as well, but he kept his cool. I was taken aback by their reaction, in particular, Elijah's; I had naively thought teammates had to like each other. "He's on the team with you," I offered, trying to establish a mutual connection. I immediately regretted my comment. Of course he knows he's on the team, idiot.

"I am acquainted with him," Elijah confirmed, giving a small smile in reassurance. It was obvious that he was playing nice.

"Is there... something I should know about him?" I asked, trying to read their expressions. Noah bit his lower lip. I knew there was more he wanted to say even though he wouldn't.

"He has a reputation of being unkind sometimes," Elijah stated diplomatically. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I registered once again how eloquent he was. But that obviously wasn't what I was supposed to take away from his remark. I stood there speechless.

"Well... we should get going," Emma's comment cut through the momentarily awkward silence. The tension was so thick I almost couldn't breathe. "Enjoy your day!" Emma took my arm and led me away to a chorus of farewells.

"What was that about?!" I asked her when we were out of earshot. We were entering Charlotte Russe to scour for outfit options.

"What, the Brock thing? I have no idea. I've never heard that. I would have warned you and wouldn't have given him your username if I had," Emma assured me. She picked a rack and began flipping through items. She pulled a few things out and hung them over her arm. I assumed they were for me to try on.

"Hopefully it's nothing..." I sighed, joining her to choose a few things myself.

"Maybe Noah is just jealous?" Emma offered with a laugh. "I mean, I see the way he looks at you. He probably just doesn't want you to go out with Brock."

I immediately scoffed at the idea. "Noah? I... I don't think so. It was Elijah who said something, anyways." We both headed towards the dressing room with full arms.

"True. I dunno; I think you should just go on the date tonight and see for yourself if you like him. If you don't, it was just one date." Emma pointed to all of the combinations she wanted me to try on and sat down on a round upholstered seat to watch.

I knew she was right, and I knew I needed to shake it off, but I couldn't seem to. "I'm glad you're here," I said as I pulled on a pair of dark flare jeans and a white peasant top. I opened the door to the dressing room so she could see.

"I'm glad you asked me to come! I love this stuff. No. Next." She fluttered her hand towards me to dismiss the outfit. The next option was a pair of black jeans, slightly tighter than I might have liked, with silver buttons down the side. She paired it with a hot pink, off the shoulder sweater. It was not a combination I'd have ever picked for myself. I opened the door once again to let her inspect.

"Spin," she instructed while she motioned with a twirl of her finger. I obliged. "Oh! This is it! We just need to find you the perfect black bootie to go with it. Wear the silver hoops you wore to the game. You're going to look so hot." She clapped excitedly, proud of her work. "We can talk about hair and makeup when you're done."

"Hair and makeup?" I asked rhetorically. It was a date, after all. I should get used to the idea of at least wearing a little makeup, right? "Should I try on the rest just to be safe? You know, in case I might need some more?" I felt nervous saying it, but I wasn't used to dating. My wardrobe didn't include any date-appropriate pieces. Emma gave the thumbs up.

We found a few more outfits, then left to find a shoe store. When we passed Sonic Sounds again, Elijah and Noah were no longer there. I felt my stomach clench as I thought about what happened earlier. What if they were right...?

"Hey," Emma smiled, resting her hand on my shoulder. I could tell she sensed where my thoughts were going. "Let's go grab a smoothie before we leave."

"As long as it's my treat," I semi-agreed. "For your time and expertise. Do you want to come over to my house for a bit, or do you have somewhere to be?" I asked. I truly was enjoying her company. It was nice to finally find a girl I felt comfortable with. She was so easy to talk to.

"I'll come over for a bit to help with hair and makeup. I have to see the final product. I'll just have my dad get me before Brock comes since you drove." Emma and I entered the food court. I scanned the area before spotting two blonde boys eating Chinese food across the table from each other. It seemed the Walker boys were still here after all. Emma and I stood in line to get our smoothies. I tried to ignore them.

As we approached the cashier, I reached in my purse for my wallet. I couldn't immediately find it, so I handed my drink to Emma to hold. Using both hands, I began digging deeper when–

"Here, my treat." Noah smiled at me and passed the money to the cashier before I had the chance to protest. Emma smiled softly at him as a way of saying thanks before stepping past him. She turned around to look at me, and her smile slowly and dramatically morphed into a mischievous grin that spread wide across her face. I stared blankly at her for a second, then turned my attention back to Noah.

"Thank you," I managed to say through jumbled thoughts. Emma's earlier comment flooded my mind. Did Noah really like me? Or was he just being polite?

"You're welcome," he responded.

I watched while Emma set the drinks down on the counter and excused herself to the restroom, clearly leaving the two of us alone.

"Sooo," I smirked while trying to lighten the mood, "you just blew my chance to easily thank Emma for the shopping trip."

"Oh–" Noah started before I laughed.

"I'm just teasing, but now I owe both of you smoothies. How did you get over here so fast anyway? Your alter ego must wear either a lightning bolt or an 'S' on his chest." What? Oh my goodness. Stop talking, Aria.

Noah's eyes lit up, and a genuine smile spread across his face. "I can't tell you that."

"Because then you'd have to kill me?" I returned his smile, thankful he was playing along.

"Something like that." He crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Don't worry about the smoothies. It was honestly my treat. Besides, what kind of superhero would I be if I asked for repayment every time I helped a damsel in distress?"

"Does that happen often?" I questioned innocently enough.

"No, not really," he admitted.

I hesitated while I wondered more and more if Emma was right. My eyes met his, and we simply stared at each other for a beat or two, trying to read each other's thoughts.

"Well, thanks again," I broke the silence before it could become too uncomfortable once more. Mercifully, Elijah appeared behind Noah, and I nodded as a way of welcoming him to our awkward moment.

"I apologize for the interruption," Elijah returned the gesture, "but Mom requested that we return home soon."

"Right." Noah looked away, trying to hide his annoyance.

"It was nice to see you." Elijah turned to head towards the exit. Noah looked at me over his shoulder and waved. I returned it with one of my own. With them gone, I scanned the crowd to find Emma, but there was no need. Soon she was at my side and hooking her arm through mine again.

"Sooo..." She batted her eyes at me. "Do you agree that he has a crush on you yet?"

"I'm not sure," I huffed.

"Okay. You think about it," she responded with a tinge of sarcasm while we made our way to the exit.

We drove to my home in a fit of giggles and radio singalongs. When we arrived, both of us bolted up the stairs to my bedroom to begin the beautification process. Emma found my television remote and turned the channel to MTV, allowing the music videos to stream as background noise. She then began scanning my walls that were decorated with colorful band posters, a large cork board with scattered, thumb-tacked memorabilia, and all of the other details that made my bedroom feel like me. Like home.

"Well, hello, gorgeous!" Emma exclaimed. I assumed she was referring to the nearby poster of Jason Wade, the lead singer of Lifehouse, my favorite band. When I turned towards her, however, she had plopped herself down on my purple-clad bed and was petting Oliver. He instantly began purring and headbutting her affectionately, the flirt that he was. I smirked at the two of them. "I think we should put some curls in that glorious hair of yours." Emma grinned back at me while continuing to scratch underneath Oliver's chin. He was putty in her hands.

I began unpacking bags and laying the items out on my dresser to see what we had to work with. "We can try, but my hair doesn't usually hold a curl," I shrugged, folding a few new pairs of pants to put them in my dresser. I left out the black jeans and pink sweater. "Let me go ahead and shower before we start. Make yourself at home! There are snacks in the kitchen, too, if you're hungry. Help yourself!"

I disappeared into the bathroom and closed the door behind me. When I turned the handle, the pipes creaked to life. The warm water hit me for a few extra minutes as I contemplated what the Walker brothers had said. I was originally excited about this date. After seeing their reactions, I became apprehensive. I knew that I hadn't had many exchanges with Brock, but what I did had gone well enough. That is, aside from my awkwardness and that one strange incident with his father. I tried to put the thought out of my mind while I wrapped myself in a towel and walked out of the bathroom to let the air help in the drying process.

I stepped back into my bedroom and snorted at the sight before me. I watched as Emma bounced up and down with a juice box to *NSYNC's "It's Gonna Be Me." I jumped in and threw in a few swings of my hips, which was really all I could contribute appropriately in a towel without completely losing it. We sang along as the music video showed the members of the group as puppets. I grabbed my new outfit and laughed all the way back to the bathroom to get changed.

With freshly dried hair, I set myself down in a chair to let Emma get to work. She pulled my hair up halfway with a little volume and started curling the long brown strands. Surprisingly, the curls stayed. "You have to have my special touch," Emma explained, adding a few spritzes of hairspray. It was already 6:00, and I still needed to do my makeup.

"Let me grab my caboodle to get started with my face while you're finishing my hair." I grabbed the pink plastic case from my vanity and quickly stocked it with my freshly purchased cosmetics. I began my foundation while Emma finished my hair. I hoped it seemed like I knew what I was doing. I didn't usually wear a lot of makeup, but judging from Emma's earlier comment, this seemed like an appropriate occasion to wear more than normal. I added some blush, light eyeliner, and a little mascara. Lipgloss would finish the look.

I could see Emma's smirk in the mirror before she turned me around. "Blend and blot, girl," she gently stated before touching up my attempt. "I think we're all done!" Emma said, standing back and admiring her handiwork with the hot curling iron still in her grasp. "You're a knockout!" she giggled, motioning for me to examine myself in the mirror. I shifted in my seat so that I could peek over my shoulder. My mouth parted as I took my appearance in. I wasn't even sure I recognized myself.

"Making my divas proud..." I commented absently.

"Your wha–?" Emma raised an eyebrow.

"I'll have to explain that some other time," I brushed off my slipup and quickly changed the subject. "Thank you so much for your help today." I sat down to slide on a pair of low blank ankle socks. I added my silver hoop earrings and looked around for my new booties. "I'm sure I'd be wearing my old jeans and a t-shirt if you hadn't come."

"No sweat. You look great, and I hope you have fun. Try not to think about what Elijah said. I'm sure Brock will be good to you." She nodded, setting down the curling iron to cool and cleaning up the workspace a bit. "And if he's not, we'll slash his tires." I laughed at her audacity. "Call me tomorrow, okay? I want to hear all about it!" A loud honk rang through the house from outside. "Dad's here. Have funnnnn!" She gave me a light hug before bobbing down the stairs to slide her shoes on and head outside. I could feel my stomach tense.

Holding my booties and small black clutch, I walked downstairs to find my mom sitting on the couch with my father. "Aria! You look great!" She smiled, switching the television to mute. "Are you nervous?"

"A little," I lied as I sat down to put my boots on. I was nervous. Very nervous. My stomach agreed with me, going from just feeling tight to turning in knots. Just then, there was a knock on the door. It was time.

__________

⭐ Are you listening to the playlist, too? Find the link in our profile! And don't forget to hit the STAR to vote if you're loving the story.