Chapter 2

As the song ended and the DJ resumed playing, Abby stood wide-eyed in stunned silence, staring at Brad. “What did he just sing to me? Did he sing, I love you, Abby?”

She watched the group lay their guitars down and walk off stage. “He loves me, Britney! Brad loves me! Amber, Brad loves me!” She yelled, gripping their arms. Abby forced her way through the crowd, gathering at the stage exit door. As the band members came through the doorway, they were mobbed by mostly girls wanting an autograph and pictures with them.

“Let me through, please let me through!” Abby asked, parting the growing crowd.

Abby spotted Brad hurrying the last few steps and unexpectedly jumped into his arms. Her short dress formed a tight second skin against her small ass cheeks, dangerously close to exposing them.

The force pressed his back against the wall, and his strong arms enveloped her slim body, cradling her firm ass in his hands.

She cupped his face in her hands. “What did you just sing to me?” She asked, her eyes darting over his handsome face. Others gathered around them closer to witness their conversation, as if the scene were straight from a romantic teen movie.

“I sang that I love you, Abby.” He looked into her clear brown eyes, which sparkled in the overhead lights. “Abigail, Maryanne, Kendall. I ... love ... you! I’m in love with you, Abby!” He stared straight into her eyes.

Abby shrieked at Brad’s public confession. “I love you, Brad!” She kissed him hard, and the crowd erupted in cheers and applause for the couple. Then she hugged him and kissed him again.

“I bet you didn’t know I knew your middle name.”

“But where did you ever find that song? The words fit us so perfectly!” She asked, sliding down his body. Her nipples, growing hard with excitement, stood out easily against the thin material of her dress.

“I didn’t find the song anywhere, I wrote if for you.”

“You wrote that song, just for me!” She couldn’t believe it.

“Remember, you said on moving day that you didn’t want me to say I love you just to say it. So I thought, the best way to tell you that I love you is to write a song saying so.”

“Oh Brad, I’m so proud of you. I love you!”

“And I love you too, Abby. This matches the day I found out Dan is my real father.”

The crowd swarmed around them, congratulating Brad on his performance and kidding him about having the nerve to profess his love for Abby in public. Many girls wanted his picture, his autograph, and a chance to pose with the other band members. Britney and Amber took pictures of them together.

“Hey man, congratulations on the great song,” his hockey teammate, Scott Warren, offered with a thumb-grasping handshake. Brad spotted him holding his girlfriend’s hand.

Brad wrinkled his brow at the obvious whiff of alcohol on his breath. “Thanks, Scott,.” He leaned forward, still holding his hand. “Better stay away from any of the teachers, I can smell the booze on you.”

“Are you going to tell them I’ve been drinking?”

“Scott, you ought to know me better than that.”

“Come on, Scott, you should go home before someone does tell about you,” his girlfriend suggested.

Several minutes later, the sea of students seemed to part as Abby led Brad onto the dance floor. A slow song started, and they embraced and became one person. “Thank you so much, Brad. I never, ever expected you to say, I love you, by writing a song for me. I’ll remember this night forever!” She kissed him lightly, then sighed contentedly, laying her head against his chest.

If Brad and Abby weren’t thought of as the perfect high school dating couple before, they certainly are now.

“I had fun writing your song. I didn’t want it to sound too mushy but still tell our love story.”

“You wrote it perfectly for us; thank you. I’ll have to videotape you at home playing my song again for me.”

“I already have his song recorded on my phone,” Britney said, overhearing their conversation.

“I love you! Thank you so much, Brit!”

The song ended, and they stood near the refreshment area, chatting away with the others and enjoying the food and drink.

“Hey, watch it!” Abby snapped at a boy who had just bumped into her.

His eyes were glued to her nipples, which protruded against her thin dress. “You’re not wearing a bra.”

“And neither are you,” she replied. “The room isn’t big enough for you?”

“Sorry I bumped into you. I was being teased by my buddies because of a girl.”

“Girls do cause problems for boys without even trying. Which girl are you talking about?”

He pointed to his right. “The one sitting alone by the wall, they’re teasing me because I said I like her. I think she’s beautiful.”

“Oh, I see,” Abby smirked, looking over at the girl. She was of Asian descent, sitting by herself near the corner. She figured this was her first school dance and felt awkward. “She is very beautiful. What’s your name?”

“I’m Michael.”

“And her name?”

“She’s Neela.”

“Come with me,” Abby instructed. She picked up a bottle of water and walked towards the girl.

“I can’t go and meet her!” He protested.

Abby paused. “What do you prefer to do, hang with your teasing friends or dance with a beautiful girl? Did you ever think that maybe she likes you too?”

“No, I didn’t think she might like me too.” Abby took Michael by the hand and led them to Neela.

“There’s only one way to find out. Here, offer her the water. Maybe she’s thirsty.”

“Hi Neela, I’m Abby,” she said, standing by her. “This is Michael, and he likes you and wants to ask you to dance with him.”

“I ... umm ... are you thirsty?” He hesitated, offering her the bottle.

“Yes, I am; thank you,” she smiled shyly, accepting his offer.

“Would ... would you like to dance?” He cautiously asked.

“Yes, I would, Michael,” she smiled, accepting his hand.

Abby beamed as she watched them begin to dance, and Michael gave her a thumbs-up smile.

“What was that all about?” Brad asked, accepting Abby’s returning embrace.

“I’m just playing matchmaker,” she smiled, seeing the new couple dancing.

“You’re certainly playing matchmaker with me,” Brad smiled, embracing his love.

Brad continued to receive praise for his performance on stage. Abby never left his side, constantly holding his hand and beaming with pride for the love of her life.

“Hey Brad, we’re back on in five minutes!” Jim yelled to him, and he acknowledged him. Abby and the girls made their way to the edge of the stage, ready for more songs from the band.

“I was going to sit out this set so I could dance with Abby.”

“We’re only playing two sets,” Jim replied.

“Go and play; I love your voice, Brad. I’m so proud of you!” Abby kissed him.

Brad joined Jim, B.J., Gary, and Tom on the stage as the DJ played the last song. The guys quickly reviewed the songs they’d play next.

Brad’s favourite old group was Def Leppard, and the song he enjoyed playing the most on his guitar was ‘Armageddon it.’ Words and music by Joe Elliot, Rick Savage, Phil Collen, Steve Clark, and Robert “Mutt” Lang. He prided himself on trying to duplicate the exact sounds of the recording of any song he played and liked learning old riffs.

Jim looked to Brad and counted down from three with a motion of his guitar, then Brad began with the distinctive guitar intro.

You better come inside when you’re ready to

But no chance if ya don’t want to dance

You’re like four-letter words when you’re ready to

But then you won’t ‘cause you know that you can

You got it, but are you gettin’ it?

You say that love is won when you get some

But then your finger won’t trigger the gun

You know you can’t stop it, so don’t rock it, you know you got it

Hey, but are you gettin’ it?

Really gettin’ it, come get it from me

(Gimme all of your lovin’)

Every little bit (gimme all that you got)

Every bit of it (every bit of your lovin’)

Oh, c’mon live a bit (never want it to stop)