chapter nine: getting to know you... a lot

"let me help you," danny helped me get out of the taxi [he wanted to take a limo, but i protested], and i took his hand reluctantly. this seemed to good to be true.
i sighed and stepped into the peu de café. something that i knew to be the 'little cafe.' [i took french in high school.]
"i asked the concierge and she said that they do public singing or kareoke here." danny smiled, looking hopeful. "maybe you'll sing?"
"ah-ha." i put my lips into a straight line, trying not to show any emotion. "so that's why you brought me here?"
"um. kind of." he wavered his hand in a 'not sure' motion. "i want to hear you sing, your sister says you're pretty good, and i wanted to have dinner. so why don't you sing after dinner?"
"i guess." now i smiled and tried not to giggle. i was an okay singer, not as good as danny or tom dougie and harry. or vanessa. isabelle and kathryn were singers also. they didn't have to sing much, but they liked to.
we went in and the warm breeze came in on our faces. it was a nice little resturaunt with a nice smell to it. it seemed cheery enough. of course, there was a little stage in the corner where a girl my age was singing a smooth song she wrote. she had an acoustic guitar, but i wasn't paying much attention to the lyrics. i was looking at the mini speakers. i assumed they were for kareoke.
we sat down at a table and ordered food. i looked around some more and realized it was a popular place, most of the tables were filled. a lot of the people looked like musicians or artists. i felt normal here, compared to in the coach store when we bought our purses for fun. jeez. this place was more nicer, it had a less... intimidating feel to it. but the singing part.. no way.
i smiled nonchalantly, not showing any emotion that i did or didn't want to sing. i just sat there with a kind of 'you know' look on my face.
"so..." danny took a sip of water before asking me, "what's your life been like?" i laughed. "i'm serious. you probably know all about my life."
"actually, i don't."
"okay. well. you can go first."
"why?"
"i asked you first."
"fine." i took a sip of my water and we got our drinks. "oh my god... well, first i was born. i don't really know if life is that different from people in england than over here but..."
"no we just call things different names. we might spaz out a little, me and the boys, but we've read some stuff about what you say, so if we say somthing different, just ignore it."
"yeah, i've heard that." harry had said a few random things that i didn't know what he meant during drum practice, but he explained. "but... i went to pre-school, then kindergarten, middle school, high school, and college."
"hm. sounds interesting." he said it sarcastically, but not in a mean way. "anything else? i mean, like, what happened in your life? any hobbies? big things? what about college? start with that."
"well, i went to northwestern in illinois with isabelle, kathryn and vanessa. some of my other friends went also. it was pretty much a basic college. but i really liked it, i learned a lot and loved my professors."
"cool." danny sighed. "sometimes i wish that we could slow down for a while, you know? take some time off." he twirled his straw in his drink. "i really want to go to college, and so does tom. he's been itchin' to go for a long time. i really think dougie and harry want to go too. maybe soon. after a couple more years or tours."
"you see?" i said. "this is why i feel bad talking about college to you guys. "you love music, yet you haven't found time for college yet. it makes me sad."
"haha," he smiled and laughed a little. "oh, don't worry about that. we're quite okay with just being here on tour. i think we'll go to college soon, but right now we're just foucusing on our music."
our dinner came, and while we ate danny asked me some more questions. "what are your hobbies?"
"hmmm," i finished my bite and answered. "i really like music, and i like to write. mostly books, maybe some short stories, and songs. i don't sing often, but i did get a lead in a few musicals at my high school. i also like to act. i'm not the best though." i giggled a little, just amused at the conversation. "what about you?"
"well, i like to sing and play music," i laughed a little at that. "writing songs is always a good way to let out feelings. i also like to just chill and read sometimes, and maybe play sports. sometimes we get some downtime to hang at home if we're not on tour, and we like to play some games and stuff. me and harry like soccer." he put airquotes around soccer and i smiled.
"i like tennis and ice skating." i ate a fry and continued. "swimming is also fun." we ate some more in scilence for a couple minutes and i got full quickly. i hate a fourth of my hamburger left, and some of my fries. i didn't want to take it home, the smell of food was already making me nervous.
"singing?" i nodded and sighed.
i went up to the bar and asked, "can i sing a song on kareoke?" please say no, please say-
"sure." he signaled the singer and asked me, "what song?"
"do you have... baby's coming back by mcfly?"
he checked on their computer and nodded. "do you need lyrics?" he motioned for the little tv on the ceiling above the stage.
"put them up in case." i walked over to the stage and waited until her song was over, several people clapped. i stepped up, while she sat down and worked on something on her laptop at a table nearby. there was a stool, and i pushed it aside. the music started, the fimiliar music i memorized. i was nervous, and of course the lyrics were up on the little screen. i didn't need them though. my memory of songs was amazing.
"I knew that when I saw him
That my life would soon move over from the fast lane
Gone would be the days of all my drinkin and my carrying on
But when I settled down
The party king uncrowned
This stubborn memory hadn't faded
Too many dumb mistakes
And all the grief it makes
Left nothing else to be debated
But if you say that you understand then you're lyin'
But if you figure that I'm alright now I can't deny it
Baby's coming back
Baby's coming back
So I'm on my best behaviour
I can't take it anymore
I just woke up on the floor today (Yeah, Yeah)
I've long run out of my last chances but he's on her way
If I had a dollar for every single time
I fought him I'd buy a handgun (I'd buy a handgun)
But that couldn't shoot away
The bull's eye that he made on my heart
But if I sound like a beaten girl well then I guess so
And on him way is the sweetest prize and I can't let go
Baby's coming back
Baby's coming back
So I'm on my best behaviour
I can't take it anymore
I just woke up on the floor today (Yeah, Yeah)
I've long run out of my last chances but he's on her way
What I told him on the telephone was that I'd been so bad
I wouldn't blame him if she mowed down these wild oats I'd sown
But when he said he'd give me one more chance
I said knock three times
When you arrive
Baby's coming back
Baby's coming back
So I'm on my best behaviourI can't take it anymore
I just woke up on the floor today (Yeah, Yeah)
Baby's coming back my darling
Baby's coming back to see me
And I've long run out of my last chances but he's on her way."
some people clapped, mostly danny though. i smiled when i was done, mostly because i gotten it over with wtihout passing out. i walked back over to my table and the girl who was singing before me came back on the stage.
"wow." danny smiled approvingly. "what a nice voice."
"thanks." i sighed and he smiled some more.
"it's not a bad thing, you did good. i always loved that song."
"yeah, too bad they don't sell it here. not on iTunes anyways."
"what? then how do you know it?"
"youTube."
he laughed and i smiled.
we payed and went back to our hotel, we were all planning on watching a movie tonight, the boys had picked it, i had no ide what it was. i was excited to see.