He's Giving Me a Reason, an Emblem3 Fan Fic (Sequel to Riptide)

Chapter 11

The auditions in LA were this weekend. As in, three days from now. It was only Wednesday, but I could already feel myself getting super nervous. I wasn't even the one auditioning and I was a complete wreck.

"So what song are you guys going to sing?" I asked biting into my apple. There were only fifteen minutes left in the lunch period and I only just started eating.

"No idea. We're still deciding whether or not we should do an original song or not." Drew said drumming his fingers on the table. I glanced between Wes and Drew and knew just by looking at them what they really wanted to do. I chuckled.

"Well it seems like you really want to do an original. So why don't you?" I said trying to give them confidence.

"It's a tough decision. Usually the judges aren't super impressed by original stuff." Wes sighed, "All they want to hear is something they know the words to." He was right. I've seen the X Factor before, I know how the show works. There's always a few acts who decide to perform an original song and get shot down because the judges just weren't convinced.

"But it's so hard for us to do a cover because this is our first audition. It's our one chance to show America who we are, and we don't want to pretend to be something that we're not." Drew said.

"We don't want to cover a song and fall into the boyband category. We do our own thing, and we want people to see that." Wes added. 

"Do people refer to The Red Hot Chili Peppers as a boyband? No. We just want to be our own thing and doing one of our songs will show that we're not another boyband." I totally got where they were coming from. Emblem3 was something different, and the world deserved to see that.

"I agree. You have to show them who you really are." I smiled at them. Drew and Wes perked up a bit. Maybe I helped make their decision a little easier.

Performing was what they loved to do. I've spent enough time with them to know that it wasn't all about getting famous. It was about using the power of music to spread a positive message and inspire people all over the world. That's what the goal was. Drew wanted Emblem3 fans to join together and create one big, unified body of inspiration and self-love. A few weeks ago he even started a group called Team Inspire.

Team Inspire started off small. The first members were Wes, Keaton and their two sisters, Laraine, Drew, me, and Adrianna. We made flyers and stuck them up all over the school, in town, at the pier- everywhere. We were actually shocked by how huge the impact Team Inspire had on the community. There are a little over a hundred members now, and we're growing by the day. I think the X Factor will help Team Inspire gain a few more members. I really hope so; the club spreads such a positive message to everyone.

"You really think we should?" Wes asked me smiling. I could tell he was really happy that I told them to do an original song.

"Yeah. I say go for it. Be different, be spontaneous, stand out!" I told them.

"Does my lady have any requests?" Wes asked as he scooted closer to me.A second later I felt his arm wrap around my shoulders. I snuggled into his bicep and laced my fingers through his.

"Sunset Boulevard." I said not attempting to control the grin spreading across my face.

"And why is that?" Drew questioned, intrigued why I picked that one. I didn't even have to think about my answer. All of their songs were great, they had a cool beat and awesome hooks, but there was just something about Sunset Boulevard...

"It's just one big party," I explained. "you should show the judges that you're there to have fun and just live it up." Simple as that. I saw a smile crawl across Drew's lips and heard him let out a little chuckle. "What's so funny Chadwick?" I asked poking fun at Drew.

"Nothing, just memories, you know? I was thinking back to when we wrote Sunset Boulevard." He laughed again and I smiled.

"That was the best trip and you know it." I said stillholding Wesley's hand.

"That's also when we had our first date." Wes winked at me and I blushed. Drew and Wes wrote Sunset Boulevard about the trip we took to Los Angeles over the summer.

We were at some party and they just crashed on the couch with a guitar and started jamming. Our friend Kenny came over and started laying down some pretty cool beats on his bongos, and Kyle came up with a pretty cool saxophone solo that the guys would later add in. So there, on that couch in the middle of July at 1:30 AM, Sunset Boulevard was born.

It was kind of cool knowing what the song was actually about. It was crazy to think I was actually there with them on Sunset Boulevard just a few months ago. I remember going to every Yogurtland in town and getting a bunch of free samples so we didn't actually have to pay for ice cream. I remember when Drew was trying to write the lyrics on that couch in Carrie's basement. He was just noodling around singing about some girl he called "Betty Blondie", and yes, it's "blondie" and not "blomby" contrary to popular belief.

But maybe you didn't know that Bettie Blondie's real name isn't Betty. Yep, that's right, Betty Blondie is actually just a name for another Blondie you may know... possibly someone dating Drew? Hehe, yep that's right, Adrianna is actually Betty Blondie. I still grin every time I hear the boys sing the song. Each time Drew gets to that line he sings it directly to her. It's the sweetest thing in the world.

Understanding the lyrics like that, it felt like such a rush, like I was making history in some way. It was like I didn't have to worry about getting old and losing my memory, because even if I forget, my experiences will live on in their music forever.

I was brought back to reality by Wes squeezing my hand. "Sunset Boulevard it is then." He smiled down at me. I rested my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes. I just laid there for a moment and breathed in the familiar scent of his soft cologne. It was like a mixture of citrus, fresh wood and the ocean- a weird combination but comforting all the same.

"You guys are going to kill it." I said. I just knew it.

Hi guys! Hope you liked chapter 11!!! I'm going to say 35 likes for the next chapter because you guys always get to 30 by the next day! A girl's gotta be able to do some homework! lol :) Anyway, thank you so much for reading, it means a lot :) BTW, a picture of Bryan McKiernan, captain of the basketball team and class A jerk to the side -----> 

He is super cute though :D