ALYSSA POV:-
Before Josh's Song happens.
“ Alyssa, it's time for you to leave for english class.” Alice informs me as we walked down the corridor.
“I don't want to. It's the project day.” I reminded her, as I shuffled my books in the locker.
“Alyssa, when have you ever let someone come in the middle of your studies? Are you going to watch and let it happen?” Alice slams my locker door, forcing me to see her lips moving at the same time. She knows that she was right.
“Ugh, fine I'm going. But I'll just leave that dreadful file about him cause I don't want to be stuck with it. And I'll leave the class after that.” I replied to her hastily and firmly.
“That's all I need you to do.” She says it with a mysterious face. She must have seen the curiousity creeping out of my face. She hooks her arm with mine. She brushes it off as if nothing has happened out of the ordinary.
“Alys I've a free period right now, so can I join you?” She asks me but I knew her better than that. She wouldn't take no for an answer.
“When has that ever stopped you? Sure.” I answered and she smiles a victory grin.
~*~*~*~
I could see the usual assigned seats of Josh and I taken by him and Steve. I didn't want to sit next to him. Nor I wanted to make known of my presence.But I was really surprised that Josh would be here. I thought he would bunk it. Well but I'm sure he would not have been prepared for anything. He himself said me to do all the work.
I sat in one of those seats of the class where you can see everything but be hidden in view. I didn't want to be spotted by Steve and Josh.
Mrs. Minnie enters the class. She gives us the basic rules and information. She picks up sheets of piece of paper and calls out the student's names and partner.
Alice explained me the amusing things displayed by our classmates which I have missed. I tried to be enthusiastic but I couldn't. I was actually tensed for our project. Come on, who wouldn't be?
Suddenly Alice brings me down to earth from my thoughts, she shakes my arm a bit too violent for my taste.
“Its yours and Josh turn. Mrs. Minnie called out your names.” She whisper-yells at me.
I shushed and whispered to her, “I will give her the file later when the all the students leaves.”
I gave a glance towards Josh, I wanted to know what he would do. I found out that he was shocked, by his behaviour- he actually was about to hit his head on the desk.
I could see he was angry and whispering with Steve. Their conversations took some time. I wanted to leave the classroom, I didn't want to be here. That was obvious, he didn't prepare anything and it would have been embarrassing for me.
I thought of getting up from the seat, and discreetly leave the classroom. When all eyes thankfully were still stuck on Josh and Steve.
When I tried to get up from the seat, Alice grabs my hand firmly, shaking her head to my actions. She found out my inner thoughts. Why did she have to be a mind-reader?
I gave her a pout and a look please let me go.
She didn't allow me to go. I sat down, praying inside that some earthquake should happen or anything.
I shut my eyes. Suddenly I heard the class being silent, and a sweet sound kind of music coming from somewhere. I opened my eyes in time to read Josh words that he sung.
I couldn't believe it. I didn't know whether to be happy or angry at him for not letting me know that he actually prepared for it. And he was singing it and as well as playing the guitar.
I could understand his inner meanings, he was conveying to us. Others may not actually understand him, but I can. I didn't believe that he really thought that much high of me. And still I don't believe it.
I couldn't take my eyes away from him. It was like he was playing for me, I could see all kinds of his expression. No doubt I could understand what he wanted to say about me. But I m not going to lie, when he sung some words in a fast tone. I couldn't catch up with his lip movements.
Luckily Alice was writing the verses of his song for me, in case I couldn't follow him. I think that she already knew it was about to happen. Remind me later, to give a payback.
I glanced at the words which I missed. I felt really complete hearing those words and reading it. Much happier, lighter, grateful.
Suddenly out of nowhere, he mentioned about my drawing skills. I almost gave out a gasp, I covered my mouth in time. I could see Alice deep stares poring on my face.
I shrugged because I knew that I didn't mention it to him. But Alice already knew it, I told her to keep it as a secret. My mom must have told him, well what else she could have told him.
Holyfreaks, How he could read what was revolving around my mind. That I wouldn't believe what ever he has told and that I don't think I'm worth his song.
I still can't believe it was happening. When he ended the verse, the entire class applause even Mrs. Minnie was grinning. Yes, it would be a huge lie, if I said I wasn't happy or even blushing. Yup I was badly blushing and keeping my eyes locked on Josh, glad that he couldn't see my embarrassing situation.
When he stopped playing the guitar, I could see he was unaware of his surroundings. Alice mouthed with a grinning and enthusiastic expression. 'Go to him. What are you waiting for? Do your thing. All the best.' Again she knew my inner thoughts but by then I already made my way towards him.
I thought of speaking about him. If he did that much for me. Why I couldn't do the same for him. He should also know what I thought of him. My purpose was more important that the stage fear.
I could see he was losing his footstep. I grabbed him in the nick of time.
~*~*~*~
(A/N: The scene is skipped to the speech part. This is to avoid confusion. Enjoy!)
“Well I have done a piece of paper about my partner. But I changed my way of presentation. Sorry Josh, I lied to you. I knew you would talk me out of this. I made up my mind, so I am going to speak about Josh. So Josh, be very scared, I'll expose everything about you. ” I indicated these words to Josh. I said the last words, trying to threaten him but its a failure, I knew and I myself gave a low chuckle. The class was silent, totally shocked, surprised I guess. As it was new to them as to me. I've never ever interacted with my classmates let alone done public speaking.
“Well.. I'm Alyssa Stratson...” I started my speech.
I paused for a while, controlling myself not to run away from the spot. I was repeating inside, cool down a several time. I told myself not to think about others, don't let them come between your fear. And that I've a couple of friendly people in the audience. I knew they would support me no matter what happens.
“I'm going to talk about the supposed Bad boy Josh, that rumor which has been going around our school I guess.” I continued after a pause. I kept my eyes on Josh, I knew he couldn't see me creeping him out, I tried to lose the audience out, I pretended to converse with him.
“Let us start with when I had first met him. I knew that he cannot see at the time. But I never ever let it come into my mind, cause I was same like him, maybe less than him.” He knew that I was looking at me, he nodded his head softly encouraging me to go on. He shook his head on the last part.
“What I should describe about Josh? I could say that he is the most furious, stubborn, irritating person I've ever met. But at the same time, I would never change him. He is absolutely perfect and amazing in my eyes. Amazing.”
“He may be the so called Bad boy or something else in your eyes. But I have never felt it nor seen it so far. He is the most caring, sensible, and a wonderful person in my life. When I had my problems, and he had his own even though he was bursting with anger, he still cared for me in his own way and even helped me out ( the woods). He accepted me in his world, when I thought it wouldn't be possible. He taught me many things in his own ways, both good and trust me, even bad also (the detention). ” I could see that he was trying to hide a grin.
“ Let me let you guys into a secret. When I stepped to the school, at the first day of this class, I was actually cursing the school. I disliked coming to school before. He actually was the first one who heard my words, although he confided it to me later when we became friends and still teases me about it. But now I can honestly say that I love coming to school, a part of reason is him. Only little, Josh. ” I indicated the last words to Josh, knowing he would fill up his ego. He just gave me a smug grin, shaking his head knowing that it wasn't little as I had said.
“ He pulls my legs to no ends, I feel like pulling my hair out at times. But then when he doesn't, I actually really misses it. ” Josh gives me again a knowing grin.
“And he is actually one of my best friends, whom I could confide anything to him. The other one is Alice.” I informed it to Josh. I knew he didn't like Ryan for some reason, and made us fight only for him. I said the truth. Josh means a lot more than Ryan. Ryan was just a friend to me. Josh had an unbelievable look plastered on his face but he then soon broke out into a geniune smile. “There is no words to describe him. He is sarcastic, naughty, playful, mysterious, stubborn, short-tempered, but he is amazing, wonderful, trusting, caring, loving, sensible, smart, funny and so on.....”
“And he hates the fact, if his ego comes down. Don't be scared of him, he might appear to be scary, but he is harmless on the inside. So don't worry about him.” I tried to make fun of him. He gives me the look you are gone later.
I gave a low chuckle. Actually the entire speech, my eyes were fixed on Josh. If he could actually see me, I wouldn't look at him. But he couldn't, I wanted to observe his and every expression on his face. I wanted to know his thoughts and reactions. My heart was beating so hard, I felt afraid that everyone could hear it.
“As you all have heard a part of his music, he is really talented. I may not be able to hear clearly or be the judge of his talent. But I know deep in my heart, he would be an amazing musician. Steve has told me about his music achievements. I lost count of it. I really deeply wished at least for a while I could hear. His music would be the one I would turn to.”
“Music is his passion, a huge part of his life. It's his first love.”
“The way when his mouth forms a dimple when he actually smiles a geniune smile.”
“The way when he is really mad, he has a blank expression on his face that makes reading his facial expression difficult.”
“The way he twitches his lips when he tries to make jokes.”
“The way when he rubs the behind of his head when he is nervous.”
“The way when he gets excited, he is really jumpy.”
“The way he seems to be cool, when inside he is broken down.”
“The way he could really tell the moods of his closed ones, by their walks, speech, actions. Its really incredible.”
“I”m really glad we did this project together Josh, despite all the hurdles we faced. And that I could finally explain what I've been seeing you through my eyes. Thank you.” I ended the speech.
He seems awstruck. I chuckled a bit. And I refused to see the audience I didn't care about their words. I knew they would make fun of my speech, or say they couldn't follow me.
Josh sported a huge grin and a proud expression. I felt a flutter of happiness in my stomach. I turned to see Alice who mouthed me in time 'Amazing.' She had that glint of pride in her eyes and happiness was clearly shown on her face. I was about to walk off the stage. There was an echo of applause. I reluctantly faced the audience, they had a huge grin and some had awestuck expressions as they couldn't believe that I had spoke and they all had eyes on me. I couldn't believe it, they really understood me, I felt on top of the world for a moment. I gave a small smile to the audience and made my way to sit next to Josh who held out his hand to me. I grabbed his. He gently squeezes my hand.
He says softly, “I'm proud of you. You overcame stage fear. And the speech was okay.” He jokes the last words to me. I punched him lightly, he chuckles and answers “It was amazing. By the way I'm handsome huh?” He wiggles his eyebrows.
I asked him softly with a shocked expression, “When did I mention it?” .
“You just did, you flattered me to no ends, so I figured it must be due to my good looks.”
“Sorry Josh, the world doesn't revolve only on your looks.” But internally I can say it wasn't bad.
He gave another chuckle.
“One more thing is left, a video has been handed in by Josh and Alyssa.” Mrs. Minnie calls out.
I was shocked, that's why Alice have been jumpy in the morning with excitement. Alice must have been a part of this. I looked at Josh, wondered if he knew about this. But he had a shocked expression but covered it with a blank look. He too was missed out of this. Our hands were still interwined.
I looked at Steve, he was smiling a smug smirk. He catches my eyes, gives me a thumbs-up hand gesture. I smiled back at him, turned my eyes back to the screen showing the video.
The video had our small age pictures, some of them funny pictures. I laughed out loud at Josh funny pictures. I could see Josh reddish face. Surely he couldn't know that it was about him. I was going to tell him that I was laughing at his one picture.
“Josh, the picture is about you..” I couldn't control my laughter.
“About me wearing a ballerina dress when I was seven years old. Laugh all you want.” He said in an unaffected manner, I knew he was bursting with fury. I laughed aloud. So Steve was also a part of this, I could see Steve's hugging his stomach with the glint of prank on his eyes.
“But how do you know?” I asked him.
“The movie describes every picture to great detail, not leaving out a single detail.” He hissed it to me, no doubt Steve had a lot of fun making this video.
“He is dead.” He mutters angrily.
Suddenly there was picture of mine when I was six years old putting all the slippers on the bed, taking care of them as dolls, sleeping on the bed. I was extremely embarrassed right now.
Josh grim expression becomes better, his small smile slowly slipping out on a full smile. He laughs uncontrollably and hold his stomach. “You don't know the difference between slippers and dolls..” He pulls my leg. I turned around to Alice.
I looked at Alice, she was laughing in chuckles. I glared at her. She instead laughs more louder. She's gonna be dead later.
There were many other funny pictures, laughing at each other pictures, embarrassed in our own. But there were some cute pictures of him. At one picture of a baby photo of him, I said to him “ You look so cute when you was a baby.”
“I was not cute, don't use the word 'cute'.” He angrily replies to me, with a red face. I chuckled at him.
Then a picture came, it was one of my paintings. First time it was being shown in front of many people. It was one of the nature scene.
Josh whispers to me, “ I really want to see it. It is described perfectly, by Steve voice. But I wish I could see it. It seems amazing.” His face fell a bit.
I drew circles around the back of his hand. “Its okay, at least you know about it. I also want to hear your music, you were pretty okay.” I pretended it, didn't want to add it on to his ego.
He chuckled and agreed too softly.
In the end, the video screened a scene which was recorded by coincidence when I tried to cheer up Josh in the park when he was mad at his father for some reason. I was surprised to see a recent video and that too we both were at the same video. And in that video, it showed me making that embarrassing sentence, “What would happen if the unicorns would battle with Santa's reindeer?” The entire class erupted in chuckles, my cheeks becoming extremely red. I was so going to kill Steve and Alice. I tried to look down at my shoes I didn't want to see me embarrass myself further, but then a slow music was being heard, I couldn't help myself to look up the screen.
“Its one of my best tunes I've played on many occassions when I was extremely happy.” Josh whispered. I read his lips.
“By the way, now they didn't describe anything, so what made them play this tune? Steve knows what the tune means to me.” Josh asks me curiously.
I looked up intensely, wondering what made Steve play Josh's happy tune. It was that scene, when Josh smiled a geniune big grin at my embarrassing sentence, and when he grabbed my hand, taking the unwanted attention away from me. It stills gives me a flutter of happiness in my stomach.
I relayed the scene to Josh in a normal tone, masking all the emotions I had felt recollecting it. He confides it to me softly, “ I had played that tune later at home.”
I was shocked, he felt the same like me. I didn't want to create any confusion, so I brushed the thought away.
Then they video ended with us walking away from the spot, hand in hand, it displayed Alyssa and Josh project.
The class gave us a standing ovation. I was reluctant to go to the center stage where we had to face everyone again, Josh pulls me on my feet, gives a firms grips, encouraging me to go on. His face expression says me that I'm there with you. Don't worry.
I let him drag me up to the center stage, I looked up to Josh expression, he was giving a smug smirk like he knew no one was better than him. I chuckled at his cocky attitude.
I felt proud of him, for being his friend, for going through some ups and down. I then let my eyes wander around the classroom. I saw several classmates showing their geniune smiles, grins and I didn't even find a single person who stared or saw us with disgust.
I realized that the world was a better place, I felt glad to speak up, at least it might have cleared some doubts. I couldn't have gotten through this, if it weren't for Josh.
Mrs. Minnie comes to us onstage. She congratulates us. She gives us a quick hug. I was shocked and surprised at the same time. Josh looked as though he didn't like it, but I knew he felt appreciated.
“I knew, you were perfect partner for each other. I am proud of you guys. Your project were a personal favourite of mine, don't tell others, they wouldn't want me to spill out the secrets.” Mrs. Minnie says the last words in a playful tone.
~*~*~*~
“Do you wanna take a revenge on Alice and Steve?” Josh breaks me out of my thoughts.
“Yeah, they can't get away from us.” I replied a bit too fast.
“Patience, Sweetheart. Good things come to good people in time.” He says me in a cocky way.
“Yeah, by the way Josh, Alice and Steve are heading our way.” I informed him as soon as I got sight of them heading out of the English class.
“Yeah, let's pretend that we are cool with them, as though we are not pissed at them.” Josh advises me and put on a blank expression.
I nodded my head, again face palmed myself. I muttered a yeah.
Steve and Alice approaches to us with innocent looks. Oh now they were going to play the innocent card. Sorry guys you are not going to get away with this.
“Sorry Alyssa, we didn't know what to do, so we tried to help out.” Alice asks with a pout.
“Chill Alice, see the class even loved the video we created.” Steve replies in a cocky smirk, not feeling sorry at all. He even throws a fist pump in the air.
“Okay, so what made you guys put those embarrassing pictures of ours in the videos?” I asked them on my and Josh's behalf to them.
“Uhh..hhh..” Alice stutters for a while.
“We couldn't find more pictures at the moment.” Steve comes up with a white lie. I could have sworn I saw Alice shock expression but she regained herself. She nods softly.
Josh gives me the look, let us pretend, we have a plan.
“Oh okay.” I dismissed their words. Alice looks shocked and Steve looks confident. Josh gives me an evil smile.
“Are you okay?” Alice asks me with worry.
“Yeah I am.” I replied it hastily.
That's it for today. Sorry again for the delay, well my new class started :(
Those teachers who have been giving me hell and nightmares, are not gonna teach me this year :) Whoppie, I am really glad, I found out today :D
One incident of today at school :-
Teacher says in a sarcastic tone : I'm not going to teach you any subject this year, nor I am your teacher this year. Happy? (She says this to me and my friend who were her targets the previous year.)
My friend says in an innocent tone: Mam, nothing like that. (She gives a white lie.)
Teacher: (Nods her head in a weird way) I know. (She doesn't believes us, but we ignore it.)
Me and my friend look at each other, gives each other a mentally hi-five, and grins a huge grin at how she got it spot on.
- Back to the story, hows this chapter? Hope you liked it :) Well next you will have Alice personality for the first time and its a special pov. Yup, the next chapter will be really eventful for some characters I guess or not. Lips are sealed :P Lol :)
-The same drill- please vote, comment, follow and promote :)
-Have a great Day or Night depending on where you live :)
-bright_gal :)