I decided that I would do a demo for Darcy, I’d worked it out that I would have had to get extra credit for it because it was taking up time that I should be used studying, and also it meant that I could use it for a second demo if need be, so really it was a win-win situation, she got her track and I graduated senior year.

But I didn’t know what she needed, that was the problem, however I did know that she and Matt were actually rehearsing right now, I still don’t think that she’d gotten him into tights but I think that they’d settled on sweat pants for now.

I walked through the door and opened the window on the video camera, pressing record, she was showing him how to do something, he nodded and she restarted the music they moved together and it worked well, there was something there when they danced, the way that their eyes connected as they moved, they worked well together, and not just because Matt was able to do the lifts.

I sat against the wall and started the record, they moved together and then apart and by the time the period was up I had pretty much everything I needed. Matt nodded to me as he left but his eyes were stony. I stood up and shut the camera off.

“Get everything that you needed?” She asked me as I put the camera back in my bag.

“Yeah thanks”

“It’s okay, but what was that for?”

“I need to have something to work with when I’m coming up with the soundtrack, kind of like a muse”

“Oh so I’m your muse?” I could hear the smile in her voice even though I wasn’t looking at her.

“In a sense yeah, but don’t let it go to your head”

“Thanks for doing this though Zack” She said walking towards me “I really appreciate it” She hugged me then, it was just a gentle hug her arms sliding around my waist, but it still felt weird, but a good kind of weird. I wasn’t quite sure what to do with so many thoughts running through my head so by the time I’d even thought to hug her back she’d stepped away from me. “It was just a hug Zack” She said “You don’t have to be a complete asshole all of the time” She looked pissed off as she turned on her heel and left the room.

I was oddly annoyed with myself, I wasn’t really one for making people upset or angry, yet I seemed to be doing it a lot these past couple of days, Matt yesterday and Darcy today, I rolled my eyes and made my way back to the recording studio.

X-X-X

I was late leaving in the end, I swear I’ve been spending more time at school at the moment then I have at home. I sighed, and walked out into the rain to my car, I put my guitar in the back and climbed in the front, I was thoroughly soaked through by then as I started the ignition.

I was halfway home when I saw her, she was walking on her own through the rain, it was an internal debate that I couldn’t be bothered to have right now, I was tired and hungry, but I couldn’t make her walk home in this weather, especially as it was getting dark now and it really wasn’t safe for her to be out on her own. I slowed to a stop and opened the window.

“Darcy!” She looked up at me “C’mon get in” I said

“Why would I want a ride from you?”

“Because it’s freezing, raining, and my car has a heater” I said with a smirk. I saw her debating with herself, if she carried on walking she’d run the risk of me thinking she was stuck up, but if she got in, she’d think that she was giving in to what I wanted her to do. But either way I knew she’d get in because she was shivering. “Come on, you’ll make yourself ill” I said reaching over and opening the passenger side door. She shook her head. “Darcy come on, please?” I looked up at her. She sighed and shook her bag off her shoulder and climbed into the car. She shut the door and pulled her hair back into a bun and wrapped her arms around herself. “Take your sweater off” I said

“What?” She looked shocked at my request. I rolled my eyes.

“Don’t worry, you’ll just warm up faster” I said flicking the heater on so that warm air blasted through the car, I reached into the back seat and grabbed my hoodie “Here put that one on, it’s dry” I said handing it to her, she did as I said and sighed, leaning back in her seat. “Where to then?” I asked pulling away from the curb.

“You really don’t have to take me home Zack” She said

“Bullshit I’m not letting you walk through that”

“Why are you suddenly being nice to me? You were an asshole earlier”

“Part of the Baker charm”

“It’s annoying” She said “And confusing” She yawned.

“Just tell me where I’m taking you and then you can be away from me okay?”

“I never said I didn’t like being near you, I just don’t like it when you’re being an asshole”

“But that’s just me”

“You’re not an asshole, you just pretend to be” She looked sad “Just take me to Maynard’s” She said. I nodded and took a left.

“Wait you live on Maynard’s?”

“Yes”

I whistled low, that was one of the most high rent places in Huntington. [A/N Idk if there really is called this in Huntington, but for the purpose of this chapter there is]. So for her to be living there she must have pretty much everything a girl could ever want, like seriously these people had money.

By the time we got to Maynard’s she was out cold, fast asleep in the passenger’s seat, and I was kind of stumped as to which house was hers. After a few moments of sitting in the car I noticed most houses had names painted on the mail boxes, I kept driving until I saw Blueon the mail box for number eight. I pulled into the drive and shut off the engine. I got out and ran around to the passenger’s side, I didn’t even want to try and wake her up, it was still raining so I threw her bag over my shoulder and scooped her up out of the car, running up the drive with her.

I rang the bell and waited for someone to answer, within a minute the door opened to show what I would basically describe as a playboy bunny. Seriously, I know that I live in California but it wasn’t too warm out tonight.

“Hi” She said with a smile, then her eyes zoned in on who I guessed was her sister and it
turned to a frown “Come in quick” She said opening the door wider for me to step in to the house.

“Marissa who’s at the door?” A man’s voice came from the front room.

“I uh… don’t know… but he’s very wet and he has Darcy” She said, a moment later a man came through the door. He looked confused as to why I was here soaking wet with his daughter.

“Who’re you?” He asked me.

“Zacky Baker sir”

“Why do you have my daughter?”

“She was walking home in the rain so I offered her a lift, and then she fell asleep in the car, I didn’t want to wake her up so I carried her inside”

“Fair enough” He said “Marissa show him to Darcy’s room and then help her out of those wet clothes” He said to the blonde who nodded and motioned for me to follow her up the huge marble stair case. Seriously I always thought that my house was big, this place made it look minimal. It’s fucking windows had windows.

“Just through here” She said opening a door to reveal a huge room, the walls were blue and there were pictures of dancers and such over the walls, but then there were band posters as well, I smiled a little, the girl had good taste. “Just lay her down there and I’ll sort the rest out” She smiled at me; I nodded and placed her down on the bed. Her eyes fluttered open and she grabbed my arm I as I stood up.

“Zacky?”

“Hi Darcy” I said to her.

“Why’re you in my room” I laughed

“Because you fell asleep in my car” I said stroking some wet hair out of her face. She looked really cute when she was all sleepy.

“Oh okay” She sat up a little bit and sniffed. “Are you staying?”

“No I have to go home my Mom is most likely shitting bricks as to where I am”

“Oh okay, I’ll see you tomorrow though?” I bit my lip ring for a second, considering if this
would back fire on me or not.

“Sure, I can give you a ride to school if you want me to?” She looked at me quizzically for a moment before nodding slowly. “Okay” I looked over at Marissa “Pick you up at seven”