Tally Teens Pt. V
I know it has been forever since I’ve posted, but I’ve been away at camp for three weeks and spent a week visiting colleges, but here you go.
“Dude, do you still like her?” Ross asked Rob as he jotted something down in his Bio notebook.
“Yeah,” Rob answered while eyeing Becka, a green-eyed red-head who sat at the front of the classroom.
“Then tell her.”
“I can’t. She’s dating Ryan. He’d beat me up if I told her.”
“Then find a way to tell her in a way that he won’t beat you up.”
“How can I? I’m not a tough guy like him.”
“You can do something I doubt he can.”
“And what’s that?”
“You write songs and play guitar.”
“You think I should win her over with a song?”
“Yes.” The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. “We’re still coming over to your house Sunday, right?” He asked.
“Yeah.”
“Have the song by then,” Ross said as they exited the classroom.
“Oh yeah, no pressure.”
“Hey, I know you can do it.”
“We’ll see.”
That Sunday, all five guys met at Rob’s house.
“So, did you write the song?” Ross said as they sat down in the living room.
“What song?” Zubin asked.
“I told Rob to write a song for Becka, you know, to win her over.”
“You mean Becka with the crazy red hair and green eyes. That Becka.”
“Yes that Becka,” Rob said, “And to answer your question, Ross, I did write the song.”
“Well, let’s hear it.” Rob proceeds to play the song, which he titled Haiku.
“Sounds good,” Joe said at the end, “but it doesn’t sound good with just one instrument. It needs backup.”
“Okay,” Rob agreed, “Care to help?”
“Why not?”
They spent the rest of the day adding in parts that went along with it. Since there was no piano at Rob’s house, Andrew brought a glockenspiel.
Come Monday morning, the song was finished and they sat in the courtyard. It was now a ritual every Monday and Friday that the boys perform for the student body.
At their usual bench, a crowd of about twenty or thirty people surrounded them. Amongst them were Becka and Ryan.
“This last song is a new one.” The crowd cheered. “It’s dedicated to Becka.” Becka gasps as Ryan’s face goes from stoic to anger. Rob plays the song and the students love it. By the end of it, they were swaying to the beat.
As the crowd dissipated, Ryan stood his ground, Becka still at his side. Rob puts his guitar in its case before standing up. Ryan then grabs Rob by the collar.
“What do you think you’re doing? Dedicating a song to my girlfriend,” Ryan said menacingly.
“I like her, so I wrote a song for her. That’s why.”
“Bad idea.” Ryan then punched Rob in the stomach. Rob retaliated with a punch right on his jaw, hurting his hand a little bit.
“Enough, boys,” Mr. Vanguard, the sophomore English teacher, commanded. “Detention for both of you.”
“But”¦” Rob started, feeling even more defeated than before.
“No buts. After school, my classroom.” And with that he walked away.
“You better not do that again or I’ll get you even worse,” Ryan threatened before stalking off. Becka stood awestruck.
“I’m sorry, Rob, I don’t feel the same way,” Becka finally uttered.
“Okay.” He lowered himself onto the bench, feeling drained and still in pain from the punch to the gut. He watched as Becka walked off to the chemistry lab. Being fifteen sucked.