fic: Got to Fight Without You Here [Demi/Selena] Chapter 3
Title: Got to Fight Without You Here-Chapter 3
Author: breathe_it_in94
Rating: NC-17 (for language/later chapters)
Word Count (These Parts): 1704
Disclaimer: I don't mean to offend; I own nothing but the plot.
Summary: Demi becomes obsessed with a girl she's only met in passing. She doesn't know the girl's name, where she lives or goes to school; all she knows is that she's perfect.
Demi
Demi sat on her bed, her guitar in her lap, humming a work-in-progress melody and strumming different chords. She wrote down side notes on her songbook when she got the sound she wanted. She needed the melody, the harmony, everything to match the lyrics perfectly.
These were the lyrics she’d written in the park, on that day so long ago. It had been another month since that day in the grocery store, and Demi craved seeing her again. Maybe she would actually be able to make conversation this time? she didn’t want to make a fool of herself. Again.
There was one particular lyric she couldn’t find the right chords for. the sensible ones didn’t give off the importance of the words, and the less obvious ones make it sound… off. Demi sighed and, promising herself she’d come back to the song, picked up one of the songs she and Miley had written together. She slowly strummed the first chord and let her voice flow.
I can almost see it
She stopped playing. Almost immediately, she realized that this song didn’t fit her mood, wasn’t right enough to get lost in right then. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and let go.
Think of me when you’re out, when you’re out there
I’ll beg you nice from my knees
Yes. Paramore. The lyrics brought to mind that dark hair, those brown eyes, that sweet grin, the slim body…
And then Miley was bursting through her doorway. The strings twanged as Demi pressed too hard on them. “Miley, what the hell--”
“Dems, you have to look at this!”
A piece of paper was shoved in her face, and Demi pulled it back so she could read.
“An audition?” she asked Miley.
“No, it’s a competition.” Miley went on to explain that there was an audition to get in, but then it was like American Idol with two rounds; apparently, the winner received a recording contract. “Demi, this could be your big break!”
Demi noted the date on the flyer. “Miles, I can’t be ready for something this big in two days.”
Miley sat next to her on the bed. “Demi,” she smiled at her, “I’ll be there with you. You have nothing to lose. If you don’t make it, fine, but you will make it, ‘cause you’re awesome like that. Come on Dems, you have to do this.”
Demi shook her head, reading over the flyer again. She couldn’t do this. It was too big, and too soon, and Demi wasn’t prepared, and she had to finish that song, and that damn girl kept popping up in her mind.
Which was exactly why she had to do this.
“Okay,” she told Miley, “it’ll be a welcome distraction.” Miley looked at her confusedly for a moment, and Demi thought she’d spilled her secret.
But Miley shook it off and smiled, throwing her arms around Demi and knocking her back onto the bed. “You won’t regret this,” she whispered in Demi’s ear.
Demi hoped to God she wouldn’t.
They lay there for a while, Miley resting her head on Demi’s chest, her right leg over Demi’s, their arms wrapped around each other. Miley gave her more information about the contest.
You had to sing original songs the entire competition (they were looking for real artists). After you audition, the judges would tell you your chances of making it. After audition day was over, they would narrow it down to ten people to enter the competition. They would perform a week later, and the judges would narrow it down further to two people. The next day, those two people would perform one last time, and the winner would be decided, announced, and given the recording contract with Hollywood Records.
After dinner, which Miley stayed for as per usual, they went to work getting Demi ready for Saturday. No instruments were allowed in the audition (this was really feeling like Idol) so Demi went through and picked one of her songs that wasn’t completely guitar-dependent.
By the time Saturday came around, Demi was ready. She brought her guitar with her for luck, and with Miley by her side also, Demi felt unstoppable.
Until she was next in line to audition. She found it was pretty hard to breathe when you had a life-changing opportunity just minutes away, that if you screwed it up, wouldn’t ever be back. She had to remind herself to breathe.
Deep breaths. In. Out. You’ve got this girl, she told herself. Even if you don’t make it, you have Miley. She’ll support you, no matter what. Don’t stress. It’s just an audition.
Demi ran through the lyrics in her mind, humming the melody to herself. Just don’t forget the lyrics. Like that was even possible. She felt a pressure on her hand and opened her eyes to look at her best friend.
“Demetria Devonne, if you don’t relax this minute--”
“Okay, Miles. Don’t worry about it. I’m fine.” She smiled at her friend, and when it was returned, Demi found her confidence coming back. Oh yeah. She had this. The door to the audition room opened, and Demi knew the previous auditionee would be exiting. At her name, Demi looked up, and all thought ran from her mind.
Because exiting the room, with a smile on her face and a lip between her teeth, was that girl.
Demi froze in her seat. Miley nudged her to stand up, and she did so slowly, mechanically, her eyes glued to the girl in front of her. She was smiling; Demi took this as a sign that she had done good in the audition.
Demi had to do this right, now.
The girl hadn’t noticed her yet, but as Demi passed her to enter the audition room, their eyes met. The other girl had a spark in her eyes, and the wink she gave sent Demi’s heart fluttering even more.
She knew, as she stood in front of the judges, that in order to nail this, she had to forget about the technicalities and just let herself go.
She sang lyrics she had written a while ago, but found herself applying them to the girl outside.
I want a crush, I wanna fall
I wanna be somewhere in the middle, somewhere in the middle
The girl’s face filled her mind as she sang, but she was forced back to reality as the judges stopped her singing. All three judges held up green-colored cards. She did great. Ohmigod, she might actually make it to the competition!
And get to see a lot more of the girl.
She exited the room with a huge smile on her face, and Miley ran up and hugged her. She rained kisses on her face and said in her ear, “I told you you’d do great!”
And then she kissed her on the mouth.
Now, this was nothing new to Demi. They kissed each other hello and goodbye pretty much every day. But if the mystery girl was there, she wouldn’t know that.
And Demi found herself hoping, for the first time since that day in the park, that the girl wasn’t there to see the kiss.
Demi guessed her good luck had ran out.
She could tell the girl was shocked, though she was trying to keep her confidant demeanor. Demi tried to untangle herself from Miley, to run after the girl as she shook her head and turned to walk away. But the girl was gone by the time Miley had realized what she was doing and let go.
She was left with extreme confusion from Miley, and the guilty feeling that she had betrayed the stranger, though she didn’t even know her.
Miley looked hurt that she’d so suddenly (and maybe a bit forcefully, but hey, she was in a rush at the time) pushed her away. After a few minutes of Demi staring at the empty space where the stranger had just been, she turned to her best friend. “Miles,” she said softly, and she heard her voice break, “there’s something I maybe need to tell you.”
She talked as they walked out to Miley’s car, starting with that first day. As Miley drove back to Demi’s house, she was told of the day in the grocery. When they were pulling up to Demi’s house, Miley was told Demi’s reasons for pulling away at the audition.
Demi was met with silence. She hoped that Miley would be wholly accepting, but she also dreaded downright dismissal.
Demi got neither.
“So,” Miley started slowly, her brow furrowed, “are you gay, or what?”
Demi took a deep breath. “I don’t really know,” she admitted. “I just know that I really like this girl.”
“And you don’t even know her name?”
Demi felt slightly embarrassed. “No, I don’t. But that’ll change if we both make it through to the competition next week.”
Miley was silent for a few seconds. “Lemme think about this tonight? It’s nothing bad; I just… need to think?” She spoke like she was asking for Demi’s permission.
“Yeah. No problem. Take as long as you need. I’ll um,” Demi reached for the door, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She opened the door, and had one foot on the concrete sidewalk, when Miley grabbed her arm. Demi turned back around, and Miley kissed her cheek. “I still love you, Dems. Nothing will change that. Ever.”
Demi nodded and smiled sadly. What did Miley have to think about then, if she was so sure everything was fine? But she left the car and walked to her house anyway. Now she had to pick a song to play next Saturday. She had a week to perfect it, and she needed to focus on that right now.
She wondered if the mystery girl was good enough to make it to the last round next Sunday. She hoped so.
But what if she decided to drop out of the competition because of Demi? She could never forgive herself. The presence of the other girl made this competition all the more worth it.
She set to work, running through the songs in her notebook. She would make sure to impress the girl. she just had to find a song with the lyrics to express how much she wanted her.
Chapter 4: http://breathe-it-in94.livejournal.com/2097.html