The Songs in Our Hearts: A Young Adult Romance

by Chantal Gadoury

  As he pulled away, I opened my eyes and his gaze held mine. There was something that tugged on my gut and heart. I felt it even more as he walked off the set, away from me. Still, I held up my dress, clambered into the tent, and lay down on the bedding. I wanted to get this next scene right the first time. The less I had to pretend to die, the better.

  Marshall and Paul followed me in, rope and camera in hand. Marshall climbed on top of me, and I felt the strands of rope wrap around my neck. But, even as I closed my eyes and pretended to die, all I felt was Micah’s lips on my forehead. I wanted more.

  A cry of “Noooooooooo!” echoed all around me, signaling that the scene was over. A wave of relief rushed over me.

  “That’s a wrap!” Paul chuckled. “That was awesome!”

  Micah stepped into the tent and started to unbutton his costume. “I don’t know about you all, but I’m ready to get out of these clothes and grab a snack at the Mini-Mart. Anyone up for it?”

  “Sorry, man,” Paul began. “I gotta get back to the shop. Dad needs me. I’ll be back later, though. We’re meeting at the lake at seven, right?”

  “Right,” Micah said. He turned to his other friend. “Marshall?”

  “I told the other guys I’d meet up to hang out for a bit. You wanna tag along?”

  Micah’s eyes darted to me and then back to Marshall. “Nah, that’s okay,” Micah decided.

  “I’m going to go get out of this thing,” I said, lifting the large hoop skirt so I could walk more easily. “I’ll come back out to help take down the set in a sec.”

  Paul shook his head kindly. “Don’t worry about it, Charlie. I’ve got it. Tell your dad I said thanks for letting me set up out here.”

  “I’ll tell him.” I was glad to get to my room and out of the tight-fitting gown. I hung it up in the back of my closet, then donned a pair of jeans and a blue flannel button-down shirt. When I came back outside, Marshall and Paul were packing up the last of the set pieces, and Micah had already changed.

  “If the raft scene goes well, we can get right to editing all of that footage after Monday, and have it turned in just in time,” Micah informed me. “You wanna grab a layered slushy at the Mini-Mart?”

  I couldn’t stop the smile growing on my face.

  “Sounds like a plan,” I agreed. We helped Marshall and Paul finish packing up their cars and watched as they drove down the street. Micah patted the roof of his car.

  “Come on, Miss Elizabeth. Let’s get us a good ole slushy.”

  I climbed into the passenger seat, glad to have the bulk of our assignment knocked out. Micah got into the driver’s seat and started the car. He rolled down his window as The Police blasted from his stereo. I giggled and glanced at him as he adjusted the volume.

  “You’re listening to the stalker song?”

  “Don’t be hating! ‘Every Breath You Take’ is a classic, romantic song,” Micah said as he backed out of the driveway.

  “If you’re a stalker,” I chortled.

  “Well, tell me Charlie, what’s your favorite romantic song? Do you have one, or is it one of those stupid, girly T-Swift songs?”

  “No way! I’d like to think I have better taste than that.”

  “Hit me with it, then. What is Caroline Blake’s favorite romantic song?”

  “Well…I’ve always loved Louis Armstrong’s version of ‘La Vie En Rose.’ I imagine a slow dance, in the midst of twinkling lights, on a small French side street, or...” I looked at Micah, who was glancing back between the road and me, a little perplexed. I was sure my song choice was not one he would have guessed.

  “Or?” Micah asked expectantly.

  “I don’t know. I’ve just...always imagined it to be this perfect, romantic song.” I wasn’t about to tell him how I had often fantasized a wildly, beautiful romantic story of meeting a handsome stranger in Paris, and instantly falling in love with him. There was always a montage of images I’d dream up. The charming French man and I would eat delicious croissants, explore all of the famous tourist destinations—including the Louvre and Notre Dame—and after a quiet evening meal, we’d dance to ‘La Vie En Rose’ on a cobble-stoned square. I knew those sort of things only happened in movies, and my life was far from being a Hollywood blockbuster, plain and simple.

  “What’s yours? What’s Micah Jacobs’ favorite romantic song?”

  “Mine?” He scratched the side of his head. “Well, I’d say I have lots of favorites. But there’s nothing like Peter Gabriel’s ‘In Your Eyes,’ and John Cusack to follow with a boom box in hand.”

  “You like that movie?” I was surprised Micah had seen Say Anything.

  “I mean, if I like Peter Gabriel, then Say Anything is kind of a given, isn’t it?”

  “Not necessarily. Ask anyone else in our grade, and I’d bet five bucks no one else knows that movie.”

  Micah turned into the Mini-Mart parking lot and stopped the car by the front door.

  “If you had to pick between a boy blaring a song from a boom box or a twinkling side street full of your roses song, what would you pick?” he asked. We got out of the car, my mind full of imagined romantic fantasies and the famous John Cusack scene. I still liked mine better.

  We made our way to the slushy machine. “They’re very different situations. ‘La Vie En Rose’ is a song for two people who are in love. ‘In Your Eyes’ and boom boxes are more for…teenagers and crushes.”

  “Exactly, so mine is better,” Micah said with a wink. “You wouldn’t be able to resist if a handsome guy stood outside your window blasting that song.”

  “I probably could.” I laughed. “It’s not my fantasy, it’s yours.”

  I paid the cashier for our slushies, despite Micah’s protests, and went back outside to sit on the curb. The sun was starting to set in the sky, and crinkling golden leaves blew by our feet.

  “I love autumn,” I remarked. “Even the air smells like pumpkin sometimes.”

  “Pretty sure that’s the Pop-Tart factory right down the road.” Micah sipped on his slushy. “They have those Halloween specials, you know.”

  I elbowed him. “Warm sweaters. Football games. Changing leaves. Hot chocolate. It’s kind of magical.”

  “Other than Christmas,” he reminded me.

  “Okay, that’s a holiday.” I laughed, touched that he remembered what I’d said that evening in the car together. “Not a season.” I drew a sip of my Very Berry Cherry slushy.

  “So, are you happy with how filming went today?” I asked.

  Micah watched the parking lot. “I mean, we’re not professional directors, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we got an A for it.”

  “I think you kissed that ‘A’ goodbye with the stupid mask,” I teased him.

  “You and that mask.”

  “I’ll probably have nightmares about your monster strangling me.” Lie. Instead, I would definitely be dreaming about the kiss he gave me on my forehead. The imprint of his lips would remain with me there forever. “Did you want to come over after we’re done tonight and have a movie marathon?” I sounded a little more hopeful than I meant to.

  “What kind of movie marathon?” Micah leaned his elbows back, resting them on the sidewalk as he eyed me.

  “Halloween is Monday. We could watch…some scary movies, if you wanted.”

  “I thought you hated horror movies?”

  “I’m up for it.” I was feeling adventurous.

  “And where are we going to get these movies?” Micah asked, the corners of his lips twitching.

  “Josh, duh.” I rolled my eyes. “And I have one.”

  “I don’t recall seeing a scary movie on your shelf.”

  “I own that Dracula movie with Gary Oldman,” I confessed. “It’s not really scary.”

  “Pffft, you would. That’s more of a romance than a horror film.�
��

  I felt no shame. “Are you up for it or not?”

  “Yeah, yeah. I’m up for it.” He laughed. “We just need to figure out what to do for another thirty minutes.” Micah stood up. He extended his hand to me, which I took with a curious smile. We carried our slushies back to his car. Micah took his time, shuffling a few CDs around, until he found the one he wanted. After he started the car, he slid the CD into the player and found his track. The opening of “In Your Eyes” began to waft from the speakers. Micah rolled down the windows and grinned at me.

  “You’ll thank me for this experience,” he said as he pulled out of the parking lot and made a left onto the main road. He turned up the volume as he drove onto the on-ramp of the highway. He held his hand out the window, allowing it to fly against the current of wind. The music was loud and the breeze was whipping my hair all around my face. I mimicked his movements, holding out my hand against the crisp, fall air. The sun was almost out of sight as we traveled on the wide-open highway. As I turned, I caught Micah watching me, enjoyment in his chocolate eyes.

  “What?” I asked, brushing my hair out of my face.

  “You just look like you’re having fun,” he replied. The song ended, and another began.

  I burst with laughter at the sound of the familiar melody. “Oh, my God, Micah! Is this really ‘Hold Me Now?’ Really?”

  “Don’t hate on it! I’m telling you, your parents only half-educated you on good music. It seems to be my responsibility to fill you in on the rest.”

  “But this?” As the chorus started up, I couldn’t stop myself from singing and half-shouting the lyrics like they did in The Wedding Singer.

  “Don’t quit your day job,” Micah advised me. I stuck my tongue out playfully.

  “We Don’t Have to Take Our Clothes Off”

  Ella Eyre

  “SO, THIS IS HOW IT’S going to play out,” Paul began. He stood in front of the small raft he had built out of tree limbs and rope. “There are a few bags here, full of leaves. I arranged them to resemble a body, and nailed them down to the branches, so they don’t fall off when we send the raft out onto the lake.”

  Marshall and Paul had created the perfect papier-mâché head, making it look more like the CPR dummy we’d used in health class.

  “After Marshall jumps onto the raft and says his lines, I’m going to push it into the water. I have a rope tied to a corner so we can pull the raft back in later. Marshall, you’ll have to be ready, in case something happens. It’s cold in there, so if you end up having to leap in, be quick. The only part I want you to light on fire are the bags.” Paul tossed Marshall his lighter.

  “Is this going to be dangerous?” I asked, hesitant. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”

  “I can handle it.” Marshall slid the Frankenstein mask over his head. Paul handed Micah the camera and started to push the raft into the shallow part of the lake.

  “What if we get caught?” I asked, glancing from Paul to Micah. Everyone would see something burning on the lake. It was visible to the entire town.

  “We’ll be quick,” Micah reassured me as he turned the camera on.

  “But everyone is going to see the fire. What if the police come?”

  “Don’t worry so much, C.”

  I sighed.

  “Ready?” Paul called to Micah and Marshall. Marshall took a step into the lake with a huge gasp.

  “Holy shit! This lake is fucking cold. Oh, my God, my balls are gonna freeze off.” Marshall jumped back, shaking his head. “Do not send the raft out far, man. There is no way I’d survive a swim back.”

  “I’d say he’s ready.” Micah smirked, lifting the camera up to his eye. Marshall, as the monster, climbed onto the raft, grunting and groaning, seeming to mourn the loss of the pretend Victor. With the wave of Micah’s hand, Paul began to let the raft drift onto the lake, just a few feet out. I stood on my tiptoes to peer at the camera screen over Micah’s shoulder. It looked pretty good, so far.

  Then came the flames. Marshall lit the bags of leaves and threw up his hands, as though he were shouting to the sky. He was really getting into his character. If this wasn’t dedication to a project, I didn’t know what was. The leaves burned slowly, and began smoking around Marshall, giving off a foggy effect. I could see the satisfaction on Micah’s face.

  “Cut!” Micah said. Paul started to pull the raft back to shore as Marshall pushed the smoking, flaming bags of leaves into the lake.

  “That was epic!” Micah continued with a chuckle. After Marshall jumped off the raft, the two high-fived each other.

  Micah turned and pulled me into a hug. I could feel my entire face turn warm. As I returned his embrace, I could smell his cologne on his shoulder and felt a hint of sweat on his back the moment my hands grazed over his shirt. I didn’t want to let go. He felt too good against me.

  “We’re totally going to get an A on this.” Micah left me feeling a little dazed as he pivoted to Paul, releasing me almost immediately. “We just have to film the last scene Monday, and it’s a wrap.”

  Marshall lifted his mask up from his face, exposing a grin.

  “Let’s go celebrate with that movie marathon, Charlie,” Micah said to me. “We totally deserve it.”

  “We’ve got this.” Paul gestured to the raft. With muscled arms, he lifted it and tugged it back to his truck. “We’ll see you guys Monday.”

  Marshall followed him with the lighter fluid and extra trash bags.

  Micah waved to them. “See you tomorrow at the barn. Thanks, guys.

  “I want to stop by my place really quick and grab something before we go to your house,” Micah said as we climbed into his car.

  “That’s fine,” I said, gathering my hair into a low-hanging ponytail.

  When Micah pulled up to the small white trailer with the red roof, he winked at me as he patted my knee with his hand.

  “Be right back.”

  I nodded, not sure what to say. I watched him dart out of the car and into his home. When he returned, I was relieved to see a smile on his lips. His eyes were bright with excitement as he climbed back into the car.

  “I’m ready for this!” he said, revving the engine to life again.

  “What did you get?”

  “If I tell you, it’ll ruin the surprise,” he said as he backed the car out of the gravel driveway and turned down the dirt road.

  “What’s the surprise?”

  “Hold your horses. You’ll see when we get to your house.” He grinned. “Some things are worth waiting for.” He leaned forward and turned the music on, allowing “It’s Now or Never” by Elvis to flow from the speakers.

  MY PARENTS AND JOSH STILL weren’t home when we got back to my house. They were all out pretty late for a Saturday night. But it did make it easier for Micah and me to pick some movies out from Josh’s room.

  “I guess we could always watch that Dracula movie, too,” Micah offered, laying out the choices on my bed. “I did tell you, however,” he lifted up a DVD box with a malicious grin, “that we’d watch Paranormal Activity, and I haven’t forgotten. That’s the reason we stopped by my house. Surprise!”

  I looked at him in disbelief. Before I could reply, Micah continued, “Great! Let’s get this baby in.”

  Here goes nothing.

  He moved to the DVD player and put the disc into the machine.

  “I can’t believe you’re making me do this,” I said as the screen turned black and a disclaimer appeared, stating something about found footage and people dying. Great. I sat back against my pillows and tugged my comforter up around me. Micah turned off the lights and sat beside me on the bed.

  “I can’t wait to see your face when the hoof prints appear.”

  “Hoof prints? Are there evil reindeer in this?”

  “Sure, reindeer. We’ll call them that.” Micah l
aughed. “Just watch.”

  The opening and closing of doors startled me a little until I began to expect them, but then the movie took on a crazy twist and I got seriously scared.

  “I don’t know if I want to watch this anymore.” I sounded like a whiny child, but the stuff was legit terrifying.

  “It’s just a movie.” Micah scooted closer to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

  “But it seems real!” I argued, gesturing toward the screen.

  “That’s the whole point. This was a cultural change to horror films. The only one that was ever as terrifying as The Blair Witch Project. Have you heard of that one?” I might have seen that movie. I might have had to sleep on Josh’s bedroom floor for two weeks after he forced me to see that. Maybe.

  When we got to the hoof part, I pushed my face into his shoulder and refused to watch the rest.

  “This is too scary,” I moaned and pulled the blanket over my head. As I sank deeper into the bed, the unmistakable scent of Micah’s musky cologne filled my lungs.

  “Nah, you’re just a newbie. Eventually, as you watch more of these flicks, you’ll find them more thrilling. Just keep watching!”

  I peeked out from under the blanket and was relieved when the movie came to an end. My heart was pounding from sheer fear. I felt like I had just run a marathon.

  “You survived!” Micah looked down at me as he chuckled.

  “Barely,” I replied through the fabric of my comforter.

  “You should see the other Paranormal Activity movies. Though, after the third one, they just kinda got dumb.”

  “No, thanks,” I retorted.

  Micah stood up to take the DVD out. I glanced at my clock near the TV and was surprised I still hadn’t heard my parents come home. It was almost ten at night.

  “Do you want to watch another?” Micah asked, gesturing to the other choices we had picked out from Josh’s room. I really wasn’t interested in any of them after Paranormal Activity.