Chapter 13: The Concert (2)

[A/N: Net's back, so I'm back, though with only one chapter. Hopefully, the internet will not shock up again, or else I'll go ballistic on the ISP Customer Service, which I honestly hate since it's not their fault, but the company itself.]

<General POV>

The lights are off, the cheers are loud.

Everyone's waiting in bated breath. The last performance of the night is by Taylor Swift. She might not be as famous as she is in the future, but having 3 top 10 country radio hits gave her many fans in 2008. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, Taylor Swift."

*Picture to Burn intro plays*

"State the obvious, I didn't get my perfect fantasy

I realize you love yourself more than you could ever love me

So go and tell your friends that I'm obsessive and crazy

That's fine, you won't mind if I say"

As Taylor Swift was singing, Ethan was mesmerized as he watched from the backstage while waiting for his time to get back on stage. 'I guess if she's this good now, it makes sense for her to be even better in the future', he thought.

"By the way, I hate that stupid old pickup truck you never let me driveYou're a redneck heartbreak who's really bad at lying

So watch me strike a match on all my wasted time

As far as I'm concerned, you're just another picture to burn"

*Picture to Burn melody continues in the background*

"It's a beautiful night, isn't it, Hollywood Bowl?" Taylor asked the audience which they replied with a loud cheer.

"On a night like this, it makes me remember this guy I used to sit next to in school. And I have a confession, I have a major crush on him." 

*Picture to Burn melody fades into Teardrops on my Guitar melody*

"And every day, he'll come and sit next to me, and there are some days that he would talk to me, and when he does, it makes me feel giddy. But most of the time, he talks to me..."

*melody pauses for a bit*

.

.

.

"...about his girlfriend. So I never told this guy that I liked him, but now, I think he knows."

<A N: I had watched Journey to Fearless and changed the opening Teardrops on my Guitar a bit. Lol!>

*Teardrops on my Guitar melody continues*

"Drew looks at me, I fake a smile so he won't see

That I want and I'm needing everything that we should be

I'll bet she's beautiful, that girl he talks about

And she's got everything that I have to live without"

"Hey, Ethan, you have to get ready. You're coming up after this."

"Oh, right" Ethan then went to get his guitar and slung it on himself.

"Drew talks to me, I laugh 'cause it's just so funny

But I can't even see anyone when he's with me

He says he's so in love, he's finally got it right

I wonder if he knows he's all I think about at night

He's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar

The only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star

He's the song in the car I keep singing, don't know why I do"

Ethan could hear a lot of the audience singing. 'It sounds like a choir out there' he thought.

"So I drive home alone, as I turn out the light

I'll put his picture down and maybe get some sleep tonight"

"'Cause he's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar

The only one who's got enough of me to break my heart

He's the song in the car I keep singing, don't know why I do

He's the time taken up, but there's never enough

And he's all that I need to fall into

Drew looks at me, I fake a smile so he won't see"

*melody ends*

The crowd was wild, and everyone was applauding. Taylor can be seen smiling brightly and it was the most mesmerizing scene Ethan had seen to date. He stood there gobsmacked while waiting for his cue. 

"Wow, that brought up a memory for me," Taylor said to the audience. "Although, I think I should forget about Drew for a moment, 'cause I'm going to be singing this next song with someone special."

Murmurs can be heard from the audience. "Wow, someone special, huh? I wonder if she's going to sing with a boyfriend," is the gist of what they're talking about.

"I'm sure you guys know him already, so please, welcome him back on stage, Ethan Wilson" Taylor announced.

*the crowd cheered, especially Ethan's guest and favourite family*

"Oh, Ethan's going back on stage? I thought he was only doing 3 songs?" Phil asked the family. 

"Don't ask us. We didn't know anything either," says his kids.

"Go, Ethan!" Claire shouted - like the supportive embarrassing - in a fun way- mom she is, or in Ethan's case, neighbour. And it seems that Ethan heard it so he smiled at their location and waved.

"Oh my God, he's so handsome," some random teenage girl near the family said. "Is he looking at us?" asked the other girl. This put a frown on the two teenaged Dunphy ladies and they thought, "They wish"

"Hey everyone!" Ethan addressed the audience. "Were you surprised I'm back on stage?" The audience just cheered. "Well, that's neither yes nor no, but I'll say that this was a surprise for me." He told the audience which earned a chuckle.

"Well, Ethan here is going to be singing the last song with me. Ever since I saw his performance on the TV, I said to myself, I have to perform with him, so here we are." Taylor Swift said.

"Oh, I'm flattered," Ethan said and smiled. "Although, what kind of performance would you like me to do? Do you want me to make "Our Song" into Ethan's Version, or..." Ethan then looked at Taylor with a deadpan expression, "would you like me to do it your way" Ethan said in Taylor's voice though in a deeper register to not be too suspicious.

This made Taylor and the rest of the audience's eyes widen in surprise. Most of them knew that he could do a Michael Jackson impression, but that could be easy since he was a guy, but doing a female voice almost perfectly, well, they were shocked. 

"Woah, that was freaky," Taylor Swift said with a smile. "It's like talking to myself when I'm sick" Ethan and the audience laughed at that. "Let's do it "our" way." Taylor Swift continued.

"If you say so, my lady." Ethan then started playing his guitar.

*Our Song melody starts*

A/N: word - Taylor | word - Ethan | word - both | *word* - action

"I was ridin' shotgun with my hair undone

In the front seat of his car *Taylor pointed at Ethan*

He's got a one-hand feel on the steering wheel

The other on my heart *Taylor took Ethan's hand in her and put both their hands on where her heart is*

I look around, turn the radio down

He says, "Baby, is something wrong?"

I say, "Nothing, I was just thinkin' how we don't have a song"

And he says

"Our song is the slamming screen door,

Sneakin' out late, tapping on your window

When we're on the phone, and you talk real slow

'Cause it's late, and your mama don't know

Our song is the way you laugh

The first date, "Man, I didn't kiss her, and I should have"

And when I got home, 'fore I said, "Amen"

Asking God if he could play it again"

"I was walkin' up the front porch steps after everything that day"

*Taylor walks around the stage acting sad as she did, Ethan stops playing his guitar and walks to the prop bed, scatters rose petals on it, acts as if he's writing something on a paper and leaves it on the bed*

"Is this really not planned?" The organizers backstage asked. "Nope, while Taylor was singing the first songs, the kid walked around for a bit and saw some props that were left in the storage and asked if they could borrow them. He then told Taylor about it through the headset before he got on stage." Taylor's manager said.

"Had gone all wrong and been trampled on

And lost and thrown away

Got to the hallway, well on my way to my lovin' bed"

*Before Taylor gets to the prop bed, Ethan goes back to his place on the stage and continues playing the guitar*

"I almost didn't notice all the roses"

*Taylor then took the note, read it, smiled and sat on the rose-covered bed*

The audience noticed that there was a glint in Taylor's eyes when she smiled as she read what Ethan wrote. "I wonder what was written on it," the audience thought.

"And the note that said"

"Our song is the slamming screen door

Sneakin' out late, tapping on your window

When we're on the phone, and you talk real slow

'Cause it's late, and your mama don't know

Our song is the way you laugh

The first date, "Man, I didn't kiss her and I should have"

And when I got home, 'fore I said, "Amen"

Asking God if he could play it again"

"I've heard every album, listened to the radio

Waited for something to come along

*Ethan and Taylor looks into each other's eyes as they sing*

That was as good as our song"

'Cause our song is the slamming screen door

Sneakin' out late, tapping on his window

When we're on the phone, and he talks real slow

'Cause it's late, and his mama don't know

Our song is the way he laughs

The first date, "Man, I didn't kiss him, and I should have"

And when I got home, 'fore I said, "Amen"

Askin' God if he could play it again, play it again

Oh, yeah

Oh, oh yeah I was ridin' shotgun with my hair undone

In the front seat of his car

I grabbed a pen and an old napkin

And I wrote down our song

*Our Song Melody ends*

The crowd went wild again. Shouting Taylor and Ethan's names. 

Taylor ran to Ethan took his hand and bowed together. 

"Have a nice night, everyone, and thank you for coming to Hollywood Bowl Music Festival '08" an announcer said. 

<Ethan's POV - Dunphys' Car>

'Wow! That was exhilarating! I hope we do that again.' 

I can't stop myself from smiling. I just sang a song with one of my favourite singers, and it was amazing. Right now, I'm with the Dunphys'. I'm going to go home first before heading to the after-party. I don't want to go there smelling like sweat. Who knew playing at a concert would make me feel like I spent hours on a treadmill?

"You were amazing back there, Ethan. I bet you'll be getting a lot of calls from producers after that." Claire said as Phil nodded.

"Don't you forget us when you're famous, okay?" Phil joked.

"Oh, I wouldn't dare to, or else Mrs D would scold me," I told them which made them smile.

"Hey Ethan, do you have enough energy to play LittleBigPlanet?" Luke asked.

"Sorry, Luke, I'm just going home to take a bath. I need to go to the after-party."

Haley's ears perked up when she heard the word party.

"Ethan, are you allowed to bring someone?" Haley asked me while flashing her doe-eyes at me. 

Before I can even answer, Claire already put a stop to the idea. "Oh, no, young lady. You're not going anywhere."

"But mom-" Claire just gave her the eyes which made Haley zip her mouth shut and pout.

"Do you really need to go, Ethan? That's a Hollywood party, and most of the time, that involves alcohol and drugs." Claire asked.

"I have to, Mrs D. I told Taylor I'll be there so she'll have a non-drinking buddy because legally, she can't drink either. Plus, she said she wants to talk to me about something."

"Ooh, Taylor and Ethan sitting on a tree. K-I-S-S-S-S-S-S-I-N-G" Phil teased.

"Phil?!" Claire said with a raised eyebrow.

"Dad, there's too many S's," Luke said.

"Not if they're doing it for a long time," Phil said which earned an elbow from Claire. "Ow!"

"That's what you get," Claire said. "Plus, Taylor's 18, Ethan's 14. That's not allowed."

"Actually, as long as it's not sexual in nature, it is," I said, which made Claire give me the eye as well.

Right then, the car went to a stop. 

"We're here!" Phil announced.

'Thank God! I don't think I can take Claire's glare for a long time.'

Before I could walk to my house, Phil talked to me. 

"Do you want me to drive you to the party?"

"Oh, no! It's okay, Vitamin P. It's not too far, I can take the taxi." When I said that, Phil smirked.

"Hmm, are you going to hide something, that's why you don't want me to come with you?" he said teasingly.

"What? No-"

"I'm just kidding, but I insist. It's safer that way. Who knows if you meet a stalker on the way there," he told me.

"I'm not that famous though," I said, "but yeah, better safe than sorry"

"Perfect! Just come over when you're ready."

"Thanks, Mr. D" 

"No Problemo, Vitamin E"

I smiled as I walked back home. I didn't waste any time when I got to my house. I took a bath and chose something simple for clothes—dark blue jeans, a white tee, and a black blazer.1

I also styled my hair in a slick back way since I think it would go well with my outfit.

I looked at myself in the mirror and thought, 'Damn, should I always wear stuff like this?'

*to be continued*

[A/N again: So, after Chapters 14 and 15, we'll be diving into the next Arc of the story. I might pause publishing for a bit, like a week or 2 after that. Just so I can stock up on chapters in case of an outage like the past weekend, I could still post something.]

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