(I'm just gonna have my bean jump in.)
Ari was on her computer in a corner, hiding from everyone. She did not want to be here, but her mom had dropped her off and told her to make friends. If there even was a chance she could make friends other than Tiff, she would definitely not be doing it here. Besides, she was in the middle of building the entire Hogwarts castle on Minecraft and she wasn't stopping just for some stupid karaoke-dance thing.
She snickered and tilted her head, messing with the earpiece as she searched for the song. She hummed along to it as she listened, nodding her head. "I like it."
"And it won't destroy my throat, which is always fun."
She smiled. "Indeed it is."
Finally, the 3 minutes of agony was over, and Tim once again grabbed the microphone, motioning for the two to stand. "I'm sure you recognize Mr. Runner from earlier in the evening, yes? Well it appears he has more to show, along with his beautiful plus-1."
Ari was building up Gryffindor Tower when she saw that Tiff had jumped on the server. She grinned and began to chat in the message board.
You: hey wasup
MourningDove: lol ur user
Ari frowned and checked her username: TrippyBunny000. "What?!" she said aloud, quickly changing it back to normal – BlackAngel – and getting back on the message board.
You: did u change it
MourningDove: ...
MourningDove: no
MourningDove: maybe
MourningDove: yes
You: rlly? help me with gryffindor tower
MourningDove: sure thing trippy bunny
Ari rolled her eyes and exited the message board to keep building. Tiff wasn't going to let that go for a while. Whatever. Max got on as well.
MaxAMillion: yo
You: gryffindor tower or leave
MaxAMillion: jez, ok
"Brothers," Ari mumbled aloud, working on the interior while the Max and Tiff worked on the outside.
Tessa grinned as she stood, swaying her hips dramatically as she walked towards the host, linking her arm with Runner.
He held the guitar on the other eventually getting to the cleared out dance place. "Could I get a stool and another mic?" He asked, and the requested items were there in seconds. He settled into the seat and played a couple chords to warm his fingers up.
Tessa stepped up to the mic, the familiarity keeping her at ease as she adjusted the height and tested it–old habit.
Runner put his hand over all of the strings to mute them, closing his eyes and nodding his head at a steady pace. After a few nods, he began playing the intro to the song, using all 5 of his fingers instead of a pick.
"I wanted you to know I love the way you laugh
I want to hold you high and steal your pain away
I keep your photograph, and I know it serves me well
I want to hold you high and steal your pain."
He switched from the note-plucking to strumming for the chorus,
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you've gone away
You've gone away
You don't feel me here anymore."
Then it was Tessa's part of the song. She launched into it with little to no fear, her voice unwavering.
"The worst is over now and we can breathe again
I wanna hold you high, you steal my pain away
There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain"
She joined Runner for the second chorus.
"Cause I’m broken when I’m open
And I don’t feel like I am strong enough
Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you're gone away"
Runner stared intently down at the guitar, willing his fingers to each and every spot they needed to be for the solo. It took the span of maybe 50 seconds, but it was the first time he'd ever gotten the thing down. He allowed himself a small smile as they sung the chorus one last time.
Tessa smiled at him as they finished the song. She thought their voices blended well, and she was glad she memorized the song correctly and didn't screw up.
"Well, those two are a sad bunch, aren't they?" Tim asked, patting Runner on the back. "Wonderful voices, though. Very wonderful." The guitar disappeared from him hands as he stood from the stood, offering Tess his left hand.
She grinned, ignoring the host's comment, and took Runner's hand.
He guided her back to their table. "So, are you still complaining about having to go?"
"Oh, I could do without the snobbish, egotistical, entitled people here, but I'm quite glad I came."
"Hey, they aren't that entitled."
She shrugged. "True enough. I've lived with worse."
He once again pulled a chair out for her to sit in.
She thanked him and sat down, then stretched out her arms. "Ah, I'm already ready for dessert."
"I think we'll have to suffer though a few more songs."
She pouted dramatically. "Hey, after dessert… You wanna go and see a movie or something?"
He tilted his head. "Well, I have no money."
She handed him a 50 and winked. "Knicked it off the host while I passed him," she whispered, keeping her voice low enough so no one heard her.