Tati’s POV
“How about you play the lower octave and I’ll play the higher octave,” I say and point to the left side of the bench, “This way Liv can sit in the middle and sing.”
“Okay,” Ashton replies as he walks over to his half of the bench. Together, we learn the melody to a mash-up of both If these sheets were the states and Paper Cuts, making sure both melodies collide perfectly and the lyrics flow. After a while we hear footsteps creeping behind us.
“There they are,” we hear Calum whisper behind us, “They’re working on a top secret project so you only get a little taste of what’s to come.”
“Oh, looks like that’s all you get for now,” chimes Liv as she scoots Calum out of the room but stays behind. “How’s it coming along?” she asks as she plops herself down in between Ashton and myself.
“It’s fine. Tati is actually a really good teacher, but an even better player.”
“Aw,” I say as I feel a flash of red come across my cheeks from the lovely compliments, “Thanks, you’re actually picking up the notes pretty quickly, but we’re not even close to being done. I’m guessing maybe a few more days and then we’ll be ready.”
“Okay. Well, actually, I was wondering if maybe you’d want to film a different video with Calum, Ross, and me?” asks Liv.
“What’s the video going to be called?”
“It’s going to be a boyfriend does my makeup type thing.”
“That’s a weird title, but, okay.”
“Kay, great. I can get everything prepared so we can shoot tomorrow.”
“Who are we shooting and why are we shooting them?” I ask in a fake worried tone, “I mean, I left my gun at home, but I’ll just have daddy mail it to me. I’ll go text him.” I get up from the bench and attempt to skip away but Liv grabs my wrist before I have the chance.
“No one will be shooting anyone.”
“Then why’d you say we’d be shooting?”
“It’s a figure of speech.”
“A speech doesn’t have a figure, silly,” I say and give her a slight hit to the head.
“It’s a term used in the film industry, or, it way of talkie when filming movie. Now run along while I talk to Ashton.” I skip out of the room and into the family room to find a blue-haired Luke sitting on the couch with both Mikey and Calum.
“Here’s the new recruit, Tati,” Luke says to a computer screen as he points to me, “Say hi Tati.”
“Hi, Tati!” I say with an excited wave! “Why is your hair the color of the outside?” I ask and tilt my head a little to the right.
“I dyed it,” Mikey says with much pride.
“And I changed a lightbulb!” Calum says just so he could join in on the accomplishment party.
“Yeah, and he practically broke my legs in order to do it,” complains Luke.
“At least I changed it!”
“Barely.”
“I ran up to the room!” chimes Mikey. “Anyway…” Mikey starts talking again but I walk outside and into the brisk wind of a cool summer night. My teeth slightly chatter, but not much because Wisconsin weather can really toughen people up when it comes to coldness. I pull out my phone and dial Ross’ number to have him come pick me up. He pulls up 15 minutes later and I immediately hop in. I have goose bumps all along my body.
“You cold?” Ross asks once I get in.
“A little.” He turns up the heat to full blast and starts along the hills. “I don’t want to go to your house yet.”
“Then where do you want to go?”
“Take me to the Hollywood sign.”
“Your wish is my command. In fact, I know a secret area where we can go that no one else knows about.”
“Take me there.”
“Anything for you.”
“Are you flirting with me?”
“No, just being friendly. I mean, you are Ellington’s cousin.”
“You were definitely flirting with me.”
“Was not.”
“Was too.”
“Was not.”
“Yeah, okay, whatever makes you happy.”
“Can we just talk about something else?”
“Like what?”
“Like the fact that Cal likes Liv.”
“He does not!”
“Oh, he does.”
“How could I be so blind? I’m a girl, I should be able to tell if a boy likes another girl.”
“Why do you suppose that just because you’re a girl you’d know that?”
“It’s just the rules of feminism.”
“Did you just quote Mean Girls?”
“How would you know?” Ross makes the sound of a combination of him clearing his throat and a slight cough.
“Um, I wouldn’t.”
“Caught you.”
“Sue me.” We pull up to a little secluded area and a get out of the car. My body immediately shakes from the cold air. “Here, take my jacket,” Ross says as he pulls off his leather jacket.
“Thanks.” I follow Ross over to an area with a clear view of the Hollywood sign and plop myself down on the blankets he had set down.
“I’ve missed you.” Ross murmurs under his breath.
“What was that?” I ask him.
“The view is lovely.” I turn to face Ross.
“It most certainly is.”
“Are you flirting with me?”
“No, I mean, you are Ellington’s best friend.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“Not nearly as bad as you.”
“Ouch,” he says sarcastically and grabs the fabric of his shirt near his heart. “That hurt.”
“I didn’t mean to cause a heartbreak,” I say and give a fake pouty lip, making sure to really pucker my bottom lip out.
“You’ve done it before.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You started dating that really stupid guy, Logan.”
“I didn’t think anybody cared.”
“I did.”
“Are you flirting with me?”
YOU ARE READING
Scene One (5SOS & R5)
FanfictionLiv assumes everything. She even assumes that Tati is a prep. When Tati decides to put on a fake persona, this makes everything seem in place. But when it turns out that Tati isn't really who she says she is, it changes things between her and Liv an...
