Ocean Eyes *Permanently On Hold*

three: sing me to sleep tonight

"You've got cute initials."

"S. A. T. L. Okay. What's so cute about that?"

"Serena Lee Aiting, right? Or Serena A.T. Lee."

"Yeah," I nodded. "So?"

"Serena A.T. Lee. Se. A.T.Le. " Adam said, as he scribbled down the words on a napkin. "Seattle."

I raised an eyebrow. "Thank you, Mr Young. Don't you have anything better to do?"

He laughed, nudging me playfully. "Come on, Seattle. You really need to get a life."

"Seattle?" I slapped him lightly in mock annoyance.

"Hey, it's got a nice ring to it!" he protested, nearly dropping his sandwich.

"Well, it's clever if nothing else," I grudgingly admitted.

"Seattle it is," Adam said cheekily, folding the napkin and tucking it inside his pocket.

_________________

"Adam Young, you are freaking kidding me."

"Please?"

"No."

"Come on, please?"

"No."

"Please? With Oreos on top?"

"No."

"Or I'll write a song about you. And sing it."

"What? That's blackmail!"

"Hmm... what rhymes with Seattle?" Adam pretended to think.

"Fine!" I held my hands up in surrender. "I'll join!"

He shot me a triumphant grin.

I was too busy staring at the VoiceOut poster to slap him. "Wait, wait, wait. Oh, hell, no. It's next month. I can't sing. I can't sing. I can't sing!"

"Whoa, Seattle, don't freak out, I'm joining too." Adam put his arm around my shoulders. "It'll be fun, trust me."

I stared so hard at the poster, I swear I had practically bored a hole through it. The message was simple enough:

OWATONNA HIGH SCHOOL Music Club presents

VOICEOUT 2002

Date: 13 September

Time : 2 pm - 6 pm

Venue: Theater Of The Arts

Solo . Young Composer . Group

"We'll go as a group?" I turned to Adam nervously.

He nodded enthusiastically. "I've never done a duet before. I mean, I've got a band and all, but I've never sung with someone else before."

"And what are we going to sing?" I asked. More people were crowding around us, trying to see the poster.

"Oh, we'll sort that out later." He waved his hand dismissively. "Can you play the piano? The guitar? Anything?"

"No! And most importantly, I. Can't. Freaking. Sing!" I nearly yelled in frustration.

He looked at me seriously. "Yes, you can. And you will."

"Come on, Adam, please? I'll be the laughing stock of the school!" I whispered urgently. People were already looking at the two of us, clearly amused.

"Hello Seattle..." Adam sang a few notes. "I am... oh, come on, Seattle, I'll have the whole song if you don't join..."

I glared at him, but nodded curtly. Anything was better than having a song about me circulating in public. Especially in front of the many girls who were hopelessly crushing on him. "On one condition. We sing what I want."

"Okay."

I considered for a moment. "The Postal Service. Such Great Heights." I liked its electronic-synth beats. It was really different from what I usually heard on the radio.

"VoiceOut, here we come," Adam said dramatically.

I slapped him back to reality. "Let's get to work."