Westwood School

You're so vain

Magnolia:

I stood backstage, listening to Rowen finish his song. I disgusted me how he seemed to feign innocence, because he was anything but innocent. I saw him, and I knew what he had done.

"Oh, I believe in yesterday," He finished out the song and the crowd cheered him on.

I was jittering in excitement and trepidation as the crowd's cheers began to lull, but I didn't wait for them to stop before my song started up, the beat in time with my heart.

"Son of a gun!" I whispered into the microphone from behind the stage, and soaked in the pride as I saw Rowen glance around as if looking for me. The crowd cheered louder than they had yet, screaming desperately.

I walked out, microphone up and the stage lights hitting me, making me glitter and shine in the light. I threw a glance at Rowen, rolled my eyes and tossed my hair.

"You walked in to the party, like you were walking onto a yacht, your hat strategically dipped below one eye, your scarf it was apricot, you had one eye in the mirror, as you watched yourself gavotte," My voice dripped in sarcasm as I sang, to the crowd not looking at Rowen.

"And all the girls dreamed that they'd be your partner, they'd be your partner and-" I whirled to face him, and pointed a finger at his chest as I belted out the lyrics, "You're so vain! You probably think this song is about you, you're so vain!" The crowd cheered as I let the anger and emotion roll off of me in waves.

"But you gave away the things you loved- and one of them was me!" I sang, and it felt better than anything I could have done- better than anything I had done- to make myself feel better.

When the song rolled to a stop, the crowd was screaming in applause. I did not hesitate before I started the next song. I felt the same damn way I had in that classroom the first time I sang Amy Winehouse to Rowen.

My heart was still beating in my ears as Laurent teased the keys of the piano, and I began to sing with more power, more emotion than I ever had before.

"He left no time to regret," I threw my thumb in his direction, not caring if the whole world knew, "Kept his dick wet, with his old safe bet."

Gemma may have thought she won, she may think she's the shit for snogging some wealthy boy in the band, but she wasn't the one leading the crowd to tears.

I built up the song, my chest rising and falling, "I died a hundred times, you go back to her, and I go back to.... Black. Black. Black. Black. Black. Black. Black."

When we finished the song, I let the cheers echo, and I pulled the microphone to my lips.

"Hey y'all!" *Screams* "This song is for all my girls out there. It's a toast to screaming this in the car with your best friend- and I think it's just my speed." I throw a wink into the audience, and throw my head back inhaling the air as the country song started up.

"Right now, he's probably slow-dancin' with a beach blond tramp and she's probably gettin' frisky,

Right now, he's probably buyin' her some fruity little drink cause she can't shoot whiskey

Right now, he's probably up behind her with a pool stick showin' her how to shoot a combo,

But he don't know.."

I opened my month, and I belted the lyrics, "I dug my keys into the side of his pretty little souped up 4 wheel drive, carved my name into his leather seats! I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights, I slashed a hole in all four tires!" My body was shaking from the adrenaline and power my voice had- I had never sang like I was right then.

My voice went high and I sang almost an octave above the original recording as I pounded out the words, "And maybe next time he'll think before he cheats!"

I knew the crowd was screaming and cheering, but I could see was red, and all I could hear was my own voice, and all I could feel was a tingling sensation that had spread throughout my body. I was on fire- metaphorically that is.

I never ever thought I'd be singing this song in front of an entire crowd, and let alone sound like this. Let alone look like this. It felt so so damn good, revenge was sweet.

I sang the following verses and choruses building the power, snowballing it into a endless pile of rage and power.

I couldn't help but move my hands and lean over as I cried out the words, "Maybe next time He'll think before he cheats."

As the crowd sang, I walked over to Rowen, ignoring the panicked look in his eye and whispered the names of the two other songs we would sing- together.

I tossed my silky straight blonde hair over my shoulder as Matteo started up the drums, and I started gently playing the guitar. Paul Simon was my king. I couldn't help but contain a grin as Rowen started to sing the first half of the verse.

"The problem is all inside your head she said to me, the answer is easy if you take it logically, I'd like to help you in your struggle to be free, there must be 50 ways to leave your lover," I could hear the discomfort in his voice, but I didn't hesitate as I sang out following him, letting my voice cut across the heavy air on the stage.

"Just slip out the back Jack- make a new plan Stan- don't need to be coy, Roy, just get yourself free. A-hop on the bus, Gus, Don't need to discuss much-" I sang and Rowen joined in, not in the same beautiful, spell binding harmony that we were just days before, but in a new, powerful and endless one, rolling in like a hurricane on a summer's day.

When the song stopped, Rowen moved as if he wanted to say something, but stopped, as if he thought better of it. It was truly pitiful and impressive how well he could feign sadness and regret in his eyes. But even if he did regret it- it didn't matter he did this to me.

The last song started, and I picked the difficult patter on the guitar as Matteo stomped on the drums, making a simple pattern until we stopped abruptly.

"Listen to the wind blow--- watch the sun rise," We sang in unison, "Run in the shadows, Damn your love and damn your lies," I stopped my foot in time and faced him as I sang, showing him my emotions clearly on my face. Our voices created the dangerous beauty, it seemed impossible- the tension between us threatened to snap and the world would dissolve into chaos.

"And if you don't love me now, you will never love me again, and I can still hear you sayin' you would never break the chain."

I stared down those green eyes, daring him to break me.  

YAYYAYAYAYA I've been waiting soooo long to write this chapter- I love how Magnolia handles her emotions and addresses how she feels through music... What's your favorite breakup song? thanks for reading!