3.0: Songstress

   NOTE: I don't want to use to horrid language on this blog, so the rating stays PG/PG-13, therefore I'm going to use substitute words that keep this PG-13. (Like fudge. I'll probably use fudge. SO, if you're reading something and suddenly words like fudge or sugar, they're replacing "bad" words.  ) It may seem silly, but there are younger Simmers who like legacies and I want everything to stay okay-ish for them. Okay? Okay. Here's a lollypop.
P.S. This chapter switches between Gabrielle talking in "present day" to her remembering her past. Evey time you see ---- that means that I'm switching time periods. =)

    "What? How could this happen?!" My mother looked panicked.
    "Biology. I really hope I don't have to explain it any further than that."
    "But-that-it's impo-no. You're lying."
    "Quit the in denial act mom. I'm not your stupid innocent little girl anymore. I haven't been for a long time."
     "You-you-no. How?"
     "Mom. Dad's a doctor. It's simple. Do I really have to-" I looked at her face. She was shocked. That was clear as day. This on top of what she was going through with me. Clearly I needed to spell everything out for her.
     "You didn't really, you know, it. Did you?"
     "Yeah, I fudgin' did." I sighed. "S-E-X. I had sex. No one called that it since middle school. Happy?"
      "How? What about everything else?"
      "I was still in high school…when it began. Not the sex…just. Everything." I sighed. I wasn't eager to walk down memory lane. "Everything…there was guys and I got upset, then the fame and singing…and him. It was insane. I graduated, barely, and…high school. It started the mess."
     "Sweetie…" She whispered.
     "The talent show. The first one I preformed at." I stared at my feet, then launched into my story.

----

     I took a deep breath, as I peeked on stage. A couple cheerleaders where doing a gymnastics routine. One more act, a boy with a puppet who happened to call himself a ventriloquist, and I'd be on that stage. Singing. The annual September talent show would be my first formal show. My first time actually singing in front of people. I chickened out when I was a freshman, and now as a fifteen year old sophomore, I knew this was my time to shine. I crossed my fingers that everyone would like my voice; it would be the confidence I needed to start preforming at other small venues; coffee houses and at the park. I slipped out of the back door, onto the play ground that was for the elementary school.
   "Hey." A voice from behind startled me; interrupting my thoughts.
    "Um, hey."
     "Why are you out here? You're performing, right?" He gestured to my guitar.
     "Yeah. Why are you here?"
     "Quiet." He shrugged. "I can think."
     "Cool." I smiled at him. "Not a lot of high school guys seem to do that."
     "So, what's your name? Or are we not going to tell each other and leave me guessing?"
     "I'm Gab-G. G." I don't know why I said G instead of Gabrielle. He was mysterious and charming and cute. I recognized him from the halls; he was my age. He didn't appear in class often, though.
    "G. Huh. I thought I was worthy of knowing your full name." He laughed. "I'm J. Only I go byJason." Jason. A name to a face. "What are you doing out here?"
     "Dunno." I shrugged.
     "You do, too." He flashed me a boyish grin. "You just don't want to tell me."
      "You already asked me why I was out here." I shrugged.
       "I answered. You just told me that you where performing."
      "Fine." I let out an over dramatic sigh. "I'm scared of preforming infront of my classmates. I don't want to be the lame girl and getteased for it." I admitted. "But I'm doing a pretty good job of hiding it by acting like I'm all that, right?"
     "Never knew." We stood for a few moments, in silence. It wasn't awkward. It was comfortable. Like we understood each other well enough to not have to talk.
     My cell phone beeped. Jessa texted me. UR on in 2 min!  
    "I have to go."

    "Bye, G." He winked at me, then slowly ran away. I stood there for a few moments. He was mysterious. He was hot. He was- dammit, my new crush. Jason. I remembered him from a class. Class. He didn't seem to come often.

    "And now, our final act of the night, Gabrielle Janes who'll be singing Love Song by Sarah Bareilles." The audience began clapping on cue. I stood on stage, shaking. I memorized the lyrics so perfectly that it was natural. Words began flowing and my heart started pumping.

  I'm not gonna write you a love song
'cause you asked for it
'cause you need one, you see
I'm not gonna write you a love song
'cause you tell me it's make or break in this
If you're on your way
I'm not gonna write you to stay
If all you have is leaving I'ma need a better reason to write you a love song today .

     Jason. My thoughts turned away from impressing people, even from  winning the one hundred dollar Visa gift card, to him. I had to see him again. Had to.

Promise me that you'll leave the light on
To help me see with daylight, my guide, gone
'cause I believe there's a way you can love me
Because I say
I won't write you a love song
'cause you asked for it
'cause you need one, you see
I'm not gonna write you a love song
'cause you tell me it's make or break in this
Is that why you wanted a love song?
'cause you asked for it
'cause you need one, you see
I'm not gonna write you a love song
'cause you tell me it's make or break in this
If you're on your way
I'm not gonna write you to stay
If your heart is nowhere in it
I don't want it for a minute
Babe, I'll walk the seven seas when I believe that there's a reason to write you a love song today, today.

    The audience erupted in a standing ovation as I finished.  It felt fabulous. People actually liked my singing! And it wasn't just Jessa! I nervously smiled at everyone, as the rest of the performers gathered on stage, early awaiting to find out who had won.

     "And the winner is.....drum role, please." The teacher sang song. "The talented drummer," I felt my heart sink. The damn drummer beat me.I felt my confidence crumbling away. I was good, wasn't I? 

     "Hey." Jessa came up with my parents, after the show and hugged me. "You alright?"

     "You where great, sweetie." My mum smiled.

     "Vous êtes un chanteur talentueux." You're a talented vocalist.  "The drummer wasn't anything compared to you."

     "Thanks." I said, halfheartedly. It was my first performance; I shouldn't be disappointed. But I was.

     "Wanna go grab some ice cream?" Jess smiled. 

     "Nah." I shrugged. I'd lost. I felt like crying. But I couldn't. Because the world wasn't. Dammit, I'm going to win next year. This is just a learning experience. 

----

      

     "You…you met a boy? That boy?"

     "Yeah." I nodded. "Jason…" I whispered sadly. A pang of sadness filled my heart.

     "How does this-how-today-everything-how? How is-this-how did that start everything?"

     "I met Jason…I didn't see him for another year…"

----

    Last year. That was all behind me. Except for Jason. He was still my secret crush. I stood on stage again, in the same position as last year. I was waiting with everyone to find out who won this years talent show. Sixteen. I was sixteen. So close to becoming an adult. Yet so childish. So innocent. That would change soon, regrettably. 

    "And the winner is…Gabrielle Janes! Who sang Hey Soul Sister by Train."

    I won! I actually won first place! My self esteem and confidence shot thought the auditorium's roof. "I just, I'm so, oh my gos-thank you." I said, stuttering as I accepted my gift card. One hundred dollars. My family had money; I didn't need it, but something about actually earning it, working hard, made it feel so much better. It made me feel that much prouder.

    "Yay!" Jessa ran up to me, squealing. "I knew you'd win!"

    "Congrats!" My father beamed. 

     "It was perfect!" Jessa smiled. She was just as happy as I was. "Will you sign this?" She held up the program.

      "Sure." I took a pen from Antoinette and signed it.

       "Love ya, girl! I'd be lost without you! XOXO, Gabrielle." Jesse read. "Wow." She gasped, going total fan girl. "I got the famous Gabrielle Janes signature."

       "You can say you knew her when." My mom laughed. "Congratulations, honey."

        "Thanks!"

        "What are you going to do with the money." Antoinette bluntly asked.

        "I dunno." I shrugged. "Save it."

         "You're contradicting yourself." She stared at me, frowning.

         "I-never mind." I can't explain things to Antoinette. She's so literal. An eighth grade who's really trying hard to convince Mom to ship her off to some private school for high school, her social skills where horrible.Especially for a thirteen year old.

         "Antoinette." My mother sighed. "Be happy for your sister."

         "Why? It isn't like it was me singing. Truthfully, if she put more effort into academics, she wouldn't be flailing around with her 3.2 GPA. Maybe she'd even get an A."

         "Antoinette!" My father snapped. "We're going to go to the car while you finish up here." He gave mom the 'I don't know what to do with the child' look.  

         "Okay." She sighed.

          "Hey, want to go out and celebrate?" Jessa asked.

          "Sure." I shrugged glancing at mom. 

          "Fine with me."

          "Yay!" We both cheered.

----

           

       "You won. That was happy." She interrupted.

       "What you knew was." I sighed. I hadn't told her anything about the night.

       "What happened?"

       "Jesse and I went to the diner. We both got cookies and cream milkshakes, extra whip, no cherry.  Her treat."

        "Happy? Right? Nothing bad."

         "It was.....until…" Until the news.

----

        "Thanks." I smiled as we walked down the sidewalk. It was nearing eleven and the streets where empty. It was creepy. Every shadow lurked, threateningly. Every noise was criminal. 

         "No problem. You deserve it." She threw her cup into the trashcan, and I did the same. "Gabrielle…I have…news."

         "What? You don't have a secret boyfriend, do you?" I joked. She was silent. "Sugar, Jessa! You aren't p-"

          "No....nothing like that.....I'm moving."

           "What?!" I stopped walking. "When?" 

           "Soon. Tomorrow." 

           "Tomorrow!? What?! When did you find out?"

           "The day before the talent show."

            "Yesterday?"

            "No…last year."

            "Why didn't you tell me?" I said, hurt.

            "Uh…" she shrugged.

            "It doesn't matter." I said, trying to hug her.

             "Don't." She pushed me away. "I can't…look. I'm not suppose to be telling you this. My mom…she witnessed something in her journal. I read about it…I-they're looking for me. I have to-never look for Jessa again. Because she won't exist. I told you to much. My covers here is blown. I have to go. They're moving me."

            "What are you in the WPP?" Witness Protection Program. It seemed unreal. But it might just make sense.

            She glanced around then mouthed: Yes. My name isn't Jessa. Everything I told you was real. Except for the uncle part. The man I live with is my foster dad. I was put into the program…when I was old enough, I was told everything and given the journals. The people didn't know what was in them. They assumed it was harmless. There's a huge illegal drug scandal going on. We don't know if my mom is alive or not. She fled…we think because she was receiving threats from the gang leader. I have to leave now. She turned away, and slowly began walking away. 

           "I'll miss you." I whispered. I watched her go away, into the night. Jessa Hart. Only that wasn't her name. I didn't know it.

----

        "Gabrielle? That Jessa girl was she really."

        "Yep." I nodded. "I haven't seen her since that night…"

        "That poor child…sixteen years in the WPP. Who knows if she's out now…if she'll ever get a normal life…it sounds like a novel I once wrote."

         "Mom. Tiffani. Please…I just. Listen? No comparisons to real life, or anything. This just seems to unreal." I wiped away a stray tear. "But it's my life "

----

      I began walking on the bridge, miserably. I felt lost and depressed and sad. I had lost my best friend. My only friend. Without her, what was I? I could sing. A million, no billion, other people could, too. But not everyone sings well. That's one thing I got. I rested on the railing, staring at the cool water. It was so peaceful. So calm. 

      "Hey."  A voice said behind me.

      "I don't have any money I screamed!" Turning around quickly and punching the voice in the stomach.

      "Oomph." The guy doubled over. 

      "Wait…Jason?" 

      "Nice to see you, too, G." He said, still doubled over.

      "Oh my gosh! Are you okay?" I blushed crimson. I just punched my crush. Great. Guess who wasn't getting a date to the Junior Prom.

       "I'm fine. I think." He said, standing back up again. "There's just one thing."

       "What?" I asked, maybe a little too eagerly. Maybe a little too quick.

       "I feel sorry for anyone that gives you sugar." He laughed.

        "I'm sorry." I apologized. "I'm a fudging idiot."

        "No, you're not." He leaned against the railing, next to me.

        He was gorgeous in the moonlight. I wanted to lean over and kiss him on the cheek and tell him everything. I felt a little too vulnerable and depressed to be standing next to him. He was so sweet. We talked for awhile, about life. Jason lived by himself in a run down apartment. When he was fourteen, his  dad died in a car crash. His mom had died thirteen years prior to that because of cancer. He ended up in the foster system, like Jessa, and was taken in by an elderly lady.

      "She was nice…she had a heart attack last  year…in June. I ended avoiding the system...I got a job, working nights…and occasionally I'd do odd jobs during the day." So that's why he cut class so often. "I bought my own little apartment."

       "Can you pay the bills?" I realized how stupid that question was. "You don't-"

       "It's okay…I can. It's better than the streets…"

       "You where homeless?" I gasped.

       "For a month. I got a job right before school started last year…it works." He shrugged. I felt guilty as hell. I had this fabulous home and everything I could dream of and he was barely making it. 

       "Jason…I-I like you." I glanced over at him and smiled. "I mean a lot. Like," I turned into a rambling blubbering fool. 

       "I like you, too." He smiled at me with his silly little grin that made my legs turn to jelly.

       "Really?" I gasped. I was shocked. What sane person would like me?

       "Yes, really." His eyes shined.

       "Like, like like?" I was still wrapping my brain around the fact that he liked me- I hope, as more than a friend.

         He leaned forwards and kissed me on the lips. "Does that answer your question?" He asked as he pulled away.

         I stood there, shocked. My first kiss. "Actually," I moved myself so I was sitting haphazardly on the bridge railing. "It could be a little clearer." I pulled him forwards and we began making out. His arms  around me, keeping me from falling...everything moved so fast. We where kissing as the wind began picking up. It swirled around us, locking us in our own perfect universes. Nothing else was real. This was too perfect.

           "You don't know how long I've wanted this." I whispered.

           "I'd say the same thing," he paused. "But it wouldn't sound half as cute." He helped me off the railing, and took my hand. 

            We walked down the bridge, the world at our footsteps. I left with something that I didn't have before. A boyfriend.

----

     "Mom? Are you okay?" She was bawling.

     "I-I-it-t's jus-s-s-st so-so-o romantic!"

     "I guess." I shrugged, though secretly I thought it was too.

     "Keep telling the story."

----

     I was on cloud nine, until I snuck through the front door. I assumed no on would be there; they'd be sleeping. I didn't know what time it was, but I knew it was late. I was greeted by my mom, instead of a peaceful people-free living room.

     "We're have you been?"

     "With Jessa…"

     "It's one thirty in the morning!"

     "Um…" I said, trying to make up an excuse, "We, uh, see."

     "No. I don't!"

      "Does it matter? I'm home safe. I promise I'm not drunk, high, or pregnant."

      "It does matter, very damn much!"

      "What?!" I felt all my anger bubbling up, "Why the fudge does it matter? Of you not trust me?!"

      "GABRIELLE. Calm down and you will NOT talk to your mother like that." 

     "NO! You-never mind." I tried calming myself down.

     "Apologize, please."

     "Why?"

      "Because-"

       "Never mind." I turned and began stomping up the stairs. 

      "You're grounded! Grounded until you turn eighteen go you don't get back down here."

      "Whatever." I stomped upstairs and slammed my door. I felt guilty. I don't know why I snapped. I was so happy, but something about her not trusting me....I was a teenager. I know she's afraid I

L mess up my life...but. I stared at my room. Pink and purple. I hated it. I had freedom with Jason....freedom I wanted so bad yet couldn't grasp. It felt horrible.

----

     "Gabrielle...." She leaned over and hugged me. "I'm so sorry."

      "I am, too. I shouldn't have snapped."

      "What happened next," she was like a little child, begging for story time. 

      "It was April," I continued telling her everything about my life up to now. It was so odd, looking back at everything. I felt a weight being lifted as I recounted every event. Life was crazy and wild; sometimes all we needed was to know someone was listening.

NOTE: Until further notice, Gabrielle will be telling her mother the events that lead up to what her life is now. I may not have the little snippets of conversation between the two, but that's what's happening. =) Thanks for reading!