Livin On A Prayer (Open to 2)

[Nicolas Constantine]

After they were done with Won't Get Fooled Again, Kate seemed done for the moment. It was a quite difficult song, but Nick realized the Ryuu was testing their skills and Kate was a tad rusty.

"I'm sorry guys, it's been a few years since I've played. I'm going to have to take a break. You guys can keep going if you want. I can sing with you, my hands are just starting to get tired is all."

Ryuu then walked over to Nick at the drum kit and whispered to him.

"Hey, if you know the song, That's What You Get by Paramore, that's what we'll play, that fine with you?"

"Yeah, I know that one."Nick shouted back as Ryuu walked back to his seat. Knowing that guitar and drums came in at the same time, Nick prepped a countdown.

"Three, two, one, go!"

At a half-beat before 'go!' Nick started with the pick-up note before going into the three crash hit/drum roll intro.

[Kate]

That's What You Get by Paramore? Sure, why not? Kate smiled just a bit, and sat on the steps. Those emerald eyes closed and as the music started, Kate began to sing.

"No sir, well I don't wanna be the blame, not anymore.
It's your turn, to take a seat we're settling the final score.
And wy do we like to hurt, so much?

I can't decide
You have made it harder just to go on
And why?
All the possibilities,
Well I was wrong.

That's what you get when you let your heart win. Whoa!
That's what you get when you let your heart win. Whoa!
I drowned out all my sense with the sound of its beating.
And that's what you get when you let your heart win. Whoa."[/i]

Kate knew the song very well, it was one of her favorites after all. One of those songs she loved to blast in her penthouse, as loud as could be.

"I wonder, how am I supposed to feel when you're not here.
'Cause I burned every bridge I ever built when you were here.
I still try, holding onto silly things, I never learn.
Oh why? All the possibilities.
I'm sure you've heard.

That's what you get when you let your heart win. Whoa!
That's what you get when you let your heart win. Whoa!
I drowned out all my sense with the sound of its beating.
And that's what you get when you let your heart win. Whoa.

Pain, make your way to me. (to me)
And I'll always be just so inviting.
If I ever start to think straight,
This heart will start a riot in me,
Let's start, Start, hey!

Why do we like to hurt so much?
Oh why do we like to hurt so much?

That's what you get when you let your heart win! Whoa.

That's what you get when you let your heart win, whoa.
That's what you get when you let your heart win, whoa.

I can't trust myself with anything but this,
And that's what you get when you let your heart win, whoa."[/i]

Yeah, Kate really, really loved that song. The blonde was smiling the entire time she was singing it.
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[Ryuu]

"Yeah, I know that one." Ryuu just waved backwards with two of his fingers, his index and middle fingers, as he sat back down in his chair. Ryuu knew the guitar and drums came in at the same time, and so did Nick, prepping a countdown. "Three, two, one, go!" At a half-beat before the word 'go!' Ryuu heard Nick start with the pick-up note, as he joined in immediately after, playing in sync with Nick. As they played the intro, easing into the part before the singing started, he saw Kate smile just a bit, still sitting on the steps, her eyes closed as she began to sing. Ryuu then began to sing along with Kate once she reached the chorus, before easing into the small guitar solo, and then continued playing along with Nick. Ryuu knew the song extremely well, heck, he had been the one who suggested it, if he didn't know it, why would he have suggested in the first place, right?

"That's what you get when you let your heart win, whoa.
That's what you get when you let your heart win, whoa.

Now I can't trust myself with anything but this,
And that's what you get when you let your heart win, whoa."

After a few minutes, they finished playing the song, as Ryuu let the few fading notes of his guitar reverberate. Ryuu really liked the song, and it seemed so did Kate, for she had been smiling the entire time she was singing it. "Nicely sung," he said, looking at Kate, "And nicely played." Ryuu, by this time, was exhausted, he had forgotten how much playing guitar took out of him. "Well, it's been fun playing with you two, but it seems my break is up," Ryuu said, as he opened his guitar case, and eased his Telecaster back into it gently, before closing it and locking it, "I have to get to my class now, I'll see you two around then." Ryuu saluted at Nick and Kate with his index and middle fingers, before picking his guitar case up and slung it over his shoulder, before turning and heading out of the music room, letting the door close quietly behind him.

[Nicolas Constantine]

As Ryuu left, he saluted to Nick and Kate. Nick saluted back as a goodbye, and watched as he left the room, guitar case in hand. Now it was just him and Kate... him and a girl he had just met... in the music room... alone...

Nick's flirt mode switched on. He slid from around the drum set to Kate, sitting on the steps and looked at her with a friendly smile. Nick knew she was tired from playing right now, and now would be a good time to talk and get to know her. He motioned for her to come and sit next to him.

"Break time. So, how long have you been playing bass?"

Nick always started casual; he considered it a crucial point in flirting.

[Kate]

One boy left, leaving her alone with the other one... Nick right? He was already working an angle, being friendly. Kate knew every play in the book. Adrian, he had been the only one to really impress her so far, and not by waving cash in front of her face. One eyebrow cocked at the boy, and she smiled with those full lips. Some flirting wouldn't hurt, she was single.

"I started up in middle school, but I really haven't been playing since my old band broke up."

She leaned backward, putting her elbows on another stair. Relaxing, as she looked at him. He was pretty skinny, not a lot of mass, and not as tall as all the other boys roaming around here. Kate herself was about the same height, without the heels. With them? She was taller. The blonde smiled.

"How long have you been playing the drums?"

[Nicolas Constantine]

"Ah, see now that's a good question!" Nick's accent tangled around the words as he thought in his head and counted the years, "Um, twelve, if I'm not mistaken."

Yeah, it sounded untrue but it was correct, Nick had been practicing the drums since he was six years old.

"I took lessons when I was younger, and I've been practicing ever since. I can play almost anything from ABBA to Zappa."

Nick chuckled at his last statement, finding the humor in his pun rather amusing. Then he realized that he was very warm. The effects of drumming for 15-20 minutes had just hit him and he was sweating now.

[Kate]

He had been playing for a long time then. Several years in fact. She looked at the ceiling, just relaxing for the moment. Kate did note that the male was sweating in fact. Not exactly the best thing to be around. Men could smell nice when they sweated, but that was only in a certain situation. Other than that, Kate could really do without men sweating.

"That's a long time to be playing Nick. I'd expect you to know so much."

She chuckled slightly, under her breath a bit. Those emerald eyes closing slowly. Her hands weren't hurting as bad now, those muscles were started to relax.

[Nicolas Constantine]

Nick noticed her relaxing in his presence. He began to relax more as well, and he wiped his brow.

"You see, my father is a musician, so naturally at a young age I was taught multiple instruments and music theories and such. But drums were my favorite and they still are. Lets see... he made me learn the violin, cello, classical guitar, electric guitar, saxophone, trumpet, double bass, electric bass, piano... the list goes on."

Nick laughed at his own rambling.

"Do you mind if I change my shirt? I kinda went a little overboard on the drumming." he said, embarrassed.

[Kate]

That was a long list of instruments. Kate chuckled just slightly and thought about what she knew to play. Her list was one only, the bass. The girl smirked just slightly.

"Go right ahead. I know drummers get sweaty."

Had her drummer ever sweated? Kate couldn't remember in the least bit whether the girl had or had not. The pale girl wouldn't even look at him while he changed. Why? She had better eye candy else where. All she had to do was ask Adrian to take his shirt off, she doubted that the blonde would deny her that pleasure.

"Seems like your father was a little over bearing... ever hate it?"

She'd give him enough time to change, then look at him with a smirk. Kate never hated anything she was taught, because she asked for each lesson she ever had. Kick boxing, belly dancing... oh shit! She hadn't practiced that in forever. Add that to her list of things to do soon.

[Nicolas Constantine]

After changing his shirt, Nick noticed that Kate hadn't looked the entire time. He went and sat back down next to her.

"Seems like your father was a little over bearing... ever hate it?"

"You'd think that it would be a bit much, but my fathers a rocker at heart, so he understood. I was really into music anyway, so it was fine."

Nick looked into Kate's emerald green eyes. They swirled with color as he could tell that this girl was different; that something had changed within her over time. He also took this time to notice that she was quite fit and beautiful.

Nick snapped back to reality.

"W-well, do you have a band? Had a band...?"

[Kate]

Kate caught the sudden sort of stutter. He had been staring at her, like most men did. One eyebrow cocked, and her smirk became a little smug. Kate was a pretty girl, she was use to guys staring at her like she was a piece of meat. And when it came to most guys, she could beat them to a pulp if they ever got out of hand.

"Had an all girl band back in my freshman days. Kissing Under Killer Karnage. Our initials made into something that sounded like a band name. We wrote our own songs, and had one gig. But life got in the way, and we broke up. Because two girls transferred away, our keyboardist and our drummer. Then me and Kyr drifted apart when she got pregnant and I transferred to Cali. So that's the last I've heard of the band... sounds like some bad E entertainment show."

Kate laughed, chuckling low. It really did sound like something interesting that had happened to some washed up band. K.U.K.K. had ended so long ago...

[Nicolas Constantine]

Nick thought the band name was funny.

"Yeah, that story could definitely be on VH1, or something. So you're a transfer... where from and why'd you get transferred?"

Nick seemed to be firing his questions a bit fast for just meeting this girl. After all, he was interested more and more as the conversation moved along, even though it moved along at what seemed to be a strange pace. It was strange. This girl seemed more reluctant and more distant than the girls he had already met at Moral Crest. She was reserved and harder to open up, possibly due to her past experiences which from what he could tell, were different from what he was used to.

[Kate]

She kept looking at him, wondering why he was asking these questions. Was he fishing for information? Or was he trying to hit on her, by actually getting to know her? That would be a very funny concept to a male. She lifted a hand and flicked strands of silver blonde hair out of her eyes.

"I transferred out of New York because I couldn't take it there anymore. Lots of gang wars and other things going down. Some people I knew got hit pretty hard, and well... I was young and scared. I transferred back to Long Beach because it was home. And I transferred from there because... well, I had friends who transferred here. Wanted to stick out high school with them."

She grinned a bit, and looked at him, stare for stare.

"What about you? What's your story?"

[Nicolas Constantine]

Nick looked at this girl with a sense of respect. She seemed like she knew when to get out of sticky situations. He didn't know what was going on in her mind right now, but he could see that she was studying him, trying to find his motive.

She started back into his eyes.

"What about you? What's your story?"

Their gaze never faltered between them.

"Me? Well this is actually my first public school. You see, I grew up in London, England, and went to private schools there all throughout my life. Then my father and I moved here because he needed new work. So, here I am." he smiled at the end of his life summary.

[Kate]

It was almost like they were in a staring contest. Like neither could look away lest they loose the little game. Kate sure as hell was going to look away first!! The girl always rose to challenges, making sure to somehow someway try as hard as she could to win. This would be no different than all the other times.

"I figured you were from England. Accent gives it away easy."

That made two in the school from the land of the Queen. Nick and Matrim both, though you couldn't tell with Matrim until he was very out of it. Like two broken arms and heavily drugged out of it, to realize he had an accent. That had been rather funny.

"Finding public schools to be more interesting that private? More life to them?"