I've Been Waiting (Jack.)

[Elisia Lark]

Maybe I'm wrong
Won't you tell me if I'm coming on too strong
This heart of mine has been hurt before
This time I want to be sure

I've been waiting for a boy like you
To come into my life
I've been waiting for a boy like you
For a love that will survive

Sitting at the piano, fingers slipping easily over the keys, Elisia closed her eyes and sang out. The song was an oldie, but the duet cover she'd heard had been just too good to pass up. Of course the fact that it was a duet was sort of sad, but she had nailed the girl part easily. It was great for her range, not boring, but not too difficult.

Ellie had been thinking of her most recent crush development. She'd met him in a couple classes and with him being so social, well they'd instantly struck up conversation. On her end it was a little awkward, but he was good with keeping the flow of things. She was thankful for that because she tripped over her own words a lot, especially around cute guys.

It wasn't just the looks that had caught her though. Once they talked music, all of the awkwardness had gone away. It was a common language that she spoke and though she didn't know that he played any instruments or sang (and same went for him), she was happy to find someone with such a passion for it. Elisia finished the song, but went back over the entrance of the female part. It was her favorite, the way it was so powerful to start out with but then faded back to a softer tone.

Caught up in her own world (thankful that the teacher allowed her to practice in the music room), Ellie's eyes slipped shut once more and she just played the background music while the guy's part went on. If only she could find a singing partner.

[Jack Montoya]

So long,
I've been looking too hard,
I've been waiting too long
Sometimes I don't know what I will find
I only know it's a matter of time
When you love someone

I've been waiting for a girl like you
To come into my life
I've been waiting for a girl like you
For a love that will survive

It was a nice cold day after school, and surprisingly Jack didn't have anything better to do. So when his music teacher had asked if anyone wanted to tag around after school and help file away music, Jack raised his hand a volunteered right after he asked. Coming in after school was uneventful enough, and he filed music like he was meant too with the other students who had volunteered. The small group joked around a bit and finally the Montoya boy grabbed a crate and shuffled his way from the music room and down a small hall, toward the practice rooms. He had a crate of honor band music that he needed to stow away by the practice piano. It seemed like a simple enough task, but when he heard her singing, he got completely distracted.

He liked the song, and it was easy to sing. He knew most of it on the guitar, the basic notes that it, without all the frills, bells, and whistles. A strong urge to join in with whoever was singing filled him and without hesitation, he dumped the music inside of the nearest practice room and ran off back toward the music room. He found his guitar where he had left it, and quickly took it out of its case. It was a simple acoustic guitar, he got it in seventh grade when he was a kid.

He actually felt like a kid, the excitement of joining in on a duet with his own skills, instrumental and voice, was always fun. When Jack got back to the hall, the hallway itself vibrated with the song. It was rounding off toward background music and the male part of the duet. He slipped in right at the intro and started singing as soon as his part played, it took him a moment of fumbling with straps, but soon he had his guitar in position too, and he gently strummed out the melody.

He had seen the girl before, he had some classes with here, and that is when he learned that she played the piano. It was a pretty exciting discovery, too him.

[Elisia Lark]

Ellie heard the song forming, but she could have sworn it was a side effect of her power. It didn't usually add in instruments or voices, but who knew, maybe that was just part that got picked up with practice? Still, it just didn't seem right. It was too real. Her power didn't make her crazy and she knew that someone was around, they had to be. What else could it be?

When she looked up from the piano and saw a boy with a guitar, she was really just excited, but then she looked at his face, and well, all coherent thought vanished. He sang. And played guitar. How had she missed that before? Elisia was almost too shocked to sing her own verse and join him in the chorus. The very sound of the two voices blending together made the song fit better in her mind. It helped her get the true feeling behind the lyrics of when the original band wrote it. Usually on her own, she'd just be able to pick up tidbits. His voice was the missing piece.

The song came to a close and Ellie just stood there randomly pressing down chords because she had no idea what to say to him. Even though\ she'd talked to him before, she wasn't a conversation-starter. She was always afraid of saying something stupid in front of anyone, and this was the guy that she thought was beyond attractive. Elisia bit down on her lip and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, finally building up the courage to speak, "I didn't know you sang and played guitar..."

[Jack Montoya]

Jack was enjoying himself, picking at his strings to help the song along as he finished his verse. When the girl... Elisia he thought, looked over toward him with that shocked expression, he just guessed that she was surprised from the sudden intrusion. She almost didn't sing her part when he came to be her turn, but she kept going. That was when she really got into it. Pressing down the keys and singing with feeling, their two voices melded pretty good as they kept going into the chorus, and then eventually the song ended.

After the song had ended, Elisia just stood there pressing down keys. The Australian boy was going to ask her what was wrong, if he intruded or something, but then he remembered how awkward it had been when the first two talked. At first her words were halted and hesitant, but he eventually broke her shell by getting over into the subject of music. He was going to say something, maybe even start playing another song to brighten the mood, but he didn't have too. "I didn't know you sang and played guitar..." She said meekly, it took her a while to say it, she sure was shy.

"Yup. But that is about all I can do when it comes to music. No one ever taught me how to play the piano." He offered, smiling over towards her. "You are awesome at playing that." He added, the Australian accent ever present in the Aussie's voice.

[Elisia Lark]

Ellie was a little sad when the song ended; it had sounded so beautiful and had a lot of meaning behind it. That was the beauty of musical psychometry, she really got to feel the songs as she sang them. And singing it with someone else just made it sound that much better. It helped that Jack had a very lovely voice, something she hadn’t really expected. Not that she thought he was tone deaf or anything, but she didn’t know very many people who knew how to sing. She’d been learning how to sing since she was little.

It usually did take her a while to really talk to someone, she wasn’t slow or anything, but she never really understood how to start. At least she had said something that pertained to music because that was something she could easily talk about. But she was hesitant to go much further than that. Not many people really understood her. Not to mention, if she ever said anything about her two fathers, well that was sure to cause some bad things to happen. Some people were just very cruel about it when she didn’t see the difference because it wasn’t like one of them had given birth to her.

His answer had her nodding slightly and when he smiled at her, her face heated up in an instance. Ellie bit her lower lip and shrugged off his compliment. At this point she should be a good piano player because she’d been doing it since she was three. “Th-thanks. I’ve been taking lessons since I was three, my dad always wanted me to learn so he was sort of the reason I took it up. You’re much better at guitar than I am though,” She said softly, keeping out the plural form of dads because it didn’t need to be mentioned then, after all it had only been Patrick who had pushed her into piano lessons.

[Jack Montoya]

Elisia was full of hesitation, and jack could see her calculating her words before she said them, as if she was holding something back, and that intrigued him. He himself, learned how to play guitar when he moved to America. He started the sixth grade in New York and one of the friends he had made there gave him guitar lessons. The younger Jack had gotten so enthusiastic about guitar playing that his parents had bought him one. Maybe it was because it was Christmas, or maybe his parents wanted to give him what they didn't give his sister, he wasn't sure which. Maybe it was a mix of both. As for his sister, Blaire Montoya, she lived in Vermont now, she was a Hammel graduate.

When he first came to Vermont, the two didn't have much to talk about, they had both grown up pretty differently. He was born when his parents where more stable, and had a lot of attention to give. Blaire was born when his mom was seventeen, and she had a sort of deprived childhood. Besides that, though, they were now best friends. She adored him and everything about him, and he adored her. He thought all he needed to do was find some common ground with Elisia, and they would get along better and get past that awkward stage, but she as still reserved.

“Th-thanks. I’ve been taking lessons since I was three, my dad always wanted me to learn so he was sort of the reason I took it up. You’re much better at guitar than I am though." She answered, throwing in a small compliment in the end. jack saw what his smile and compliment did to her, it made her blush out of embarrassment or something and he laughed a little to try and lighten the mood.

"Wow, three years? I only started playing the guitar when I was around thirteen, thanks though." Jack said, smiling at her compliment. "Maybe we should give each other lessons." He offered, only half jokingly, as he leaned against the wall of the practice room.

[Elisia Lark]

It was often her hesitation that kept her from making any friends. She always pulled back from people and tried to blend in so that she wasn’t noticed. Watching girls that always tried to stand out and be the center of attention, she almost envied them because they could do that. Being put on the spot whenever she wasn’t on stage, she often stammered and her hands shook. Gaining anyone’s attention made her feel that way. Jack happened to be one of those people.

Elisia had grown up going back and forth between Vermont and New York ever since the divorce between her parents. It also had a lot to do with why she didn’t have many friends. It had happened right before her manifestation and after she did manifest, she was gone during weekends when people that might have been friends with her would want to hang out. Ellie wasn’t bitter about the constant back and forth hand-off between her mother and father, but it wouldn’t really make a difference to her if she just never went to New York to see her mother, it saved her a trip of doing nothing.

His laugh was pleasant and it had the desired effect. Her nerves were subsiding, though she still had no idea how to really act flirty or anything other than when she sang. His suggestion excited her, but she couldn’t help but wonder if he was joking. “I wouldn’t mind that. Piano really isn’t a difficult instrument as long as you remember specific keys,” Elisia said quietly with a shrug. Guitar was much more difficult by remembering frets and strings and chord combinations and so many other things.

[Jack Montoya]

Jack saw a spark of excitement in her eyes when he brought up his half serious offer. His offer was half serious because he did not expect the girl to take him up on it. He had met shy girls like her before and most of them shot down any signs of friendship so they could stay in their bubble. At least he could break past the shell when it came to music, and he was happy about that. At least they had something to talk about. If he taught her how to play the guitar, and she taught him to play the piano, it would give them both new schools, and he could break past her shell more. “I wouldn’t mind that. Piano really isn’t a difficult instrument as long as you remember specific keys." She stated after a little bit, and Jack smiled inwardly at that.

"It would be cool to learn how to play the piano." He beamed, a broad grin spread across his face. "And, a guy always likes a girl who can play a guitar, you know." He added with a cheeky little joking wink. "If you want any lessons, maybe we can teach each other.. after school on Wednesdays or something." He offered.

[Elisia Lark]

Any other topic and she definitely would have turned him down. It wasn't anything against Jack or anyone for that matter, but wallflowers kept to themselves more often than not. Just being around people that were close to her age made her nervous, but to spend more time with them willingly? That was just asking for awkwardness. At least the music gave her a way of letting out all of her nerves. She could teach Jack some of her favorite songs to play and maybe even sing for him some more. Or they could sing more together? But that was her imagination running away from her.

His comment about how guys liked girls who played guitar had her blushing once more. Was he talking about himself? Oh gosh, if he was then she wanted to be the best guitar player ever. He winked and she looked down, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. This was why she was starting to crush on him, he was cute and he was so nice to her. Looking back up she nodded, "Wednesdays would work for me. We could alternate lessons, like you teaching me one Wednesday and the next week I could teach you something?"

She was making plans to see him outside of class once a week....*insert fangirl squeal here*. Ellie smiled suddenly, "Would you be interested in maybe singing another duet with me? I've been working on it myself, but like that other song, it works better with two people. And it's sort of a mash-up between two songs. You up for it?" And now she was really starting to talk. If he wanted to help her out of her shell, he just needed to keep doing what he was doing.

[Jack Montoya]

As soon as he commented on how guys liked girls who played guitar, she blushed again, and at his wink she looked down and tucked in a strand of hair. She was just shy, that was the only reason she was acting like this, right? Shy people did blush a lot when they were talked too, especially when he talked to shy girls. It could have been something more, but it is not like he would have called her out on it. "Wednesdays would work for me. We could alternate lessons, like you teaching me one Wednesday and the next week I could teach you something?" That was actually a great idea.

"That sounds great." He responded, not shy at all about the eagerness that wove out into his words along with his accent. It would be awesome to learn to play the piano, and it would be fun teaching Elisia a thing or two about playing the guitar.

A sudden smile from the girl surprised Jack. "Would you be interested in maybe singing another duet with me? I've been working on it myself, but like that other song, it works better with two people. And it's sort of a mash-up between two songs. You up for it?" Now this was something she was eager about, and Jack smiled.

"Sure, that sounds fun." He responded, not really sure if there would be need for a guitar during this song. He decided that he might be longer then he expected to be, so he pulled up a chair next to the girl, sitting at her bench and turned it around. he sat in it backwards, making sure his chest was pushing up against the back rest. "Let's see what you got." Urged Jack, happy that she was getting more comfortable.

[Elisia Lark]

When he agreed to do the duet with her, she smiled wider and pulled out the music from her folder. It was an acoustic song, just guitar and voices melting together. Elisia loved songs that had only one instrument accompanying a voice because it was simple and didn't overpower the voices. Though she was best at piano, she thought that this song in particular was better with a guitar part.

Funny how she managed to find someone who would actually do this guitar part justice.

Ellie set the sheet music in front of him along with the lyrics of the mashed up song. "It's accompanied by acoustic, and it's pretty much a chord progression throughout the whole song, just with a staccato picking pattern." She may not have been able to play guitar very well, but she knew the terms and what the basics were that he would need to play the part. "The only difference is during the chorus part, and after the second verse," She pointed in the music to what she was talking about.

Ellie pulled back and as he began the guitar introduction she tapped her fingers against the piano in time with the rhythm. Her part came up and she closed her eyes as she began to sing:

Baby I'm so into you
You got that somethin'
What can I do?
Baby, you spin me around
The earth is movin'
But I can't feel the ground

[Jack Montoya]

Jack saw her further excitement when he agreed to sing her duet, he couldn't help but smile along with her. He was interested in what they would sing next, and he was having. He was also excited that they had set up times to teach each other in their respective instruments, he had been wondering if he would ever be able to return the favor to his friend he left behind by teaching someone else a thing or too, and he would get to learn how to play the piano as well.

She quickly got out the music he would need to play and or sing his part. "It's accompanied by acoustic, and it's pretty much a chord progression throughout the whole song, just with a staccato picking pattern." She explained, and Jack stood up quickly, and turned the chair around, so he could get in a better position to play his guitar, then he sat back down."The only difference is during the chorus part, and after the second verse." Jack nodded, seeing what she was talking about when she pointed too it. He had been playing guitar for a while, so he was pretty sure he could handle the song without messing, up.

Elisia waited for him to start playing, he moved his hands to the right position on the guitar and began to strum out the intro. He heard tapping on the piano, and a quick glance over to Elisia told him that she was counting out the measures to herself. Then she began to sing and wow, he felt his heart skip a beat, her voice was pretty powerful. Eventually it got to his part, and he sang, his Australian accent melting away, but still present enough to pull at a few words.

That kinda lovin'
Turns a man to a slave
That kinda lovin'
Sends a man right to his grave

[Elisia Lark]

It was strange how someone so quiet and shy could be so incredibly strong and confident when she sang. Ellie had been trained pretty heavily in the art of song and dance ever since she was young. It tended to help her self-confidence, and yet it didn't help her socialize. She very rarely sang with someone else because she was so used to depending only on herself when it came to things like that, but singing with Jack was fun and it sounded so much better than just her on her own.

Elisia was really getting into the music, his guitar playing sounding almost like the real thing. She really couldn't wait for him to teach her his skills on guitar. It would be easier if she could move her fingers faster, one would think that playing piano would help that, but it really didn't. She had the piano hands with long elegant fingers that made it easy to do chords on both, but fret work always tripped her up because she couldn't pick the right string and place her fingers correctly at the same time. Oh gosh she hoped he'd have a solution to that problem.

Maybe it was in large part to her power with the heavy feelings of infatuation coming through the song, or maybe it was just him, but either way she was finding herself really getting into it all. His voice was so amazing and though she heard the slight twinge of his accent, it still sounded near perfect. She liked listening to him, but her favorite part of singing with him was when they sang together during the chorus and as it came up she really put all of her heart into it.

You know I'm crazy,
Crazy, crazy
For you baby
Crazy, crazy, crazy
For you baby

She waited eagerly for him to continue, the next part of the song was her favorite and she couldn't wait to hear how it came out between them.

[Jack Montoya]

Jack had been a strong singer ever since he could remember, but his actual love for music came along later. When he was younger, music was a thing encouraged by both parents, and pretty much growing up from six to about thirteen in a house as an only child left you to your own devices. Eventually, he got to the point before his hormones started kicking into a heavy degree and after his playing around with toys faze was over. That is when he picked up his friends guitar and was taught lessons. He loved the instrument, and loved singing ever since. He didn't spend much of his time with music at home, and none at all while he lived in Australia. The Aussie was glad he stuck with it at Hammel though.

Jack's fingers moved about the chords easily. Fretting for him was easier, because his friend had taught him a few tricks to keep up on things, he couldn't wait to teach Elisia. As his part came to a close and the chorus began, Jack felt himself powering into it. He was driven along by the passion behind Elisia's words.

You know I'm crazy,
Crazy, crazy
For you baby
Crazy, crazy, crazy
For you baby

Right after the chorus, Jack quickly sucked in a breath and began his next verse.

Tell me, you're so into me
That I'm the only one you will see

[Elisia Lark]

Ellie could feel the building intensity of the song and she was just getting more excited for the next verse. Their voices were both evenly matched, equal in power and passion. It was a great mix and she really felt tied to him now. The longer they spent together singing, the more she found that she liked him.

The next part of the song made her think of the current situation, not that he would understand that, but she would fill it with all of the things she felt. She only wished that the verse he had sang was true like hers was. Of course it wasn't like she was totally into him because, well they hadn't really talked outside of the typical music stuff. She felt like she could though, eventually talk to him about things besides music. Jack was nice enough and when they were singing together she felt comfortable around him.

As soon as his line finished, she prepared for hers and let it ring out:

Tell me I'm not in the blue,
That I'm not wastin'
My feelings on you!

The next part was a little back and forth between the two and then a joint chorus part that she loved. Ellie found herself smiling into the song, really letting herself go and allowing her to show her personality.