Give Me More Than What I Offered

It had been two goddamn weeks since he had seen Cairo. Two weeks. One week of denial, three days of icecream eating and sulking, two days of walking around the park and some more denial. Two days of acceptance and a lingering hope of something that was surely impossible but still absolutely irresistible. The two worst best weeks of his entire life. Here he was, Hayden Kemp, self professed player and heart breaker, living one of the best moments of his life standing at ground level staring at the second-story window of a college dorm.

He was sure. Had asked many different people several different times. Not only did that window lead into the room of Cairo Kaiylla, but he was currently up there. Checked and double checked because hell who wouldn't be nervous? His mic was sitting perfectly on its stand, his acoustic with the sharpie colored all over it splayed across his lap. It was angled to catch both the guitar and his voice, and he stood there for a second just breathing and looking at the window. This was it. The most stressful and perfect performance of his entire life.

He began to play. The tune began slowly, humming in the air. It was warm and soft, but definitely audible to the second-story inhabitants. For a few seconds there was just the sound of guitar and the sureness of its player. And then he began to sing.

We were both young when I first saw you.
I close my eyes and the flashback starts:
I'm standing there on a balcony in summer air.
See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns.
See you make your way through the crowd
And say, "Hello."
Little did I know...
That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles,
And my daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet."
And I was crying on the staircase
Begging you, "Please don't go."
And I said...
Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone.
I'll be waiting; all that's left to do is run.
You'll be my prince and I'll be your prince, boy,
It's a love story, baby, just say "Yes".

It was like listening to your favorite song by your favorite singer to hear Hayden, and that was if he wasn't trying. This time, for the first time ever, he was putting his soul into the lyrics, and trying his hardest to make it as beautiful as possible. There, in a white collared shirt and some beat up jeans, standing on his sneakers and looking up, Hayden found the best stage in the world and just hoped his audience would show and make it complete.

He had expected the patter of curious feet and heads popping out of more than one window. Had expected one or two girls to recognize him and promptly stand in place having a mini-heart attack. Had expected a small crowd to form around him, leaving him a circle that seemed to strengthen his emotional isolation. Honestly, though, he had not actually expected Cairo to look out his window and at him. Somehow the daydream hadn't gone that far.

For a terrible, horrible moment the blacked haired boy just stood there and stared at him. Hayden's heart seemed to curl in a small ball and wait for something to happen. Through some miracle his hands continued to play, likely sheer instinct and practice. And then Cairo smiled, not mocking not mortified, and Hayden gave him back his most sincere and bashful puppy-person grin. At a significant pause before the second verse, he ducked his head and blushed properly, had a minute to recover from the smile he was given, looked up and flicked his head to the side at the window like 'get down here you~', then started singing again.

"...It's a love story, baby, just say 'Yes'" he finished the second chorus. There was quite a crowd around him now, and a couple more fan girls than he would have liked. One brunette with a almost manic smile and a kickin' figure pushed and shoved her way in front of him. She seemed to be functioning really well considering she appeared about to faint any minute. "OhmygodJesusChristHaydenKemp!" she squeed, causing Hayden to close his eyes slowly and breath out through his nose. "If I sign something will you buzz off please, dear?" he asked, opening them and wearing the tired expression that was like a mirror to his career. Used and exhausted. Her speaking capabilities failed her when her idol spoke directly to her, she just nodded until her head almost fell off. Hayden took the poster she had brought from her room and signed it with a pen she supplied, and then she took of to go post it on Facebook. It would take about an hour for every other Hayden Kemp fan girl on the island to floor it to the dorms, so he needed to get out rather quickly if he didn't want to be mobbed. Again. He looked up, concerned that his batting away of the girl had ruined something.

Like a shot through the heart, Hayden saw Cairo was phased somehow. It had taken too much goddamn energy and balls to even realize he was having a feeling, much less having it ruined by another nightmare fan. Hell to the no. Hayden made a face in between pain and frustration, wielded his guitar like a bat, and waded his way through the idiots towards the door that lead upstairs. He may or may not have slapped a guy with the guitar who was trying to get too close. For the first time in two months he wished he had brought his dumbass bodyguards. He bolted into the dorms as fast as possible and then proceeded to run down the hall, and into a empty stairway where he could breath and try not to cry in peace.

There was no time to feel bad for himself. He ran up the stairs and into the upstairs hall, where he thankfully heard his bodyguards (who knew their Mr Kemp would need backup) blocking the two or three fangirls in the hallway downstairs. Everyone else returned to their business. His hand was shaking when he went to knock on the door, but he freaking managed before staring at the carpet and trying to breath. In, out stupid. You don't freak out like this on stage. This isn't stage, loser. This is the only person you've ever been in love with his traitor brain whispered. This turned his face all kinds of crimson with sweet little roses on his cheeks. It was his damn chance and he had blown it. Damn, no. He would not cry like a baby. That's not sexy. His eyes were soft and sad though.

"If I could do some damn magic and make you believe I don't want those annoying, dumb stalkers, I don't even like chicks, I think they're psycho and weird, I don't want this piece of shit pop star crap anymore, and all I want is to run far away from it and take you with me, I would. Since I can't, and I've just made shit worse as usual, I'll just tell you what I was going to say before everything went to hell". His voice broke, he almost just turned and gave up, but he had to finish. "I've never liked anyone before, Cairo. Everything was a huge joke. I never felt anything at all for anyone before you. I'm so messed up right now because I have no idea what I'm doing. You made me feel like I was an actual person instead of a shit brand or a puppet. Like I was human. So... you're effin' right to avoid me and the batshit chicks who follow me around. I just had to let you know I wasn't indifferent and I didn't miss you". There. Jesus. Done. Now he could pity himself in peace. Hayden wasn't looking forward to the few psychos downstairs, but he had brought them anyways. If he talked again he might legitimately cry, which would be both undignified and very unsuave. Since looking at Cairo might cause just that, he turned while still admiring the carpet to go down the hall.

Shit, walks of shame hurt.

His name didn't register, but still stopped him in his tracks. Hayden stood there, opting to close his eyes and wait for something to happen. There was a silence more deafening than he had ever heard in his entire life. Cairo held his cheek and he froze, his eyes snapping open. What?

Hayden wanted to ask something, anything, say something. Jesus, but his eyes were so pretty and bright and crimson glowing and what did he just say? The words came to him slowly, and when they did he could have not looked more humanly surprised. Or siren-ly surprised in his case. Really, he could have a long and angst-y conversation with himself about how damaged he was and everything, but he was here right now and Cairo liked him. Hayden grinned into the kiss, allowing himself to breath again. He slowly reached up to the hand holding his face to take it his own and fit their fingers together like pieces of a puzzle, holding it out and away from them before dropping it to their sides. "What the hell was that" he laughed softly, blushing and referring to his speech.