A Songbook In The Making//S.M.

4. Life Of The Party

"I love it when you just don't care
I love it when you dance like there's nobody there
So when it gets hard, don't be afraid
We don't care what them people say"

Shawn's 9th birthday was truly the start of their best friendship. Shawn had previously told Lucy he wasn't doing anything for his birthday, that he didn't want to. Then, as she came back from a day at the park, she heard screams of delight, and laughter from his backyard. She left her mom to get the rest of the groceries by herself, angrily marching next door. She heaved a furious, deep breath, and kicked the picket fence door open.

"Shawn Peter Raul Mendes!" The nine-year-old yelled. The brunette boy whipped his body around, terror written visibly across his face.

"Lucy? What are you doing here? I thought you were spending your day at the park!"

"And I thought you just wanted to 'chill' and spend some time with Aaliyah!"

"Well, technically I am," he shrugged. As if on cue, Aaliyah ran out of the house, tackling her, as she wrapped her arms around Lucy's waist, practically knocking her down.

"Lucy!" The four-year-old shrieked.

"Yeah, hey, Aaliyah." Lucy looked down to talk to the toddler wrapped around her torso. "It's really good to see you, too, but I need to talk to your brother for a minute." Lucy said, turning deadly at the end of her sentence, looking up from Aaliyah, who had now released her waist, to Shawn. Lucy angrily stomped toward the house.

"But-" the young boy was interrupted when Lucy dragged him by the ear inside, followed by a chorus of ow's from the young boy. She shoved him inside, slamming the sliding door shut. He leaned against the island in the middle of the kitchen, hands propped up on the countertop, while Lucy stood by the sink, arms crossed, foot tapping impatiently.

"What?" He all but screamed, lifting his arms up, in question.

"I'm waiting..." Lucy said in a sing-song tone.

"For what? For me to apologize? Well, I'm not sorry. Look, Lu, I love you, but I couldn't really invite you. The guys...they would give us a hard time, especially you."

"Shawn, I don't care what they say."

"I know you don't." He said, and after, he mumbled,"And that's what scares me the most." Shawn thought Lucy didn't hear him, but she did. She just didn't care.

"And you shouldn't either." Lucy barreled on, as if nothing happened. "You're better than that, Shawn."

"I don't!" Shawn said, looking up to the ceiling. "I don't care."

"Then what's the problem?"

"Because I care about you." Shawn finally shouted. And, oh, how good it felt to get that off his chest. "I care what they say about you. And that, right there, is going to be my downfall. Because I know I'll always be on your side, and you're always going to be my #1 priority. And I'm going to lose a lot of friends over that. And I just can't help but think-"

"Shawn." She interrupted him, putting her hands firmly on his shoulders. "There's a simple solution to this."

"Yeah? And what would that be?"

"Don't think."  Lucy said, dragging him outside, to the very middle of the yard.

"Stay here."

He obeyed, though he didn't know why, as she walked over to the stereo set. Lucy turned it to a random station and, pleased by the music she heard, turned the volume all the way up. Dance music  blared throughout the entire neighborhood.

Lucy grabbed Shawn's hand and started dancing, Shawn following the example. After, a few songs, all of the boys, plus a few girls from the surrounding houses, joined them.

As Lucy went to get a juice, a boy with brown hair, and glossy brown eyes approached her.

"Hey." He greeted her.

"Um, hi...?" She answered the greeting, though it comes out as more of a question.

"That was pretty impressive out there." He said, referring to the homemade dance floor.

"Oh, uh... Thanks."

"Can I ask you a question?" The boy asked.

"You just did." Lucy said, laughing slightly at the boy's confused expression.

"Yes," she said, finally after teasing him a little," you can."

"How do you do it? Dancing out there like that, not stopping once and see what people think about you?"

"I just pretend that nobody's there." Lucy shrugged at him.

"Simple as that?" He asked, doubtfully.

"Simple as that." At that, Lucy started to walk away, but changed her mind, and turned back to him.

"Wait... What's your name, Mr. Questions?"

"It's Sebastian. Sebastian Olzanski."

"Right, Sebastian Olz... What?" She tried out, laughing at herself, along with Sebastian, as she tried to pronounce his last name.

"Don't worry. Most people don't stick around long enough to learn it, anyway." He said, walking away.

"My name's Lucy!" She shouted after him, stopping him in his tracks, and caused him to turn around, a sign for her to continue.

"Lucy Diaz." She said, and Sebastian smiled at her with a surprisingly bright smile.

"Well, see you around, Lucy Diaz." Sebastian winked, and walked away.