Take a deep breath;;Austin

[sawyer anne macdonell]

people change and promises are broken
clouds can move and skies will be wide open

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The past few days had been crazy, insane and ridiculous it was almost too much for Sawyer to think about. This week had started out nice enough, like every other week she got up went to the beach, went to work then usually during her lunch break, wandered around trying to find a place that would let her play a set. It was never easy; you’d think that simply walking into a club at noon when it was dead and asking the manager or booker if they had an open slot on the weekend would be pretty simple? Well if it was anyone else then it probably would be, with Sawyer however nothing was ever simple. Her fear of rejection combined with her natural quirkiness and nerves created some weird hybrid of nervous that had yet to be seen in this modern day, her stutter would be worse than ever, her movement were jerky and random like she had a twitch or something. In general she was a spazz and nine times out of ten whomever she was talking to would be to distracted by her mannerisms to even register what she had said, which resulted in her having to repeat herself. By the end of her second request she was so totally buzzed and the booker was usually so weirded out that she usually got a brush off, sometimes they didn’t even let her finish just a ‘no thanks’ and they’d walk away.

This time however it seemed that luck was on her side, as the woman she’d talked to seemed pretty patient with her and actually found her nerves to be quite amusing and had agreed to book Sawyer for Friday night. It was actually a pretty good slot to, not to early so that the club would be dead but then again not too late so that everyone there wouldn’t be slobbering drunk and not even register her songs. Even when on the way out when she’d been so grateful and relived to finally get book and in her gratefulness had knocked over and broken a complete tray of glasses did the woman get angry. Now there may have been trace of disbelief in her face but not anger, once again she simply laughed and made Sawyer a deal that if she made two hundred and fifty dollars that night then the woman wouldn’t use her pay check to pay for new glasses and of course Sawyer agreed and got out of there as quickly and gracefully as she could before she broke something worse.

She’d actually been pretty excited for this gig, while at most gigs you always something from the establishment as a thank you this one was different. Yes they paid you a little something for your time and effort but really how you got paid was from the people who were listening to your songs as they were the judges. Every performer while they’re onstage a bucket gets brought around by the booker usually and if you like what the persons doing then you put money in the bucket and at the end of the night you keep it all. However by Wednesday night all of her excitement had been transformed into major and complete terror, and all because of the boy she’d met on IM. Their conversation had started out all right, then he asked to come to one of her gigs and she being caught way off guard had stupidly replied immediately and he said he’d be there.

What the hell had she been thinking! She barely knew this guy, well of course they did talk on the computer that night and found a little bit about each other he was apparently in the Navy and was back because he got injured in combat and his picture had been pretty hot cute and he seemed like a nice enough guy. But how could she know for sure? For all she knew while she was expecting this good looking, sweet guy whom she’d just met to come and cheer her on she could get some old creeper looking to rape and kill her. She was an idiot! Of course after they’d established that he was coming she’d signed off quickly to make sure she didn’t do anything else stupid and immediately called Abi in a panic. Asking what to do and wear and how she should act and of course her best friend calmed her down as that’s what she did and gave her some very good and much needed advice and she’d actually been able to sleep the past two nights.

Now however it was here. D day, and all of her calm and Abis advice that had been rolling through her head the past two days had gone bye bye and she was a wreck. The entire time she’d been getting ready she was shaking so bad that she had to do her makeup three times before it looked good. Putting on her outfit she kept thinking that it would rip in the middle of a song or she’d spill or trip and fall or something, and to make matters worse she’d been late getting to the club. She went on at nine thirty and she’d caught the eight forty five bus downtown but they’d gotten stuck and traffic and eventually she’d just gotten off and walked. But now she was late, stressed and she was on in ten minutes! Sitting down in the back she began tuning her guitar and warming up her voice at the same time, the house band had gotten her music on Tuesday and had hopefully learned by now. Everything was going to be fine.

But what if they haven’t learned it? What if they thought it was stupid and they simply just didn’t want to play it? she thought in panic stopping what she was doing. Then shaking her head she knew that she was being silly, it was going to be fine. Hopefully. The stage manager came back and told her that she was on in two, so with one last strum of her guitar she made her way to the wings. Standing there waiting to be introduced Sawyer could see most of the audience from where she stood, scanning the crowd her eyes kept landing on the old men wondering if any of them could be the IM poser. She was now so convinced that he didn’t actually exist that she didn’t even bother to look at the younger ones, in fact she’d been so concentrated on scanning the audience she hadn’t heard herself be introduced and had to pushed onto stage by the stage manager. Stumbling slightly she caught herself before she could fall and heard a slight chuckle from the audience. Shooting them a weak smile she walked up to the mike.

“Um, h-hi” she started her voice cracking slightly and she stopped and cleared her throat weakly. “I’m um S-s-s-sawyer and well I h-h-h-hope you like m-m-my songs” stepping away from the mike she looked at the floor and took a few deep breaths and she heard some of the audience starting to boo at her and tell her to play already. Turning she nodded to the band as they began playing her song. Closing her eyes she took another slow breath before stepping up to the mike and 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
I 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 there's left to do is run
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story baby just say yes

So I sneak out to the garden to see you
We keep quiet 'cause we're dead if they knew
So close your eyes
Escape this town for a little while

'Cause you were Romeo, I was a scarlet letter
And my daddy said stay away from Juliet
But you were everything to me
I was begging you please don't go and I said

Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone
I'll be waiting all there's left to do is run
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story baby just say yes

Romeo save me, they try to tell me how to feel
This love is difficult, but it's real
Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess
It's a love story baby just say yes
Oh oh

I got tired of waiting
Wondering if you were ever coming around
My faith in you is fading
When I met you on the outskirts of town, and I said

Romeo save me I've been feeling so alone
I keep waiting for you but you never come
Is this in my head? I don't know what to think
He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring

And said, marry me Juliet
You'll never have to be alone
I love you and that's all I really know
I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress
It's a love story baby just say yes

Oh, oh, oh, oh
'Cause we were both young when I first saw you

She finished her song and hoping everyone liked it continued on with her set and hoping and praying that she’d made at least some money tonight. Putting her stuff backstage she went out into the club to hopefully get water or something and calm down before leaving. She hadn’t seen the guy so she assumed he didn’t come, which was fine with her. Standing at the bar she ordered water and took a nice long gulp before putting it down with a satisfied sigh.

TAGGED ! [/color]austin.
LYRICS ! love story - taylor swift
WORDS ! 1,317 without lyrics
OUTFIT ! Click!
CREDIT ! MEELA! on CAUTION 2.0![/font][/size]

[austin thane cross]

Being back home came with sudden surprises for Austin. When he had first left into the Navy three years ago there wasn't much going for him in the big city of Miami. Sure he had his family, who didn't, despite some con traditions. But family was about all he had. Austin never transitioned well into the city and yearned to have his country life back. Sure, once he turned eighteen and graduated he was fully capable of moving back to Texas were he had left his true self but on the contrary he knew that the friends and other relationships he might have back at home would never compare to true blood. Especially his younger sister Tiffany, who not only was one of his best friends but his mentor. Despite the age difference to wards his favor, Tiff taught her older brother everything from education to life as a whole. She among other reason was why he choose to stay in Miami and a simpler path that would cause pain to his relatives but at the same time wouldn't keep them apart forever.

At least that's what everyone had hoped when Austin registered for the Navy. It was a life changing event that he had never talked over with his parents but still choose. In a way he did so in hopes of finding in his purpose in life. It was a soul searching event that led him threw many personal battles. He made relationships with others around him. His troop was his second family and it was heart wrenching for Austin to have to leave them in battle while he recovered. At first being shot was an unfortunate event only because he was not looking forward to being back in Miami but just after getting off the plane things were unexpectedly different. Before he felt like he had nothing to look forward to in the big city filled with things that never really interest him but it was amazing to know how some people can just change that whole idea. He was already meeting new people that were opening his eyes to knew things only in the week he had been back.

First was the girl from the airport who was more then willing to make friends with a crippled that she knew nothing about and then there was Sawyer. The beautiful blond that he met out of the blue on the internet. Which was more surprising to him only because he rarely used the computer. The only electronic devices he was use to were the ones they used in the Navy which were far more extreme yet he couldn't figure out a simple home computer. Either way Austin knew he did something right to meet a girl who was a lot like himself. It was like the female version. From their conversation they were getting along fine and at the end of the night he got invited to see one of her gigs which she would sing at. At first it sounded exciting but as the week progressed he realized he really didn't know this girl and by going to her show as a crippled he would be drawing attention to himself.

Thought, being the loyal person he was, Austin knew he couldn't back out now. He gave Sawyer his word and would be there to watch her, crutches and all. The week had flown by fast and next thing he knew it was the day of her gig. Austin used the first half of the day to to relax and conserve his energy so it wouldn't be as hard for him to get around. Once it began to grow later he finally jumped into the shower and got himself to look presentable. Nothing to fancy but something convenient for the occasion. Because of his injury, Austin made sure he left an hour early. His body was currently functioning at a slow place and wanted to give it some time instead of pushing it. The less energy used meant that he would heal faster and hopefully get back to Iraq but while he waited for that he figured he might as well put the free time to some use. Which was why he pulled his car into the parking and hobbled his was inside the building at which Sawyer had directed him to earlier that week.

People were already beginning to stare as Austin politely asked people to move, so he choose a small table in back. He could see the stage from where he was so there were no worries. Besides he was there to hear her sing, not necessarily to see her. Though meeting her in person was definitely anticipated. He sat for about fifteen minutes before he heard Sawyer's named called for the next performer and instantly locked his eyes on her as she walked on stage. As she introduced herself he knew she was nervous by the way she stammered her words. He hoped she could pull threw despite the few boos from audience members, some of which were sitting close to him. With that Austin instantly told them to be quite and give her a chance. After a moments she started to sing and he became entranced with her voice. She was great in his opinion and the song progressed the rest of the crowd seemed to agree.

Austin cheered with the rest of the crowd as she finished her song. He never took her eyes from her as she walked off stage and headed to wards the bar. After a few moments he knew she wasn't going anywhere and made his way in her direction. "Your are a lot better then the perceive yourself to be." He stated as he sat next to her at the bar, holding his crutches in one hand.

Tagged:: Sawyer
Status:: done
Word Count:: 1042
Clothes:: clicky
Notes:: sorry it took so long

[sawyer anne macdonell]

people change and promises are broken
clouds can move and skies will be wide open

[/size][/center][/color][/i]

The internet was a beautiful thing; you could be anyone you wanted to be and not have to worry about getting caught in a lie. The littlest person could pretend to be a six foot tall basketball player, or someone dumb could pretend to be a genius and nobody minded because you were never likely to actually meet the people you were talking to plus you had all the information you needed to fund your lie right at your finger tips. Well although Sawyer didn’t pretend outrageously to be something she wasn’t there was always that slight misconception she gave those whom she talked to. Behind a computer she was safe, she could leave whenever she wanted plus she didn’t have to talk to someone face to face and behind a computer she felt brave. Behind a computer she wasn’t afraid to tell people her true thoughts or be bold and talk to whomever she wanted because well she would never actually meet the people. However if you actually knew her outside of the cyber world you’d be completely surprised by the one eighty the girl takes, from confident and outspoken to a clumsy, stuttering and just plain shy girl you’d wonder how she ever got by in the world?

So at first you think you’ve met this girl whose awesome and opinionated and wants to have fun, only to meet her and realize wow she’s pretty much a spazz right? So out of politeness you stay and watch her sing and as she gets on stage her spazziness goes from a five to an eight out of ten and you’re just planning your get away when she opens her mouth. Yup she does have a pretty good voice right? Well that’s all nice and good but then you remember how completely uncoordinated she is and keep expecting her to fall and now you want to stay just to see it. But as the show progresses and you realize that she actually has some showmanship and it’s once again as if she’s a different person on stage. Now this may not be the outgoing one you were originally expecting but it sure isn’t the spazzoid from earlier, no now she’s sort of a mixture of both. Shy and humble in her mannerisms but firm and confident in her words, voice and abilities and you wonder does this girl have multiple personality disorder?

The truth is, she might. No just kidding but Sawyer does change when she’s on stage, at first while she’s waiting she’ll have one of the worst cases of stage fright you’ll ever see and when you send her out there you think she’ll be a complete disaster but then she strums her first cord and her nerves go away. She doesn’t exactly know why or how to explain it but it’s something with the lights and the fact that she can’t see the audiences faces, even though she’ll look out into the audience and make eye contact with you and you’ll feel as if she’s singing to you or about you or that her song just touches you in some way. She goes into her own little world and all she can hear is the music, not the applause or the cheers or boos or whatever other noises might be going on around her. Nope its only her and the song, and she’ll stay like this until the last vibrations of the last chord of the last song have finished making noise and then it’s as if she comes out of a trance.

It’s not some weird like dreamlike thing she comes out of that takes a million hours for her to get back to normal, no it’s instantaneous. Songs over and the real world and all of its noise comes crashing right back down onto her, which most of the time startles her and tonight was no different. Which was why she’d made her way to the back of the club so quickly, so as not to draw attention to herself and maybe get her bearings a bit again. The water as she gulped it felt so refreshingly cool it soothed her throat and as she finished it she brought the glass back down to the counter. Raising her arm she was midway through gesturing to the bartender for another when a voice made her freeze. Now it wasn’t just any voice it was a male voice. Now this isn’t the first time that guy has talked to Sawyer, oh no usually after a gig she’ll get one or two that come up and compliment her and start flirting maybe hoping she’ll go home with them just so that they can brag to their friends that they ‘banged the blond’. Only to leave about thirty seconds after she’d open her mouth and she always deduced that the word probably got out around the bar/club that she was a spazz and to not talk to her.

So by now she should be expecting that someone would come up to her but it still froze her every time, turning to the voice her eyes landed on him and she then made a mental note to look up when she got home to see what a stroke felt like because she was pretty sure she just had one. It was him, him, the guy she’d met on IM the one that she’d told about her gig, the one that said he’d come, the one that she was sure wouldn’t come. And at that moment all of her and Abi’s preparation for that night went right out the window, the special script the two had worked out that she’d memorized, instantly gone. Now all that was there was him sitting on the barstool beside her holding his crutches and her frozen staring at him like a mental patient with her arm still hanging in the air. The silence between them grew as she still stood their frozen, it was only the sound of the bartenders voice that brought her back as he gruffly asked her if she wanted another water. It took her a minute to answer but she did turning her head quickly to him she nodded “um y-yes please, thank you.” She managed to stammer before whipping her head back around.

“Um, hi” she said nervously “you c-c-came…” she stammered surprise hinting in her voice. Way to state the obvious she thought to herself. Then remembering that he’d complimented her she instantly went red and her eyes went downcast “oh, um t-thank you. I’m s-s-surprised you stayed for the w-w-whole thing.” By that time the bartender had brought back her water and thankful for the distraction she immediately turned to it relieved for the excuse to stop looking at him or him looking at her. Although she was still painfully aware of his eyes still on her as she took another gulp. Putting the glass back down she steadied herself with another deep breath before turning back to him determined to keep her eyes on his face this time. “So um, y-y-your hip hurt?” she asked gesturing to his crutches remembering their conversation on IM and him saying that he’d been shot there.

TAGGED ! [/color]austin.
LYRICS ! love story - taylor swift
WORDS ! 1,205
OUTFIT ! Click!
CREDIT ! MEELA! on CAUTION 2.0![/font][/size]