Somebody's Somebody

There were three hours until the concert was to begin, so I decided to wander around the city we were in. I can't exactly remember where we were-it was somewhere in the deep south-but it was pretty boring. I took a taxi to the small college town a few miles down the road.

The town reminded me a little of home. Okay, so it wasn't as big or as lavish as Chapel Hill is, but it had that buzz that towns with colleges have. I walked down the streets and studied the shops. It was a pretty day, nice and warm for the middle of May.

I stopped at a coffee shop to get something to drink. As I sat down and began to write some more in my notebook, I noticed a couple walk in and sit at a table, gazing lovingly into each others eyes. They looked like one of those sickeningly cute couples in high school, the couple who everyone talks about. I sighed and turned my attention back to my writing.

About ten minutes later I walked out the shop and into a bookstore, looking for something interesting to read while I rode on the bus. I began to walk to the mystery section but stopped abruptly when I saw a guy and a girl making out in the middle of the isle. I turned back around and went in search of magazines.

I continued my shopping and kept on spotting happy couples. It was like a movie where everyone's been shot with Cupid's arrow and is tripping head over heels in love. And for one brief moment, I felt a pang of jealousy for those couples.

I had been popular for awhile in high school, but it had wore off in my junior year. For those first two years, I had guys willing to eat live cocroaches to date me, guys willing to do any and everything humanly possible to make me like them. I had settled on one guy, Rob Harrison. It was a perfect match, everyone assumed. Popular, pretty Kate with popular, hot Rob. And I won't deny that Rob was drop-dead handsome, hell, sexy. Every girl in school wanted him, and envied me because I had him.

But around homecoming sophmore year, Rob just started to ignore me. He stopped calling me, stopped walking me to class, stopped taking me out. He completely avoided me. Then, on the night before the homecoming dance he told me he had to talk to me. He took me to the park, and told me that he liked me-a lot-but he was in love with this girl he'd met over the summer. The only reason he had avoided me was that he wanted to see her and be with her, not me. I dumped him then and there, extremely hurt. I felt used, and after that I forgot about popularity. I shoved it aside the quick and easy way: I didn't show up to the homecoming dance and wasn't crowned queen. Then I stopped associating with the "popular" crowd; the people who Rob was friends with. With that, I began to do all the things my "popular" friends had shunned and that I didn't have time for when I was with Rob. I joined the drama club, played on the softball team, and volunteered a lot. From that one experience, I changed from perky, lusted after and envied Kate to sarcastic, cynical and pessimistic Kate. And since then I hadn't seriously taken intrest in a guy.

But, as I watched all these couples pass before me, having the time of their lives simply because they were loving being in love, I wanted someone, anyone to feel that for me. I wanted to be somebody's somebody, I desperately wanted someone to be in love with me and I wanted to be in love with someone.

I looked at my watch. There was an hour 'til showtime, I had better get to the arena. I called for a taxi, and with that I left, still wishing I someone loving me.

*********

As we boarded the bus that night after the concert was over, Joey examined all my bags. "Whoa girl, what did you buy?" he asked. "Looks like you did enough shopping for a small army."

I shrugged. "I just got some stuff I wanted."

Chris picked up one of the bags. "Hmm.... new CDs. Pink, Lit-good choice, Eminem, Boyz II Men.... why'd you get that one? Don't you have it already?" Chris knew I was a deep appreciator of Boyz II Men and I owned basically all of their albums.

"I loaned this one to Laine and she never returned it. She said she was just using it to get her boyfriend in bed with her, and I guess she figured it worked so she kept it," I said. "It's my favorite one, too."

"What's your favorite song on here?"

"'I'll Make Love To You'. That song is too classic. You guys should do a cover of it. All of those fans of yours would hypervenalate when you sang those words."

Joey laughed. "Well, there is no denying that it's a great song, but we don't want to be held accountable for anyone hypervenalating."

"Think you guys could sing it for me?" I asked. "If you're not too tired? I wanna try to compare you two."

Chris and Joey exchanged a glance. "Why not? Hey JC, Lance, and Justin!" Chris yelled. "Get your butts in here!"

The three other guys came in. "What?" JC asked.

"I wanna request a lullaby," I said in a whiny voice.

"What might that be?" Lance asked.

"Do y'all know 'I'll Make Love To You'? The Boyz II Men song?"

The guys all nodded. "You want us to sing that?" JC asked.

"Mmmhmm. I wanna see if you can sing it better than the original and the Backstreet Boys," I said, making a refrence to their incredible Grammy preformance.

"Alright. Ready guys?" JC asked. "On three we start. One... two... three." And they began a cappella:

"Close your eyes, make a wish
And blow out the candlelight
For tonight is just your night
We're gonna celebrate, all thru the night
Pour the wine, light the fire
Girl your wish is my command
I submit to your demands
I'll do anything, girl you need only ask

I'll make love to you
Like you want me to
And I'll hold you tight
Baby all through the night
I'll make love to you
When you want me to
And I will not let go
Till you tell me to

Girl relax, let's go slow
I ain't got nowhere to go
I'm just gonna concentrate on you
Girl are you ready, it's gonna be a long night
Throw your clothes on the floor
I'm gonna take my clothes off too
I made plans to be with you
Girl whatever you ask me you know I'll do

I'll make love to you
Like you want me to
And I'll hold you tight
Baby all through the night
I'll make love to you
When you want me to
And I will not let go
Till you tell me to

Baby tonight is your night
And I will do you right
Just make a wish on your night
Anything that you ask
I will give you the love of your life

I'll make love to you
Like you want me to
And I'll hold you tight
Baby all through the night
I'll make love to you
When you want me to
And I will not let go
Till you tell me to
"

I was held at complete awe. The five of them were amazing singing their own songs, but on this one.... I couldn't help but applaud. "That... was.... amazing," I said. "I could really hear you all great in there. Even Joey and Lance and Chris."

"And what about me?" Justin inquired.

My eyes met his. "Yes, I even heard the annoying voice of the one and only Justin Timberlake," I said in a dry voice. The feelings of resentment I had for him came back with a vengance. "Thanks guys, and excuse me." I walked to the bathroom, leaving Justin still in shock over what I had said to him.

lyrics: "I'll Make Love To You"-Boyz II Men

chapter 4