Streets of Manhattan

Ashton mused this over. Seth was too busy looking smug.

"Okay, uh, we can always tell them to celebrate their divorce," he suggested, slowing out front of Ashlee's building. He pulled out his phone and texted her to let her know they were here. "We're picking Ashlee up," he informed Lola in the rearview mirror. "Hopefully she'll help us figure Evelyn out."

***

Evelyn fought off the blush that rose in her cheeks at this stupid song. She reached over and turned the dial. She had to flip past a few boring stations. "Ew, there's nothing worht listening ot here."

A Lady Gaga song blared out of the speakers. Evelyn couldn't ever really sing those so she flipped past. "Oh, look, a challenge for you, you low-rent Enrique," she announced, listening to a radio DJ announce "Heartbeat". "Can you sing like that?"

"Sure if you sing with me." Jake told her, truth was he wasn't sure how good he'd be. He knew Spanish singing came a lot easier to him, but usually he could handle slower English songs.

Jake waited for the song to start, and began to sing in a soft voice similar to Enrique's.

"I saw you talking on the phone,
And know that you were not alone.
But you stealing my heart away,
Yeah you're stealing my heart away..."


***

"Cool, that's a good idea actually." Lola said, knowing that Ashlee would probably know what Evelyn likes so they wouldn't mess up.

Ashlee got Ashton's message and had gotten into her [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], she walked outside and opened the door. "Hey all!" She greeted them.

Lola slid into the middle so Ashlee could squeeze in.

Evelyn frowned. This was a love song. Awkward.

But Jake was already singing so she shrugged.

He had a really nice voice, deep and clear, when he wasn't acting like a turd or drunk. But he made it too unaccented, given he was supposed to be a Spaniard and all. "Give it an accent, would you?" she informed him.

And then realized he'd finished. She hastily caught on, remembering to tone her voice down to match Nicole's tenor.

"You’re acting like you’re on your own
But I saw you standing with a girl,
Stop tryn’ to steal my heart away,
Stop tryn’ to steal my heart away."

Evelyn took a deep breath, slipping her phone into her bag.

***

"Wazzuuuup?" Seth greeted Ashlee with a wink. Then he turned and gestured at Antonio to lean over, muttering, "Catfight! We got a possible catfight situation!"

Ashton was filling Ashlee in on the plan so far. "So, uh, any ideas to get her drunk and not ask why we happened to be at the lawyer's place?"

"Geez, okay fine I'll accent it. But now we sing together!" Jake told her as the chorus came in, he emphasized the accent a bit into the chorus, so it laced over the words but it didn't make him sound like he couldn't sing in English.


"I can feel your heartbeat
I can feel your heartbeat
(He said to me)
I can feel your heartbeat
(Running through me)
Feel your heartbeat
(She said)

I can feel your heartbeat
(She said to me)
I can feel your heartbeat
(She said to me)
I can feel your heartbeat
(Running through me)
Your heartbeat, feel your heartbeat..."

Both of their voices singing in harmony, it actually sounded very nice. Evelyn's voice was so sweet, and pretty. Just like the night she had sang at the cafe. Then Enrique's part came on again and Jake sang again.

Maybe it’s the way you move
You got me dreaming like a fool
There I can steal your heart away
I can steal your heart away...

***

"Say we happened to be there, because we wanted to be there to celebrate that they were no longer married. Plus given that Jake has been emo, and Ev probably hasn't been feeling any better that a drink would sound good to them. Also I should remind you guys, if they're gonna be drunk. I don't think setting up that romantic rendezvous in his car would be a good idea. Given that probably if they do hook up he'd wanna drive home after that." Ashlee noted, as she went over details of what they could possibly do.

Antonio raised an eyebrow, "But where would we stick them then?"

Lola caught Ashton's eyes in the rear view mirror, "Um Ashton, would you mind if they used your car? That way we can make sure Jake doesn't drive his car back to campus under the influence?"

Evelyn suddenly wished the song would end. It was just....uncomfortable. VERY uncomfortable. She didn't know why.

She half wanted to stop singing, but then Jake would ask her what was wrong. And she didn't know. So she sang on, kind of hating it.

The song finally drew to a close. Evelyn waited for Jake to sing the last part, glancing over at him for her cue. It was alternatively a duet and separate.

"Stop stealing my heart away," together.

"Tell it to me girl," Jake's line. Evelyn bopped her head to the rhythm as they sang in sync.

"Stop stealing my heart away."

She swallowed but sang out, "Give it to me, boy."

"Stop stealing my heart away."

Almost over, she assured herself.

***

"Used my car to make babies? Um, I'd rather not," Ashton exclaimed.

Seth burst out laughing. "Oh come on! I highly doubt Evelyn would go all the way - would she, Ashlee?" he asked, uncertain.

"Evelyn is Queen of The Prudes." Ashlee snorted. She knew Evelyn, they would probably make out at most and then she'd push Jacob off of her.

***
Jacob couldn't help but feel uncomfortable, this song was beyond lovey dovey. And here him and Evelyn were singing it together and each other. After recently just breaking up with her.

"Stop stealing my heart away." They sang together.

"Say it to me girl." Jake sang, feeling the song come to its end. His breath caught in his throat.


"You’re stealing my heart away
Stop stealing my heart away
Your heartbeat...." They both finished the song together as it faded into the background.

Just then Jacob had pulled up into the office building, and turned to go park his car.

Seth frowned. "We'll get homegurl drunk as fuck then. But okay, yeah, turn here," he added to Ashton, who already was turning.

"So we get there, break into his car and then when they come down, we hijack them from the lobby and be all, partaayy," Seth continued, as Ashton pulled up to a store that sold all the lovey dovey shit they needed.

Seth reached into his pocket and yanked out his credit card, handing it out to the two girls. "Go grab shit to decorate Ashton's backseat."

Ashton sighed. "Hopefully they go no further than second-base," he muttered. "And then when they pile into my car, we leave Jake's there and just party in here and conveniently leave them in here while we get out?" he suggested.

***

Evelyn looked out her window to avoid the awkwardness in the air. She rubbed her cold nose and then got out the moment Jake parked. She waited for him ot lock up and then headed to the building.

[[Jake and Evelyn to [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]]]

Lola and Ashlee both got out of the car, taking Seth's card to go buy a bunch of love crap. Luckily since Valentines Day was approaching they had a lot of that stuff out already, so it wasn't too hard to found heart shaped streamers, and some confetti in pink, white and red.

"If they ask, if they're drunk we can always say it was between this crap and Christmas decorations. " Lola suggested to Ashlee as they picked things out.

Ashlee and Lola both decided against candles, them drunk and making out in a backseat just sounded like a fire hazard. While they found a couple of beads to hang over the rear view mirror. They took their goodies and went to the counter and went to pay for the stuff with Seth's card.

***

"Hey Ash! You should play some sexy music, to get them in the mood!" Antonio thumped his brother's shoulder.

Ashton grinned. "You're riiiight. Ideas?"

Seth frowned. "Sappy slow shit. Taylor Swift? No, Jake will be too busy gouging his ears out to - OH! What's that song about Romeo and Juliet she sings??" He'd heard it on the radio countless times but honestly never bothered to look up the name.

Antonio shrugged, "I don't know. But I was thinking some Ludacris, you know. What's Your Fantasy? Jake drunk, and horny that's his song."

Antonio took a deep breath and began rapping it. " I wanna lick lick lick yo from yo head to yo toes! I wanna move from the bed down to the down to the flo! I wanna ah, ah! You make it soo good I don' wanna leave! But I gotta know what what what's yo fanta-ta-ta see!"

Lola and Ashlee had come back by then, and opened the door when they heard Antonio rapping.

Seth and Ashton wore similra horrified expressions. "No," they both echoed.

"Dude, that song ain't gonna turn nobody on," Seth informed Antonio. He glanced at hte girls. "Good, we need music for the event. and where's mah card, bitches?"

Ashton waited until the girls had stowed the bags in the trunk and gotten in, before driving on to the lawyer's office.

Lola kindly smacked Seth accidentally-on-purpose with his card. "Thanks bitch." She smirked.

"Well! True, that song is for when you're already doing the dirty. But I'm sure there are plenty of songs they can sing while getting hot and heavy." Antonio said.

Seth frowned as he put his card away. "Like....uh....slow songs? You guys should know this. Guys don't listen to slow songs! It's why you're going along!"

"Heads up, almost there. I'm gonna park close to Jake....oh, I see his ride...but I think with all those people coming and going," Ashton said, squinting through his windshield at the crowd around the building and sidewalks, "Someone's gonna have to go in and keep reconnaissance." He drove around the parked ccars and found a spot just as another car pulled out. "All right, everyone out. Who's going inside? Two people?"

"Me!" Seth exclaimed. Ashton shook his head.

"Too obvious, Seth. Your head is a beacon. Either the girls or me and one of them," Ashton said. "Plus, no offense," he added, loosening his seatbelt. "You can't wait around for anything." Seth frowned but nodded.

[[Everyone to [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]]]

[[Evelyn and James from [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]]]

James walked alongside Evelyn and said. "Well its easy cause... BABY I'M A FIREWORK!!!" James sung loudly as they walked.

Evelyn snickered and sang on ahead, her voice a stark contrast to his yells. "Come on, make my ego blow! Make it go me, me, me, as I preen my giant head in the big, blue sea!"

"CAUSE I IGNITE! THE FIRE IN YOUR PANTS...BEACAUSE I'M BEAUTIFULL!! I OWN THE NIGHT... CAUSE I'M SO DAMNED AWESOME! CAUSE BABY I'M A FIREWORK!!" James sung obnoxiously as he strutted down the sidewalk, the few people walking around staring at him and giving him odd looks.

Evelyn, not wanting to blow out her voicebox, sang normally, and earned looks of admiration instead of horror. "Come on, show 'em how you suuuulk! Let 'em facepalm, palm, palm, as you break every mirror on land, land, laaaand!"

James saw what Evelyn was doing, trying to make James look bad. So he began to sing with his normal singing voice. "Boom! Boom! Boom! I'm even brighter than the, moon, moon, moon!"

Evelyn responded by clamping her hands over her eyes and stumbling into him, jabbing her elbow into his side. "I can't see!" She straightened up and smirked, stalking ahead across campus.

[[James and Evelyn to [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]]]

[[Idiots from [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]]]

Jacob sat in the subway looking out the window, Antonio was sitting next to him drumming away on his leg.

Jacob whistled to himself, looking down at his phone he tried telling himself to quit thinking about Evelyn. He really screwed things up majorly this time. There was no way she would look or talk to him after what he did and he needed to accept that.

Plus their relationship wasn't even healthy! All they did was go back and forth, and he was sick of having to prove himself to people he really didn't even like that much. Not that James or Luke, or Ashlee were that fond of him to begin with.

"Jaakkeeee!!! Earth to Jake! WAKE UP DUDE!" Antonio was saying waving his hand in front of his face.

"Huh what?" Jake looked to his friend apparently he had been chattering besides him and he didn't know about it.

"I said dude. Look that chick is totally checking you out." Antonio winked giving Jake a nudge, Jacob looked up and met the eyes of a cute brunette girl on the sub way, she smiled at Jacob and waved at him.

Jacob gave her a small smile and nodded back at her, and she smiled looking away from him, her eyes every so often looking back over at him.

Seth was peering over at Ashton's phone, trying to work out what route they should take. Ashton had his GPS app open and was flicking his finger down the streets around Central Park. "Hm, they have a couple bands playing on the street tonight, I think," he said absently, swatting Seth's hand off his screen. "Don't touch my phone!"

"Sheesh," Seth said, sitting back with an offended look on his face, which Ashton ignored, glancing up at his twin and Jake. Jake was still looking like he was headed to his dog's funeral, so Ashton moved over to sit down next to him. "Tony, go watch Seth."

"Ah-hum, excuse me?" Seth exclaimed, getting up and squishing himself between Ashton and Jake so he ended up sitting somewhat on top of them both. "I'm an adult! Your ancestral great aunt can't watch me let alone your lil clone over there!"

Jake covered Seth's mouth with his hand. "Dude your breath stinks." Jake was lying it didn't stink but he didn't need Seth squawking right in his ear.

Ashton groaned (in pain) and shoved Seht hard. Seht stumbled and got up. "Bitches!"

Most people in the subway car were staring at them.

Seth considered this a successful subway ride and wen tback ot his seat on the other side of the aisle. Ashton rubbed his stiff and aching leg and walked back to his own seat, grumbling. Seth examined the bottles in the bag Ashton had under his seat. He looked up at Jake and wondered when the hell they planned to booze up in Midtown.

"Should we hit Central Park first?" Ashton asked as the stop came up.