Darren felt the earth moving as he saw who the vocalist were. The girl from the park! He couldn`t even lean over to tell Leonie. He just froze. He didn`t take his eyes of Elisa, he just listened to the wonderful and to him the seductive music throughout the performance.
The strength Elisa gave to the lyrics contained a little of insecurity that appealed straight to Darrens heart. The last song, a very soft and sweet ballad. Darren felt the hair on his arms move as the tingles rushed all over his body, when Elisa reached the high notes without missing anything.
When the show was over. Daniel whistled and applauded very enthusiastic. "Wow, Daz. That was pretty good wasn`t it?" Darren was still in a trance and didn`t really listen. "Darren what`s up with you?" Leonie asked. "That`s the one, Leonie. She`s the girl from the park!"
Darren was so exited he jumped up and down. "Ok, Darren calm down. You get the chance to meet her now. They are going out with us you know." Leonie said. Darren stopped to think about this for a second, and then he got that worried look in his eyes. "Leo, how am I looking. Is my hair alright?" Daniel laughed. "Relax Darren. As long as you don`t turn in to Elton in front of her, you are pretty charming." Dan and leonie laughed and continued teasing Darren.
Elisa saw Darren at the table to the left of the stage and they locked eyes for a while. She saw that he recognized her, and strangely she didn`t get nervous. She just felt a sudden urge to give it the best she had in her. The first three song went great. The last song was a ballad called "Everytime". She started softer than she had ever done before, suddenly a little insecure. But as the song went on, she looked over at Nicole and she gave her a huge smile and a nod that said;" You`re doing great!"So she looked over at Darren again, and he gave her this intense look that made her give the high notes just a little more power.
Afterwards behind the scene it was very quiet for a while.
"We did it" Nicole broke the silence."WE DID IT!"
"Ahm....yeah I think we did. Wow.....you were great Nicole!"
"Me!Well...I`m always great.You were fabulous!"
They got their stuff in the car. "So should we go meet them?" Elisa asked in a trembling voice. They went inside, and Daniel rushed towards them. Hugging them and giving Nicole all the compliments he could think of at the moment. Elisa stood by and smiled. She could see Leonie and Darren approached too. "Hello, I`m Leonie Messer. You were absolutely great up there"
"Thank you so much. I`m Elisa Jennings. It`s very nice meeting you". She turned her head to face Darren.
"Hi I`m Darren Hayes. And as my friend Leonie here said; You were absolutely wonderful up there".
"I am very honored, getting that from you. I`m a huge fan of Savage Garden."
"Can we go now? Leonie asked "I`m getting hungry here". They desided, after a little discussion, that they should go to Darren`s house. It wasn`t so far away. And Darren said it would be much better since they could talk there instead of scream, as they would have to do at a club.
Elisa was very surprised when she saw his house. There were no fences. Just a lot of trees surroundingthe house. It just seemed very private and a little isolated from the world. It felt almost like home.
Daniel walked to order some pizza, and Leonie poured the girls some wine. Leonie seemed to be a very open and funny woman. Darren joined them as Leonie was telling them about an episode with Darren and Anna making a movie about the up-nod. He leaned over to Elisa and whispered in her ear; "Don`t believe a word of what she is telling you" Elisa smiled at him. "Oh, I won`t have to" She said. "You have the words "Guilty as charged" written on your forehead".Darren smiled.
The evening went on. Leonie and Elisa entertained everyone with crazy stories. It seemed like they both were very good at getting into situations that were kinda hard to explain.
Darren hadn`t felt this good in a long time. Everytime Elisa laughed and got that spark in her eyes, he felt butterflies in his stomach and he just sat there smiling like a little kid that just got a big bag of candy served in his lap.It got so late that night, so Darren and Daniel decided that they should sleep in Darren`s guesthouse. "Then we can eat breakfast together tomorrow" Darren said exited. "Oh.. Darren your so sweet!" Daniel laughed. "That`s it! Daniel..You are making the breakfast."
Elisa woke up very early. She didn`t usually sleep much at all. So she got out of bed carefully so she wouldn`t wake up Nicole. She stepped outside. It was a beautiful day.
She sat at the lawn in her own thoughts when she suddenly got some clothes thrown in her head.
"Hey, put those on". She turned around, just too see a very restless man behind her. "Darren, what`s going on?"He gave her the brightest smile she had ever seen. "Silly, we are going to jog!"
Elisa was jogging behind him. The sun shined on Darren`s hair. For some reason he was more attractive now than ever before. Just being Darren. Not Darren from SG. Just Darren. She stared at his firm body, when Darren jumped around;"Boo"Elisa let out a little scream and slapped his chest.
Daren laughed and continued jogging, very satisfied that he succeeded in scaring her. Elisa jogged behind him for a couple of seconds. Then she reached out for Darren and pinched his right side. As he turned around, she ran pass him on his left side."You can`t catch me!"
Darren took this dare and chased after her, and naturally caught up with her very soon.
People shook their head as they saw these two adult persons tumbling around on the ground. Bumping into trees. Laughing and screaming. Leo, Nicole and Dan sat at the porch when Darren and Elisa got back.
"Well I can see you two had a good time in the park" Leo said
"Weren`t you two jogging in the park?" Daniel asked. "By the look of you, I`d say you were crawling."
Darren and Elisa looked at each other and started to giggle. Covered with grass and mud. They were indeed a sight.
"I would normally apologize when I mess up a sirt that doesn`t belong to me, but face it Darren. It was your own fault!" Elisa said
"Me? You started it!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
Their friends watched them as they walked inside. Still arguing about who`s fault it was.
Nicole and Dan spent a couple of hours. Talking, playing the piano, guitar. Just getting to know eachother. The same were Elisa and Leonie trying to do. But Darren just disturbed. As Leonie said; "He is always craving for attention. I think that was why he wanted to become a teacher." Elisa just laughed. She tried not to show it, but Darren absolutely had her attention at all times.
Suddenly Nicole`s phone rang. Elisa didn`t know what to think when Nicole came running inside screaming; "Mr.Logan wants us in his studio!" "What?"
"Jack just called me. Mr.Logan saw us yesterday, and he loved us. Jack wants to make an appointment with him for tomorrow!. Elisa was stunned. "Oh, Elisa that`s wonderful" Darren kissed her cheek. "I`m so happy for you sweetie. Aren`t you exited?"
"Ask me tomorrow Darren. I`m in shock here!"
Nicole hugged her friend and then she ran outside again to ruin Daniel`s ears. While Leonie made dinner. (She rather did that, than letting Darren and Daniel do it. Knowing more than she wanted to know about their cooking skills.)
Nicole got another call from Jack, confirming the 8 am meeting with Mr.Logan. When she went inside to tell Elisa, Darren walked after her. "Nicole?" "Yeah!"
"Ahmm...you know that last song you played? Well...I was wondering if you could get me the words of that song. I really liked that song...and...uhm I `can`t get myself to ask Elisa for it?!" Nicole smiled "Sure Darren. I`ll write it down before I leave." "Thanks Nic, I appreciate that"
After dinner. Leonie made Darren and Daniel do the dishes and she sat down with Elisa with a cup of coffee. Nicole went off somewhere. When she got back Darren and Daniel were done, and the girls started to thank them for a wonderful night. Exchanging phonenumbers. And promised to call as soon as their meeting finished. Elisa hugged Darren. He held her very tight and stroke his hand through her hair, before he let her go. Nicole came to give him a hug, she also gave him a handshake. They waived at the guys as they drove off. Darren suddenly realized that Nicole had given him a piece of paper.
He walked to his bedroom and sat down on his bed before he unfolded it.
EVERYTIME
There`s a place by the river in the back of my head
With every color you never did see
Everytime I go here. Know that I`ve turn blind
Know that I have turned blind
As the wind wipes the colors away
But I promised that I would be here
I promised I would be here
By the river the clouds form every word spoken
Every word you never did speak
Everytime I go here. Know that I`ve turn blind
Know that I have turned blind
As the clouds covers the sky
But I promised that I would be here
I promised I would be here
Send me a message written in the sky
Give me a wind that whispers my name
Show me a map carved in water
Make me see everytime I`m here
The wind whistles me a song I never heard before
It`s a song you never did make
Everytime I go here. Know that I`ve turn blind
Know that I have turned blind
As the wind erase the melody
But I promised that I would be here
I promised I would be here
This isn`t what it was supposed to be
You aren`t here with me
but you can always
always..
Send me a message written in the sky
Give me a wind that whispers my name
Show me a map carved in water
Make me see...everytime I`m here
Darren closed his eyes and laid back on the bed. Still holding the note in his hand.