Author's Note: As always, I don't mean to offend anyone with my writing. This story is complete fiction. Oh, and please leave comments in the BBS! Thanks. =)
I couldn't say no. How would I explain to her that I don't like to sing? She's seen the number of pages in my notebook that are filled with lyrics and tunes. It would just seem like I was lazy if I refused.
You know, sometimes it seems like fate is just set against me.
I gnawed at my sandwich angrily during lunch that next day. On top of everything, Grace was off with her new friends from the costume design team. I was happy for her, really, but her timing in making friends was pretty bad.
Across the cafeteria the teachers were huddled together around their own table. There was Ms. Wang, looking cheery and excited. I couldn't help but glare at her for a moment.
Just that instant, she looked up. There's my luck again! I hastily rearranged my expression into the most innocent smile I could. She grinned at me and wiggled her dark blue fingernails in the air. Remind me never to look at her again.
The bell rang, and I tossed away my half-eaten lunch. Time to work on our amazing and wonderful "Winter Extravaganza". I was ready to gag.
"Well, don't just stand there! Click-click. The theater click-click waits for no one!" The class scurried into groups and spread out across the stage. I went to sit down with the chorus in a corner.
There were about ten kids there, all looking too cheerful. One girl with a blond ponytail saw me coming and patted the floor next to her. I sat down there, trying not to seem unfriendly.
"Hi, I'm Karen. You sit behind me in Math, don't you?"
I honestly didn't remember seeing her in any of my classes before, but that didn't seem like the right thing to say. "Yeah. I'm Summer."
"Aren't you excited?!" Her eyes were glowing. "Maybe I'll make it to the front row!" The front row of a choir. Oh, goody.
"Um . . . yeah. About that . . . "
"I hope we sing something original!"
"Uh," I wasn't sure how to answer. "Me too."
"Shh!" she whispered, smiling. "She's walking over now!"
I turned around, and sure enough, Ms. Wang was walking over to us, clipboard in hand and smile in place. "Well, let's get this show on the road! Who's interested in front row?"
Everybody raised their hand. Everybody except me.
"Ah, you get stage fright, Summer?"
"Actually, um, I . . . "
"Well, let's see what the rest of you are made of." She cut me off. I wasn't exactly devastated, because I didn't know what I was going to say, but still!
They auditioned, and I watched. Each one sang the scale.
"Doh...Re...Mi...Fa....So...La....Ti...Doh!"
"Doh...Re...Mi...Fa....So...La....Ti...Doh!"
"Doh...Re...Mi...Fa....So...La....Ti...Doh!"
"Doh...Re...Mi...Fa....So...La....Ti...Doh!"
It went on and on. When Carrie, wait, no, Karen was up, I was slightly impressed. She nailed every note except the last. It kind of came out as a squeak, and either she could tell, or her face always turns bright red after singing.
When it was over, I gratefully skipped away from my group, over to the frizzy brown hair I knew belonged to Grace. When she heard my footsteps, she turned around, and I couldn't help but let out a gasp.
