"Should we knock before we go in?" Cameron asked nervously, he had never won a task before, he wasn't quite sure what to do or what to expect as a matter of fact.
Damian shrugged and nudged past Cameron to knock roughly on the door.
"Come in!" They heard Darren cheerfully yell from the other side of the door. Both boys entered to see a grinning Darren seated at the piano while Chris was sat on a seat near the door with a bemused look on his face.
"Which one of you is the girl?" Chris asked, Cameron and Damian both frowned and exchanged confused glances with each other. Chris laughed out loud, he stood and walked over to the boys and put a hand on each of the boys' shoulders.
"I'm sorry, what I meant was who is gonna sing the girl's part?" Chris corrected himself, Cameron and Damian exchanged another glance.
"To be honest we haven't really thought that far ahead" Damian admitted.
"Do you mind if I be honest?" Chris asked, he smiled softly as both boys shook their heads nervously. "Damian's vocal range is a lot deeper than yours, Cameron. I noticed during your performance. I'm thinking Cameron's voice would be better suited for the woman's part." Cameron nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, I mean, sure that's fine by me" the blonde boy agreed. Chris smiled warmly and turned towards Darren. Darren automatically read Chris' mind and stood up from the piano to walk over to them.
"I guess I'll be teaching Damian" Darren grinned at the Irish lad who was taken aback by Darren's forwardness.
Cameron shot Chris a confused look.
"Ah! Since me and Darren performed this duet on Glee we can teach you how to perform your parts well." Chris explained further "So Darren will teach Damian and I'll teach you." He placed a hand on Cameron's shoulder "us C's have to stick together, eh!" Chris laughed.
Darren smiled fondly at Chris then turned to Damian. "Let's get started, shall we?"
"Oh, yeah, okay!" Damian replied quickly before casting on last look at Cameron then swiftly following Darren into the next room.
Chris turned to Cameron and gestured to the seats nearby. Cameron tentatively sat down.
"Right, let me hear your vocal range first." Chris told the other boy, who obliged and went through his vocal scales. Chris nodded in appreciation of the younger boys talent.
"Okay, good. We can definitely make that work." Chris exclaimed, Cameron smiled happily at the remark. Maybe him and Damian had a good chance of winning this thing after all.
"Next thing, what sort of duet are you planning on conveying?" Chris asked, suddenly serious. Cameron locked eyes with the brunette.
"I'm sorry I don't really understand what you mean." Cameron admitted.
"I know the song is a romantic one but you have a choice. Me and Darren sang it flirty, like a school boy crush. You can either make it flirty and romantic or platonic and humorous." Chris informed.
Cameron thought for a minute. How would him and Damian be able to portray the song the best? Could he successfully sing a flirty song with his Irish friend? Isn't that why he picked Damian to be his partner in the first place? He looked back at Chris.
"Which way would win the judges over?" Cameron asked, his eyes searching Chris' for an honest answer.
Chris locked his eyes with Cameron's once more.
"Romantic" Chris admitted. Cameron felt a strange heavy feeling in his heart as Chris said that one word.
Chris noticed the abrupt change in the other boy, he placed his hand on Cameron's shoulder once more drawing the blonde boy out of his thoughts.
"Why did you pick him as your duet partner?" Chris asked sincerely. Cameron's smile faltered, it dropped into a small frown as he averted Chris' eyes quickly, he started to distractedly pick at his shirt.
"I don't know man I just, I thought we'd have a lot of chemistry." Cameron stated, still averting Chris' questioning gaze. Chris' eyes softened. That sounded familiar.
"You must have known that the duet number might not have been platonic" Chris asked. Cameron nodded slightly before speaking again.
"Yeah, yeah I did." He met Chris' gaze at last and Chris could feel Cameron's sincerity bursting through with that one look. "I just knew we'd get through it though, we always do you know."
Chris opened his mouth to speak again however he was interrupted by the sound of a soft guitar melody being played. Chris frowned then sighed.
"That slacker, he can't stay away from his guitar for more than one second." Chris hissed in annoyance. He stood up and moved to the room that Darren and Damian were currently in. Cameron followed Chris, curious as to what was happening.
Chris abruptly haltered in the doorway his expression had softened, a smile played on his lips. He turned to Cameron and gestured him to come closer, Cameron stood next to Chris and looked in the room.
Darren was faced towards Chris and Cameron, still playing a soft familiar tune on his guitar. Damian had his back to the boys, he was sitting opposite Darren and swaying along with the music.
Suddenly Damian began to sing, his voice so beautiful, so passionate that Cameron didn't even dare to breathe in fear of missing out on this extraordinary sound.
I don't know you
But I want you
All the more for that
Damian's voice wavered, Darren gave him an encouraging look before the boy regained himself and carried on.
Words fall through me
And always fool me
And I can't react
And games that never amount
To more than they're meant
Will play themselves out
With a sharp intake of breath Damian belted out the chorus, Cameron's heart pounded in his chest, emotions that he couldn't name ran through his veins like the very blood in his body. Everything felt electric.
Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice
You've made it now
Falling slowly, eyes that know me
And I can't go back
Moods that take me and erase me
And I'm painted black
You have suffered enough
And warred with yourself
It's time that you won
Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice
You've made it now
Falling slowly sing your melody
I'll sing along
Damian's voice grew more passionate with every verse, no strike that, with every word. His voice shook on the last chorus, all the passion all the completely raw emotions bursting out of his soul from the final line.
Cameron caught Darren's eye, the man smiled softly at the boy then Darren's eyes switched to hold Chris' gaze. Cameron broke away from the back of Damian to glance at Chris' expression. His eyes widened.
Chris' eyes were watering as he held Darren's stare, a smile was etched on his lips, unmoving and so tender, so loving. Cameron felt awkward, as if he were imposing on such an affectionate moment.
Damian finished his harmonising and followed Darren's gaze to Chris and then to Cameron, his expression grew surprised as he saw his best friend standing there.
Cameron quickly inhaled a deep breath of air as his eyes locked onto icy blue ones. His breathing quickened to match his heart pounding. The passion in Damian's voice had somehow travelled to the Irishman's eyes. Cameron had never seen so much raw emotion in his friend's eyes.
He knew it there and then, he didn't need to question himself on how he knew, he just simple knew. That was enough for him. As he became completely enthralled and lost in Damian's eyes he could finally admit it to himself.
The reason his heart was currently beating a million times faster than it ever had.
The reason his cheeks felt like they were on fire.
The reason he chose Damian as his partner.
He was in love with his best friend.
He was in love with Damian.