Everyone has off days... especially when you get caught being wanked off by your ex in class and it's hella awkward. Hope you enjoy the fallout of the last chapter :D

"I was left to my own devices

Many days fell away with nothing to show

And the walls kept tumbling down in the city that we love

Great clouds roll over the hills bringing darkness from above"

Shit! Hit a bum note. I winced to myself but carried on. I had been called on by Hiro to perform for this lesson about a week ago and I had forgotten about it until Mariah had reminded me last night. Now here I was, on stage, singing a song I had only properly started learning seven hours ago. I had had very little sleep and more energy drinks than I perhaps should have done. This could not be going any worse! The only way it could be any worse would be if Hiro had called on me in that first class when I was really hungover.

After Kai's little stunt in Dr Best's class I had been getting odd looks from people in the corridors. I had tried my best to ignore them – I was used to stares from being the scholarship student but they stopped about mid December, after the hype had worn off. Now the stares seemed to be accompanied with whispers. I caught Kai's eye in the auditorium and my stomach lurched horribly but I fought it down and carried on.

"But if you close your eyes

Does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?

And if you close your eyes

Does it almost feel like you've been here before?

How am I gonna be an optimist about this?

How am I gonna be an optimist about this?"

Fuck! Another bum note and I'm pretty sure I missed the timing there as I was struggling to keep up with the music and found myself stumbling over my words. So much had happened in the last couple of weeks and I had been letting it all get to me. I was all over the place and I was freaking out because I was so all over the place. This wasn't like me! I needed to get my head back in the game.

After much longer than a three minute song should last the torture was over. Or so I thought. Realistically I knew that after a performance like that Hiro was going to have something to say about it. The stage lights went down and the auditorium lights came back up. I couldn't look at Hiro. I couldn't look at anyone so I just stared at the edge of the stage and waited for the explosion to come.

"Well that was definitely something." Hiro said after the silence had stretched on for too long. That wasn't anywhere near as bad as I thought it was going to be but I very much doubted that he would let me off the hook that easily. "Do you have anything you would like to add to that?" he asked.

"I can do better." I said, thanking my lucky stars that my voice didn't catch.

"You're damn right you can." Hiro said. "I'll give you that you managed to get the whole way through the song but my lenience stops there. You might be able to get away with a shoddy performance like that at a backwater Community College but this is the big leagues now kid. You work your arse off to get a scholarship here then you ride on that success as if it will take you through to your second year. Did you just not bother preparing for today's class?"

"I... I sort of forgot." I stammered. I figured it was just going to be better for me if I was honest.

"You forgot?" Hiro asked sceptically. So maybe it wouldn't be. "Now, when you're a professional performer and doing this to a different audience every night, do you think that excuse if going to fly."

"No." I replied.

"Then don't use it in my class!" Hiro said. "You need to shape up and step up your game. You can't keep riding on one success forever; performers who do that die quickly. You can do better than this – I know you can – so why are you settling for second best?"

"I..." I had no answer. I couldn't tell him why I had been all over the place; maybe if it had been just the two of us, in private, but not here in front of the whole class.

"I'll tell you why," he said when I didn't answer. "because you're either too lazy or too much of a coward to push yourself forward. You'd better work out which one it is and sort it out otherwise you will not make it to your second year."

"Okay." I swallowed the lump in my throat, determined not to break down at the first sign on criticism.

"So I'm going to give you a chance to prove to me that you really want this and really want to be here." he said. I finally felt brave enough to look at him. "By the end of the week I want a polished performance – on your own or with a group, I don't care – that shows me you're serious about this. If I don't see that I will fail you for you lack-lustre performance. Now sit down."

I nodded and practically ran off the stage. I slipped into the nearest available seat and tried not to let Hiro's words get to me. I couldn't help it though – he was right. I knew I could do better than that – that might well have been the worst performance I had ever given. My heart was pounding in my ears and I could feel myself shaking. My eyes stung but I was determined that I wouldn't cry – I would feel even more pathetic than I already did. I sat and waited for the end of class, my spirits sinking lower and lower with every passing second.


Once the class was over I was the last to move. Partially I was waiting to see if Hiro had anything else to add – he didn't – and partially because I didn't have the energy to get up yet. I knew there wasn't a class after ours so I planned to stay there until I felt like moving. A hand slipped into mine and I looked up to see Mariah. She gave my hand a squeeze and I rested my head on her shoulder.

"You okay?" she asked.

"No." I replied. "I can't believe I tanked so hard."

"Everyone has off days Max." she said.

"I guess."

"Are you bummed because of what Hiro said?" she said.

"Wouldn't you be?" I replied. She thought about that for a moment.

"Yeah but then I'd be really determined to prove him wrong." she said.

"I want to prove him wrong," I said. "I really do but I'm in such a funk at the moment I can't think straight." I sighed. Mariah leaned her head against mine.

"Is it still Kai?" she asked. I exhaled loudly.

"It's sort of everything really." I told her. Yes, Kai was a big part of that everything but he wasn't the only thing that had me all over the place. We hadn't spoken since he had tried to jerk me off in Dr Best's class and I don't know if that was making the whole situation worse or if I even wanted to talk to him about it.

"And Hiro's given you till the end of the week to get something down?" she asked. I nodded. "Well Lee, the rest of the White Tigers and I are performing on Friday if you want to join us? It might take some of the pressure off?"

"Would it be too much trouble?" I asked. The thought of performing with other people was a huge relief – knowing that I'd have my friends backing me up made me feel like I could actually pull this off.

"Don't be silly, I wouldn't have asked if it was." Mariah said. "I'll just need to do a few bits and pieces with the choreography and now I have an excuse not to sing with Kevin." I chuckled and sat up to face her.

"Thank you so much Mariah, I really appreciate this." I said.

"Maxie you're one of my best friends," she told me. "I'm not going to let you go through this on your own." She took my hand and gave it an encouraging squeeze. "Now you go get some sleep – god knows you need it – and I'll come and wake you up in a couple of hours then we can get started. Okay?"

"Okay." I replied. Sleep sounded like a very good plan, especially as I only hand four days to get this ready.

Turns out Mariah, as a teacher, is very much like a drill sergeant. Most of our rehearsals, at some point, had me on the floor struggling for breath and her yelling at me to 'get back on my feet and do it better'. Every time I would grit my teeth, push past the pain in my lungs and carry on. It took me two days worth of rehearsals to learn and polish the routine and by the time we ran through the routine with Lee, Rei, Kevin and Gary it was ingrained in my brain. I was eating, sleeping and breathing this dance but I was still really nervous about Friday.

Despite working my hardest, despite the constant dull ache in my quads and despite the fact that I still had classes on top of all of this there was still a part of me that thought I was going to tank it.

"Max you're going to be fine." Lee told me as we stood in the wings of the stage waiting to go on.

"You think so?" I asked.

"You survived four days of my sister constantly yelling at you, Rei trying to feel you up all the time, Gary asking you daft questions and Kevin... being Kevin. You've proved that you can do this; you know this dance and this song inside out. You can do this." he said.

"Thanks Lee." I said. I felt a hand on my hip and turned to see Rei standing behind me.

"Hey you," he purred. "how're you doing?"

"Not too bad." I replied. "Just nervous."

"You'll be great." he said giving my hip a small squeeze. "Then we can do something fun to celebrate afterwards." he added leaning down to whisper in my ear. My face flushed and he chuckled. Lee rolled his eyes.

"You have no shame."

"You say that like this is news." Rei grinned. I rolled my eyes too (although I was feeling less nervous now I'd give him that). Mariah appeared with Gary and Kevin.

"You guys ready?" she asked.

"As I'll ever be." I replied.

"Good, let's go." she said as the stage lights went down.

The music started and we all bounded onto the stage. I thought as long as I could keep my breath to hold the song right till the end then I would be okay. I was already beginning to run out of breath by the first chorus – even though I'd been doing it all week. Mariah's choreography was insane but I kept up. I had to. I caught Hiro's eye in the front row and held it, defiantly, putting more power into my voice as I stared him down.

"People are raising their expectations

Go on and feed them this is your moment

No hesitations

Today's your day; I feel it

You pave the way; believe it

If you get down get up (oh, oh)

When you get down get up (eh, eh)

Tsamina mina zangallewa

This time for Africa"

Every time I caught Hiro's eye I couldn't tell what he was thinking. I wanted so desperately to know but then, as I passed the microphone to Mariah, I had this weird crystallising moment of clarity, I realised I didn't care what Hiro thought. Or what Kai thought, or what anyone thought. I was doing my best and that was all that I could do. Plus, even though my legs ached and my lungs burned, I was having so much fun. Mariah threw the microphone back to me. I caught it and carried on singing.

"Tsamina mina eh eh

Waka waka eh eh

Tsamina mina zangalewa

This time for Africa

Django eh eh

Django eh eh

Tsamina mina zangalewa

Anawa aa aa"

The music faded. I was panting like I'd just sprinted across London and sweat was pouring down my neck but I had done it. I had fucking done it. The stage lights went down and the auditorium lights went up. This time I was confident enough to look at Hiro – still couldn't tell what he was thinking though.

"Now that's more of the standard I want to see from you, Tate." he said. I sighed with relief. "Wong, you are a very good teacher – that was a well polished performance, especially considering that you added Tate in at the last minute. You have a good group here and you all stand to do really well. Tate you have proved that you are capable of defying expectations and I do not want to see you become lacks again. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes." I panted.

"Good. You have the all energy and stamina of a puppy on Speed; use it." he added. I nodded. Coming from him I'd take that as a compliment.

Chapter title taken from 'Waka Waka (This Time For Afria)' by Shakira

First set of inside lyrics taken from 'Pompeii' by Bastille

Second set of inside lyrics taken from 'Waka Waka (This Time For Afria)' by Shakira