Here's another chapter! Happy Holidays! =)

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Chapter Nineteen: Grounded

ISABELLA CARSON

VARSITY CHOIR

SOPRANO II

That image would be etched into her head for the rest of her life. Even as she sat in the choir room for her first day of show choir, she still couldn't – no, refused – to believe that she had made it into the "good" show choir.

After auditions, Mr. Henderson, the choir director, had announced that since so many people had tried out for show choir, he was splitting it into two groups – a Women's and a Varsity (both men and women). According to most of the student body, the Varsity was supposed to be the better of the two, with Women's being for anyone who wasn't talented to get into the former.

Claire was already sitting in the front row, talking with Rachel and a few others Bella recognized from Claire's choir. They all watched her sit near the back, giggling as they went back to their conversation.

Typical Claire-and-posse response, Bella told herself as she took out a book. Can't let it get to you.

"Hey you!"

Bella looked up to see a tall girl standing right by her chair. The girl had her arms folded and was frowning.

"What?" Bella asked.

"You're new here, aren't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you're new to singing, right?"

Bella shook her head. "I'm…I'm in Women's Choir."

"Oh. Well, I'd suggest you put that book away." the girl said, "The serious singers don't read when they're in here. Unless, of course, you won't mind if everyone who walks in here thinks you're a freak."

"Too late," Bella sighed, casting a glance to where her sister sat. "My sister's already taken care of that."

"You're Bella?" The girl seemed astonished. "You're a lot nicer than Claire says you are."

Bella nodded. "So I've been told." She made a mental note to get Claire back later.

"My name's Tiana," the girl said.

Bella waved. "It's very nice to meet you."

Tiana peered at her quizzically. "You don't wanna be here, do you?"

Bella shifted uncomfortably. "What makes you say that?"

"You're not making eye contact," Tiana stated simply. "Dead giveaway. So why is it that you don't wanna be here?"

"It's not that I don't wanna be here," Bella explained. "It's that I shouldn't be here. I can't sing; it's a proven fact. During tryouts, I sounded horrible. And I didn't know that show choirs had to dance."

"That's why it's called show choir," Tiana said, clearly unimpressed.

"I wasn't thinking at the time. Anyway, I can't dance to save my life, and I screwed that up, too. Yet somehow here I am."

Tiana sat down next to her. "Mr. Henderson must think you're worth something. Either that, or he's getting sick and tired of Rachel and Claire and their mansion-sized egos and decided to put someone pleasant in his choir."

Bella shrugged. "I'll ask him once we're done."

Tiana looked nervous. "I don't think that's—"

"Oh, no." Bella saw Nick enter the room and quickly put her book in front of her face.

"What? It's just Nick." Tiana waved. "Yo Nick!"

Nick waved back and came over. "Hey, Tiana. Who's your friend?"

"This is Bella." Tiana removed the book from her face.

"Oh, hey," Nick said, his smile growing. "I forgot to say that I loved your face at tryouts."

Bella felt her face reddening. "Oh, yeah…you taught us the dance…" she said stupidly. "And…then you watched…"

Nick laughed. "Well, let me just say that you were so hilarious. You looked so determined when you were dancing." He imitated the way she'd looked. "I swear, I was laughing for two hours after auditions were over."

Bella noticed Tiana getting a sly smile on her face. She wasn't sure if she liked it.

"Hey, we'll talk afterward, okay?" He went to sit in the front row. "See ya, T."

"See ya," she said, still smiling.

...

Bella stayed afterward to talk to Mr. Henderson. He wasn't very tall, but he had an air about him that made him seem bigger and tougher than he was.

"I was just wondering why you put me in choir," Bella said.

He was shifting through papers at his desk and didn't look up.

"Um, I think you made a mistake."

"I never make mistakes," he said. "Not when it comes to my students."

"But I can't sing. And I can't dance. It doesn't add up to where I am right now."

"And where would that be?"

"I'm in regular Women's Choir and Varsity show choir. But I don't think I should be there."

Mr. Henderson looked up for the first time. "Are you saying I should switch you out?"

Bella nodded. "I guess that's what I'm trying to say."

Mr. Henderson sighed. "Look, Miss Carson. I wasn't lying when I say I never make mistakes about my students. And I most definitely haven't made a mistake with you. You're exactly where you're supposed to be."

"But I—"

"Let me finish," Mr. Henderson interrupted. "I've heard you sing solo before. And I believe you have untapped talent, my dear."

"You do?" Bella blinked, unable to believe that he'd said that.

"Yes, I do. So I hope that answers your question."

Bella nodded, unsure of what to say. "Yeah. I'll…just go now."

"See you tomorrow," he called as she shut the door.

...

Claire was giving her the cold shoulder. It was normal for her species to do so when they were extremely angry.

"I'm glad that both of you made it," Connie said at the dinner table that night.

"Thanks, Mom," Bella offered, annoyed that Claire was acting stupid.

"Subject change," Claire muttered.

"Oh, Claire, be a good sport," Connie said.

Claire rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Connie turned to her youngest. "Max, how was school today?"

Max played with his food, spellbound by his mashed potatoes.

"Max?"

He looked up. "Oh. Yeah. It was fine."

"Anything interesting at all?"

"No."

Connie looked worried, but ploughed on. "How was daycare?"

Max's grip tightened on his fork. "Decent," he finally got out, although it was clear that his experience had been anything but.

"That's nice," she said, distracted. She cleared her throat and said, "Are any of you doing anything on Friday?"

"Dana's house. Duh," Claire said.

"I'm not doing anything," Bella said. "Why?"

"Gary's coming over for dinner."

Bella's shoulders went slack. Claire rolled her peas around the plate. Max looked as if he were about to stab somebody.

"Be nice," Connie warned them. "He makes an effort to be nice to you kids…"

"More like he is a kid," Bella mumbled.

Connie gave her a look. "Bella. Not now."

"You know it's true, Mom."

Connie got up from the table. "Bella. Kitchen. Now."

Bella followed her mother into the kitchen, her arms folded.

"What have I told you about opening your mouth about Gary?"

Bella looked at the floor. She wasn't going to answer.

"I've told you a thousand times not to say anything. It's rude and demeaning."

"So I don't like the guy. Big deal."

"It is a big deal if you keep making it into one." Connie shook her head. "I honestly don't know what to do with you, Bella, I really don't."

Like I haven't heard that one before…

"Sorry if I'm such a hassle to be around, Mom," Bella said sarcastically.

"That's not what I said—"

"Excuse me for ruining your wonderful life."

"Isabella, don't get smart with me—"

"Because it's obvious that Gary's more important than your own daughter."

"Isabella Kaye."

Bella stopped, pursing her lips to prevent any more of her thoughts from escaping through her mouth.

"This behavior is obviously not going to go away, so until you can rejoin us like a normal human being, you're grounded.

Bella looked at the ceiling, not really caring. "How long this time?"

"The weekend."

Bella looked at her mother. "I have no plans, anyway," she pointed out.

"Well, then, it works out." Her mother brushed past her and went back to the dining room.

...

My Weird, Crazy Dream – Part II

As told in 1st Person by Bella Carson

Well, there I am again, in the middle of all those…monster things. And there's Max, in his wolf suit and crown. But instead of ordering me to be devoured like last time, he narrows his eyes.

"What are you doing here?" he asks.

"I have no idea," I admit.

"You shouldn't be here. We don't want you here, do we?" He turns to the creatures for solace, but gets none because they're all busy sniffing me.

"She smells funny," says one with a horn on its nose.

"She looks funny, too," says another that looks like a goat.

"How do you know her?" asks the largest, one with a striped body and horns on its head.

"She's my vampire sister," Max says disgustedly. "And she hates me."

...

Later that night, when she'd awoken from her crazy dream, Bella lay awake in bed. She let out a frustrated sigh and let angry tears roll onto her bedspread. She was used to being punished for running her mouth, especially since the groundings had been more frequent as her feelings continued to spin out of control. She didn't know why she was so upset about this one time; it was just like all the other times she had spent – and would spend – in her room on the weekends.

The door opened, and hall lights spilled into the room. "Bella?" came Max's voice.

Bella sat up. "What? What happened, Max?"

"I had a bad dream," he said.

"Oh." She allowed him to climb onto the bed. He laid his head against her shoulder, hugging his teddy bear.

"You got eaten by a monster," Max said. "And I was there, and I was scared and I didn't do anything. But I tried. I really did."

"I'm sure you did," she said, rubbing his shoulder.

He looked up at her. "Bella…you're not going anywhere…are you?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm not, Max. I'm right here. It's okay."

"Can I sleep in here?"

Bella nodded. "Yeah. Go ahead."

He lay down and pulled the covers up to his nose. "Can you sing?"

"Um…sure…" Bella had no idea why he was asking her this. She knew for a fact that he wasn't too fond of singing.

"It'll help me sleep," he said.

Bella nodded again, and began to quietly hum the Love Theme. Before she knew it, Max was fast asleep. She tried to fall back asleep, but didn't do so until much later. She was still plagued with thoughts about her punishment.

Usually she wasn't sorry about what she'd said when she got grounded. But this time she had a sickening feeling that this time had been a huge mistake.