Chapter 21: Speech
"Um..." Gia said, looking Chris over. "Is that really paint?"
"Not at all."
"Then-"
"Blood." They all blanched.
"Why-"
"Long story, not time. Anyone got a dress or something?"
"You can switch with me," Sam said. "Since the art show case is over, I was gonna head home."
"Thank you so much," Chris sighed. With that, the two girls headed to the restroom and quickly swapped dresses. Chris waited behind the stage until the band finished their three songs. Plastering on a warm smile, she walked back out and introduced the choir. After her announcement was done, she handded the mic to the choir director and took her spot on the stage.
The Women's Choir was singing four songs. The first was Cowboy Take Me Away by the Dixie Chicks. Then there was Viva La Vida by Cold Play. Next was Holding out For a Hero from Footloose. The last one was a gosple song called He Never Failed Me Yet.
After they sang, Chris introduced the High School Chorus. They sang their pieces and were followed by Vocalese. The Vocalese were incredible, everyone's favorite being Apologize by One Republic. Finally, she was up.
"Hello again. I hope you've all been enjoying the show. We only have two more pieces, solos. The first is Journey's Don't Stop Believing. Our soloist is a very talented young man Mark..." She forgot his last name. "Mark... Mark!" The crowd chuckled as he joined her on stage.
"Thank you, Chris," he said dryly as he took the mic.
"Any time, Mark." She left the stage. His solo was amazing. It sounded pretty much as good as the real thing. It was her turn again.
"Let's give another round of applause for Mark!" The crowd clapped enthsiasticly. "The next solo will be sung by yours truely. It's one everyone knows, so I'm not even gonna annouce it, you should know it."
The piano started playing. It was slow and kind of sad. Finally, she heard her cue and began to sing.
"I heard there was a secret chord
that David played and it pleased the Lord,
but don't really care for music, do you?"
The crowd listened with bated breath. I'm sure they all figured it out, and if not, they were about to.
"It goes like this: the fourth, the fifth,
the minor fall and the major lift,
the baffled king composing hallelujah.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.
"Your faith was strong but you needed proof.
You saw her bathing on the roof.
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you.
She tied you to her kitchen chair.
She broke your throne and she cut your hair
and from your lips she drew the hallelujah.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah."
Chris absolutly loved this song. It was so beautiful and inspiring. She actually had to beg the teacher to let her sing this as her solo. She knew that she chose right, because the crowd was completly absorbed in it. With a small smile, she got ready for the next verse.
"Baby, I've been here before.
I've seen this room and I've walked this floor.
I used to live alone before I knew you.
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
and love is not a victory march.
It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.
"There was a time when you let me know
what's really going on below,
but now you don't show that to me, do you?
But remember when I moved in you
and the Holy Dove was moving too
and every breath we drew was hallelujah.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah."
Singing a love song about how hard and cruel and painful love can be made Chris think about her fight with Drew. It really was about nothing. They were just frustrated, having been locked up so long. Neither of them meant what they said, she was sure. Well, she didn't mean it anyway. She really needed to apologize... But, for now, she had to sing.
This next verse had always been her favorite. It was beautiful and meaningful. It never failed to make her feel a little less sad when she thought her dad was dead.
"Maybe there's a God above,
but all I've ever learned from love
was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you.
And it's not a cry that you hear at night.
It's not someone who's seen the light.
It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah.
Hallelujah, halllujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.
"Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah."
The crowd burst into applause. She even got a standing ovation. It was a little while before they calmed down and sat back in their seats. She cleared her throat.
"Thank you. They asked me to write a moving speech about myself to close the concert, but I couldn't. No matter what I wrote, it didn't sound like me. Well, it could have, if I worked it right, but I wanted it to come from the heart. So, here's me, winging it.
"I've been going through a hard time, recently. A lot of craziness in the family. See, I grew up with my mother, mostly. My dad's... job kept him away. And my mom didn't want him around me. Last year, I finally got to see him again, to spend time with him. I even moved in with him. That meant I got a lot of extended family too. But, just when I thought everything was perfect, my family got torn apart. My dad had to leave again, suddenly, and I had to stay with my extended family because my mother wouldn't let come back. I haven't seen her since.
"Recently, we got my dad back, and things got better. But, we were put under a lot of pressure because of his work. We managed to get it sorted out, thank God, so I hope things can finally get back to normal. But, in the process of getting this worked out, I hurt someone I care about a lot. I said a lot of things I didn't mean... possibly gave him a black eye... Long story, don't ask. I just hope he has it in his heart to forgive me, because I really want to see where things could go."
There was a collective 'aww.' In the back she saw someone stand. It was Drew (she has fairly good night-vision). She could tell he was smiling and nodding. That made her smile. Feeling a lot better, she finished.
"I have a feeling things will work out. So, thank you all for coming here tonight. Your support means a lot to the talented students of this school. Please, have a great evening, and drive safe." Every one clapped again. The mic was taken from Chris' hands and she left the stage. As people flooded around her, some clapping her on the back, or congradulating her, she scanned for the familiar faces of her family.
Someone tapped her on the shoulder and she spun around. Drew was there. She was about to speak when his lips were on hers. After the surprise passed, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. Everything was going to be just fine.