Sorry this update is so late at night! If you didn't read the Valentine's Day chapter, I suggest you do: you'll be a lot more up-to-speed! I think that's all…

Chapter 37: Energy

After Valentine's Day, everybody seems to be in a better mood.

Everyone, of course, except Poppy.

She's glad for the four-day weekend. She needs the time to clear her head and all of her thoughts about Vick.

Theo walks upstairs, to where she's curled up on her bed.

"Poppy?" He knocks gently on the door.

"Go away!" She shouts, "I'm perfectly fine!"

"You're going to have to open the door eventually. You can't be in there forever!"

"I'll come out when I'm ready!" she cries.

Theo sighs, thinking of how Nathalia did that to him all the time.

"Fine. I'll just sit here. Right outside your door."

"No you won't!"

He sits down, "Yep. I'm right here."

Poppy just decides to ignore him.

Skeeter and Marvel hang out together on Friday.

"So, you play football?"

"The season's over, but, yeah."

"Everyone stereotypes football players as being obnoxious. I don't think you are."

"And you. You sing, right?"

"All day, every day."

"Well, there are stereotypes about glee club, too."

"Like what?"

"Guys, surrounded by girls all the times, singing all these girly musical songs. People say glee club is totally gay."

Skeeter doesn't like this news. "And, you agree with that?"

"Well, um…"

"We don't just sing musical songs. And, we're surrounded by girls, don't ya know we can hit on 'em?"

"You? 'Hitting on girls?' That seems a little unlikely. Do you?"

"I wouldn't call it hitting on exactly, but I have my eye on-"

"Rue."

Skeeter's face turns red, and he buries his head in a pillow. "Shut up."

Marvel grins.

"So, what's this I hear about Poppy? Is she into football players?"

Now Marvel is the one to turn red.

"No. The thing is, she's not. How do I show her I'm not a royal douchebag?"

Skeeter grins, "You should join glee club."

Marvel shakes his head, "No way. I've never even seen Ghost at the Stage Witchy or anything!"

Skeeter laughs, "You mean Phantom of the Opera and Wicked. And, yeah, but… You know, you need to be taught a lesson."

He looks at Skeeter, a little hesitant, "What?"

"Come on," Skeeter drags him by the shirt collar.

"Where are we going?" Marvel asks when Skeeter gets out his phone.

"We're having an emergency glee club meeting."

"What? When, where?"

"Hey, Mom-" Skeeter grins.

"What's up, Duck?"

"Is the auditorium open, do you think?"

Annie shrugs, "Maybe. You can go check, I guess."

Skeeter meets Mason and Tom outside of the high school.

"Skeeter? What's up?" asks Mason.

"Everybody, this is Marvel."

"Wait, this is the whole glee club?"

"No. I just took the liberty of inviting the leading guys to teach you what this shindig is all about."

"Um, I can't do this! I can't even sing!"

"Of course you can sing! Everybody can sing!" Skeeter drags Marvel inside, and the others follow. Skeeter texted Theo to come around, too, but he suddenly realizes the likelihood of that happening is slowly diminishing.

"Um, guys, I can't do this! I don't even know what Bill and Ellie is about!"

"Billy Elliot," Mason corrects, laughing.

They find that the auditorium is in use.

"Aw man," Tom says.

"We'll find somewhere else," Skeeter says.

"Hey," says Mason, "I wonder if the band room is open… I'm sure that Mr. B will let us use it!"

"Good idea!" says Skeeter.

"You guys," says Marvel, "This is pointless!"

They see the band room is empty.

"I'm going to go see if Mr. B is in his office!" Mason disappears.

"So, Marvel, you think that glee club is lame, don't you?" asks Skeeter.

"I don't like where this is going," groans Marvel.

Mason runs back in. "We're good to hang out in here!" he grins.

"Watch closely," he says.

He and Tom get their guitars, and Mason his saxophone.

Skeeter puts on one of his favorite tracks, and sings into a microphone that's only for show,

"Standing in the rain, with his head hung low
Couldn't get a ticket, it was a sold out show…"

Marvel doesn't know what to think. This isn't just any old musical piece.

Skeeter feels empowered. He grins, going back up to the mic, and playing the electric guitar with Tom,
"He heard one guitar, just blew him away
He saw stars in his eyes, and the very next day…"
Marvel doesn't want to admit it, but the beat of the song makes him tap his fingers. He's heard this song on the radio before.

He didn't think a guy like Skeeter could do anything quite like this.

Skeeter grins, "Just one guitar, slung way down low
Was one way ticket, only one way to go!"

Marvel doesn't know why he gets up and starts to sing the words. He never wanted to. He always thought he was too good for this.

"So he started rockin'
Ain't never gonna stop"

Marvel joins Skeeter behind the microphone.
Gotta keep on rockin'
Someday he's gonna make it to the top

And be a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes
He's a juke box hero
He took one guitar, juke box hero, stars in his eyes
Juke box hero, he'll come alive tonight!"

Marvel doesn't want to sing by himself, so Skeeter takes the next verse. Marvel's never done anything like this before. Even though he doesn't want to like it, he still does.
"Now he needs to keep rockin'
He just can't stop!
Gotta keep on rockin'
That boy has got to stay on top!

And be a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes
He's a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes
Yeah, juke box hero, got stars in his eyes
With that one guitar he'll come alive
Come alive tonight!"

Skeeter takes the guitar solo, along with Tom, and all Marvel can do is watch, in amazement.

"What do you think of us now?" asks Skeeter.
"Still think we just sing little musical songs?" Mason adds.
Marvel grins, "Hell no!"

Marvel and Skeeter sing together,
"Yeah, he's gotta keep rockin'
He just can't stop
Gotta keep on rockin'
That boy has got to stay on top

And be a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes
He's a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes
Just one guitar, put stars in his eyes
He's just a juke box hero, aah aah aah
Juke box hero, juke box hero, he's got stars in his eyes
Stars in his eyes!"

Skeeter grins. "Welcome to the club!"

"But, you can't join until you do a solo!" Mason teases.

"Great idea!" says Skeeter, "If you're going to audition to Mr. Everdeen, you should audition to us, first!"

"Me? A solo? I couldn't do that!"

"Of course you can! We'll help you!"

"Well, what do I sing?"

"Whatever you want!" Skeeter says.

"Hm… Well, um…"

"Sing something that shows off your style!"

"I think I got it…"

Skeeter leaves Marvel off to the side, giving him a thumbs up.

Marvel takes a deep breath.

"Sing, now!" Tom says.

"Why…. This car's…." he grins, "Automatic!"

Everyone gets out the sheet music.

"It's… Systematic!

It's… Hyyyyyydddromatic!

Why… It's Greased Lightning!"

Skeeter joins, "Greased Lightning!"

"We'll get some overhead lifters and some four barrel quads
Oh yeah!"

Skeeter gestures for him to let loose,"Keep talking, boy keep talking"

Marvel continues, "A fuel injection cutoff and chrome plated rods oh yeah!"

Skeeter adds, "I'll get the money I'll kill to get the money!"

"With a four speed on the floor they'll be waiting at the door
You know that ain't no crap we'll be getting lots of that
In Greased Lightning!"

Marvel grins, singing louder with each line.

Gloss was with him when he first watched Grease last year.

He thinks of the memory and grins bigger. As soon as the two boys had heard this song, they'd been drawn to it. Except Marvel has to think fast to make it more school appropriate.

"You are supreme! The chicks'll scream! For greased lightning!"

He knows the dance like the back of his hand. Mason blasts his saxophone, and Skeeter and Tom go back and forth for the guitar solo.

"Imagine it," says Skeeter. "Up there," he points, "Lights. All pointing down on you. And, out there," he points, "A full house, all watching you and smiling. They're going wild! Maybe even Poppy will be there, watching you. Can't you just feel it?"

Marvel grins, "Yeah…" and sings,
"Go greased lightning you're burning up the quarter mile!
Go greased lighting you're coasting through the hit lap trial!"

"You are supreme! The chicks'll scream! For greased lightning!"

Skeeter and Tom grin, and they all finish it off. "Yeeeaaahh!"

They all laugh.

"That was fun!" Marvel says, grinning.

"Told you!" says Skeeter.

They suddenly hear clapping. "Very nice, boys!"

"Mr. Everdeen!" says Tom, "Hi!"

Marvel immediately sinks behind Mason.

"I heard music and figured I'd see you guys here!"

"Mr. Everdeen, I'd like you to meet Marvel," Skeeter says, grabbing his friend by the back of the shirt.

"Wha- oh, um… Hello." Marvel waves.

Mr. Everdeen smiles. "You, sir, have a lot of talent. Have you been singing for a while?"

Marvel shakes his head, "No, sir, I actually, didn't… Really…"

"Well, you should. We need young singers like you in our club. What do you have ninth period?"

"English, sir."

Mr. Everdeen laughs, "You don't have to call me sir. And, if you have a study hall, this year, or even next, we would appreciate it if you would come to rehearsals."

"I have one second period. I could switch English classes, I guess."

"Only if you're willing. If it's inconvenient, you wouldn't have to. Even if you'd just drop by after school, we'd love to have you."

Marvel grins, "Count me 100% in!"