Ahh…here's your update! Hope I didn't torture anyone too much!

-.-.-

Friday rolled around, slow as ever, and the school was buzzing with excitement about the talent show that afternoon.

"Check out…these contacts!" Rick said, jumping in front of Cody in the hallway, blinking in her face.

"Rick…you got a haircut?"

"I sure did," he said proudly. "Who am I?"

"Um…Rick Geddes?"

"Wrong, my friend."

"Then I give up," she said glumly.

"What- You- You give up?"

"That's what I said, Rick."

"But- Wha- I'm Billie Joe from Green Day! How could a person not see that?"

"Not in the mood…" Cody mumbled. Rick slid his arm around her.

"So I heard you're leaving," he said, suddenly serious. "I'm gonna miss you Cody."

"Yeah, thanks."

"No really," he said, looking at her. "It won't be the same around here without you. Ever."

"Thanks, Rick. Really," she said, smiling. She pulled him into a reluctant hug and turned away. "I'll see you this afternoon," she called, walking out the front doors.

Ecstatic, Rick practically bounced back to his room.

"Cody!" Tanis gasped, running up to her on the front lawn. "I need- your- advice."

"My advice?"

"Okay," she said, grabbing Cody by the shoulders. "I was fine singing alone in my room, but they can fit a lot of people in that auditorium!"

"So?"

"So? Cody I can't do it, I'm freaking out here!"

"Since when are you one to be nervous?"

"Look I just need some help…tips, you know?"

"I'm no expert on stage fright," Cody said, "But maybe you should just close your eyes and pretend you're alone in your room."

"Close my eyes. Got it," Tanis said, running back to the school. Not thirty seconds later, she came sprinting back. "Wait, close my eyes? Then everyone's gonna think I'm some weird chick who-"

"Sings with her heart?"

"Right. Okay, thanks." Tanis jogged back across the lawn, leaving Cody standing alone.

-.-.-

The auditorium droned with eager whispers as they waited for the last performance. The talent show was surprisingly entertaining, considering. Most of the acts were good. Rick's performance was…to be expected. Cody sat next to Adena in the back row.

"And now," President Bates announced over the microphone. "Our final performance. Please put your hands together for Miss Tanis McTaggart, singing Miracle."

The curtains opened revealing Tanis's nervous face. She stepped up to the microphone and cleared her throat, as the music began in the background. Both Cody and Adena could see the pure anxiety running throughout her body. Cody rested her hand over her mouth, almost as nervous as Tanis herself, while Adena flashed her a huge thumbs up.

"You're my life's one miracle," she sang into the microphone, her voice shaking slightly. "Everything I've done that's good..."

"Go Tanis!" Adena cheered loudly, encouraging her. It seemed to boost her confidence a bit.

"And you break my heart with tenderness, and I confess it's true. I've never knew a love like this 'til you." Tanis smiled at Adena and Cody and managed to flash them a quick wink. "You're the reason I was born. Now I finally know for sure...And I'm overwhelmed with happiness, so blessed to hold you close, the one that I love most. Though the future has so much for you in store, who could ever love you more?"

Cody recognized the same words she'd heard behind the door the day Tanis was singing on her own.

"The nearest thing to heaven, you're my angel from above. Only God creates such perfect looovve..."

The auditorium was now full of whispers, but they weren't criticizing. Almost all of the students were gazing intently at Tanis, taking in every word she belted out on stage. One student issued a loud whistle that made Tanis grin.

"When you smile at me, I cry...And to save your life, I'd die...With a romance that is pure in heart, you are my dearest part. Whatever it requires, I live for your desires. Forget my own, your needs will come before...Who could ever love you more?"

Cody noticed that Tanis had taken her advice and was finally singing with her eyes closed. Suddenly, it hit her hard that she would be leaving all of this behind in a matter of hours.

"There is nothing you could ever do to make stop...loving you. And every breath I take, is always for your sake. You sleep inside my dreams and know for sure...Who could ever love you more?"

The entire hall erupted into a frenzy of cheers and whistles.

"Go Tanis!" Adena screamed over the crowd. She threw her hands in the air, clapping, while Tanis made her way slowly off the stage. Cody joined Adena in the celebration, as Tanis made her way over to the empty seat she'd been sitting in for the first half of the show.

"How was I?" she asked, beaming.

"You were amazing!" Adena cried, throwing her arms around her. "God, I wish I could do that."

"You were really great," Cody said, somewhat glumly.

"What's the matter?"

"My flight leaves tonight, right?" she said. "My dad's taking me to the airport soon..."

"Aw, Cody," Adena soothed as tears started to well up in her eyes. She pulled Cody into a tight hug. "We may not show it a lot, but we really appreciate everything you do for us, and we'll miss you like hell when you go."

"That's right," Tanis said. "And thanks for the advice," she added. "It helped a lot."

Cody sniffed, wiping the tears that started to blur her vision. "Thanks."

"And you'd better come visit us," Adena warned.

"Or we'll fly down to Boston and make you pay," Tanis finished. "Seriously. We'll kick your butt if you don't call or write to us."

"I'll miss you guys, too," Cody said sadly, and all three of them huddled in a tight embrace.

Bates stepped back up to the microphone after the noise died down. "And that," he said loudly, "Concludes Cascadia's first ever tal- Wha?" He was cut off abruptly by someone snatching the microphone from his hands. Adena, Tanis and Cody all turned to face the stage.

It was Squib.

-.-.-

I really really hope you liked that chapter and I'll update as soon as I can!

Oh, andthere are a few reasons as to why I chose this song.
1. It's a really pretty song and I like it (duh)
2. Celine Dion is an incredibly good singer, not to mention Canadian. Most of the songs on 15/love are by Canadian singers/groups, so I thought I'd stick with it.
3. There are no background singers going 'ooh ee ahh' so it wouldn't screw up with what Tanis sang on her own.

If you've never heard the song anddon't have Kazaa or anything, I can e-mail it to you, just let me know.