Chapter 24: We Got The Beat Part 2

"Thanks, Ellie." Ashley wrote down on her notepad.

"No problem." Ellie answered before Ashely walked into the school.

"Tickets please." A guy seated by the auditorium door asked. Ashley opened up her purse and looked in the bag for the ticket but she couldn't find it. "Oh no." she thought to herself.

Hello, miss." The guy waved in her face trying to get Ash's attention. "Do you have a ticket or not?"

Ashley held her throat trying to mime that she couldn't speak but when it didn't worked she scrabbled down on her note pad. "Sorry I don't have a ticket. Can I just pay for a new one?" Ashley pulled out her wallet.

"Sorry, we're sold out." The guy apologized.

"Looks like you don't have a ticket" Spinner said looking at a disappointed Ash.

"What do you want?" Ashley wrote down.

"Umm..ok Ash I know were not the best of friends but you could at least talk to me instead of writing it down on a notepad"

Ash held her throat but knew Spinner wouldn't get the clue so she scribbled down. "I have laryngitius."

"Oh.. I get it. The first time in Degrassi History Ash loses her voice and I'm not in school to experience this momentous occasion." Spinner laughed.

Ashley walked off as fast as she could not the least bit amused at Spinner's lame joke.

"Look, Ash." Spinner caught up to Ash. "I don't have a ticket either but I know a way we could see the show."

"Way to go Paige." Jimmy congratulated her after they did their first scene.

"Yeah it was pretty good. Danny agreed." I just wish you would have auditioned first and saved us a lot time, energy and ear aches." Danny said while looking at Hazel.

"Thanks guys." Paige replied. "I just feel bad for Heather this was suppose to be her night."

"Thank goodness it was only a sprain and nothing serious." Ms. Kwan uttered. "There may be a chance she can do the final show at least."

"I don't know, Paige, you impressed me." J.T. replied while patting Paige on the shoulder. "We might just keep you around."

"Get ready for second scene guys." Ms Kwan called out. "Hippies get into place for the protest."

"Hold my hand were almost there." Spinner helped Ash up on the creaky ladder. "So what do you think?" Ash stared at Spinner. "Oh that's right you can't talk."

Ash pulled out her note pad and scribbled down. "What is this place?"

Spinner walked around to a nearby wall. " I'm not sure it's a secret place I found it one day when I had Saturday detention , Mr Raditch wasn't around so I fooled around in the school until I saw this creaky ladder by the auditorium. I think it's between the first and second seating floor because it is pretty far up,and look at this. Spinner walked to a nearby wall with a large vent that was closed. He pulled up the vent blinders and revealed a full view of the auditorium . " Voilà free access to Degrassi Duet's." Spinner pulled up a seat and offered it to Ashley. "Your seat madam."

Ashley stalled a little before taking a seat and peering into the vent.

"Looks like we just made it in time." Spinner replied. "They're starting your or what use to be your part." Spinner looked at Ashley. "I might've spied a little bit or too when I didn't have anything to do."

"Break a leg Hazel" Paige replied.

"Thanks, hopefully I won't break one for real." Hazel replied.

Craig put his guitar strap over his shoulder. "You're ready Hazel."

"As ready as I'll ever be." Hazel sighed.

J.T. pulled Craig, Hazel and Manny closer to the stage."Go guys get into your positions. Craig, Hazel on the stoop and Manny remember you have to go on the other side of the stage because you're hiding in the bushes." J.T. whispered.

Hazel and Craig sat on the stoop. As soon as the curtains were drawn up Craig started strumming on his guitar before singing."Saying I love you. Is not the words I want to hear from you. It's not that I want you. Not to say, but if you only knew."

Hazel stared out into the audience and froze up. Craig kept strumming and repeated the words again.

"I can't do this." Hazel whispered.

"Just be calm." Craig mumbled before playing the song again.

Hazel closed her eyes and tried to think of Jimmy but nothing came out. Craig kept strumming on and song the song over. "I can do this." Hazel whispered to herself. "Just think of the one you love." Hazel opened up her eyes and looked at the other side of the stage before realizing there was a picture of Jimmy looking at her. Manny had a big picture of Jimmy.

"You can do it." Manny mouthed silently.

Just as it looked like Craig was going to have to sing Hazel's part and possibly the whole song, Hazel song out. "How easy it would be to show me how you feel More than words is all you have to do to make it real. "

Craig and Hazel finished the song with a standing ovation. "What happened." Craig mumbled through his smile.

"I froze but I had a little help along the way." Hazel mumbled before looking at Manny in the bushes. "Thanks." She silently mouthed before leaving the stage.

"Wow Hazel that was amazing. I guess those voice lessons are really paying off." Paige congratulated.

"Yeah I did good, it would've been better if Ma...Ashley song it, but it was great."

"Why did you stall?" Paige asked.

"I got a little stage fright that's all. But Manny helped me out." Hazel said while looking into the audience at Manny singing with Craig.

"Manny how did she help you out?"

"Let's just say that she gave me a little inspritation."

"Really." Paige said while looking out into the audience with Hazel.

"That was weird." Spinner said. "Looks like Hazel froze up on the first song but she's doing great now." Spinner looked at Hazel singing her last duet before walking off with Nate. "Great here's the part I didn't see last week it's with Craig and Manny I mean Chance and Kyle." Ash looked down. "Yeah I guess you wouldn't want to watch this part."

Chance and Kyle song Time after Time and kissed before Chance got on prop of a train and left Kyle for good. "Wow that was sad." Spinner said after the crowd applauded."Well at least your character ended up happy with her guy"

"Yeah right, I can't believed they kissed, I thought for sure Paige was going to..." Ashley whispered before she realized what she had just done.

"Hey Ash did you say something?" Spinner asked while looking at Ash. She had a guilty look on her face. "I must be losing it because you can't talk, right?" Spinner asked. Ashley smiled and nodded. "Because you wouldn't miss a chance to be in DD not with the song you chose specially for you and Craig. Why would you do that and did I hear Paige's name. Don't tell me she was up to some kind of hair brain scheme." Spinner looked at Ashely who was holding her throat. "Oh right you can't talk." Spinner hit himself on the forehead. "Spin man, you're losing it."