CHAPTER 13: After the Show

We ran offstage, with the applause still ringing in our ears, and back to the dressing rooms. As we went down the hall, we were all laughing, cheering, and whooping it up. Claire, Hank, and Becca were even doing cartwheels, back handsprings, and walking on their hands. We were so pumped. I'm pretty sure I heard someone say, "Indoor voices, guys," at least once or twice. As if that were possible!

"Wasn't that great?" Bobby asked as we arrived at the room.

"Yeah," Scott answered.

"I haven't heard that much cheering since our show back in Stoneybrook!" Natalie cried happily.

"Yeah," Scott repeated.

"Is that all you can say?" Hank asked.

"Yeah," Scott laughed, and the boys went to their side of the room to change.

"Oh, man, Andrew was so cute out there!" Rosie exclaimed as we changed back into our regular clothes.

"I'll say," I agreed. "That girl's going to be blushing for a week!"

"Yeah, he sure has a strong voice for such a little kid," Pamela agreed.

When she said that, I won't lie to you, I was completely taken aback. After all, this was Pamela Harding, the same girl who, for some reason, couldn't stand me, and felt that it was her duty to keep her nose in the air 24/7. In fact, I actually used to believe that if it ever rained, she'd drown. And after everything that just happened, she, of all people, found it within herself to give my little brother a compliment.

"Thanks, Pamela," I grinned, once I'd recovered. "And, uh—I think you did a great job yourself."

Pamela's face brightened. "Thanks, Karen," she said softly. Right then and there, I realized what was happening: after all those years of hating each other's guts the way we did, we were finally burying the hatchet.

"Come here, you," Pamela grinned, pulling me to her and hugging me. Peace at last!

As soon as we finished changing, we took our seats in the auditorium. I found a seat next to Kristy, and she handed me a program.

"You guys rocked!" she whispered ecstatically. "And did you hear that one girl when Andrew did his part in 'ABC'?"

"Yeah, and I was behind the set, too," I said. "I just wish I could've seen her face."

Kristy laughed and nodded. "Well, the next group is about to perform," she said, and we turned our attention to the stage.

The next group was called the Holograms, and they were from Toronto, Canada. (Bebe once told me that she'd been born there, and came to Long Island with her dad when she was a baby.) There were twenty-six of them, thirteen boys and thirteen girls, and their costumes were really something. The boys had on white satin short-sleeved shirts, red pants and socks, and black jazz shoes. The girls had on the same style shirts, only red and long-sleeved, and they also had on white shorts, nude pantyhose, and black character shoes.

Their show was fantastic. One song in particular really got me, and it was called "Never Can Say Good-bye", which is also a Jackson 5 song. I noticed Pamela staring dreamily at the boy who was singing lead. He looked like he was around our age, with light brown hair, like the Pikes, had some freckles on his nose, and also had braces. He was really throwing himself into the song, too. The only drawback was that he had a mullet. Oh, well.

I don't remember much about the other groups from that day. All I know is, today was just a blast.

After the last group of the day performed, we got back on the bus to go back to the hotel. I knew we should've been exhausted from the events of the day, but we were too keyed up to even think about taking a nap.

In fact, I don't know why, but a bunch of us got the brilliant idea to start singing old TV theme songs. When Jackie, Jamie, and Scott started on the Sanford & Son theme, I saw Kristy storm to the back of the bus, and she wasn't too happy.

"NO SINGING ON THE BUS, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!" she shouted.

In no time flat, it was so quiet back there that you could've heard a pin drop. It just goes to show that when Kristy Thomas tells you to do something, she doesn't mean maybe!