A/N: Standard Disclaimers apply here. I don't own High School Musical.
I do, on the other hand, own any and all things belonging to When The Rain Comes, including all musical numbers and lyrics.
The alarm clock trilled shrilly, jarring Kelsi out of a deep sleep. Glancing at the clock, Kelsi looked at the glowing numbers to see that it was five thirty in the morning and still dark outside. Groaning, she rolled over, pulling the covers back over her head. Ten seconds later, she bolted out of bed suddenly remembering why she had set the alarm for such an ungodly hour.
She had promised Jason during drama class that she would work with him on his part since he had a small but fairly significant singing role. Darbus had very nearly cringed when she had heard Jason try and hit some of the notes that were too clearly out of his range. She had demanded that Kelsi make time to practice with Jason and make him sound better than his current screeching.
Throwing on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and a hat, Kelsi slipped her feet into a pair of sandals and ran out the door hoping against hope that Jason wouldn't be there yet. She had always hated being late to anything, and this was no exception.
She had just barely gotten the music room unlocked and set her things on the piano bench when Jason walked through the door. "Good morning Jason, come and put your stuff down over here. Let's get going since we don't have very long until zero period starts. I saw the notice on Coach Bolton's office door, and I'm assuming you'll have to go to zero period workout." Handing him the vocal part for Romantical, Kelsi motioned for him to read the first spoken line.
She smiles gently,
She lightly placed her fingers on the piano's well worn ivory keys and softly accompanied his next few singing lines.
Looks to the side,
And as her gaze slowly climbs
His eyes meet hers.
And as they do,
He's lost in their depths...
On that last line, Jason struggled trying to hit the high note on "depths." Kelsi sighed and said tiredly, "Ok, Jason. Let's try something different. I'm going to play a little scale on the piano, and I want you to match the pitch with your voice. Just one octave this time." Jason mastered this fairly easily and Kelsi smiled with anticipation. "Ok this time, I'm going to play a different scale and it's going to go a little higher than the last one did." Straining slightly on the top note, Jason still managed to finish. A few more run throughs of the same scale proved to strengthen Jason's voice. After nearly a half hour of scales, Kelsi thought he was ready to tackle the actual lyrics again. This time, Jason hit every note perfectly and beamed proudly as Kelsi congratulated him on his achievement.
"That was excellent, Jason. Now what to do about your rhythm," Kelsi mused aloud.
"I'm free on Thursday morning if you wouldn't mind giving me extra practice again," Jason replied as he hurriedly looked at his watch to see how long he had until workout started. "Same time?"
"I'm game if you're game," Kelsi retorted with a grin. "Now get going, or Coach Bolton is going to have you running laps."
"Yes, ma'am," Jason said in a serious tone with a mock salute. "See you later...alligator." Kelsi could barely control her fit of laughter at his corny line.
Kelsi found herself eagerly awaiting Thursday morning when she would be practicing with Jason again. She liked how easy the conversation was between the two of them and that they could laugh. Mostly since Jason was always saying these stupid things and then realizing too late that he couldn't take them back.
The days whipped by quickly, and it was Thursday all too fast. Kelsi was excited at the prospect of spending some more time with Jason since she had been too busy lately to hang out at all with any one.
Waking up early, Kelsi got to school a few minutes before Jason and rearranged the practice room in boredom. She set out a stool for Jason so he wouldn't have to stand during the entire session, and she dusted off the top of the piano.
With her back turned to the door as she adjusted the piano bench, Kelsi didn't notice Jason sneaking up behind her. Covering her eyes with his hands, Jason whispered gleefully in her ear, "Guess who?"
"Jason!" Kelsi exclaimed while playfully swatting his hands away. "You are such a big joker. Here's the music. We're working on rhythm today, remember?" She seated herself at the piano and worked her fingers over the keys as the chorus' notes to Romantical drifted through the silence of the music room.
His arm presses slowly against hers
And the second dies,
But the memory is never forgotten.
Maybe they will meet again.
"No, no! Your rhythm and timing is all wrong, Jason." Kelsi cried out impatiently. "Listen, this is how it's supposed to counted. One and two and three and a-four and."
Jason returned with a blank stare and the monosyllabic response, "What?"
"Ok. Never mind. Forget that. Pay close attention because I am only going to do this once," Kelsi said defeated.
Singing the verse in exact rhythm, Kelsi finished and looked at Jason expectantly. "Do you understand now how it goes?"
Awestruck, Jason could only mutter, "Wow. That was amazing. Why didn't you tell me that you could sing? You have a wonderful singing voice."
"Yeah right. Says the person whom Mrs. Darbus has deemed screeches instead of sings." Kelsi blushed with the unexpected praise from Jason.
"Well, I may not be able to sing, but I certainly know a good voice when I hear one." Jason asserted.
"Umm. You know what I should get going. I was going to get some help on last night's math homework. So... uhh, seeyoulaterthen," Kelsi blurted as the words tumbled out of her mouth. Making a hasty retreat, she quickly ran down the hall to the girl's bathroom as a refuge. She hadn't counted on Jason being this friendly with her. What was she going to do?
Review please? I won't update anymore if you don't review. I don't know if you're all saying "Keep going!" or "For my brain's sake, STOP!" :D