Welcome to Day 18: Doing something together.
Stella was walking down the hallway when she spotted a poster.
"Come join us for Karaoke Night at the Chortle Portal," Stella said. "This Saturday night starting at 7. Don't be late".
That was when Lincoln came over.
"Hey Stella," Lincoln said.
"Hey Lincoln," Stella said.
"What are you looking at?" Lincoln asked.
"This poster for a karaoke party," Stella answered. "I'm a little nervous about going. What if I embarrass myself on stage again?"
"Why would you embarrass yourself?" Lincoln asked.
"It started back when I was 7 years old," Stella said.
Enter Flashback.
"My mom said I had a sweet singing voice," Stella said.
"Nowhere I'd rather be than with you," 7-year-old Stella sang.
Someone threw a banana peel at her, causing Stella to slip and fall.
"That fall ruined my singing," current day - Stella answered.
Another 7-year-old said, "wipeout! Singing cry baby!"
Everyone laughed, which made Stella run off crying.
Exit flashback.
Stella then sighed before telling Lincoln, "Up until I signed up for that singing club, I never sang a single note again."
"Never?" Lincoln asked.
"Never," Stella answered. "I swear, wait until I find the fool who called me singing cry baby!"
Lincoln gave Stella a hug.
"It's going to be okay, Stella," Lincoln said. "I'll come to the Karaoke party with you. If someone was by your side, it might not seem as embarrassing".
"I don't know, Lincoln," Stella said.
Lincoln then got an idea.
"I'll come over to your house on Saturday," he suggested. "We'll both get some practice together".
Stella agreed to it. She then gave Lincoln a hug.
Early that Saturday afternoon, Lincoln was at Stella's house.
"Okay Stella," he said. "We know you can sing great."
"I am aware of that," Stella commented. "Where do we go from there?"
Lincoln told her, "You're going to start off with a small audience. It's just me and your stuffed fox".
"Okay," Stella said.
She started singing.
"What more is there? What more is there?"
"Keep going," Lincoln said.
"I feel so blue when I'm not with you," Stella sang. "Am I the only one feeling this way? Don't let me be alone on my special day. Let me spend this time with you".
Lincoln couldn't believe it.
"How was that?" Stella asked.
"Glorious," Lincoln said.
That was when he realized the meaning behind what Stella was singing.
"Wait," he said. "You actually mean it?"
"Yes," Stella sighed. "I don't want to spend another minute apart from you ever again. You mean too much for me to let go".
Lincoln didn't know what to say.
"I'm speechless," he commented.
Stella then suggested, "how about I turn on some songs we can sing together? As a way to prepare for tonight."
"Tonight?" Lincoln asked.
"Karaoke night," Stella told Lincoln. "Remember?"
"Oh yeah," Lincoln said.
The first song she turned on was "You're All I Need to Get By".
When that song ended, Lincoln said to Stella, "you're one great singer".
"You're good yourself," Stella said to him. Lincoln smiled.
Later that evening, Karaoke night was getting underway at the Chortle Portal. One person just finished up singing a 60s song in the style of Aretha Franklin. Lincoln and Stella were 2 of the people watching. Lincoln had the same orange and black suit with a perfect tie from a previous date he and Stella had. Stella had the red dress and the black shoes from the same date mentioned.
Lincoln's old teacher, Agnes Johnson, was the MC for this special night.
"Okay then," Agnes Johnson said. "Is everyone having a splendid time here at Karaoke Night?"
Everyone was clapping and cheering.
"Well then," Agnes Johnson said. "We'll take a 5-minute break, then we will continue, so don't go anywhere".
Lincoln looked over to Stella.
"I'm still nervous," she said.
"Remember," Lincoln said. "It's relatable to how we practiced".
Stella nodded. When the break was over, those 2 chose to go next.
"Alright," Agnes Johnson said. "What song are you throwing down?"
Lincoln pointed to a certain B. The music came on.
Lincoln and Stella started singing. That was when everyone learned that the "B" song Lincoln pointed to was "Breaking Free" by the cast of High School Musical.
One member by one, the audience was on its feet ready to dance along. The second the song ended, everyone clapped and cheered. Lincoln gave Stella Zhau a hug.
"That was just glorious," Agnes Johnson said to the two of them.
Lincoln and Stella both thanked her together.
"You two have great singing voices," she said to them.
"We know," Stella said. "If it wasn't for Lincoln, I'd think I wouldn't even be here".
"I'm like a sweet friend to her," Lincoln said.
"Maybe something more than a friend if you ask me," Agnes Johnson said.
That made him and Stella giggle. Back at Stella's house, her mom said it was alright for Lincoln to stay for the rest of the night.
"That was glorious," Stella said.
"I know," Lincoln said. "Can you sing that first song you sang to me again?"
She started singing.
"What more is there? What more is there?"
"Yeah, that one," Lincoln said.
"I feel so blue when I'm not with you," Stella sang. "Am I the only one feeling this way? Don't let me be alone on my special day. Let me spend this time with you".
Lincoln and Stella hugged it out before going to sleep in the same bed.
Thanks for tuning in to Day 18: Doing something together.
Stay tuned for Day 19: In formal wear.