Chapter 13: Open Mic

It's the first day of Homecoming Week. Dawn and Paul are dates for the dance. Ash managed to ask Misty and she said yes. Gary asked out a girl named Leaf. And May and Drew will be going as friends.

"So, today the dancers are going to put on a show." Gary said.

"I can't wait to see how good the dancers are here." May/Daisy said.

The music starts playing in the cafeteria and the girl dancers have boy partners to dance with. They start dancing their routine on the stage to the music.

"So, open mic is tomorrow." Ash said. "Is anyone going to sing?"

Everyone glanced at each other.

"I'll pass." Gary said.

"I'm not much of a singer." Paul said.

"I don't want to hog the spotlight like I always do." Drew said, flicking his bangs. May rolled her eyes.

"How about you girls?" Gary asked.

"I'm not good at singing in front of a huge audience." May said.

Drew perked up an eyebrow at May from across the table as if saying, "What do you mean? You're going to sing in the play."

"Unless I'm motivated to, I guess." May added, speaking more to Drew than anyone else.

Drew gave a slight smile to May.

"What could motivate you to sing in front of everyone?" Misty asked.

"Don't even try it." May said. "I really don't want to sing in front of all these people…" she said, looking around the cafeteria.

"We won't force you to." Dawn said. "But you'll sing for us sometime, right? We haven't heard you sing before."

May hesitated before nodding. "Promise. Whenever it's the right time, I'll sing for you guys."

"Yay!" Dawn exclaimed. "Anyways, I think I might do a song tomorrow."

"Really? What song?" May asked.

"It's a secret." Dawn said.

"And as for me, I won't sing tomorrow. Maybe some other time." Misty said.

"Whoa, check it out."

"I know, right?"

"I didn't know she was in theater class."

The gang all looked a short distance to a group of people standing at the wall.

"What are they looking at?" Dawn questioned.

"It's a flyer for the play." Someone said once she walked to their table and put some flyers on it. The gang looked at the flyers.

"Aladdin?" Ash asked as he grabbed a flyer.

May and Drew looked to each other. Everyone else grabbed a flyer.

"The play is on Wednesday right after lunch in the theater." The girl said. "We'd love to have more audience members. See you there!" With that said, she walked to another table.

The gang all put down the flyers and they looked at Drew and then at Daisy. Drew again, Daisy again.

"Umm...surprise?" May said.

"You're the lead in the play and you didn't tell me?!" Dawn said. The flyers had Drew holding the genie's lamp, May is there too and the Genie as well.

"Us." Paul corrected.

"You didn't tell us?!" Dawn said.

"Sorry...we wanted it to be a surprise." May said.

"Don't apologize." Dawn said. "I'm just happy that you will be the star of the show!"

"And you too Drew." Gary said. "I had no idea you two have theater class."

"None of us did." Ash said. "You guys really kept this secret...a secret."

"So, we'll see you guys in the theater for the play?" Drew asked.

"We'll be there!" Dawn answered.

"You guys will be amazed at how it turns out." May said.

"Can't wait!" Misty said.

"Put your hands together for Dawn!"

The audience in lunch started applauding and clapping. Dawn walked up on the stage and stood behind the microphone. It's an open mic today and Dawn decided to sing for everyone.

The music started playing and the audience silenced.

"Let's see how she does." Gary said.

"She'll be great." Misty said.

(This song is "Neverland" by Zendaya.)

Dawn closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She opened her eyes and started singing. "Whenever I was frightened or ever felt alone." She sang beautifully. "I turned to the night sky at a star I call my own. Somewhere I could run to, just across the Milky Way. If you like, I could take you. It's just a light year and a day."

"She's amazing." May said.

"We can sail away tonight on a sea of pure moonlight." Dawn sang while swaying.

"Of course she's amazing. I mean, singing is her passion." Misty said.

"Yeah…" May breathed.

"We can navigate the stars to bring us back home." Dawn continued. "In a place so far away. We'll be young, that's how we'll stay. Every wish is our command. When we find ourselves in Never, Neverland."

Dawn took out the microphone and moved the stand to the side. "Through all my make believe, there's some reality. In your reflection there's much more than you see." Dawn sang while slowly walking back and forth on the stage, making eye contact with people. "All that you hope for, you hope for today. Is the love someone gives you in an unconditional way."

"We can sail away tonight on a sea of pure moonlight." Dawn sang while walking down the stairs of the stage. Everyone watched as she walked down the aisle between the tables. "We can navigate the stars to bring us back home. In a place so far away. We'll be young, that's how we'll stay." Dawn stopped when she reached the gang. "Every wish is our command. When we find ourselves in Never, Neverland."

Dawn sat down at the table in between May and Paul. "Picture a land you'll never have seen." She sang to May. "Where life is eternal and evergreen." She sang to Drew. "Future of happiness all in your hands." She sang to Paul, grasping his hand in hers. "All in this place I created that I call Neverland." She held out the note and stood back up, letting go of Paul's hand.

Everyone watched as she started walking back to the stage. "We can sail away tonight on a sea of pure moonlight. We can navigate the stars to bring us back home. In a place so far away. We'll be young, that's how we'll stay." She walked up the stairs. "And with your hand in my hand, I am closer now to finding Neverland." She stood behind the microphone stand. "And with your hand in my hand, I am closer now to finding Neverland." She sang as she put the microphone in the stand. "Neverland." Her eyes are closed and she brings her song to an end. "Neverland."

The music fades out and Dawn opens her eyes. After a moment, the cafeteria was roaring with applause. Dawn let go of the microphone, stepped to the side and bowed. She waved her hand to the audience and walked off the stage.

"You were amazing Dawn!" May/Daisy exclaimed once Dawn sat down at their table.

"Thanks!" Dawn said happily.

"You should definitely sing another song on Saturday." Misty said.

"Maybe." Dawn said.

"Wait? Students can sing during the dance?" May questioned.

"Yeah." Drew answered. "It's like another open mic. The hosts of the dance let the students perform their own choice of songs if they want to."

"Cool." May said.

"Excellent job, everybody!" Teacher Lisa said. "I think the play is ready for tomorrow. You all are excused from your classes all day tomorrow. I want to see everyone here first period, so we can go over the play one last time."

"So, think you'll be ready tomorrow to act in front of an audience?" Drew asked.

May's legs are shaking and she's looking down, not listening to Drew.

"Daisy?"

May didn't hear her name called. ("An audience. An audience. Why am I so nervous now?") She thought.

"Daisy?" Drew said again, lifting her head up with his pointer finger. He gently moved her head to face him.

May blinked and snapped out of her thoughts. Drew lowered his hand.

"Nervous?" He asked.

"M-maybe a little…" she said, looking away again.

Drew reached out and turned her head again to face him. May blushed.

Drew pulled his hand back. He smirked. "It makes sense why you're nervous around me."

May furrowed her eyebrows. She elbowed Drew in the side and looked away from him. "I'm not nervous around you. I'm-"

"Nervous about the play." Drew finished, rubbing his side. "And around me." He added.

May whipped her head to face Drew again. She glared at him.

"You know it's true." Drew said. "But, about the play…"

"I know, I know, why am I nervous now of all times?" May said.

"That's not what I was going to say." Drew said.

May looked at him in confusion. "Then what?"

"Just...forget that the theater will be packed tomorrow." Drew said. "You've been doing perfectly fine during class. Tomorrow, just focus on…" Drew thought for a bit about how to finish that sentence.

"Focus on what?" May asked.

Drew took May's hand in his. "Us." He finished. "You got this role because we work so well together. No one else could evensay five words without stuttering."

May giggled. "Yeah…"

"We'll show everyone how great of a singer you are in the play." Drew said. "And all you need to think of to clear your mind of the size of the audience is…"

May waited for Drew to finish his sentence.

"Me." He finished. He then smirked.

May grabbed his hand and pulled it off of her hand. She threw Drew's hand at his lap angrily. "Jerk." She mumbled.

"I still have faith in you...Princess." Drew said.

May blushed. She quickly composed herself. "Don't call me that."

"Why not? You're Princess Jasmine in the play, so I think it's necessary."

"Just don't call me that." May said, eyebrows furrowed.

"Is there a reason?"

"No. I just...don't want to be called that." May said.

Drew cocked his head in confusion. He then smirked. "I'm still going to call you a Princess."

May looked at him angrily.

"I have to, for the play." Drew continued.

"Right…" May said, anger gone. "I'll try and take your advice for tomorrow as well."