Chapter 5. Magic Spell

It was two days after AJ had mentioned that BF5 needed a new member that he walked by Vert's room and heard him attempting to sing one of BF5's songs that was on YouTube. Vert had groaned, said "Fuck it!" and something crashed on the other side of the room. Convinced that Vert had in fact been trying to record some kind of audition for BF5, AJ resoled to help his best friend. Even if it required some… unconventional methods. He was going to need Tezz's help.

The next day Vert had come home covered in what looked to be a mix of oil, grease, and baby powder. AJ opened his mouth to say something, but Vert shushed him and immediately headed for the bathroom. AJ waited until he heard the door slam before pulling out his phone.

What did you and Axel do? He texted Tezz.

Tezz: Physics experiment. He was very eager to help me test it.

AJ: I'm not even gonna ask.

It was two days after the Incident as Vert had called it that he told AJ about the prank war.

"I need yours and Tezz's help to really get Axel back," Vert said, sitting down on the couch and leaned his guitar against the coffee table. "I know he didn't come up with that last one alone. Probably that boyfriend of his."

AJ nodded, deciding it was best not to mention that it was actually Tezz helping him. "Count me in, dude. I don't know about Tezz though."

"Tell him I'm willing to do anything."

AJ winced. "That's a dangerous statement."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures."

Vert leaned down and grabbed his guitar.

"Vert Wheeler," AJ said, whipping out his phone and hitting record. "What are you going to sing for us today?

Vert stared at him. "Dude, really? Every time?"

"Aww, c'mon." AJ pouted. "You know my mom loves hearing you play." That much was true. But AJ wasn't recording this video for his mom.

Vert continued to glare at him.

"Dude. She'll send us more brownies."

"Fine." Vert huffed. "But only because of the brownies."

"So, what song is it?"

"Magic Spell by Mark Hildreth."

...

Tezz sat on the couch in Stanford's apartment, his phone in his hand, trying to drown out the chatter of everyone around him. When he told Stanford that he might know someone to replace Simon, Stanford had gotten so excited that he'd called the others over to come and listen to Tezz's friend.

"Did he send it yet?" Stanford asked excitedly, trying to look at the phone over Tezz's shoulder.

"Stanford. I will tell you when AJ sends the video." Tezz said, scooting away from him. "Until then please keep your voice down ad your shaking the couch to a minimum."

"Sorry, Tezz. I'm just excited."

"Understandably."

Tezz's phone went off and he could see Stanford attempting to look uninterested.

"Stanford."

"Hmm? Yes, Tezz?"

"It's the video."

Stanford launched himself at Tezz while Zoom, Sherman, and Spinner all crowded around behind them. Tezz, resigned to his fate of being stuck between all of them, pressed play.

"Vert Wheeler, what are you going to sing for us today?

"Dude, really? Every time?"

"Aww, c'mon. You know my mom loves hearing you play."

"Dude. She'll send us more brownies."

"Fine. But only because of the brownies."

"So, what song is it?"

"Magic Spell by Mark Hildreth."

"If I could bring the world light
With a magic spell
If I could only see the sight
I would try like hell
If I could make something right
It might parallel
I would try like hell
With my magic spell

I'm gonna live my life
Like there's no-one to blame
Wasting time
Is a crying shame
Little yellow world
You're gonna know my name
And I want you to see
That it's you and me

A paradise
Of telling lies
Well I built my life
Around you
Paralyzed
Heaven dies
You gotta build your life
Around truth

I'm gonna live my life
Like there's no-one to blame
Wasting time
Is a crying shame
Little yellow world
You're gonna know my name
And I want you to see
That it's you and me

Oh, to cast my magic spell
It falls on us like rain
It's so hard for you to see
Just a piece of my mind
But I'm trying it again

I'm gonna live my life
Like there's no-one to blame
Wasting time
Is a crying shame
You're my little girl
And if it's all the same
Well, I want you to see
That it's you and me."

As soon as the video ended, Stanford leapt from the couch and proceeded to dance around the living room.

"That's him!" He exclaimed. "He's the one, Tezz! He's perfect!"

"That's gay, Stanford." Zoom said. "And I would know because I am. But yeah, I agree."

"I'm bi, Zoom. So, it's okay."

Tezz rolled his eyes at them. "His name is Vert Wheeler."

"Vert Wheeler." Spinner repeated. "Why does that name sound familiar?"

"He looks kind of familiar too," Sherman added.

"Figure that out later," Stanford said. "What do you think about him replacing Simon?"

Sherman and Spinner looked at each other, nodded, then turned back to Stanford. "Yeah. We like him."

Stanford grinned like a kid on Christmas morning. "This is perfect! Tezz, can I have his number?"

...

Vert was in the middle of pulling a hot pocket out of the microwave when his phone went off. He finished putting it on a plate and grabbed the phone off the counter.

It was a text from a number he didn't know.

(xxx)-xxx-xxxx: Hello there! My name's Stanford Isaac Rhodes IV from the a Capella group Battle Force 5. I'm contacting you to let you know that we saw your cover of Magic Spell and would like to formally offer you a spot within the BF5! You can call or text be back at this number whenever it's convenient for you! Have a wonderful rest of your day!

Vert stared at the message for several minutes. "What the fuck?" He whispered to himself. "How the-" Realization dawned on him. AJ. He turned to AJ, still sitting on the couch, and whipped the hot pocket at him. "AIDAN JAMES DALTON! YOU'RE FUCKING DEAD!"