The 4th challenge! Clichés and Sayings I chose #2 – Practice makes Perfect
This is another attempt at writing a semi normal Macy- I really do miss crazy Macy though, but I guess it's okay since I just wrote Curls.
Disclaimer: I don't own JONAS? really? well that sucks. I would love to own it- at least Kevin Lucas.
Perfection
By From the End of Heaven
Practice makes perfect.
It had been the mantra of Nick's life since the first time he messed up in front of a group of people.
It was only a minute long oral report on clouds in first grade, but he never forgot what it was like to have his classmates snicker at him- the feeling of being frozen unable to move or speak- brain function completely gone. Granted he wasn't the worst one- but he hated any of that mocking laughter.
Since then he devoted any spare time he had to practice- because we all know practice makes perfect, and Nick strived for perfection.
His brothers were sometimes annoyed by his obsessive behavior, but they knew that it was Nick's urging, pushing and threatening that made JONAS a household name. They let him be mostly; occasionally Kevin or Joe would put their foot down and insist that Nick take a break, but he rarely gave in. They told him to relax, they sounded awesome and they had never really screwed up a song. Nick held strong- he knew that his passion for perfection is what made them a success and he wouldn't lose all his hard work.
He sat in the atrium his guitar in hand- JONAS was performing live acoustically on the radio in two days and he hated it when bands sounded bad live. It was like they actually weren't any good unless they were computerized. Sure they may have written the song themselves- but what's the use of writing and performing it if it doesn't sound good in real life? He plucked the notes repeatedly, never once missing a beat.
"Sounds amazing" Nick turned to the voice.
"Thanks Mace."
"Practicing again?"
"Yep" Nick turned back to his guitar as Macy sat next to him.
"Nick- you wrote that song 2 years ago and have not stopped performing it- I think you've got it down" Nick smiled inwardly- Macy was still Macy.
"Never hurts to practice."
Macy shrugged.
"Practice makes perfect after all." He added.
"Actually, practice makes better. Only perfect practice makes perfect."
Nick's face scrunched in confusion as he twisted towards her. "What?"
"Perfect practice makes perfect."
"I don't think that's how the phrase goes…"
"I know it's just a common misunderstanding" Macy said matter-o-factly.
"What?" Nick said for the second time in a period of 25 seconds.
"Something can't be perfect unless you practice it perfectly. Therefore unperfect practice just makes it better."
Nick was speechless.
"It's something my golf coach used to say to us all the time; he was always ragging on us to practice perfectly. He never accepted anything less. It was part of the reason I quit playing for the school. Now I just play for me."
Nick was silent as he tried to digest everything- finally he said,
"Macy you have just turned my world upside down. "
Macy cocked her head and smiled confusedly. "Um… I don't know whether that's a good thing or a bad thing."
"I'm not sure yet either."
"hmm, well I have to go- but if it makes you feel better I think the song sounds perfect."
"Thanks."
Macy's twisting of his favorite cliché nagged at him the rest of the day. Based on her astute comment, perfection was unattainable- he would be a fool to try to be perfect.
Nick Lucas was not a fool.
Maybe he didn't have to be perfect- maybe he could be just plain old awesome.
Awesome was good right? Awesome was awesome.
Maybe he could play more for himself, maybe he could relax a little more. Maybe life wasn't meant to be perfect at all. Wasn't it the imperfections that made it all the more intriguing? Imperfections are what made life, life. Without those imperfections the world would be gray- and the same. Millions of perfectly dressed people, saying the perfectly right things at the right time. It sounded like an easy life- but perfectly boring at the same time.
If Kevin and Joe were suddenly perfect would that make them better people? Would he even want to be around them as much?
He tried to imagine a world where Kevin didn't fantasize about woodland animals playing instruments, and Joe actually being practical on a daily basis. Nick shuddered in distaste.
Yeah, he'll go for awesome.
Later as JONAS rehearsed for their radio performance, Nick got up after just an hour and a half of practice.
"Bro what's up?" Joe asked
"Are you feeling okay?" Kevin questioned as he placed the back of his hand on Nick's forehead.
"I'm fine" Nick assured, lightly swatting Kevin's hand away.
"Ok then- not that I'm complaining- but don't you want to practice more?" Joe motioned to the drums.
"yeah- because practice makes perfect" Kevin mocked.
Nick smiled at them "We sound awesome" He raised arms in an 'am I right?' gesture. "Besides we've been playing that song for so long now- I bet we could perform it blindfolded on one foot and still sound awesome."
Joe and Kevin stared at him and glanced to each other and shrugged.
"All right then!"
"I'm not going to question it!"
Nick spent the rest of the evening with Joe, Kevin and Frankie playing monopoly. As Kevin argued with Joe over the puppy play piece- Nick smiled again for the second time that night.
Perfection was overrated.
