A/N: And I'm back! This season takes off in the summer just like the last one. I won't be doing a serious take on The Breakfast Bunch, since that's arguably a non-canon special episode. Here's a short one to start us off. Welcome Talia back! She's one of my favorites in the WEV universe.
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The start of the summer after 10th grade was not as exciting and full as promise as the last.
For one, Robbie ended up serving a week's worth of detention for punching Enrique Esposito in the face. It was only a week of shelving a lazy librarian's end-of-year book load, because it was Robbie that did the punching. Principal Dubois applauded Robbie caring so much about a friend that he couldn't restrain himself from punching a jerk's lights out.
Summer also saw Beck leaving for Manitoba and Cat leaving for Italy again.
But that didn't mean it was an entirely lousy summer either.
Tori and Jade landed roles in a local production of The Wizard of Oz. They were in the ensemble, true, but it was still work in show business.
André spent his summer working on an EP.
When Robbie was finally released from detention, he went back to the Fox Performing Arts Center to work for Aldis Browning.
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The gang finally reunited for Jade's birthday, which was quickly becoming a tradition. They had ice cream at Magnolia's and caught up to what everyone had been doing in the months prior.
Talia was around to join them, sandwiched between Robbie and Jade in the booth they were occupying. "You guys wanna come by my church gig tonight?" she asked nervously.
"You're performing?" Tori asked excitedly.
Talia nodded with a shy smile.
"She's on the music team for their fellowship night," Robbie added, quite proud of his girlfriend.
"Count us in," Beck said.
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The HA6++ gang entered the auditorium Talia had pointed them to.
A few student volunteers greeted them at the door and led them to their seats. Random teenagers said hello and struck up conversations with them. Some of them were nicer than others.
"You're Talia's friends, the ones from the arts school!" exclaimed one of the boys. "She's shown us some of the stuff you do. It's really cool."
A second guy in the group, probably a few years old, sized Robbie up and asked, "You're the Jewish kid she's dating then, eh?" He was built like a linebacker and didn't look very happy to be speaking to Robbie.
To Robbie's credit, he did not squeak verbally. "Y-yeah, we hang out."
The intimidating guy gave a nod. "You hurt her, I will deal with you personally and ask for forgiveness later."
"Andrew," the first boy said in a warning tone.
Andrew relented and walked away.
Soon enough, the lights dimmed, and the music team (including Talia) took the stage.
I was done, I was lost
I was asleep at the wheel, I was drifting off
My heart was failing, my heart was failing
In the dark, heard a song
It was the sweetest sound that I've ever heard
And my soul went sailing, oh yeah, my soul went sailing
I'm waking up, I'm waking up
I can feel my heart beating and breath in my lungs
Like a shock wave burning inside of my chest
I should have been gone and could have been dead
I'm waking up, I'm waking up
I can feel my heart beating and breath in my lungs
I'm on fire, finally free, I am alive in the land of the living
Here I am, moving on
We're gonna take back all that the devil stole
I found my healing, oh yeah, I found my healing
I am me, I am loved
We're gonna march to the beat of a different drum
We're gonna run with the horses
I'm gonna cross over Jordan
I'm waking up, I'm waking up
I can feel my heart beating and breath in my lungs
It's like a shock wave burning inside of my chest
I should have been gone and could have been dead
I'm waking up, I'm waking up
I can feel my heart beating and breath in my lungs
I'm on fire, finally free, I am alive in the land of the living
Can you hear the music? Can you hear the sound?
Love in all its beauty is singing all around
Can you hear the music? Can you hear the sound?
Love in all its beauty is singing all around
I know that you're singing all around
I'm waking up, I'm waking up
I can feel my heart beating and breath in my lungs
I'm on fire, finally free
I am alive, I am alive
I'm waking up
Yeah, I'm waking up
I can feel my lungs breathing
I can hear you singing
I am alive in the land of the living
Talia and her band led the audience in a few more songs before a pastor came up to share an encouraging talk geared toward helping students find their calling in life.
The HA6+ gang, while not incredibly religious, couldn't help but appreciate the sound advice to consider doing what they were naturally gifted at, sharpen it, and not be afraid to change tracks in the future.
"The road you're on right now does not have to be the road you're on for life, and in the grand scheme of things, if the road you're on isn't the one leading to heaven, it doesn't have to be the road you're on for eternity either," the pastor said, ending his message before a prayer.
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A/N: And that was We The Kingdom's "Waking Up". Borrowing it, because it's one of the songs I keep on loop these days. It felt like a Talia thing to do to find her own way to perform.