After the morning rehearsal, I went to lunch. I really like chicken sandwiches and vegetables with apple juice made right from the garden out back, but right now I was too much of a nervous wreck to eat or drink anything.

But if didn't eat lunch I was going to be starving later and the last thing I needed while singing in front of 700 hundred students including 400 beautiful girls was to have a growling stomach.

I was there munching away at my lunch, trying to calm down the sourness in my gut. A few tables away were Lilia, Darla, Amanda, and Meagan. They were talking and laughing. Who knows what about. I don't have Super-Hearing Power.

I stared at them for a while. Then, Lilia's gaze turned to me. She smiled and waved a little. The other three looked at me then at her. I smiled and waved back.

Then, my lightbulb clicked. You know, the lightbulb that lights up above you when you get an idea. Well, mine is a compact fluorescent lightbulb. They're more efficient, cost less, and are better for the environment. That's the only kind of lightbulb that exists in Amarkia. Anyways, I had an idea. I took out my wallet. I'd been given five front-row tickets for the recital. I'd already given four away; for Kathy, Patty, Robert, and Greeny. Hmm. I had one left. Maybe, just maybe…yeah, why not?

Heh heh!

I finished my lunch and stood up and walked casually over to the girls' table. I smiled as politely and charmingly as possible. "Hey, girls. Mind if I join you?"

Amanda said, "Of course, Mr. Dreamboat."

Lilia scooted over. "You want to sit down?"

I nodded without even realizing. "Thanks." I sat down. Our shoulders were just barely touching, which sent shivers up and down my back.

"What did you want, cutie?" said Meagan. Oh, boy. One more comment and I was going to melt like butter on a grill.

I adjusted the collar of my shirt and cleared my throat. "Well, I just…" all four of them stared at me like as if was going to announce Doomsday or something. I had to say it. I looked at Lilia. "Well, nothing really. You see, since I'm going to sing at the recital, they gave me five front-row seat tickets and I gave my family the tickets. But I got one left over. And well, I was wondering if you might, uh, you know like it."

She stared at me for a while, bewildered. Then , she blinked several times and a small grin formed on her mouth. "Uh, well, are you sure? I mean, what about Larry?"

I sighed. "Larry goes to the front row even though he doesn't pay. He's sneaky." I looked at her right in the eye. "Plus, I'd like you to have it. You know how they always say that you should always look for a friendly face in the audience before performing? Why not have yours right up front? You have the prettiest face."

"Awww!" the other girls said.

"Isn't that sweet?" said Darla.

"So romantic!" said Meagan.

"Take it, honey. Chance of a lifetime," said Amanda.

Lilia's tannish-red cheeks were turning pink. She smiled softly. "Well, if you insist."

"Of course, I do!" Then, my lightbulb turned on again. "Say, I got an idea. Now just hear me out. See if you like the idea. Maybe I could pick you up? I have to get there early for the last rehearsal. And after the recital, I can get you to go backstage. I'll even have a dressing room, like the celebrities. They got a door with my name written in gold."

The girls laughed. "All right! How's 6:30 sound?" she asked.

I nodded. "Sure thing. I'll be there right on time."

She nodded. "Great!"

An awkward silence followed. I stared at my hands which were in my lap. For a while nobody said anything. Then Darla said, "Boy, what beautiful lunch trays they've got here!" she said, examining the tray. "It's just gorgeous! Gorgeous!"

I glared at her with a look that said, "Be quiet, will you?"

I slapped my knees. "Well, I gotta get going. You know, I have to cut school early today."

"Really?" said Amanda.

"Yeah. Gotta get home to practice again. Breathing exercises, then shower, style my hair, wash my face, dress up, eat something and then come like an hour and a half before the recital begins." I looked at my watch. "Well, see you girls tonight!"

They all said bye and waved at me.

I had just a few hours to get ready and save myself from possible public embarrassment. I quickly got home on my bike. Then I ran inside like a crazy guy. Then I showered. I washed my face, styled and combed my hair, shaved, got my best deodorant and then my after-shave lotion, got dressed up, ate a small meal, shined my shoes, and used my best cologne. Believe it or not, when I was done, it was 5:50 pm. I told you it would take a long time.

I looked at myself one last time in the mirror, and satisfied stepped out of my room. I bumped right into Larry. "Hey, watch it, will you, you jerk?" he said.

I groaned. "I don't have time right now, but I'll settle this with you later!"

He ignored me and kept walking down the hallway. Well, he would've only that Kathy came out of her room and the door slammed right into him, plastering him against the wall like play dough. I think I even saw stars around his head and heard birds chirping.

He staggered for a while then he shook his head and said, "Watch where you're going, you clumsy horse!"

Kathy gasped and her eyes got as big as plates. She stared at Larry in complete shock. "What. Did. You. Say."

Larry hadn't realized that it was Kathy who had smashed him. Then when he saw that it was her, he blinked his eyes, grinned foolishly, and gave his "I'm-in-big-trouble-laugh." You know, when he says, "Uh, ah, heh heh." Then he said, playing with his hands, "Well, well if it isn't Kathy the most annoying, I mean the, uh…"

Kathy interrupted him saying, "Oh, be quiet!" Then she looked at me. She smiled half-mischievously. "Well, what have we here!"

Oh, no. Here it comes. It happens every time I buy new suit. She always says something. The last time I'd gotten a medium-brown suit with a cerulean blue shirt and a tie with blue and brown stripes. Two shades of brown. Dark and light. You know what Kathy said when she saw me in that one? She said I looked like a candy bar. Yeah. Chocolate and caramel with blueberry sauce.

Sisters these days…they've not only gotten smarter and more sophisticated, they've also gotten bigger mouths.

I crossed my arms and waited for the wisecrack to come. "All right. Go ahead. Say it. You always do, you always have, and you always will. Just say it. Say I look like a freak." In case you're wondering, I'd gotten a dark blue suit with a baby blue tie and handkerchief and a turquoise shirt. I'd liked it.

She smiled. "No, no, no. You look very handsome." She kissed me on the cheek. Well, that was a surprise.

"Well, you don't look half-bad yourself, sis," I said. She was wearing a dark brown spaghetti-strap dress with a matching black jacket.

Larry nodded. "Yeah, he's right. You don't look half-bad."

We both stared at him in shock. Larry was saying that Kathy looked nice?! He didn't even like her…or to be more accurate, she didn't like him. You see…do we have some time? Yeah, we do. And even if we don't, we'll make time.

You see, back when Kathy was ten—I was 10 ½, Patty was 10, Robert was eight, Greeny was 3, and oh, it was some months before my parents died—Kathy had a party for her friends. It was a girls-only party, but somehow, Larry managed to sneak in. I was…fishing. Oh yeah. I was fishing with Dad at the river.

Anyways, Larry couldn't help pulling one of his wise-guy routines, and he caused all the balloons to explode with water. It was a shame that Kathy had ordered about two hundred balloons. And they were the biggest ones in the market.

Besides leaving everyone soaking wet, it caused a gigantic deal of humiliation and embarrassment. In short, the party was cut by about five hours, Kathy lost six friends, her bracelet, someone had broken her ankle, the room was left a big mess, and Larry ended up eating all the food and the drinks. He even ate some of the plates and cups.

And since then, well, let's just say that my sister has become less and less fond of Larry every time. It's not easy when your sister is hostile towards your best friend, you know?

So, now you know why Kathy doesn't like Larry. Anyways, that's why we both were shocked that Larry had complemented Kathy on her dress. But I mean, she wasn't a little girl anymore. I mean, she was a young lady. A beautiful one too. Kinda made me sad. I felt like she was growing up too fast. Makes me feel more like a father than a brother who's only a few months older. In Amarkian years. Not in Gregorian Calendar years.

Back to the story…after I told Kathy that she didn't look half-bad, Larry had agreed with me. When Kathy recovered from her shock, I could see…was she blushing?! Yeah, she was! Her cheeks were turning pink! "Oh, well, thanks Larry. You really think I don't look half-bad?"

He shook his head. "No, you don't look half-bad. You look all-bad."

Well so much for maturing! Kathy sighed annoyed and I rolled my eyes and said, "Ay ya yay!"

"Come one guys. We have to go. Where's Patty? And the boys?" I said.

"They'll be out."

As if on cue, the rest of the family stepped out. Patty was wearing a yellow-and-green 1950's style dress. Believe it or not, those styles are still popular here in Amarkia even if we are in 2015. Then Robert came out. He was wearing a light-blue/white collared shirt and dress pants. He'd styled his hair too.

I never did mention Robert's physical characteristics, right? Sorry. He's about five-foot, one-inch. Weighs about 115 pounds. His eyes are kind of unique too. Heh. When I mean that beauty really runs in the family, I really do mean it. Anyways, his eyes are green with gray and olive-brown dyes, depending on the light and your point of view. He has long, flowing dark blond hair. He likes to style his hair with a slightly visible parting down the middle of his head and his hair sort of hugs the sides of his head. I mean, his hair is really thick. You can't even see his ears.

Anyways, we all stepped outside and into TIV. I really need to get myself a regular car. I got about, oh $578 million in my checking account. Oh, don't be so shocked. That's like $3,000 to us.

We drove out of the Palace Gates and up to Lilia's driveway. I got out and walked briskly up to her front door. I rang the doorbell and waited. She answered almost immediately. She was wearing a pale green dress and a light touch of make-up.

She smiled at me. "Wow! You look very handsome. You look so cute! I like your tie. Brings out your pretty eyes!"

I smiled at her and mercy! My poor old heart went to pounding again. "Thanks. You look beautiful. And cute. And pretty."

She closed the door behind her and, boy did I not expect what happened next. She grabbed my hand. It sent electric shivers all over me.

And of course I opened the door for her and helped her step into TIV. It's kinda high, you know? We got to the concert theater in time. There were a few people there. Mostly teachers, staff, volunteer parents, and…huh?! Reporters? Oh, great. Just what I needed.

Oh well. Freedom of the media and the press, right? Well, I told everyone to wait out in the hall, while I went backstage.

I met with the choir team and the teacher. Boy, was she a nervous wreck, jumping all over the place and running back and forth. And it didn't help that all the girls were staring at me. Seriously, that's the last thing I needed. We rehearsed for about a little while, then I went to my dressing room while I waited for the time to start.

I was staring at myself in the mirror for about an hour and a half, until a knocking at my door at 7:56 woke up me up from my trance. I checked one last time and went to the stage. I was about to take my position with the others when the teacher held me back and said, "Oh, no-no-no! You have to wait for yourself. You're going to have two hours all for yourself!"

HUH? "Wait a minute! You mean I don't even get accompanied by an orchestra or by the other choir members?"

She shook her head, obviously naïve to my nervousness. "With a voice as beautiful and talented and gifted as yours, you don't need all that fussy stuff. You can be an orchestra and choir all by yourself!"

Well that was a refreshing thought. So now I had to wait beside the curtains while the choir sang its parts. I was there sitting for about an hour. By the end of it all, I'd chewed all my nails off, and had paced up and down the backstage so many times that a canyon started to form. No kidding.

I started to sweat. It was a good thing I used a good chunk of cologne and deodorant. It would need to come in handy.

Finally, I heard applauses. I looked at my 98-karat gold watch with the silver numbers and the copper hands. It was 8 pm. Well, I guess the time had come. I stood up, as straight as I could and with very shaky legs walked to the stage. In front of hundreds of people. Gulp!

Well, here we go.

I walked in front of the closed curtains and the spotlight hit me directly. There was thunderous applause that lasted for about four minutes nonstop. Not kidding. I was handed a cordless microphone. I waited for the applause to calm down.

I took a deep breath. "How are you all?" Applauses and cheers. "Well, I'm very excited to be here. And, uh, I hope you'll like me up here more than when I'm passing new tax laws." Oh, they liked that. There was laughter all throughout.

Well, this is it. Point of no return. Question is what kind of point is it.