"Oh, dammit!"
I grab my foot after stubbing my toe, and hop down the hallway as fast as I could. Tonight's Regionals, so naturally I'm freaking out. The other girls are excited, but I'm out of my mind. If we lose, it's on me. If the Trebles lose, it's still on me.
I finally make it to the girls just as the Harmonics are finishing. Damn, I missed their performance. Now I'll have no idea if I have to worry. Except, the fact that the crowd is giving them a standing ovation may help. Crap, crap, crap.
Taylor comes towards us with a cocky grin, and I glare at him. The Trebles come up behind us, as it's their turn to perform. He slides past us without a word.
"Well, that was odd. Usually he has something to say," I think aloud.
"Maybe he was admiring your beauty," Jesse whispers into my hair, wrapping his arms around my waist.
"No," I say, "You're much more attractive. I think he went gay when he first saw you. You should ask for his number."
"Really?" He asks playing along, "I don't think he'll like me."
"You're such a nerd. Go on, you're song is about to start."
He lets go, but before he goes on stage, he turns to give me a smile. I return it, and Jenny comes up to stand next to me.
"Whipped. So whipped," she says with a smirk.
I try to come up with some sort of sarcastic response, but I can't. I can't concentrate the second Jesse starts singing Payphone by Maroon 5.
Only one thought formulates in my brain.
Maybe Jenny is right.
Not that I'd ever tell her that.
….
"One, two, three, four."
Jenny starts singing. Inspired by the Riff-off, we unanimously decided to start the set with Heart Attack by Demi Lovato.
"Never put my love out on the line
Never said yes to the right guy
Never had trouble getting what I want
But when it comes to you, I'm never good enough."
When Stacie intercepts the song, the words match directly with her personality.
"When I don't care
I can play 'em like a Ken doll
Won't wash my hair
Then make 'em bounce like a basketball."
As the girls switch off with their parts, I wait for my queue to start singing.
"But you make me wanna act like a girl
Paint my nails and wear high heels
Yeah, it's you, make me so nervous
That I just can't hold your hand," Amy belts out.
As she finishes the last line, I know it's my turn to start the chorus. Nervously, but whole-heartedly, I begin to sing.
"You make me glow, but I cover up
Won't let it show, so I'm—"
The girls start to harmonize with me in perfect pitch, "Puttin' my defenses up,
Cause I don't wanna fall in love
If I ever did that
I think I'd have a heart attack.
I think I'd have a heart attack.
I think I'd have a heart attack."
On the last word, our voices become softer and lower, as Cynthia Rose starts to rap Super Bass.
"This one is for the boys with the booming system
Top down, AC with the cooling system
When he come up in the club, he be blazin' up
Got stacks on deck like he savin' up—"
When we finish the entire set, the crowd goes wild, reminding me of championship last year. My smile grows wider as I spot Chloe and Aubrey in the crowd cheering for us. They decided to come to every show, because, and I quote, "We need to make sure you don't f*ck up everything we've accomplished."
After Chloe playfully glared at Aubrey for saying that, she promised she'd be there to support us in every competition for the next three years.
"Thank you," I tell her.
She leans in and whispers in my ear, "I told you we'd be fast friends."
I send her a ghost of a smile while I nervously turn my sight and attention to the announcer.
….
Oh my god.
I replay the moment in my mind. This cannot be happening. This is my fault.
We came in first place.
The Trebles came in third, knocked down by none other than the BU Harmonics. Taylor.
I lock eyes with Jesse and I walk to him. The boys are in shock, and Taylor is smirking over at me. I flip him off and turn away.
"Jesse," I say, "I have a plan."