A few months have passed. The school year has been utterly amazing. This was the kind of school that everyone wants to go to. There's hardly any rules there.
It was January. After spending two weeks of Christmas vacation back home, I was alreaady heading back to New York.
The snow was freezing. I wasn't that used to cold winter. Back in Miami, there was never that much snow.
Trish and Rosie became my two best friends. They were such loud, fun, and crazy girls. They both kind of brought out the weirdness, wild, and awesome side of me that I never knew that I even had. I was now a changed person.
Rosie was an amazing singer and musician. Her voice is a mix of the voices of Katy Perry, Rhianna, Christina Aguilera, and Adele. Very deep and a little Gospel. She was able to play the violin, drums, trumpet, and flute. Rosie admitted that when she was seven she took piano lessons, but she found them too difficult and quit.
Trish is an aspiring actress. This was her second year here in MUNY. Every time we were having a school play, Trish is in our room practicing for her auditions. Her dream is to be a big star on Broadway. The plays we had this year were Hairspray, Annie, Les Miserables, Romeo & Juliet, and Little Shops of Horror. She didn't get the leading roles, but she got to sing and say a few lines.
Kira was a huge problem. She seemed to be offended by me. I wasn't trying to take the spotlight away from her. But if she thinks that, then she needs to keep it to herself.
Another thing has been on my mind all semester: Austin Moon. I just couldn't get him off my mind.
Everyday in Algebra, we would always stare at each other. Kira would sometimes catch us and gave me a dirty look, but I didn't care. She can't come in between us.
Was it possible that I was falling in love with him? I don't even know him. I have never said one word to him. Now I think I'm falling for him. Is it a little strange that I have daydreams and regular sleeping dreams of him? Rosie and Trish don't know that I had dreams of him. In my diary, when I write about him, I don't use his name. He is adressed in his codename "X-Man." I know Rosie kind of got me hooked on one of her favorite Marvel movies: X-Men.
The second semester has begun. Rosie and I were heading to Algebra. Once we sat down in our desks, the bell rang.
"All right, class," said Penbrooke. "I have some exciting news."
"You're getting a toupee?" asked Rosie.
Everyone started laughing.
"No, Ms. Rosie. Students, the annual Big Show Case is coming."
I raised my hand. "Uhh... Mr. Penbrooke, some of us are kind of new here. What's the Big Show Case?"
"It's the biggest perfomance in the school. It's like a giant talent show. You have a group, perform, and get the judges' approval. Do it three times. In the third round, it's now or never. We invite producers and record labels, talent agents, and all that."
"I think that's a big waste of time," said a voice from the back. It was Austin.
"Well, Mr. Austin, that's your opinion." said Penbrooke.
"In my opinion, the Big Show Case is like American Idol and Wipeout. Judges, music, and humiliation. Just shows others that they're not talented enough."
"Mr. Austin, you may not like it, but a lot of other students want to participate as well, right?"
"Of course!" said Kira. "We already know who's gonna win."
"Us." said Tilly.
"How about this, Kira?" said Austin. "What if I started my own group of aspiring musicians?"
"You? Austin, please!"
"I'm serious. You think you're the best? I can form a group of people who are as talented as you and perform with them. That will make me invincible. How you like them apples?"
"Wow, Austin. As if you think you can get back on stage after what happened last year."
Austin's face turned to depressed and upset. Kira smiled like the witch she was.
"How do you know that y'all are going to win?" I asked. "It hasn't even started yet."
"Because no one here is that talented." said Kira.
"We're in a school full of talented and gifted people. Some of them may be good at singing, dancing, and playing an instrument, but not at the same time."
"She's got a point," said Austin.
"Only the judges give points." Kira looked back at me. "Are you thinking what I am thinking?"
"I don't know what you're thinking at all, so what is it?"
"You're going to form your own group of wannabes and try to beat me. I'm sorry, sweetheart, but that only happens in the movies."
"Who says that I can't perform in the Big Show Case?"
"This competition is for pros. I'm pretty sure you're way below the scale."
"And you broke the scale?"
"No one can beat us. You know why?"
"Confused about your sexuality? Yeah, I thought so too."
Most people started giggling.
"You know what?!"
"No, what?"
"I will-"
"Ladies, settle down now," interrupted Penbrooke. "Let's get along now."
"Yes, we should." said Kira.
"Oh, joy." I sarcastically said.
I can't believe I was sticking up for myself to Kira. For some reason, I felt so powerful and confindent in myself now. It's like I can do anything. I could fly off into the sky like Superman. Well, I can't fly and I'm not Kryptonian, so cross out flying on my bucket list.
After the bell rang, I was stopped in the hallway by someone. I turned back and it was Austin.
"Hey," he said.
"H-Hi."
"You're...Ally, right?"
"Yeah. I'm Ally."
"I'm Austin."
"Okay, Austin."
"Listen. I saw what you did there to Kira. I'm very impressed. No one has ever insulted her like that."
"She needed a taste of her own medicine."
"I know she can be a bitch sometimes, but... never mind. She's always a bitch."
I giggled a bit.
"So listen. As you may had heard, I will form my group for the Big Show Case."
"I know. You said that in class."
"Are you talented?"
"Me? Uhh...I don't know."
"I see that you dislike Kira a lot, but who doesn't? I wondering if you would like to join my group."
"Join your group?"
"Yeah."
"Uhh...that's nice of you to ask me, but I'm not the center-stage type. I like to make music to myself."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I'm sorry. I have to go."
As much as I wanted to perform and piss off Kira, I just couldn't do it. My stage fright was suddenly coming back to me. I could sing during my singing classes or do improv in my acting classes.
It was back. My stage fright had returned to haunt me once again.
As the sun went down, I headed to the showers. It was strange about not having showers in our bedrooms. It never said that the showers were divided to boy and girl.
I had on my robe and carried my towel in my arm and my shampoo bag in the other.
I walked in there. Some people were showering already. The sounds of a guy and girl giggling were making me a bit uncomfortable, but I shook it off.
Before I got into the shower, I was beginning to sing No Diggity. It was one of the many songs on my iPod.
It's going down, fade to Blackstreet
The homies got RB, collab' creations
Bump like acne, no doubt
I put it down, never slouch
As long as my credit can vouch
A dog couldn't catch me ass out
I got into the shower. The warm water that hit the skin of my body gave me goosebumps. I still continued singing.
Tell me who can stop when Dre makin' moves
Attracting honeys like a magnet
Giving 'em eargasms with my mellow accent
Still moving this flavor
With the homies Blackstreet and Teddy
The original rump shakers
"I knew it!" A voice said that made me jumped.
I turned around and it was Austin. The shower curtain was open and he was naked.
"Dude!" I yelled. I yanked the shower curtain closed, but then he opened it again. "Oh, my God!" I was trying not to stare at him and his naked body.
"You can sing. I just knew it!"
"Yes, I can sing. Now get out."
I turned the water off and leaned up against the tile wall.
"You were singing No Diggity, weren't you?"
"You know that song?"
"Hell yeah. That song is my jam."
"Lovely."
"Can you sing it?"
"Uhh...right now? I kind of have no clothes on me."
"Sing it."
I stood there in silence. "I'm not leaving until you sing."
My heart was beating fast. I'm standing here butt-naked and this guy who's also naked wants me to sing. How much weird could this possibly get?
Shorty get down, good Lord,
I started.
Baby got 'em up open all over town
Strictly biz, she don't play around,
Austin sang along with me.
Cover much ground, got game by the pound
Getting paid is her forte
Each and every day, true player way
I can't get her out of my mind
I think about the girl all the time
East side to the west side
Pushin' phat rides, it's no surprise
She got tricks in the stash
Stacking up the cash
Fast when it comes to the gas
By no means average
She's on when she's got to have it
Baby, you're a perfect ten, I wanna get in
Can I get down, so I can win
I like the way you work it,
sanged Austin.
No diggity, I got to bag it up, bag it up,
I sanged.
I like the way you work it
No diggity, I got to bag it up, bag it up
I like the way you work it
No diggity, I got to bag it up, bag it up
I like the way you work it
No diggity, I got to bag it up, bag it up
We stopped singing. I stared at him surprised and a nervous.
"Oh," he said. He handed me a towel. "Here.
"I still need to shower, so..." I gave him the towel back.
"Yeah, sorry for umm...interrupting your shower."
"It's okay."
"I mean I didn't see anything. Well, I kind of did, but wasn't trying to."
"Okay."
Before he went back to his shower, he said, "By the way, you have some pretty breasts."
"Uhh...thanks," I awkwardly said. I blushed a little. "I like your...penis?"
"Thanks. I'll take that as a compliment."