Alixia had settled well into her classes. She hadn't made many new friends, expect from Amber and her cohort – if you could call them 'friends'. More like reluctant acquaintances. It was the last 15 minutes of school, Mr Kolwalski let them have the last hour to do what they wished – as long as it was academic in nature. Get ahead start on some homework, read from a textbook of their choosing; even its not something they're studying. Alix was reading from favourite historical book about Greek Mythology, she was quite enjoying it too until she felt a piece of paper thwack the back of her head. She turned. It was Amber "Psst, Alex. What'd you have planned this weekend?" she had stopped correcting her because clearly it wasn't working
"Homework mostly"
"We're heading to the mall. There's a crazy sale at Always 17" Amber
"50% shoes and accessories. I'm gonna by so many hats!" Chloe
"If I had the time, I was hoping to catch that new movie, Ravenna" Amber and the girls looked at her with such judgement. "Ravenna? Isn't that a kids movie"
"Well it's a cartoon musical, if that's what you mean"
"Well we're heading to the mall at around 11, if you end up not seeing that Ravena or whatever then come and find us"
Alix left the school, walking past kids collecting their bikes when she noticed Gus and his friends. She sighed to herself, she didn't really want to watch the film by herself so she walked over to them. "Hi guys" she said cheerily
Hey Lix" said T.J "what's up?"
Wondering what your plans are this weekend?" she asked meekly. The gang paused, they'd never been asked by a sixth grader such a personal question.
"Well Saturday we were planning to go to ride our bikes to the lake" T.J said
"Of course making sure our homework is done first" Gretchen insisted, slightly flustered by the sixth year's interest in their social circle. Alix could sense this and quickly added "I'm not spying or anything. I'm trying to find someone to go see Ravenna with me" she said
Isn't that film for kids" Spinelli asked
No" Alix said, slightly too quickly "it's a cartoon musical, its not for kids"
"Didn't you want to see that film Mikey" Gus piped up
"Yeah, but we have plans on Saturday"
"Would Sunday be okay?" she asked, desperately
"Uh sure" he replied. Alix gave a loud squeal, "Mikey! You're the best!" she hugged him and then ran down the street "see you Sunday!" she called
Sunday afternoon, a little before 12 Alix cycled up to the cinema. She saw Mikey standing there waiting for her "thanks again Mikey" she said locking her bike next to Mikey's "It's okay" Mikey assured her "I'm a big Miller-Bound fan and don't usually have anyone to go with"
"I love Miller-Bound!" she yelled. The two set of into the cinema for the grand retelling of the Grim tale of The Raven.
After 90 minutes of animated musical fun, Mikey and Alix come out of the cinema, beaming from ear to ear.
"That was great!" Alix yelled.
"Poor Ravenna, spending all that time as a bird. Able to fly but never to be free" and then without any warning, Mikey began to sing the prince's solemn solo from the film, "silent now I shall stay for seven years I'll be this way. Saving my Ravenna" Alix looked at him shocked. Mikey looked back at her.
"You voice is amazing Mikey!"
"Thanks" he blushed. Complimented by a sixth grader! The two walked to their bikes, "I don't know how they manage it, but every year Miller-Bound Studios always come out with songs that are so freaking catchy. That witch's song will be stuck in my head for weeks!" Alix took a breath in and sang the key, in her powerhouse voice – "it's the Gresila method! Patent Pending. Mikey looked up at her stunned "Wow!" Alix smiled meekly. Mikey suddenly got an idea. "I have a place we could go and sing some more if you wants?"
"Sure" she said. The two get on their bikes and cycled with Mikey in front, leading the way. They cycled down paths and around creeks until Mikey stopped. He wheeled his bike through, past the delicate willow leaves. Alix followed and stopped in awe. It was a secluded forest. It was beautiful. Gentle sunlight filters through a canopy of oak and cedar trees, in the middle lies a secluded lake adorned with moss-covered branches and carpets of soft ferns.
It was seemingly the corner of the forest as at the back was a small limestone cave, Mikey offered his hand to her. The two moves her over to the cave, Mikey giving his hand to help Alix across and even lifting her over mossy sections and slippery patches. The two sat at the entrance of the cave. "I come here sometimes when I want to sing. Gretchen said that caves and canyons offers impressive echo and reverb effects, whatever that means so I found this cave and it seems to make my voice louder" Mike takes a deep breath in and sings,
"Quando sono solo songo all'orizzonte e mancan le parole. Si lo so che non c'luce in una stanza quando manca il sole, se non ci sei tu con me, con me" His voice was breathtaking, especially from someone who can't be older than 10! Alix then thought about her own voice and how she was only 11. Perhaps they would have more in common than she first thought.
Mikey suddenly belted out "su navi per mari! Che, io lo so. No, no, non esistono piu, it's time to say goodbye" his voice ricochet of the cave entrance, making the notes dance into the sky. Alix smiled, she belted out "quando sei lontana songo all'orizonte e macne le parole, e io s lo soche sei con me, con me. Tu mai luna tu sei qui con me, mio sole tu sei qui con me, con me. Con me, con me" Mikey looked at her stunned, his eyes filled with wonder as she watched
"Time to say goodbye paesi che non ho mai, veduto e vissuto con te adesso s lil vivro con te partio. Su navi per mari, che io lo so. No, no non esistono piu" she belted. Mikey took a breath in and the two harmonised
"con te io li rivivro con te partiro,
Su navi per mari che, io lo so
No, no, non esistono piu
Con te io li rivivro con te partiro"
The two let out a large chuckle, half pride half nervous energy. Mikey stared at her with stars in his eyes, "You are amazing"
"You're not too bad yourself Mikey" she smirked
"We should sing together more often" he insisted
"I'd be up for that? I'm sure if we asked Principal Prickly, he'd let us use the music room before or after school?"
"How'd you get so good?"
"Fortunately, I was born with this voice as I assume you were with yours? I got better by training my voice. Singing became something I could hold on to through all the moving" Alix said looking down. Mikey placed his hand on her shoulder, "want to head to Kelso?" he offered excitedly
"No idea what that is, but sure" she replied matching his enthusiasm
Kelso's turned out to be a corner store where most the kids at Third Street would hang out at after school. It was run by a very nice man, Aaron Kelso.
Mikey and Alix each got a shake and talked about singing mostly. She mentioned how nice Gus was about their group and Mikey wept at the nice words he said about them all. It was getting late and Mikey had to get back home. Alix sat at the table in Kelsos by herself.
She looked across the store and saw three girl she knew were from her class. The one sitting by the window had blonde braided pigtails. She wore patterned dungarees, today's was upside-down flamingos and had a toothy smile. The other two sat opposite her, directly opposite sat a young Korean girl with short scruffy black hair with a pink streak through it. She reminded Alix of Leiko Tanaka from her Big Hero 6 comic. The girl sitting next to her was a slender black girl with natural hair pulled into a big puff atop her head. She wore a blue pinafore and white long sleeved shirt underneath
"Hi" Alix says. The girls look up at her, they just sort of stared at her, Alix continued "You're in Mr Kowalski's class, right?" there was another bought of silence until of the girls, the one with pigtails said "yeah, you're the new girl, Alixia"
"Yeah, mind if I sit with you" she asked. There was a hesitation between the girls, until the girl with the pink stripe spoke "you want to sit with us" she stuttered
"yeah, if that's alright"
"won't Amber be mad"
"I don't know. Why does that matter" Alix asked. The girls all looked each other. The pigtailed girl leant in and whispered, "aren't you friends with them". Alix chuckled, "well they are being rather persistent, but they weren't very nice when said I wanted to watch Ravenna today, so no. we're not"
"Oh, we went to see it it's great huh" said the young girl in the blue pinafore, who seemed to shyer than her friends
"Yeah, I saw it with a friend"
"That fourth grader, Micky?"
"Mikey, yeah how'd you-
"have you heard him sing" interrupted the pink streaked girl
"Only today" Alix admitted "that kid has got some lungs on him I tell you"
"You're not too bad yourself," said the pigtailed girl. Alix looked up at her simultaneously confused and stunned, expect all she found herself able to say was "huh?"
"I was waiting for these lot to come out of the bathroom for the 6th time"
"I told you I had two big gulps!" the pink streak girl protested
"Well next time buy just one! Anyway, I was waiting, and I saw you guys outside, I heard Mikey sing but then you started and I was blown away, you got a set of pipes yourself"
"Thanks um?"
"I'm Kelly" said the pigtailed girl "this is Mia and Devyn " she pointed to the girl with the pink streak and the girl in the pinafore, respectively.
"You are seriously good" Kelly reaffirmed "you should join music club"
"Thank you"
The four girls stayed and chatted, as they warmly welcomed Alix into the group. They sat and talked together until just before dark.
The next day at school. T.J and the gang are sitting out front before school starts when Mikey comes in, hurrying over to them "GUYS! GUYS!" he yelled
"Woah there Mikester, what's the rush?" T.J asked
"You know that new sixth grade girl?" panted Mikey
"Alix?" Spinelli asks
"The girl who you went to the movies with?" Vince confirms. Mikey nods, trying to catch his breath.
"How did it go?" Gretchan asks
"The movie was a lot of fun but I found out something. She sings" there was small pause before Gus innocently asked "sings what"
"No, I mean she's a singer, she could be anyway a professional. She's really good"
"Really?" said T.J
"Yeah, she was gonna ask Principal Pricky if me and her could use the music room before or after school to do singing practice. I will ask her if you can come"
"Nah, that's alright Mikey" Vince said "you go enjoy your new singing partner. Maybe we'll come listen at some point" Mikey smiled and turned boldly marching through the school, looking for Alix.