End of the Hall, page 15
“Sorry, just more beer,” he says as he stands to show her. “You driving?”
“I’m playing.” Cydnie leans against the table and groans.
“Oh yeah?” he says as he scoots a little closer to her. “How you wanna play then?”
“No, I mean I’m about to be on stage, I’m just trying to find something to help my throat.”
“Well, I got something for that--”
“Let me stop you right there.” Cyd puts a hand on his chest to block him from getting any closer. “I’m about to go play guitar and sing on that stage over there. You seen PJ anywhere?”
“Yeah, he’s over by the window.”
“Cool!” Cydnie begins to walk toward him, then stops and turns around. “For the record, I’m younger than his brother.” The unsuccessful suitor stands shocked enough to drop his beer can at this information as she walks away.
Cydnie finds PJ and grabs his shoulder to get his attention. “Hey, Cyd,” he greets as he notices and turns to her. “What’s up? Enjoying the party?”
“Some guy just tried to get in my pants, so I’m not exactly excited about being here anymore. When you want us to play?”
“Alright, get set up, I’ll grab everyone,” he tells her.
“Awesome.”
[AAR]
The four double check their gear and Cyd plays a quick few chords to make sure the speakers are picking up their sound. Everyone gathers and she nods to Damien. “Whenever you guys are ready, they all like your duet from what Kim says,” she suggests. Damien gives her a thumbs up and she starts strumming the intro and singing, getting the band into the atmosphere they’d practiced so often the garage. As soon as Damien finishes his verse and chorus, the band notices the song hits as hard as they hoped. The melodic blend of Cydnie’s hard rock, Stella’s punk personality, and Damien’s rapping make for an enjoyable show. Everything seems to go well while Cydnie finishes the solo. Stella and Damien finish the song just as they begin to hear a heckler.
“Freshmen! Freshmen!” he yells. Damien gives him an irritated look and grabs his mic stand.
“Yeah, we know,” he says back. Cydnie looks over to see it’s the guy who flirted with her.
“Oh no,” she groans.
“How many people do you know here, Cyd?”
“I don’t know him,” Cyd says without realizing she still has a hot mic. “Dude offered to introduce my tonsils to his little pal right before we started playing.” The crowd notices the comment over the speakers and laughs at the heckler.
“Like I’d get with a little kid like you anyway!” he yells at her.
“Oh what, I’m not so sexy when I’m not 18?” she yells. The crowd gets quiet at that.
“Dude, PJ, did you know they were under 18?” a friend asks.
“No, man, I met her on campus. She was with Kim,” PJ defends.
“Hey!” Stella says. “Are we playing or what? I still got a couple hours before I’m going home to break into my dad’s liquor anyway.” She takes off the bass and hands it to Damien to start her song. “Swap me.”
“Hey, if we’re still playing,” Damien decides. They start playing Never Again, but everyone starts yelling for them to leave. They make it halfway through before a beer can gets thrown. It makes it past the three up front, but hits Eric’s shoulder.
“Guys, I’m just calling it,” he says. “Let’s just go.”
“Whatever.” Cydnie pulls off her guitar and hops off the stage then heads outside to see the van and cool off just as Darren pulls up. “Hey, Darren, the others will be out in a bit.” Darren nods and slides open the side door then heads inside to help breakdown gear. As she waits, PJ comes out to see Cydnie sitting on the floorboard of the van. “Look, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you how old we are, okay?”
“Look, it’s not that,” he explains with a sigh. “Normally we wouldn’t care, but we had beer and stuff here. It’s a huge risk having minors around, especially if the cops come sniffing around.” The two lean on the van and stare at the night’s sky. “So how old are you anyway?”
“I am fourteen years old. I’m actually three days younger than our oldest band member.” The two share a chuckle as PJ takes another sip from his can. “There’ll hopefully be other gigs. Can’t let one bad one ruin our fun.”
“I appreciate you guys still trying to play for people five years older than you though,” PJ tells her along with a playful punch to her shoulder. “I can’t think of any juniors or even seniors with balls like that.” Cydnie laughs a little too much at that statement.
“Well, we’ve got plenty of that in the band,” she admits.
“Oh, I figure,” PJ offhandedly mentions.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I might be a twenty-year-old guy, but I know when someone is trying a bit too hard to fit in.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.” he tosses his can into the bushes then looks at the guitarist. “You don’t have to pretend to be older and cooler just because we’re older. Just be the badass fourteen-year-old girl you are. I’ll keep an ear out for more helpful gigs too, alright?”
“Holy crap, really?” Cydnie asks.
“Sure. Just cuz you’re young doesn’t mean you’re not talented.” Cydnie jumps into a hug. PJ laughs and wraps his arms around her as the others make their way outside.
“Uhh, Cyd, you wanna explain something?” Stella inquires. The two separate and get wide eyed.
“Oh, god no! It’s not like that!” she stops them. “This is PJ, Sean’s older brother! He said he would still try and help us get some shows.”
“Hey, whatever you’re into Cyd, just be safe,” Damien jokes. Cyd kicks his shin as hard as she can in response.
“He’s six years older than me, you shit!” she yells while attempting to stifle a grin from the bad joke. The band gets everything loaded up and Eric’s brother drives them to Cydnie’s home.
“So, how was your first college party?” Darren asks as they get on the highway.
“Wouldn’t you believe it, Cydnie got hit on by one guy and another guy’s number,” Eric tells him.
“Oh, would you please take a long walk off a short cliff,” Cydnie seethes as she leans her head on the window. Stella leans on her and Damien leans on Stella as they all just wish to forget the day.
“Show was a bust, but it’s not the end,” Stella explains before looking up at Cyd. “We’re still on the radio, right?”
“Yeah,” Cyd says as she continues staring at traffic and scenery. The gang makes it back to Cydnie’s garage and unloads everything before Darren heads out. “Let’s just get some sleep.” Everyone goes inside and camps out on the couches. Cydnie and Stella slump on the one against the window with the boys on the adjacent one.
“We barely even played, and I feel so exhausted,” Eric laments in the darkness of the living room.
“My soul feels like sleeping for a month after that kind of rejection,” Stella proclaims. One by one, the teens fall asleep on the couches. Around two in the morning, Mike comes out to grab a glass of milk from the kitchen when he notices the four all passed out on the couches.
“Oh no,” he says as he palms his face. He goes back to his bedroom and informs Mo. The two call and message the other parents that they can get a hold of, letting them know the kids are safe at their house. They all decide to just let the kids stay over, if they were going to do anything, they would have. When morning hits, the kids slowly awaken to the scent of food being cooked.
“Mmm mom’s making omelets,” Cydnie points out before even opening her eyes.
“Wait, your mom?” Eric asks as he shoots right up. “Oh shit! Guys, we’re all still at Cyd’s house!”
“Oh fuck, my dad’s gonna kill me,” Stella says as she notices her dead phone on the floor.
“Everyone relax,” Mo says as she brings out plates and sits on the couch with the girls. “Look, we found you all asleep here and figured you were all just tired from your show. If it helps, you guys can all sleep here when you get tired from working on the band stuff, okay?”
“Okay, but what did my dad say about it?” Stella asks.
“Uhh I don’t know. We couldn’t get a hold of him,” Mo tells her. “We tried leaving a message with the number in the phone book.”
“I’m probably gonna get an earful,” Stella accepts. She hugs Cyd and Mo then puts on her shoes and stands up. “Look, thank you for letting us stay, I’ll see you guys at school, okay?” With that, Stella leaves. Cyd and the boys are just as confused as Mo is.
“Does anyone else know what that was about?” Damien asks.
“Yeah, I thought LT was a hardass.” Eric jokes.
“Normally, I would say language, except I agree.” Mo tells Eric.
9/16 songs
Track 11: Fighting Myself
[STELLA]
Stella double checks her dark blue blazer in the body mirror across from her bed. “Ugh… we get a couple songs on the radio and magically Mr. Valle wants us to do solos,” she laments as she checks the rest of the outfit. The bright red stripe down the left side almost shines as she shrugs and double checks her slacks. She grabs her shoes from her closet then sits down on her bed to tie them when a knock is heard coming from outside her window.
“Hey, Stella, Cydnie’s here!” Kevin calls from downstairs.
“Come on up, Cyd!” she calls back down as she ties a knot on the first shoe. Cydnie travels up the stairs to Stella’s room and takes a long look around.
“Huh. I think this might actually be my first time in here,” Cydnie says as she walks over to her friend’s bed.
“Oh no, my secret lair has been discovered!” Stella falls back onto her bed and stares at her ceiling. “This is weird, right?”
“Which part?” Cyd asks as she falls next to her and stares along. “Oh nice. You have the glow in the dark stars.”
“Ha ha ha,” Stella replies slowly.
“No, really,” Cydnie defends. “I always liked 'em when I was little.”
“Anyway, I mean the part where we’re freshmen and we have not only played a college party--”
“Unsuccessfully.”
“--but now we’re about to go sing solos at a concert that gives me real anxiety.”
“Yeah, definitely weird,” Cydnie tells her. “But hey, after we go embarrass ourselves in front of our parents and some old guy who says whether or not we should sing competitively--”
“Where’s the good part of this?”
“I’m getting there,” Cydnie laughs. “After we go sing, we get to stay up all night at my house watching bad movies and writing songs about how much we hate living here.”
“That does sound like a good part.” Stella stretches then sits up. “Come on. Sooner we get there, sooner we’re pigging out and watching The Detention Crew.”
“Sounds like a plan!” The two exit Stella’s bedroom after she grabs a bag of clothes then head back down the stairs to see the empty living room except for Kira. “Hello, pupper!” Cydnie exclaims while scratching under the husky’s neck.
“That’s Kira,” Stella introduces as she brings her hands up to call out. “Padre! Where you at!”
“Warming up the car!” he yells back from the garage.
“This way.” Stella shoulders her bag and leads Cydnie through the kitchen. As they walk through, she can’t help looking at all the bottles of alcohol with varying levels of emptiness. Stella realizes Cydnie is looking and grimaces. “It’s umm…”
“Hey, don’t worry about it,” Cydnie tells her. She hugs her friend’s side and smiles. “You’ve told me about it before. My guess, we’ve all got problems we’re not proud of.” The two walk into the garage and hop in the SUV as the garage door opens.
“Ready to go?” Kevin asks, looking through the rear-view mirror at the kids.
“Just don’t kill us with your driving,” Stella tells him, getting a chuckle out of Cydnie. The three head over to the performing arts center across from the high school and park.
“Out of curiosity,” Kevin asks as he pulls into a parking spot. “Why didn’t your folks drop you off?”
“They’re both stuck at work and I didn’t feel like showing up alone,” Cydnie wryly admits.
“Ouch.”
“Don’t worry! They said they’ll be here to see my first solo for the year.” Stella can see through the fake smile Cydnie gives her dad. She surmises Cydnie isn’t excited to be singing by herself in front of others either. The girls walk with their arms wrapped around each other’s shoulders as they walk inside. They separate from Kevin at the ticket counter and go backstage to join their chorale friends. “Hey Tish!” Cydnie calls over to her section mate.
“Hey!” she calls back. Tish walks over with another member of their section, Deb, and the four group up to talk before taking their places. “Did you hear the news?”
“What news?” Stella asks.
“Well, there’s a judge here and Mr. Valle is thinking about moving people around depending on how scoring goes. Anyone of us could move up to Wildchords!”
“Oh yeah,” Stella and Cydnie say slowly in unison. Eventually they hear the house music swell for a moment and Mr. Valle comes to collect everyone.
“Alright, songbirds,” he begins. “To ease rumors, yes, there is a judge here this evening and yes, I am considering moving around chorale members. Soloists, do your best. Sections, sing your loudest. Most importantly, let’s have a good time!” Cydnie begins having a horrible time. While the Wildchords, the high school’s main competitive chorale, goes on first, she slowly paces a circle around Stella freaking out.
“You’re going to make me dizzy if you keep walking around like that,” Stella tells her. “I thought you were the one who defused me earlier about this.”
“That was before there was a for-sure moment when I was going to be judged and I could be moving up to Wildchords,” Cydnie panics.
“Just relax, for me?”
“I’m-I’m trying!” she defends as she stops and sits on the ground in front of Stella. “I’m in chorale because it’s helpful with my vocal training. I… I don’t know how to like, do this.”
“Cydnie, you do this in our band.”
“This isn’t our band,” she squeals. “D and Eric aren’t out in that crowd. What if I mess up and my old voice comes out?”
“Do… do you even still have your old voice?” Stella asks. “I’ve never actually heard it.
Cydnie sits for a minute staring at Stella’s shoes before getting up and walking over to her friend. She leans in closely and whispers, “yeah,” in a voice at a pitch Stella thought unthinkable from Cyd.
“Umm.” Stella says with wide eyes. “I will not ask again.”
Back in her normal voice, Cydnie tells her, “I didn’t want to get rid of it because I feel like it helps with my range.” She sits next to Stella and gives a heavy sigh.
“Look, we’ll get through this real quick. One song for each soloist, so 3 from our level then we can just go right on home.”
“Yeah, just a quick few songs then home.” As they agree on this plan, the major chorale finishes and comes back. “You ready?”
“Are you?” Stella asks. Cydnie shrugs and the two get into their section before taking their places. They make it through the first song okay. However, this experience, just like all the others in chorale, fails to let Cydnie tap into her special ability as she does with the band. The second song begins and Cyd gets a surprise while looking out in the crowd. Along with her parents, Damien and Eric decide to show up. She loses some control and feels her chromesthesia kick in. Small velvet hues come emanate from everyone performing, and none brighter than the violent lavenders emanating from Stella.
Stella notices the sign Damien holds up as she begins her solo. In large black words against the white background, he wrote, ‘KICK SOME ASS’. Cydnie watches as she sings her heart out and begins to let go of her control. She watches as Stella’s body becomes encased in violet. Her hair flows with streaks of amethyst, while her clothing morphs into a flowing dress filled with all sorts of shades. Lilac shimmers into byzantium, Iris gradients fluff like wisps of smoke from her lips. A train of periwinkle, slate, and plum all roll like a fog from beneath her as she wraps up her section. Her highs strike with violent wisterias and her lows rumble out tyrians.
The audience applauds once the song ends, and Cydnie notices the judge as he makes notes in his clipboard. Stella ascends back into the section and Cydnie embraces her in a tight hug. “That was amazing,” she whispers.
“Your go now,” Stella tells her. Cyd smirks as blues revolve around her irises.
“Oh, I’m ready for this.” Stella realizes the other version of her friend has made an appearance as Cydnie descends to the platform to where her friend just stood. The song begins with a slow swell. Mr. Valle directs Cydnie to raise her volume, and she closes her eyes. A confused expression grows on his face along with the judge’s.
“Is that normal?” Eric asks Mo.
“I don’t think so,” Mo tells him. “She hadn’t done that back in eighth grade.” The song continues and Cydnie sees everyone in attendance. She sees herself on top of a large platform in a slimming sapphire gown surrounded by thousands. Her hair transforms from its curly, dark chocolate and black into a relaxed myriad of cobalt and midnight forming into something of a festival queen braid. Instruments roar around her, following her azure roars, defiantly crashing against waves of majorelle forming around her. Mr. Valle attempts to signal for the rest of the mixed chorus to follow her lead, and Stella’s skin chills with goosebumps. ‘That’s Cydnie’s voice?’ she thinks as she gazes upon the clenched fists and arched back of her friend’s performance. As if possessed, Cydnie’s stage presence matches that of a seasoned performer. ‘What is she seeing?’
As the song reaches its crescendo, whoever this is that Cydnie has become takes full control and lets loose. Her voice bellows loud enough for Mr. Valle to drop his hands and just question to himself where this woman has been hiding this confidence. Cydnie’s eyes open as the song ends to a completely silenced crowd. After a moment, she hears Damien and Eric whistle and start clapping, beginning the ovation the singer receives as she stands there panting. A wave of embarrassment washes over her and she quickly rejoins her section.
“I’m playing.” Cydnie leans against the table and groans.
“Oh yeah?” he says as he scoots a little closer to her. “How you wanna play then?”
“No, I mean I’m about to be on stage, I’m just trying to find something to help my throat.”
“Well, I got something for that--”
“Let me stop you right there.” Cyd puts a hand on his chest to block him from getting any closer. “I’m about to go play guitar and sing on that stage over there. You seen PJ anywhere?”
“Yeah, he’s over by the window.”
“Cool!” Cydnie begins to walk toward him, then stops and turns around. “For the record, I’m younger than his brother.” The unsuccessful suitor stands shocked enough to drop his beer can at this information as she walks away.
Cydnie finds PJ and grabs his shoulder to get his attention. “Hey, Cyd,” he greets as he notices and turns to her. “What’s up? Enjoying the party?”
“Some guy just tried to get in my pants, so I’m not exactly excited about being here anymore. When you want us to play?”
“Alright, get set up, I’ll grab everyone,” he tells her.
“Awesome.”
[AAR]
The four double check their gear and Cyd plays a quick few chords to make sure the speakers are picking up their sound. Everyone gathers and she nods to Damien. “Whenever you guys are ready, they all like your duet from what Kim says,” she suggests. Damien gives her a thumbs up and she starts strumming the intro and singing, getting the band into the atmosphere they’d practiced so often the garage. As soon as Damien finishes his verse and chorus, the band notices the song hits as hard as they hoped. The melodic blend of Cydnie’s hard rock, Stella’s punk personality, and Damien’s rapping make for an enjoyable show. Everything seems to go well while Cydnie finishes the solo. Stella and Damien finish the song just as they begin to hear a heckler.
“Freshmen! Freshmen!” he yells. Damien gives him an irritated look and grabs his mic stand.
“Yeah, we know,” he says back. Cydnie looks over to see it’s the guy who flirted with her.
“Oh no,” she groans.
“How many people do you know here, Cyd?”
“I don’t know him,” Cyd says without realizing she still has a hot mic. “Dude offered to introduce my tonsils to his little pal right before we started playing.” The crowd notices the comment over the speakers and laughs at the heckler.
“Like I’d get with a little kid like you anyway!” he yells at her.
“Oh what, I’m not so sexy when I’m not 18?” she yells. The crowd gets quiet at that.
“Dude, PJ, did you know they were under 18?” a friend asks.
“No, man, I met her on campus. She was with Kim,” PJ defends.
“Hey!” Stella says. “Are we playing or what? I still got a couple hours before I’m going home to break into my dad’s liquor anyway.” She takes off the bass and hands it to Damien to start her song. “Swap me.”
“Hey, if we’re still playing,” Damien decides. They start playing Never Again, but everyone starts yelling for them to leave. They make it halfway through before a beer can gets thrown. It makes it past the three up front, but hits Eric’s shoulder.
“Guys, I’m just calling it,” he says. “Let’s just go.”
“Whatever.” Cydnie pulls off her guitar and hops off the stage then heads outside to see the van and cool off just as Darren pulls up. “Hey, Darren, the others will be out in a bit.” Darren nods and slides open the side door then heads inside to help breakdown gear. As she waits, PJ comes out to see Cydnie sitting on the floorboard of the van. “Look, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you how old we are, okay?”
“Look, it’s not that,” he explains with a sigh. “Normally we wouldn’t care, but we had beer and stuff here. It’s a huge risk having minors around, especially if the cops come sniffing around.” The two lean on the van and stare at the night’s sky. “So how old are you anyway?”
“I am fourteen years old. I’m actually three days younger than our oldest band member.” The two share a chuckle as PJ takes another sip from his can. “There’ll hopefully be other gigs. Can’t let one bad one ruin our fun.”
“I appreciate you guys still trying to play for people five years older than you though,” PJ tells her along with a playful punch to her shoulder. “I can’t think of any juniors or even seniors with balls like that.” Cydnie laughs a little too much at that statement.
“Well, we’ve got plenty of that in the band,” she admits.
“Oh, I figure,” PJ offhandedly mentions.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I might be a twenty-year-old guy, but I know when someone is trying a bit too hard to fit in.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.” he tosses his can into the bushes then looks at the guitarist. “You don’t have to pretend to be older and cooler just because we’re older. Just be the badass fourteen-year-old girl you are. I’ll keep an ear out for more helpful gigs too, alright?”
“Holy crap, really?” Cydnie asks.
“Sure. Just cuz you’re young doesn’t mean you’re not talented.” Cydnie jumps into a hug. PJ laughs and wraps his arms around her as the others make their way outside.
“Uhh, Cyd, you wanna explain something?” Stella inquires. The two separate and get wide eyed.
“Oh, god no! It’s not like that!” she stops them. “This is PJ, Sean’s older brother! He said he would still try and help us get some shows.”
“Hey, whatever you’re into Cyd, just be safe,” Damien jokes. Cyd kicks his shin as hard as she can in response.
“He’s six years older than me, you shit!” she yells while attempting to stifle a grin from the bad joke. The band gets everything loaded up and Eric’s brother drives them to Cydnie’s home.
“So, how was your first college party?” Darren asks as they get on the highway.
“Wouldn’t you believe it, Cydnie got hit on by one guy and another guy’s number,” Eric tells him.
“Oh, would you please take a long walk off a short cliff,” Cydnie seethes as she leans her head on the window. Stella leans on her and Damien leans on Stella as they all just wish to forget the day.
“Show was a bust, but it’s not the end,” Stella explains before looking up at Cyd. “We’re still on the radio, right?”
“Yeah,” Cyd says as she continues staring at traffic and scenery. The gang makes it back to Cydnie’s garage and unloads everything before Darren heads out. “Let’s just get some sleep.” Everyone goes inside and camps out on the couches. Cydnie and Stella slump on the one against the window with the boys on the adjacent one.
“We barely even played, and I feel so exhausted,” Eric laments in the darkness of the living room.
“My soul feels like sleeping for a month after that kind of rejection,” Stella proclaims. One by one, the teens fall asleep on the couches. Around two in the morning, Mike comes out to grab a glass of milk from the kitchen when he notices the four all passed out on the couches.
“Oh no,” he says as he palms his face. He goes back to his bedroom and informs Mo. The two call and message the other parents that they can get a hold of, letting them know the kids are safe at their house. They all decide to just let the kids stay over, if they were going to do anything, they would have. When morning hits, the kids slowly awaken to the scent of food being cooked.
“Mmm mom’s making omelets,” Cydnie points out before even opening her eyes.
“Wait, your mom?” Eric asks as he shoots right up. “Oh shit! Guys, we’re all still at Cyd’s house!”
“Oh fuck, my dad’s gonna kill me,” Stella says as she notices her dead phone on the floor.
“Everyone relax,” Mo says as she brings out plates and sits on the couch with the girls. “Look, we found you all asleep here and figured you were all just tired from your show. If it helps, you guys can all sleep here when you get tired from working on the band stuff, okay?”
“Okay, but what did my dad say about it?” Stella asks.
“Uhh I don’t know. We couldn’t get a hold of him,” Mo tells her. “We tried leaving a message with the number in the phone book.”
“I’m probably gonna get an earful,” Stella accepts. She hugs Cyd and Mo then puts on her shoes and stands up. “Look, thank you for letting us stay, I’ll see you guys at school, okay?” With that, Stella leaves. Cyd and the boys are just as confused as Mo is.
“Does anyone else know what that was about?” Damien asks.
“Yeah, I thought LT was a hardass.” Eric jokes.
“Normally, I would say language, except I agree.” Mo tells Eric.
9/16 songs
Track 11: Fighting Myself
[STELLA]
Stella double checks her dark blue blazer in the body mirror across from her bed. “Ugh… we get a couple songs on the radio and magically Mr. Valle wants us to do solos,” she laments as she checks the rest of the outfit. The bright red stripe down the left side almost shines as she shrugs and double checks her slacks. She grabs her shoes from her closet then sits down on her bed to tie them when a knock is heard coming from outside her window.
“Hey, Stella, Cydnie’s here!” Kevin calls from downstairs.
“Come on up, Cyd!” she calls back down as she ties a knot on the first shoe. Cydnie travels up the stairs to Stella’s room and takes a long look around.
“Huh. I think this might actually be my first time in here,” Cydnie says as she walks over to her friend’s bed.
“Oh no, my secret lair has been discovered!” Stella falls back onto her bed and stares at her ceiling. “This is weird, right?”
“Which part?” Cyd asks as she falls next to her and stares along. “Oh nice. You have the glow in the dark stars.”
“Ha ha ha,” Stella replies slowly.
“No, really,” Cydnie defends. “I always liked 'em when I was little.”
“Anyway, I mean the part where we’re freshmen and we have not only played a college party--”
“Unsuccessfully.”
“--but now we’re about to go sing solos at a concert that gives me real anxiety.”
“Yeah, definitely weird,” Cydnie tells her. “But hey, after we go embarrass ourselves in front of our parents and some old guy who says whether or not we should sing competitively--”
“Where’s the good part of this?”
“I’m getting there,” Cydnie laughs. “After we go sing, we get to stay up all night at my house watching bad movies and writing songs about how much we hate living here.”
“That does sound like a good part.” Stella stretches then sits up. “Come on. Sooner we get there, sooner we’re pigging out and watching The Detention Crew.”
“Sounds like a plan!” The two exit Stella’s bedroom after she grabs a bag of clothes then head back down the stairs to see the empty living room except for Kira. “Hello, pupper!” Cydnie exclaims while scratching under the husky’s neck.
“That’s Kira,” Stella introduces as she brings her hands up to call out. “Padre! Where you at!”
“Warming up the car!” he yells back from the garage.
“This way.” Stella shoulders her bag and leads Cydnie through the kitchen. As they walk through, she can’t help looking at all the bottles of alcohol with varying levels of emptiness. Stella realizes Cydnie is looking and grimaces. “It’s umm…”
“Hey, don’t worry about it,” Cydnie tells her. She hugs her friend’s side and smiles. “You’ve told me about it before. My guess, we’ve all got problems we’re not proud of.” The two walk into the garage and hop in the SUV as the garage door opens.
“Ready to go?” Kevin asks, looking through the rear-view mirror at the kids.
“Just don’t kill us with your driving,” Stella tells him, getting a chuckle out of Cydnie. The three head over to the performing arts center across from the high school and park.
“Out of curiosity,” Kevin asks as he pulls into a parking spot. “Why didn’t your folks drop you off?”
“They’re both stuck at work and I didn’t feel like showing up alone,” Cydnie wryly admits.
“Ouch.”
“Don’t worry! They said they’ll be here to see my first solo for the year.” Stella can see through the fake smile Cydnie gives her dad. She surmises Cydnie isn’t excited to be singing by herself in front of others either. The girls walk with their arms wrapped around each other’s shoulders as they walk inside. They separate from Kevin at the ticket counter and go backstage to join their chorale friends. “Hey Tish!” Cydnie calls over to her section mate.
“Hey!” she calls back. Tish walks over with another member of their section, Deb, and the four group up to talk before taking their places. “Did you hear the news?”
“What news?” Stella asks.
“Well, there’s a judge here and Mr. Valle is thinking about moving people around depending on how scoring goes. Anyone of us could move up to Wildchords!”
“Oh yeah,” Stella and Cydnie say slowly in unison. Eventually they hear the house music swell for a moment and Mr. Valle comes to collect everyone.
“Alright, songbirds,” he begins. “To ease rumors, yes, there is a judge here this evening and yes, I am considering moving around chorale members. Soloists, do your best. Sections, sing your loudest. Most importantly, let’s have a good time!” Cydnie begins having a horrible time. While the Wildchords, the high school’s main competitive chorale, goes on first, she slowly paces a circle around Stella freaking out.
“You’re going to make me dizzy if you keep walking around like that,” Stella tells her. “I thought you were the one who defused me earlier about this.”
“That was before there was a for-sure moment when I was going to be judged and I could be moving up to Wildchords,” Cydnie panics.
“Just relax, for me?”
“I’m-I’m trying!” she defends as she stops and sits on the ground in front of Stella. “I’m in chorale because it’s helpful with my vocal training. I… I don’t know how to like, do this.”
“Cydnie, you do this in our band.”
“This isn’t our band,” she squeals. “D and Eric aren’t out in that crowd. What if I mess up and my old voice comes out?”
“Do… do you even still have your old voice?” Stella asks. “I’ve never actually heard it.
Cydnie sits for a minute staring at Stella’s shoes before getting up and walking over to her friend. She leans in closely and whispers, “yeah,” in a voice at a pitch Stella thought unthinkable from Cyd.
“Umm.” Stella says with wide eyes. “I will not ask again.”
Back in her normal voice, Cydnie tells her, “I didn’t want to get rid of it because I feel like it helps with my range.” She sits next to Stella and gives a heavy sigh.
“Look, we’ll get through this real quick. One song for each soloist, so 3 from our level then we can just go right on home.”
“Yeah, just a quick few songs then home.” As they agree on this plan, the major chorale finishes and comes back. “You ready?”
“Are you?” Stella asks. Cydnie shrugs and the two get into their section before taking their places. They make it through the first song okay. However, this experience, just like all the others in chorale, fails to let Cydnie tap into her special ability as she does with the band. The second song begins and Cyd gets a surprise while looking out in the crowd. Along with her parents, Damien and Eric decide to show up. She loses some control and feels her chromesthesia kick in. Small velvet hues come emanate from everyone performing, and none brighter than the violent lavenders emanating from Stella.
Stella notices the sign Damien holds up as she begins her solo. In large black words against the white background, he wrote, ‘KICK SOME ASS’. Cydnie watches as she sings her heart out and begins to let go of her control. She watches as Stella’s body becomes encased in violet. Her hair flows with streaks of amethyst, while her clothing morphs into a flowing dress filled with all sorts of shades. Lilac shimmers into byzantium, Iris gradients fluff like wisps of smoke from her lips. A train of periwinkle, slate, and plum all roll like a fog from beneath her as she wraps up her section. Her highs strike with violent wisterias and her lows rumble out tyrians.
The audience applauds once the song ends, and Cydnie notices the judge as he makes notes in his clipboard. Stella ascends back into the section and Cydnie embraces her in a tight hug. “That was amazing,” she whispers.
“Your go now,” Stella tells her. Cyd smirks as blues revolve around her irises.
“Oh, I’m ready for this.” Stella realizes the other version of her friend has made an appearance as Cydnie descends to the platform to where her friend just stood. The song begins with a slow swell. Mr. Valle directs Cydnie to raise her volume, and she closes her eyes. A confused expression grows on his face along with the judge’s.
“Is that normal?” Eric asks Mo.
“I don’t think so,” Mo tells him. “She hadn’t done that back in eighth grade.” The song continues and Cydnie sees everyone in attendance. She sees herself on top of a large platform in a slimming sapphire gown surrounded by thousands. Her hair transforms from its curly, dark chocolate and black into a relaxed myriad of cobalt and midnight forming into something of a festival queen braid. Instruments roar around her, following her azure roars, defiantly crashing against waves of majorelle forming around her. Mr. Valle attempts to signal for the rest of the mixed chorus to follow her lead, and Stella’s skin chills with goosebumps. ‘That’s Cydnie’s voice?’ she thinks as she gazes upon the clenched fists and arched back of her friend’s performance. As if possessed, Cydnie’s stage presence matches that of a seasoned performer. ‘What is she seeing?’
As the song reaches its crescendo, whoever this is that Cydnie has become takes full control and lets loose. Her voice bellows loud enough for Mr. Valle to drop his hands and just question to himself where this woman has been hiding this confidence. Cydnie’s eyes open as the song ends to a completely silenced crowd. After a moment, she hears Damien and Eric whistle and start clapping, beginning the ovation the singer receives as she stands there panting. A wave of embarrassment washes over her and she quickly rejoins her section.
