I hear the music cue up and Beth is working to my strengths as Vesti la Giubba from Pagliacci cues up and I step away from the standing microphone and ready myself. I work every piece as well as I ever have before and I'm so glad I can't see the judges laughing at me as the lights are bright and my eyes aren't really focusing on anything. I get to the weeping at the end and keep it as perfect as I can before the music cuts out and I stand moving back to the standing microphone on the side of the stage.
"That was acceptable but we need another piece to base your vocal range off of, do you have something more current? Also in English," I hear a different man ask and it sounds like they are talking near their microphone," It looks like from the list you do."
I hear the music pop on and step away, Beth must have picked this one just to have a laugh because she's attempted to sing it with me. For the record she can sing, in the shower, with dogs howling as back up. Actually she's been trying to get me into other music but the only thing I've bothered singing is from a band called Queen and their lead singer Freddy Mercury. He was considered one of the greatest and now 'Somebody to Love' is coming out over the speakers minus lead vocals. There is a movement you have to have to help with the beat of the song and I feel ridiculous but if Freddy Mercury didn't feel like a goof ball singing it in front of thousands I better suck it up for three judges. I swear the stomping in the bass of the song is louder than usual but the auditorium is built to push sound if you go all out for vocals and I am. The song finally comes to the end with the final piano notes and I stand waiting for my review.
"Mr. Donnelly, what training do you have? There is no listing on your application," I hear the first voice, Mr. White.
"I've never had any classes or instructors, I just copied what I heard as best I could over the years," I say and I hear an unexpected reply.
"Has your microphone been off this whole time," I hear a female voice ask, it's Mrs. Lawson.
I check and see it's switched into the off position, Beth you pranking bitch, okay she was having a little fun with me and I figured out how to turn it on.
"Is that better," I ask.
"You've been performing this whole time without a microphone," I'm asked again and I nod.
"I guess so," I reply and two lights cut out and I'm fucked.
There aren't three judges. Well there is but there is also about thirty to forty people sitting in the auditorium, mostly students here and the judges are in the back. They were very far back where they could barely hear me.
"I'm sorry if you didn't hear me very well," I say and people laugh, why are they laughing.
"Actually we heard you very well Mr. Donnelly," I see the older glasses wearing man and figure it's Mr. White.
I am dismissed from the stage and Bethany is smiling to beat all as I come back to her very stern face.
"What the hell," I ask and she holds her hands up in surrender.
"You just killed it out there and now they're wondering how the hell you got so good with no training and no microphone," Beth explains before smiling again," And right now Jenna is probably pissing her panties."
"What scholarship," I ask and now I'm being led out of the building.
"Jenna is going for that performing arts and music school scholarship right," Beth reminds me and I nod, we talked about it months ago," Well if someone with more talent than some light dance and a modeling portfolio where to put their name up against hers, say a young man who can sing opera and has no training? She'd be out her school money and would probably have to work a job just to get close to where she was hoping this would take her.``
Beth is a bitch, a complete bitch but that bitch is on my side for once and I'm just curious what the fallout is going to be with this turn of events.
Bethany: Second Lunch before Guy's performance
"We have everything in place," I double checked with the two audio/video techs I got to help with my plan.
They nod, they're intimidated and considering I'm giving one of their girlfriends beauty lessons and helping the other get a date for one of the parties this weekend they better be ready. I make it to the girls who, Lela and Lex, who are excited at the plan in place when we're joined by the rest of the squad.
"So he better show up," Lex says hopefully.
"He will, I've been working with him the past two weeks and now we show off my brother," I reply and Lex smiles.
"What the hell is this about," Jenna asks, marching in heels up to our table with her invitation.
"That would be the invitation that went out to most of the music club and a couple teachers, how did you get one," I ask knowing full well that Tim Baxter was going to show her.
"The performing arts scholarship committee isn't supposed to take any more applicants and now you have Guy auditioning? Are you trying to hurt him, he'll be embarrassed," Jenna says but she doesn't sound sincere.
"Actually I think his chances are better than yours," Lela says and now all the girls are looking at Jenna.
"What does that mean, I didn't do anything," Jenna responds being very defensive.
"But I did," Lex says and I'm waiting," When you were running Guy around by the collar I had the 'good fortune' to go on a date with Brandon."
"Brandon dated a few girls so what," Jenna replies and I just watch the drama unfold, and I love it.
"Yeah but it's too bad the reputation doesn't match the performance," Lex says before making it simple," That means he can talk a good date but the ending was lacking."
"You didn't have sex with Brandon," Jenna states unsure but angry.
"Well actually he had more sex with me but if you want to compare notes I'm pretty sure we could find a couple other girls who had sex with Brandon," Alexandra is on a roll and Jenna is turning red.
"Well you also had sex with Beth's brother Guy," Emily says, almost ignoring Jenna.
"Yes thank god, I could have gone complete lesbo after Brandon," Lex says and lowers her voice," I'm gonna grab your ass while I cum baby."
The imitation is pretty good as all the girls laugh, all except Jenna who wants to take a swing and the first one to see it other than me is Lela. Jenna could take a shot at Alexandra but her modeling career would be over after Lela stomped her face into the cafeteria floor and Jenna knew it.
"Well he can't be that good if he's never had a girlfriend," Jenna gets the words out and now everyone is shocked at the reply.
"Good enough to be the only white boy to meet my standards," Lela says and the girl never told me.
"You did not," I ask and she shrugs.
"He was good and not a pussy about it either," Lela states and now the girls are interested.
And it's not just the girls at my table; a couple passing girls heard that too. Well get in line ladies because the standard for my brother will be pretty fucking high and you got to get through my ladies approval and mine to get on his dance card. Okay if he really wants a girl we'll help but last thing I want is a bunch of girls trying out the new boy the cheer squad found. Not another broken heart for Guy if I have a say in the matter.
"Well it's probably good that Guy finally got with a couple girls in his range," Jenna only gets the words out long enough to regret them.
"Wow, did it burn you to have to come to the formal in Brandon's Mom's car," Natalie, my resident Spanish speaking friend, asks Jenna and even Lela is taking a seat," You know what your problem is? You don't even realize you lost the golden goose. Do you remember that story? Let me go to kindergarten for you. Basically you had a boy who was smart, had money and would worship the ground you walk on and what did you do? You went back to the four minute man who might be lucky enough to get half way through college on his scholarship before blowing out his knee or failing out if he doesn't cheat on you first."
"Brandon has prospects," the not so supermodel tries to retort but Nat is on a roll.
"Emily, educate her," Nat asks her bestie.
"Only one point six percent of college football players make it to the NFL and the average 4.74 years a career. Add to that the standard pay per year in the NFL is 1.9 million," Emily, the Chinese smart cheerleader, drops some hard numbers," that means you'll have to keep the luxury lifestyle simple considering he'll be making more than you for a little while if he makes it."
"Basically you're betting on, no offense Lela," Nat says to Lela who nods," A dark horse."
"And he's not really much of a horse either if in four minutes he can't get me off once but in twenty or so Guy got me off twice," Lex finishes out the bashing and Jenna is almost done for the day.
"So why aren't any of you hooking up with the 'golden goose' or whatever you call Guy," she asks and I figure I have to end this.
"Because they're not gold diggers. If they were interested in Guy for real then he would be lucky but my squad doesn't play games like that with a boy. Now if you'll excuse me I have to set up and greet a family friend," I end Jenna's slamboree with that.
All the cheer squad stand and leave heading for the parking lot so I can meet Mrs. Lawson. She brought two of the scholarship judges for today. Step one, make Jenna second guess Guy. Step two; watch Guy threaten Jenna's dreams.