Bonus: Talent Show

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"I could draw to this."

     "What? You can barely draw with traffic outside

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"What? You can barely draw with traffic outside."





     THE school erupts in applause as Ricky Carter finishes his guitar solo with a dramatic bow. Jess smiles from offstage as she tightly grips her clipboard before motioning to the principal to go on stage. Though it's only a talent show, Jess has been involved in the planning since day one; she wants it to go perfectly.

     As Ricky walks off stage, Jess sends him a thumbs up before motioning for the next act—Patricia and her dance to some Madonna song Jess hadn't recognized, which isn't a surprise since Jess has never really been into the musical aspects of life. She much prefers life on a page to rocking out in some sweaty club.

     With Patricia now on stage with her Madonna song blaring through the speakers, Jess notices Zoe come up to her side. "You ready?" Jess asks.

     Zoe shakes her head as her hands twitch. "Not remotely. We are so not ready for this. Remind me again why I started cheer?"

     "Because you wanted to get your dad off your back?"

     Hanging her head, Zoe pouts. "You weren't supposed to tell me."

     "Oops," Jess chuckles. "Look, it'll be ok. Besides, you said you were in the back, right? If you mess up, no one will know. Especially with Phoebe hogging the spotlight."

     "You don't have to remind me. Hey, did she ever meet with you about that project?"

     "No." Jess grips the clipboard tighter as she glances down at the last two acts of the show. "Just ditched me again last night. I swear, I'll end up doing this whole thing alone, won't I?"

     "It'll be ok." Zoe wraps an arm around Jess' shoulders.

     Pursing her lips, Jess looks up from her clipboard. "You're on when she's off, ok? I gotta find this Sunset Curve band that's ending."

     "No! Don't leave me!"

     "But I have to—"

     Applause bursts into her ears as Patricia bows on stage. Before Jess knows it, cheerleaders are crowding behind her, all anxiously awaiting their time in the spotlight as Patricia walks off the other end of the stage and the principal returns to announce the cheer team.

     Jess sends her best friend a thumbs-up as the whole squad walks onto the stage, the music playing after a moment. With a smile on her face, Jess happily notes Zoe relax into the routine, grinning the whole time.

     After a second, Jess slinks further backstage but not far enough to not be able to see. "Ok, Sunset Curve," she mutters. "Who might you be?"

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