The Boy in My Dreams

Chapter 13

It was spirit week. Well, the second spirit week, the one in spring. Liam had booked the painter guy to come talk to us. We had to set up the auditorium for him, and we hung out with him backstage for a little bit before the students came. He was actually pretty cool.

"Hey guy, thanks for setting this stuff up for me. Oh, and you can call me Jake."

Liam gave Jake his 'I'm-perfect' smile he always used around adults. "It was no problem, sir. Do you need anything else before the show starts?"

"Hmmm...actually, ya. Can I borrow an IPod? I like to listen to music when I work."

Liam immediately thrust his MP3 player in Jake's face. "I have everything on here, sir. Can I make you a playlist? What kinda of music do you like?"

Jake looked at the albums scrolling  past on the screeen. "Just, like, hard core rock songs. Do maybe three, oh, and then for the fourth we can do something totally opposite just to be funny."

My eyes lit up. "Like Katy Perry? She is one of my favorites!" And I know Liam has her on his MP3 because I downloaded her latest album on it for April Fools' day. He never cleans that thing off. He probably still has Barney on it from fifth grade!

"Sure. Do California Girls. I like that one" Jake said, pointing it out on the screen. Liam turned bright red. He must have forgotten about it.

While Liam was setting up the music, the students started filling in. When they were ready, we introduced Jake, then shoved him out and gave him the microphone. After a ten minute summary of his life and how painting helped him, we rolled out his art supplies.

"Hey" I whispered. "They're not tuning you out. You're doing great!" He smiled and began painting just a  the music started up. He was an amazing painter, and it was so cool to see it all come together, but it was also a little boring. I could see that in the audience. Although, I could also see they liked the music. And everyone laughed when California Girls came on. So did I , even though I expected it. I just sounded funny after the rock songs.

I started lip-syncing to it. Amanda noticed this and grabbed the microphone that Jake had abandoned when he stated painting.

"Sing!" she said, flipping it to me.

"What ? NO! I can't sing in front of everyone!"

"Pleeeeease!" she whined. "You're really good."

Liam nodded, surprising me. "Ya. You should totally do it."

"See? Even you're brother is supporting you! You have to!" The audience saw that I was still holding the microphone and cheered.

I rolled my eyes. "I am sooo getting you back for this!"

Amanda just shoved me forward. "you know you love me. Now, sing!"

I obeyed and sang through the end of the first verse and the chorus. The audience cheered. I smiled weakly. I couldn't believe I had done that. It was really fun though. "Okay, I don't know the second verse. Someone else's turn!" I tried to pass off the microphone, but no one would take it.

"Girl, you know I can't sing." Amanda said when i got to her. "You keep going. You so love it. And look, even they want you!" I turned around to find the whole school chanting my name.

"Double payback for you now."

"Whatever you say!" Amanda smiled wickedly. I picked up at the chorus, the auditorium singing and dancing in their seats.When it got to the rap, one of the guys I don't know flipped the mic out of my hands and went through.So, apparently he can't sing, but he can rap. Pretty well, actually. He changed up the words a little when he got to the end.

"Christy, my lady?"

"Ya?" I replied without thinking. We were good. When he finished he tossed the mic back to me and I ended the song. Everyone was going insane. I just said, "Um, thank you", tossed the mic to Liam who had finished sometime during the ending, and scurried behind my friends.

Liam walked forward. "Wow, isn't this painting amazing?" The audience cheered again. We had really gotten them worked up!

"Best pep rally ever" the rapper guy whispered to me. I smiled and gave him a high five.

Liam continued. "Jake says he is going to donate this beautiful painting to our school! He is going to help us hang it up in the media center during lunch, so come by and say hi to him. It's time to go back to class now, so give it up for Jake!" The audience cheered. Jake grabbed the mic.

"I just wanted to say thanks for being such a great audience. It was a lot of fun. And who knew Christy had a voice!" I blushed and stepped back further. "Well, thanks again. Bye everyone!" Jake left the stage, leaving us to clean up his art supplies. We didn't mind though. It was nice to be needed as a club for once.