Finding Claire

Chapter 32

There were a couple of minutes of awkward silence until I sighed and broke it. "We are going to have to practice some day. I know you're nervous and shy Hope, but this is for a grade. Please.... do this for me. For us. We won't graduate without this credit and I sure don't want to repeat Senior year," I laughed and she cracked a smile. "So come on. We only have a limited time now and I want to win! I want to be the best out of everyone!"

She nodded and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. It's just that I don't sing by myself. I only chose this because I thought it would help with my shyness but I'm guessing it isn't. But I'm not always shy. My best friends think I'm the craziest person alive and can't believe I am a totally different person around strangers. Trust me, once I get to know you, you won't believe I am shy."

"Oh I'm the same," I laughed. "Is there anything you want me to do to make this easier?"

She bit her lip for a while and then she nodded. I made the 'go ahead and say it' gesture and she blushed before spilling everything out, making it hard to understand but I somehow got it. "Can you sing with me?"

I froze and gulped, looking down at my hands as they rested on the keys. Out of everything she could have asked for, she chose this? I looked up to sadly tell her no, but the look she was giving me stopped the word from coming out from my mouth.

Her eyes were glowing with hope and she was practically screaming out her thoughts. "Please say yes! Please say yes!" I nodded mutely and she smiled so widely, I thought she had hurt herself doing so.

"Thank you! Do you know the song?"

I gulped again and nodded. "I was suppose to sing it before with someone else, but something happened." I didn't bother saying the rest and she didn't budge. She just nodded and came closer to me while wringing her hands.

"Can I hear you play the first few measures? Just so I can get the gist of it....."

"Alright. But you tell me if I'm going too slow or too fast since you'll be the one singing." She nodded and I took a couple of deep breaths before starting off. I saw her sway her head with the bass notes and I smiled as I found myself doing it as well. When I got to the measure were she would start to sing, I silently started to hum out the words and she nodded, biting her lip. I played a couple more measures before stopping and looked at her. "Too fast? Too slow?"

"No. I think that's perfect. Will you sing with me the first time?"

"Of course. But I won't sing with you always." She nodded quickly and I waited until she took her deep breaths before saying she was ready. I started off with the same tempo and when it was time for us to sing, I was glad she was just on time.

Her voice was quiet, but good. From the corner of my eye, I saw her cheeks begin to immediately flush and I could feel myself blushing as well, but for no good reason. As we sang the first verse together, our voices kept together, not actually sounding that bad. But when it came time to sing the actual chorus, I still kept on singing, but I took a different harmony while she kept with the original. Hope noticed that immediately and her eyes flickered to me as her mouth continued to move and I just smiled for a second before catching up.

When it came to the second verse, I completely backed out and she panicked. Her voice trailed off two measures after I stopped and she stared at me with wide eyes. "Why did you stop? I thought you were going to continue with me!"

"I thought you were ready. You don't need me to sing with you," I murmured and she shook her head fast.

"Nooooo. I need you to sing with me please. At least the whole song together and then I'll try by myself. Please!"

"Yeah. I want to hear you sing with her," Mr. Zees voice boomed from behind us and we both jumped. We both quickly snapped our gazes to him only to pale as we saw all the girls standing behind him with wide eyes. I quickly looked back at him and he smiled. "I might even change it up again just hearing you two...."

"No!" I half cried, half yelled. "You can't change it again! I won't change my mind for the third time! Besides I was only helping her out for the first time we rehearsed. I am not singing again, no matter what!"

"Really? Are you sure?" he asked sadly and I nodded. Hope just stood there, still pale faced as my little ranting went on and I saw her tremble a little. She was shy wasn't she? I heard Mr. Zee groan and I looked back at him just as the door closed and everyone shuffled back with a few murmurs. I smiled when I caught a few of the groans.

"Did you hear that?" When she didn't respond, I looked back at her and saw her still looking at the closed door with wide eyes. I sighed and snapped my fingers in front of her, making her jump. "It's ok. They are gone and are not going to bother us again. They are going to practice even harder now that they heard you sing."

"How do you know?" she whispered and I smiled as I patted the empty spot next to me. She quickly sat down and stared at me wide eyed.

"I heard them saying 'Man they're good. If this was a competition, they would win!'"

It took her a moment but she finally smiled and looked up at me. "Really?"

"Yeah. Exact same words. So don't worry. Just be yourself and sing the song. You were doing so well and I am sure you don't need me to sing with you. Do you want to try it again?"

She nodded slowly and I looked at my phone before nodding with her. "This will be the last time for today. We won't have time for more until tomorrow."

"Are you going to sing with me?" she whispered and I silently sighed.

"Just until the end of the first chorus. Then you're on your own, okay?" Her eyes widened but she nodded and gulped. After we got rid of the nerves and emptied out all thoughts of what just had happened, I began again and we started all over. But when it came time for her to have her moment for the first time, she kept on singing and I just smiled.

We were so going to rock this......