Battle of the Bands: Full Disclosure {Wattys 2016}

My Heart Will Go On and Music Classes

                  

Chapter 12

<Beckham O'Halloran>

"Calm down, Beckham, the pancakes aren't going to eat you." Antebellum chuckles as she loads up her plate the next day at breakfast.

It's eight o'clock in the morning, the first official day of Battle of the Bands and I haven't stopped shaking since I woke up this morning. I'm surprised I got my makeup on this morning without stabbing myself in the eye. I try to laugh at Antebellum's comment, but the laugh sounds fake and is quickly replaced by worry as I pick up a granola bar and a bottle of water.

"Should I be worried about you?" I turn around and find Hendrix smirking at me, his hands occupied by a plate overflowing with food.

"I should be the least of your worries." I reply and unwrap my granola bar.

"That cannot be all you're eating for breakfast." Hendrix shakes his head, staring down at his own plate.

"I could have more if some of us weren't trying to feed a small army." I say, popping a piece of fruit from his plate into my mouth. "You're not going to be eighteen forever."

Hendrix lifts one arm over his head and flexes. The gestures lifts a corner of his t-shirt, revealing a toned six-pack. Of course he's in shape; can't this boy get a flaw?

"I think I'm okay, but you tell me if you see anything wrong." He smirks, letting his arm drop back down at his side.

"Was that supposed to impress me?" I ask, my head tilted.

"Did it?" He challenges, stepping closer to me.

Yes.

"I think you shouldn't skip ab-day this week." I grin and take another piece of fruit.

"I think you liked what you saw."

"I think you missed to lecture about no romantic exploits in the competition."

"Nobody said anything about romance." He wiggles his eyebrows, waiting for my response.

"They didn't have to." I say, leaning in closer to him, my lips parted slightly.

His eyes are closed, a deep breath escaping his lips at our proximity to one another. I smirk and grab some more food from his plate before walking off towards my friends. I accept a high-five from Maddox and give Hendrix a little wave. He looks shocked that he actually got played by me. I grin, crossing my arms as if to challenge him to make the next move. He walks over to my table and drops the plate of food in front of me.

"You deserve it after that show you just put on, little miss tease." He winks and walks back to the breakfast bar.

I feel my cheeks warm as I look down at the plate of food. I tear off a piece of the waffle and eat it slowly as Delilah comes into the room with a clipboard. She claps for our attention, silencing the whole room in an instant.

"The schedule has been posted in the ballroom. Finish eating and then go check it; your first class starts at nine."

With that she leaves us to finish our breakfast. I'm still not that hungry, so I grab the rest of the waffle from the plate Hendrix gave me and follow my friends to the ballroom. The schedule is a big sheet of paper that's thumb-tacked to the carpeted wall of the room. It's organized by band and written in neat handwriting. We find our band, right next to Hendrix's, and figure out that we have confidence coaching first; thankfully, Hendrix doesn't have that until after lunch. Antebellum takes a picture of the schedule, so we won't have to rush back here after every class to check. A smile spreads across my lips as the four of us sink down into some of the foldable chairs that are set up in here.