Fireworks Chapter 1- First Sight: Wake up Delilah. Youve got school to go to.

I opened my bleary eyes to my harried mother and the bright sunlight streaming through my window. Like any other teen, no matter how much sleep you got, you were always tired when you rise from your lovely slumber. I kept to my typical stupor as I entered my usual before-school routine. I put on my uniform which consisted of a white blouse that had St. Pauls Arts Schools crest on the breast pocket, short green, blue and black skirt and black tights. One glance in the mirror immediately pointed out that my long black hair desperately needed a comb and my sleepy green eyes begged for a few more minutes of rest. As I was biting down my last few spoons of cereal, I spotted two of my best friends, Clara and Jim, run out of the school bus. Move it Dee, I wanna stop by the bakery before first period, I missed breakfast this morning! Typical Clara n ever organized. I snatched my schoolbag off its hook as I dashed out the door, jumping on the bus to school, as well as the schedule of my normal life. I collapsed into my designated seat next to Cory, a geeky yet friendly guy. I immediately put my head on the desk while listening to roll call. Al! Al, or Alistair, is my childhood friend, weve always been close. I couldnt remember any part of my youth without him. Adam, Ben, Brit, Clara I laughed when I spotted Clara snoozing on her desk, her honey hair already out of place. Cory, Damian, DemDee! I jumped at my name, painfully banging my knee on the table leg. Stay alert class! scolded Miss Lyons. Greg, Jim, Jenna, Lenny, Lauren... Why did one minute seem so long? Monty, Oz, Reece, Rachael I love it how the gang I hang out with all have nicknames. Tess, Tilly, Vic and Xav Alright everyone, please pull out last nights English task and a red pen. We shall correct from page 24 to 26. Miss Lyon s began to write out the date on the board when the most unusual thing that could ever happen in my English class happened. Someone knocked on the door, disturbing the entire class. A year 10 girl walked in with a tall boy who had short blonde hair in little spikes and a crooked nose. His eyes were a hazel colour and they looked around in boredom. The girl daintily waltzed up to Miss Lyons and spoke in an inaudible tone. Whos this newbie? Alistair stared in revulsion at the sour-faced boy standing in the doorway. I gave him a sharp tap. I always thought it was rude to judge a character by first sight. Miss Lyons went over to the new guy and shook his hand. Introducing him to the class as Mike, she moved Cory next to Al so I was responsible for looking after Mike. Hey there, my name is Delilah, but everyone calls me Dee or DJ. I flashed a friendly grin. I thought hed be shy but from the way he glared and dismissed my attempted welcome was plain rude. Al could only give me a look of sympathy. *** You shouldve seen how that new guy was so horrible to poor DJ! I rolled my eyes at Al. Despite my attempts to convince everyone that Mike was probably just tired, Al just had to exaggerate for my benefit. To be honest, Im kinda sorry for him, I mean, by the 9th grade, everyone is already closed in their little groups. He may find it hard to fit in. Now it was Brits turn to roll eyes. Oh please, if he wanted friends, he wouldve stuck to you like a leech instead of brush you off. Jim closed in next to me. Speak of the devil and the devil shall appear. The gang all shot eyes towards Mike who was heading in the direction of the office. As soon as he realised that we were staring at him, he stared back in shock. Yet as soon as he set his eyes on me, he gave me a weak smile. I turned back to the others with a triumphant grin. Told ya so. We all laughed. Oh shut up Dee. Everyone chorused. Because everyone suspected I had planned a set up with the glaring then smiling, I was forced to go and speak to Mike. I saw no harm in doing so and walked straight up to him. But before I even let a single word escape my mouth, he uttered I know what youre doing, so forget it and go back to your friends. Confused and hurt, I walked to the little hidey-hole where Oz and Vic were watching. Ah, dont be so glum Dee; we got a plan B to get you up and running again. I knew that the boys plans were never really subtle. I looked to Vicky for help, but she just shrugged. Leave him alone Oscar, I dont really care if some newbie gives me the cold shoulder. Oz tipped his head back and laughed. Thats not what I meant! We all know how much you love sky candy, so we got you some pictures from last years New Year. Vicky leaned in and whispered Dont you believe it; the guys just forgot to give them to you last month. As well as first period English, I also had last period music with Mike. None of the gang appreciated the art of sounds, so I was usually alone. We had to go into pairs for warm-up and this time I wasnt stuck with the teacher now the class was even numbered. Hi Delilah, sorry for being so standoffish, Im not used to big crowds, so I decided Id rather speak to you without the others watching. Mike had approached me since everyone else had chosen their partners. The remark caught me by surprise. It was strange how he was so open about it, not even trying to hide his unsocial side. Jus t to keep things running smoothly, I flattened the thought of having to see Mike alone just to socialize. Hey, no worries, I can introduce you to them all so youre not alone during recess. He screwed up his face. II just said I dont like big crowds. Disappointment must have flickered across my face because he hurriedly spoke again. Its okay, I can leave you alone! If thats what you want, well thats probably the opposite, not that Im assuming

anything. Well, I was but uhmyou know I could see he was getting flustered and interrupted his stutters. Listen, how about I tell you a bit about all of them then you decide whether you want to meet them? He smiled appreciatively. Thanks Delilah, that sounds good. I grinned. Just call me Dee or DJ. Damn, I put him off again. Uhmnot just yet, I only use nicknames after getting to know someone better. But out of curiosity, why DJ? Id almost forgotten the reason behind that nickname. My full name is Delilah Jenkins. Initials put together. He smiled weakly. Ah, okay. Chapter 2- Progress: After last period, I pointed out the gang coming out of their dance, art and drama classes from an inconspicuous place. So there are the girls: Brittany, the one with the brown pigtails. Clara, honey coloured long hair, always with the hair clips and flower pinned to her blouse. Jennifer, blonde pixie cut, she looks like a boy, I gotta admit. Montana, yellow headband, black cropped hair, only blue eyed girl. Vicky, curly brown hair and Matilda, red hair with a fringe. Mike didnt even look slightly puzzled. In fact, he looked confident he knew all of them apart already. Now the guys: Demitri, spikey black hair. Jim, black hair under the blue beanie. Lenny, blonde hair with the glasses. Os car, short one with brown shoulder lengths and Xavier, Asian guy, no racism intended. Mike smirked. Judging by what you told me, Im guessing that Brittany, Jennifer, Vicky, Jim and Demitri are the sporty ones. Clara, Montana and Oscar care about their style and Matilda and Xavier are geniuses. I couldnt help laughing. Pretty much, yeah. He laughed too. You seem a mix of all of them. And Ive just noticed something, wheres you sympathetic friend from this morning? I glanced around to see Al watching me suspiciously. I couldnt blame him, Mike and I were practically touching and this morning he wouldnt even come near me. Seeing no way of explaining, I turned to Mike and spoke in broken words. Oh, hell. Run! We sprinted halfway across the school from the arts building all the way to the year 7 lockers. Doubling over and out of breath, we leaned against the wooden lockers panting. I didnt let him speak. Before you ask, that was Alistair. Light brown hair, all messy. Hes like, as they say, my brother from another mother. We share a lot in common. Together for ages. He raised an eyebrow. Together, together? I shook my head. I realised he was at ease now. I guessed he mightve known Al was behind us. Alright, I know enough about your friends. Now, tell me about yourself. *** Hey guys, wait up! Al ran up behind the gang. Hey Al, wheres DJ? I thought you were going to get her from her music class. I was Dem, I always do. DONT give me that look Xav; I dont like Dee in that way. She wasnt there though; she was with Mikey, the new kid. Monty sidled up to Al. Ooh, jealous are we? Lenny laughed. Yeah, better go find her before you lose her to newbie. Al glared. Shut up guys, I already said I dont like Dee. And to prove it, Im not gonna go look for her. I aint worried. Jenna came up behind him. You say that, but you dont mean it! I was late home that night with a butt-load of homework. Then again, I guess it was worth it just to get to know the mysterious Mike. I recalled back to one of our conversations while writing a history essay. He only asked typical questions. So whats your favourite colour? Green. You? Same. How old are you? Im 15. Im 16, year older than everyone else. I laughed Thats why youre so tall! Hah, I guess. What season do you like the best? Autumn, I like the leaf fall. Me too. How about holidays? New Years. He was surprised by my answer. Why? Usually people would say Christmas because of the presents. Mike had shown slight revulsion following his statement. New Years lets me feel like its a fresh start, like everything I did last year was forgiven. But I gotta admit, the best part is probably the fireworks Then it just continued like that. Yet it seemed he was deeply immersed in the way I had described fireworks. I came to the conclusion that Mike was definitely not the average person. Delilah, Alistairs on the phone. I sighed. I knew Id have to explain sooner or later. Hey Al, whats up? You know why Im ringing. Jeez, why so moody? Look, he was in my music class and hes shy. He wasnt sure about jumping into a big group and you gotta give him credit, hes doing well. Al snorted. Come off it Dee, hes hitting on you. Look, I dont see what youre getting so worked up about; were just getting to know each other. Besides, even if he is, why are you worried about it? Silence. IIll talk to you later, bye Dee. Chapter 3- Who wouldve known: I realised that me and Al had been close for ages and it would be a bit of a shock if I started becoming so close to another on such short notice. So the next day, I decided to reassure him like wed both done before loads of times. Just the thought of years back made me almost start blubbering. It was Thursday, so I had a P.E class with him, Dem, Jenna and Brit. Mike was there too, but he avoided me since the others were around. As I approached the gang, they all watched me strangely. I disregarded their looks and hugged Al. Hey, Im sorry about yesterday, I was being really tactless. When I pulled away from him, I saw he wasnt looking at me. His eyes flickered to something behind me then looked back to me. He smiled Thats okay, I reckon I overreacted. As soon as Mr Peak, the P.E teacher, started a warm up run, I glanced around to find out what Al had found so interesting. I frowned at what I hoped wasnt true. I knew then that neither Mike nor Al would want to get along. This realization came to me and hit so hard, like sky candy exploding in the night.

I couldnt just abandon Mike but I didnt want the gang to get any ideas or Al ignoring me. I came to the decision to split my time up between them. Besides, I had music alone with Mike, it could work. That Friday morning, I had maths with Vic, Jim and Tilly. Our maths teacher didnt care where we sat as long as the work was done. Vic and Tilly seized the seats beside me and Jim parked in front. So, is Mike joining us or what? I looked at Jim. What? Tilly laughed. Come on, hes seen us all, isnt he gonna be part of the gang? I sighed. If only it were that simple, hes shy and doesnt want to approach a big group. Anyway, youve seen what happens when Mike and Al clash. They practically explode. Then it was Vics turn to laugh. Explode of different colours. Always the firework reference. I smirked. What can I say? They all looked for me to finish my sentence. No, really, what can I say? We all laughed. Vic managed to fit a few words in between giggles Ah Dee, we really have to find you another hobby. At recess, I met up with Mike under a shady part of the oval. We sat there talking most of the time. He wanted to know more about why I loved fireworks so much. I chatted on and on about the colour, the excitement and the reminders it gave me. At first I thought I was boring him but one glance clarified that he was thinking very deeply. Whens your birthday? He asked after my extensive explanation of sky candy. 7th of March, Ive already had it. Whens yours? He didnt respond for a minute. Oh, sorry. Uhm, 3rd of August. I searched his face intently, trying to figure out what he was thinking. He grinned. I have an idea youll really like. Ill tell you about it when Ive thought it through. Third period was Science with Al, Lenny, Clara, and Xav. Al didnt sit next to me so Lenny did instead. Al appeared to be ignoring me so I leaned into Clara. Whats up with Al? Lenny answered. Oz pointed you out this morning with Mike. Apparently Al told us all last week that the big soccer tournament was on then. You missed it. I banged my head on the desk. Dammit, I forgot all about that. Clara rubbed my back sympathetically. Its okay Dee, theres always next time. I gave her a grateful smile. Al couldnt stay mad at me for long. I turned to Xav. What was the answer to question 4? I never understood diffusion. Xav just smirked. Come on Dee, you understood the concept of it on Monday. I rolled my eyes. Well, I forget. After school, I spent so much time at my locker fiddling with the lock until I realised it wasnt mine. I missed the bus so I had to walk. It was very quiet but I didnt care because I always could see the colours dance in my mind and hear the sound of exploding fireworks. I occasionally heard quick footsteps. It then started to bother me. I looked behind me to find that two year 12 boys from the all-male school adjacent to St. Pauls walk far-from-innocently behind me, not bothering to keep a distance. I sped up a bit but one of them caught my back pack and dragged me backwards. The other male held a concealed knife. Dont move unless we let you. He whispered. I was scared so bad. What could they do to me in broad daylight? I looked at the one who grabbed me. He had a knife too. I walked silently with them holding me. Chapter 4- Provoked: They led me down an alleyway next to a pizza restaurant. We were behind a dumpster so no one could see us. Give us the back pack. I threw it to them. Now let me go. My voice shook with no hope. And let you run off the police? one of them laughed. Oh hell no, thatd be suicide. They pushed me backwards to a car in the alleyway. Get in. And dont scream or I may let the knife accidently- he tipped the knife down towards me. -slip. Another boy came up behind them. At first I thought I was done for but I jumped away when the one who threatened me got kicked in the side of the head. Are you alright? Xav leaned over me. I peeked around to see Oz and Mike standing over the two boys. How did you guys find me? Xav pointed at Mike. He saw you walking and knew you took the bus. Then he overheard those guys going to get you. He got us to come with him and I gotta say, he can really throw a punch. My first instinct was to thank Mike but I shouted They had knives, they couldve gotten you! Mike shrugged. I didnt know they even had a weapon. I stared in blank shock. But youyou guys Oz came and pulled me out of my crouched position. Dont fret too much Dee. Its over, they cant hurt us anymore. I began to cry. Thanks Oz, Xav I ran up to Mike and hugged him. Mike They all promised not to tell anyone about the kidnapping. Weeks past and Mike had made no progress with the gang, with the exception of Oz and Xav. Despite our insistence to use our nicknames, he refused lightly. Even with the rivalry going on, everything ran smoothly. Term 2 was coming to an end, but the beginning of July was soon to come. Mike still hadnt told me what he had planned, but after seeing everything hes done so far raised my spirits. Will you tell me now? I questioned once again, my curiosity burning hard in my mind. He sighed then chuckled. Patience Delilah, itll be worth it in the end. I gave Mike a light shove. You always say that! Come on, just a hint? He shook his head. I realised that he wasnt going to give in, so I changed the subject. So why did you come halfway into term 2? Mike screwed up his face in contemplation. Well, I was meant to move at the start of the year but there was a delay because of summer bushfires. I was coming in from a rural area after all. That was reasonable. You know you should give me your number or email so we can catch up over the break. By the look on his face, I was afraid of his

answer. Yet again, I was wrong. Sure, I dont have an email but Ill give you my mobile. Just as I was getting the last digits of his phone number, the bell rang. Third period history was dragging by. While Oz and Jenna whispered away, my mind suddenly flashed to what would happen if I did go out with Mike. Would the others still be my friends? Would Al ever speak to me again and if things didnt go down well, would I have any friends left? Feeling sick from the thought, I tried to forget it. In the end, I pushed it to the back of my mind. The original compositions went down well. The top three were to perform solos in the term 3 Show Class. I was thoroughly pleased with myself when I got second. Mike had third and virtuoso James was first. Well done Delilah! Mike came up to me and gave me a high-five. You too, the way you played the clarinet was pure genius. Youve got talent! I grinned up at him, feeling the best I have all week. When we got to the lockers, my grin turned into a sad smile. Whats the matter Delilah? You did well, youll get first next time. I looked down. Thats not it, its the last day of term, wont come back for a few weeks. He put a hand on my shoulder. Come on, you should be excited. America has their independence day and theres gonna be a firework display. Youll see it on T.V. That never failed to pull me out of emotion. Sky candy was like excitement and pure adrenaline. One burst and you get going. Despite it, I still cried. Mike pulled me into a hug. Pull yourself together girl, I promise we can do something fun over the holidays. Everyone said their goodbyes before heading to their cars, buses or other ways of transport. Hey Dee, you coming to play football next week? Al had forgiven me, given that I play football with the gang over the break. Of course, I wouldnt miss football, best sport there is. I turned to Mike. You wanna come? He shrugged. I will if Im welcome, but I dont want to upset Al with my presence. I leaned in to whisper. No worries, I can sort that out easy. Chapter 5- Break: The holidays started great, 4th of July had a spectacular firework display. That kept me going through the week. I even got round to convincing Al to let Mike play football. Satisfied with my success, I called up Mike with the details of next weeks match. Practically jumping for joy, I directed all of my euphoria towards next Tuesday. Alright guys, heres the plan. Tilly and Lenny, you stay back in defence, dont be afraid to tackle. Jenna, Dem and Brit, your our best runners, you stay around the middle. Me and Dee will go for goals. Al had sorted the teams so that he and Xav were captains. Oscars older brother Clark agreed to be referee so the teams were even. Xav gave the thumbs up to show that they were ready. Al and Mike faced off in the middle as the ball went up in the air. The game went off with a bang. The pressure and adrenaline was exhilarating. Tilly tackled Xav to the ground but her kick was lopsided and ended up in Vics hands. Jenna tripped yet still managed to handball it off to Dem. I aimed the ball towards Al but the kick went in the wrong direction. I didnt complain. I still got a point. After half an hour of kicking, handballing and tackling, Xavs team was winning by three points. Clark called a break so we could rehydrate and eat something. Demitri, who was in high spirits, pulled the team together and cheered Come on guys, we got 25 goals and 4 points, we can still win! When the game started up again, we all started playing dirty. Jenna got a free kick when Monty tried to kick a ball in danger. Oz marked the ball but Dem still tackled him. Claiming he didnt realise, Oz got a free kick. I had the ball and was sprinting with it towards the goal when out of nowhere; Mike came up behind me and picked me up off the ground. I screamed with laughter as he threw me over his shoulder. I was left dangling over him until I relinquished the ball. Mike finally got the ball and began to sprint to the other goal. Al, who looked mad, charged at him and took him down to the ground. When Mike didnt struggle, I realised there was something wrong. I was positive when he yelled out in pain. Mikes arm was on an odd angle. Oz and Clark carried him off the pitch. I ran up to him to try and help. Stay back DJ, Im gonna call an ambulance. I shoved him out of the way. I know basic medical procedures; my dad was a doctor before he skipped out of town. I approached Mike who was sitting immobile on the bench. I touched his arm and asked if it hurt. After observing the angle of his arm, judging the pain he described and the damage that couldve possibly happened to the bone, I grabbed his arm with one hand and his shoulder with the other and yanked down. There was a crack and his arm looked normal again. What the heck did you do? Clark was infuriated by my actions. Mike stood up. She fixed my arm, it moves normally and it doesnt hurt anymore, he said defensively. But maybe you should still see a doctor, just in case! I jumped in; I was scared that one small movement would break his arm. He turned to me and smiled. You thought it was dislocated right? I nodded. Well, you were correct. If youre worried, Ill take some painkillers before I go to sleep. Al called everyone to the bench. I think we should call it a day. His voice was shaky. Everyone departed silently. Al turned to Mike. Listen, Im so sorry about dislocating your arm He gave him a weak smile. No worries, Im fine. There was an awkward silence. Al turned and left so I walked home with Mike. Chapter 6- Flames: When I got home, it was 6:42pm and I found I got 3 texts from Oz, mum and Mike.

Oz- Hey Dee, my brother just wants to apologise for going off at ya. Mum- Hi honey, what do you want for dinner? Mike- Hey Delilah, thanx again 4 fixing my arm. U free anytime nxt week? I tapped a quick reply to Oz, saying I forgive his brother. I ran to the kitchen to tell my mum I didnt really mind as long as we could have ice cream for dessert. Then there was Mike. Hey Mike, Ur welcome, again. Sure anytime nxt week. Y? *** 9:34pm Mike: sweet, meet me at the schools front gate on Friday at 1:30pm. Dont be late! It was really cloudy on Friday but the weatherman promised no rain. Even though hes usually right, I brought a raincoat anyway. I saw Mike leaning casually against the main gate. We exchanged brief smiles and then he led the way towards his house. His parents werent home so we ended up jumping the fence onto an asphalt court with a massive field behind it. There was a pile of wood and various kitchen items next to a bin. Mike pulled a lighter out of his pocket and lit the pieces of wood. He then gave me a canister of salt. Put some salt on the fire, its awesome. Confused yet curious, I sprinkled some salt on the flames then jumped back when they sparked green. He laughed. After everything youve told me, it was obvious how much you loved fireworks so I decided to show you this. I was touched that hed done this for me. I smiled then shivered. A cold wind blew by so I was glad of my green sweater. We experimented with other chemicals for ages, watching the fire change colour as it incinerated the items thrown on it. Mike stood behind me for a while, then threw flour over my head. I screamed when the flames combusted. The explosion coincided with a crack of lightning, followed by the downpour of rain. As we ran inside the shelter of his house, I could hear the bangs from the flames as well as us still laughing from the explosion. We collapsed on the lounge room couch, out of breath from running and laughing. It was a nice house, the place wasnt spotless but it was warm and comfortable. The fluffy grey rug had specks of dust in it and the chairs were all worn from use. We sat in exhausted silence. Mike turned his head towards me did you have fun? You freaked out so bad when I put flour on the fire. I gave him a friendly punch. Course I did, it looked like it spontaneously combusted! And I always have fun with you, I cant help it. He smiled and leaned in closer. I did the same. My hair touched his shoulder and I closed my eyes but suddenly, the front door banged open. Shocked, my head went forward onto his shoulder. My eyes snapped open and I found myself staring at a cushion on the couch. I felt him push me back onto my seat as his dad waltzed in. He had dark brown hair and a moustache. He and Mike had a similar build but his eyes were darker. His coarse hands held an umbrella. He gave a friendly smile that was so familiar. Hey Mikey, have you seen this rain? Oh, this must be your friend Delilah. Is she staying for dinner? Mike nodded while staring emptily at a table behind his dad. Great, so what have you two been up to? I stood at the door in my raincoat. It was almost 8:30pm so I was late. We exchanged shy smiles. Thanks for coming over. You sure you dont want me to drop you off at home? I held my bus ticket tightly and nodded. Thank you for inviting me over, your mum sure can cook. Well, see you later. I began to walk out the gate. Yeah, bye Dee. As I lay in bed, I watched the wall clock opposite. Id already forgotten what my mum had said when I came in, as well as the reminder to clean my room, which was surprising, since I tripped over a pile of clothes and slipped on sheets of music. My mind was occupied by two things: one, Mike had called me Dee and two, what mightve happened if Mikes dad hadnt have come in at that moment. Chapter 7-Show Class: Because St Pauls was an art school; term 3 was dedicated mostly to the arts. There was the Show Class coming up and the art exhibition to be organised. Everyone went around with an air of excitement. Even normal classes seemed livelier than usual. During the times of the art classes, those who were doing solos or were doing an art piece that was going to be part of the main display were allowed to skip the class to put together their individual pieces. I decided to create another piano piece that would be my best yet. While I was writing down notes and improvising, I wondered why Mike had left his clarinet in the music room. Jenna and Monty wandered into the room where I was practicing. Hey DJ, do you know whos doing Show Class from the gang? Coz we missed out on the top ten, so were only doing group. I looked down thoughtfully. I know Tilly and Oz are doing dance solos. Claras doing a dance duo with Brit. Lenny got a drama performance with Jim and Vicky. Xavs in art and he got first so he's doing a main art exhibit. Mike got second in music, so he's doing a solo like me. Al and Dem missed out on the top ten as well so theyre only doing the class performances. They looked at each other and smirked. Whats Mike doing for his solo? Jenna asked curiously. Im not sure; he left his clarinet in the music room. Why? Monty patted me on the shoulder. Then youre in for a big surprise. They giggled, got up and walked out of the room, leaving me curious. The week before Show Class was hectic. Everyone was busy hanging up artwork, decorating masks, finalising performances, running in late homework. No one had any spare time; they were either practicing, fixing or helping. I

hadnt seen Mike anywhere during school and even after school, he never called. So Al and Dem sat with me eating lunch while I practiced my piece. They invited me to come watch a movie after school with them, Jenna and Monty. I turned them down, knowing I should practice. Two days before Show Class, there was a dress rehearsal and a technical run. School uniform was not compulsory for Show Class because of the dance and drama performances. As long as it was suitable and approved by an arts teacher, it was allowed. I wore a sleeveless black waterfall dress and red high heels. I didnt bother with my hair and left it flowing down my back. I almost freaked when I pressed the wrong key. I knew Mike was after me and I was burning with curiosity about what he was doing, so when I got off the stage, I went to the wings to find him standing there with Xav and Oz. They went up to me and said well done. Mike patted me on the head and laughed quietly. Im sorry Dee, I really am. I was surprised about that. I began to wonder why he apologised. It wasnt too hard to figure out. Oz and Xav both grabbed one of my arms and took me outside. What was THAT in order of? I knew I would miss Mikes performance now that theyd dragged me out. Xav chuckled. Sorry Dee, were doing Mike a favour. He doesnt want you to see his performance until the night. I stared. Why? An hour earlier: Mike went looking for Xav and Oz. He needed to find them before he was called to the wings. When he saw Xavs charcoal and pastel splattered blue shirt, he ran up behind them. Jeez Mike, trying to kill us are you? Oz wore a white singlet and dark grey pants. Whatever Oscar, I need to ask you guys a favour. They nodded simultaneously. Satisfied, Mike continued. After DJs piano sonata, can you take her somewhere she cant hear or see inside the theatre? I dont want her to see my performance until the actual Show Class. Xav and Oz both put a hand on Mikes shoulders. Sure thing Mikey, just tell us, since when do you call Delilah DJ but cant call me Xav or him Oz? Mike sighed. Ill tell you about it later, just promise me that youll do me this favour. Oz grinned. Alright Mike, alright. Thats why? I asked hopelessly. It was just like Mike, always a mystery. Oz nodded. Now if youll excuse me, I've got a ballet piece to rehearse. See ya. I sighed and glanced over at Xav. When do I get to go inside again? He smirked. When Mike comes out to get ya. I reckoned there was a pun intended, but I ignored it because Vic, Jim and Lenny came through the glass doors to see me. Mike really meant it, didnt he? Jim said. My jaw dropped. You ALL know?! Lenny chuckled. Oz couldnt help telling us, he thought it was hilarious. Vic grabbed my shoulders. You have no idea what youre missing! Vic chimed in. I grew desperate. Please, at least give me a hint on what he's doing! There was a quiet laugh from behind me. No way Dee, be patient. I jumped and saw Mike standing behind me. You I began, but I couldnt think of anything else to say. He patted me on the head again. Relax DJ, you only have to wait two days. On the day of the Show Class, everyone had brought everything they would need for the night. Clara and I messed with each others hair. I twisted her honey hair into a chignon and slid a blue polka dotted headband on her head while she made my hair into long waves and pinned a rose to the sides near my right ear. Admiring each others appearance, I pulled her into a tight hug. Were gonna do awesome, I can feel it. I said, trying my hardest not to burst into tears. Clara appeared to do the same. Same here, and youre gonna enjoy Mikes piece. Its beautiful. The drama class did a whole group performance, followed by the designated groups. The soloists performed last which gave off a spooky effect, because the last thing youll remember about it is the mask of the final actor. The music class was different, the soloists went first. My hands were shaking as I was caught in the spotlight. From on the stage, I couldnt see the audience, which made it even scarier. I sat on the seat in front of the piano and listened to Mr Osmond introduce me and my piece Sky Fire. I played flawlessly, feeling proud of myself. Every second I had practiced and every note I had written on my sheets represented the sounds everyone heard coming out of the piano. When I pressed the last of the ivory keys, I stood up and took the applause from the crowd. I bowed then walked off the stage, my heart beating rapidly from the exhilaration. Mike was waiting on the right wing, wearing a white long-sleeve and black pants. Nice Dee, you played awesomely! No mistakes. I thanked him, feeling my cheeks burn. I sat down where he was sitting before. Im guessing youre not playing clarinet? He smiled and picked up a microphone. You bet. Mike walked onto the stage and Mr Osmond introduced him. I gasped when I heard the first lyrics escape his mouth. Chapter 8- Voice: