want to be at.
Chuck sat right next to me. “C’mon, Justin, play something.”
Mmm … He’d obviously just been chewing gum because I was enveloped in a cloud of Doublemint. My vision began to blur and I started to play the only thing I could think of: the music in front of me. Becky took that as a cue that her coaching session with me had started and began singing. Hmph. So much for me not helping her. The cheerleader in
Rock and Roll High School
has a big song in the second act that she sings to the freshman character. The theme is “I’ve been where you are and this is what I’ve learned. Don’t make the same mistakes I did.” Since the song has an old-school R & B/pop feel to it, Becky decided to sing a 1980s Whitney Houston classic. “The Greatest Love of All” was Whitney’s first big hit and has a similar theme to the cheerleader’s song in the show. It also has some super-high notes that are impossible for most people to sing. Becky sang the whole song without any of her onstageissues: no flat/sharpness, memory loss, inappropriate softness, or cracking. After she finished her final
“lo-o-o-o-o-o-ve!”
I was speechless. She belted
all
the high notes and even added some sassy riffs she made up.
Plus
her acting choices were amazing. It’s like she stopped being Becky and had this inner glow that conveyed power and wisdom yet some kind of past hardship she didn’t want anyone else to go through, just like the character. Chuck started clapping. I was waiting for Becky to acknowledge him, but I turned and saw he was clapping toward
me
!
“Wow, Justin. You got talent.” He caressed my shoulder. Well, more like he patted me on the back. Well, not really patted, more like he
pat
me on the back. Hmm. I think he was just using my back for leverage as he got up, but nevertheless, there was touching involved.
Still, I couldn’t believe he was impressed by that. That’s not even a hard song to play.
Wait until he hears me play the Chopin scherzo in F sharp minor
, I thought. I then decided I should probably stick to playing Whitney. That kind of music is more impressive to people like Chuck. And anyone under seventy-five.
I thanked him and was waiting for him to go even crazier for Becky. If he was praising
me
that much, I knew he was going to go overboard for her because she really sounded amazing!
Instead, he got up and started dialing his phone. “I gottacall the coach,” he said as he walked out of the room. “If we’re gonna practice outside this winter, the hot chocolate machine better get fixed.”
Chuck went into the kitchen and I looked at Becky. She had lost all of the glow she had during the song and was now looking down. How could she be depressed after such an amazing performance? I had to tell her how great she was.
“Becky!” I said, and she looked up. “That was incredible!” She had to know that. I decided to get a little nitpicky. “My only advice about auditioning with that song would be to—”
“Oh, Justin, what does it matter?” She flopped down on the couch.
Huh? What was she being such a downer about? “Listen, Becky, I don’t know why Chuck didn’t tell you how gorgeous you sounded, but—”
She laughed. “Oh, please. Chuck never says anything about the way I sing. Or look. Or … anything. That’s just Chuck.”
Hmm. That sounds annoying. But I could certainly deal with it just to have one delicious hour wrapped in his muscular—
“I’ve gotten used to Chuck.” Becky broke me out of my mini-fantasy. “That’s not why I’m upset.”
“Well, do you think it’s the wrong song choice? I think it’s great, but if you don’t”—I started flipping through papers on my piano—“I have the music here somewhere. Maybe you can learn a song from the show.”
“Justin. I’ve been listening to the CD all year. I have every song memorized. That’s not the issue.”
“Then what’s up?” I asked, and walked over to where she was sitting on the
Jen Williams
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Michael G. Thomas
The Wedding Journey
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