One Perfect Year at Stevenson High

Chapter 42

The audience was silent and the stage dark. Adora stood in position, scanning the crowd as she waited for the music to start. Even with the stage lights down, there were too many faces lining the rows that receded back into the darkened auditorium. If Catra was out there, Adora couldn't tell.

But she could imagine.

The first few repeating trills of Vocal Rebellion's first song filled the auditorium. Adora took a breath and mentally reminded herself to focus as Seahawk stepped into the single spotlight that illuminated centerstage and started to sing.

"I am bound to you with a tie that we cannot break, with a night that we can't replace. I'm lost but found with you, in a bed that we'll never make. It's a feeling we always chase..."

Now the lights came up, revealing the ensemble. The rest of the team vocalized through the pre-chorus and danced their gracefully, carefully structured choreography. Adora swooped and slid, moving around her teammates as Seahawk crooned sorrowfully. A thrill of excitement raced through her as the chorus approached.

When it was time, the entire mood of the performance changed. All of Vocal Rebellion belted the chorus as their movements became more exciting and dynamic. Their countless hours of practice meant they moved with the perfect synchronicity of a K-pop music video.

"Oh, in another place..."

The lighting flicked to blue light, illuminating the UV makeup and paint the team wore, and earning a wave of oohs and ahhs from the audience.

As the chorus came to an end, Mermista marched to centerstage and launched into her verse. She was as flawless and powerful on stage as she was in life, and the audience let out a quick cheer of excitement. If it was chemistry that Glimmer was after, Mermista and Seahawk brought it in spades. The fact that it was just a song never seemed to make a difference for Seahawk — he looked like his heart was breaking with every word he sang. Anyone watching the performance could tell that he was head over heels in love with Mermista. And though she tried to play it cool, Mermista's longing for him was no less obvious. It was a perfect duet.

When the song entered the bridge, Adora and Bow fell back behind the others and slipped backstage. They had less than a minute to get ready for the ballad. Bow grabbed the tulle skirt while Adora unpinned her hair and let it cascade down her shoulders. Then she shrugged out of her blazer and traded it for the skirt. Adora gave herself a quick once-over in the mirror. For a split-second, she was thrown by how well the look came together. Her glittering gown and golden curls were so glamorous: she looked like a star.

Adora took a deep breath and gave her reflection a quick nod before lifting the skirt's hem and dashing back to the platform. Bow offered his hand, and she let him pull her up beside him.

"How are you feeling?" he whispered into her ear.

"Good," she replied, meeting his eyes in the dim backstage light. "You?"

Bow grinned. "Awesome."

Out on stage, the song was coming to an end. Bow settled onto the bench while Adora took her place in the bend of the piano's tail. She fluffed her skirt until she was certain she was as ready as she'd ever be, and then she closed her eyes.

In her mind, Adora mapped the auditorium. She imagined a seat next to the aisle in one of the last rows. In it, Catra was sitting low, her wild hair smothered beneath an old ball cap, just like the day she sneaked in to watch Vocal Rebellion perform at sectionals. It was all in Adora's imagination, but just pretending Catra was out there steadied her nerves. Adora exhaled: she was ready.

On the other side of the curtain, the audience was cheering. A stagehand caught Adora's eyes and flashed her a thumbs-up. It was time.

"You got this Adora," Bow whispered as the curtains began to part. And then he started to play.