Secret Singing Superstar

Eleven ~ ♫♪♫

"Is this the place?" Claire's mother asked as they pulled up outside a white two-storey house. "It's pretty."

"I guess," said Claire, getting out of the car. It was the right address, so it should be the right house. There was a large garden in front of the house, and pink, purple, and white flowers bloomed on the sides. A tall lemon tree stood in the middle, with many bright yellow lemons bursting from its branches. The blinds were open in the house, but she couldn't see any movement inside. "Should I go and ring the doorbell?"

"Yes," said her mother. "I'll be right behind you."

Claire walked up the driveway to the front door. She pressed on the doorbell, and the door immediately opened to reveal a woman standing there.

"Hello," said the woman warmly. "You must be Claire. Helina's been telling me a little about you. I'm Cailyn's mum. Come in."

Claire entered the house while Cailyn's mum talked to her mother outside. Helina had suggested that Claire come to Cailyn's house on the weekend, the day before Claire's small party, so she could get to know Cailyn better, since Helina was also going to Cailyn's house on Saturday as well. When Claire had been going off during recess and lunchtimes, leaving Leanne and Caitlin to eat by themselves, she'd been going to see Helina, to further think over Claire's plan. Helina had only introduced her to Cailyn on Thursday, and she hadn't seen her at all on Friday, except for when she caught Helina scaring her again in the morning, like usual.

"Oh, Claire's here!" called Helina's voice from a room on the right; Claire entered it, and saw Helina and Cailyn on the couch.

"Hey," said Cailyn. First time she had met Claire, she had called her the music girl, which had made Claire feel offended at first, but then she'd gotten used to Cailyn and her weird and random comments after spending a whole recess and lunchtime with her. So far, neither she or Helina had told Cailyn about the plan.

"Hi," said Claire. "What are you guys doing?"

Cailyn flipped a remote in her hand and turned on the TV. "Helina wants to do karaoke, surprisingly, because she always complains that she can't sing. But have you heard her sing?" Claire shook her head. "She's actually not that bad."

"My sister says I was terrible," said Helina.

"Well, sisters always put you down," said Cailyn. "Lucky my sister's gone off to a birthday party, otherwise you would get really annoyed in, like, two seconds."

"No, Claire's sister is nice to her," Helina told Cailyn.

"Really?"

Claire blushed. "Well, yes. If she's mean to me, my mum tells her off. I'm very privileged in my family."

"Well, lucky you," Cailyn said with a sarcastic tone. Helina hit her, but it didn't look hard. Cailyn grinned at Claire, and she smiled back.

"Claire, can you sing?" queried Helina.

"Um..."

"You can sing!" said Cailyn, delighted. "Good! You can sing first."

Claire's eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

Helina laughed. And laughed. And laughed. It was as if she couldn't stop laughing. Cailyn tried to put on a what is with this girl? expression, but failed and started giggling along with her. Claire laughed a little as they both collapsed in giggles on the couch.

"Can somebody tell me what is so funny?" asked Claire. She immediately knew it was the wrong thing to say, as both Helina and Cailyn laughed harder. They were so loud that Cailyn's mother appeared at the door behind Claire. She looked at Helina and her daughter in confusion.