Love Like Winter ❄️ Xavier Thorpe

Chapter 32: The Talent Show

Xavier and I wait backstage with everyone else who is going to be doing something in the talent show. I'm surprised to see Ajax and Kent waiting with us because I didn't even know they were participating. Wednesday waits at the front of the group, gripping her black cello in her hands and tapping her foot impatiently.

"Wednesday, relax. You're gonna kick this whole talent show's ass with that thing." I nudge her and grin, trying to settle her nerves. "What's up with the turtleneck though?

She lets out a single, closed mouth laugh, and one corner of her mouth raises into a slight smirk. "Wouldn't you like to know," comes out of her mouth as a statement rather than a question and I decide I do not actually want to know.

Xavier catches me fidgeting with my fingers before I even know I'm doing it and grabs my hands with his, placing a soft kiss on my forehead. "Don't worry, Princess. Whether we win or lose this thing, it's still going to be fun singing with you."

His words warm my insides and somehow help to settle the nervous feeling inside my bones. I lay my head against his chest and smile, wanting to just stay in this very moment forever. Weems enters the room and approaches the Nevermore students waiting backstage with a clipboard in her hands.

"Alright, everyone, gather around so I can tell you the order of performances, as well as what the winner will receive," she says loudly enough for us all to hear.

We gather around her as she starts reading the names off on the list. "First is Wednesday playing her rendition of Paint it Black on cello, then Xavier and Anna doing a guitar and vocal duet of Around the World and Back, followed by Enid dancing to Super Shy, then we'll have Ajax's comedy routine, Bianca singing Espresso, Yoko and Divina's piano and vocal duet of Blue and Yellow, and finally we'll close the show with Kent doing a guitar and vocal of Cute Without the E."

My eyes widen as she reads off the names. So every single one of the Nightshades is singing besides Ajax, who's telling jokes? I've never heard Ajax tell a single joke the whole time I've known him. I also had no idea that Kent could sing or play guitar and wonder if my sister is here in the audience with my aunt and uncle to watch. She and Kent really hit it off the last time she came to Nevermore. Maybe they can help each other come out of their shells, apparently it's working on Kent.

"The audience will vote on their favorite three acts tonight and then we'll tally the votes and determine our winners! Those three people or groups will have their photo taken for the school yearbook and also will be exempt from the end of the year realization project," Weems finishes explaining.

The room erupts into exclamations and cheers. Wednesday is probably the only stone-faced one out of us, which is strange to me because I know she wants out of that end of the year project more than anything, even more than winning. A small smirk pulls at the corners of her mouth though and I see the passion gleam in her eyes.

She slides beside me and whispers in my ear, "Let's take this competition, you know I'm going to win it by a landslide, but I bet you and Xavier can win second."

Xavier must overhear what she said because he scoffs and shakes his head. "Don't let your head get too big, Wednesday. I know you have your lovers in the audience to impress."

Her dark unblinking eyes flit up to Xavier's and she raises an eyebrow. Just as she's about to say something snarky in reply, Xavier chuckles and says, "Oh, by the way, speaking of your lovers, did you tell your parents about Acantha yet? I mean, they're all sitting together in the audience with Anna's sister, so I just wondered if you told them."

Wednesday scowls, her body visibly tense, and all that comes out of her closed mouth is a growl which Xavier laughs at. "Good luck out there, by the way."