Secret Singing Superstar

Fifty-four ~ ♫♪♫

"LEANNE! LEANNE!" 

Leanne turned just to have Cailyn slam her against the wall - a bit too hard. She flinched as sharp pain fizzled down her body, and she nearly dropped the books she needed for her classes at school today onto the floor. "Ow, Cailyn, my shoulders - "

"We passed!"

"What?" Leanne wasn't sure she'd heard her correctly.

"We got into the fourth level!" Cailyn squealed, jumping around in glee. 

"How?" spluttered Leanne.

"Sarah told me!" 

Leanne beamed and gave Cailyn a hug, not really caring that Cailyn had been texting to the slut girl. "I can't believe it." She really couldn't; she had been sure that she had been terrible, and even if she wasn't, she was sure that the judges didn't like her. Guess she was wrong. 

Then she remembered: she had to sing Throne for Caitlin in the fourth round. Goddamit. 

She had been quite light-hearted lately. She didn't know why, but it was probably because that it was basically halfway through the last term of school and the number of assignments and tests they were getting were dwindling. 

It was also because that finally, there was no more friendship drama. Life slowed down and stopped being a confusing and completely emotional rollercoaster ride.

Rufina, Anna and Hannah went to the library nearly every single lunch, so they left the others behind, but the others were perfectly fine with that. Plus, the boys - James, Matthew and Tommy - had joined their little group, although their presence still made Helina a little uncomfortable. 

It turned out that Joy and Joshua had kissed the second time they met up afterwards - when Joshua came over to Joy's place for dinner - which meant that Caitlin had to pay Rufina fifty dollars. She did so with a lot of regret and a grumpy attitude, but she was smiling in a way that Leanne knew that she had accepted her defeat with grace.

Claire and James seemed to be okay; they talked to each other normally now (although Claire never really addressed James unless it was related to school). 

Now, Cailyn's shining eyes dimmed a little. "Leanne...Alexandria and Aleena didn't make it."

Leanne's internal victory ride screeched to a halt. "Oh. That's horrible."

"I know."

"Well," said Leanne, noticing that Cailyn looked a little downcast, "we shall try our best for them, okay? Every next song we sing is for them, although it could be our last."

"Don't talk negative, Leanne," said Claire, who'd approached them just in time to hear what Leanne had said. 

Leanne simply rolled her eyes at her. "Go to class, Claire. Sort out your books like a good little nerd."

Claire walked off without a word, which surprised Leanne, because usually, Claire would have some witty comeback ready. She smirked, thinking that she'd won. 

Unfortunately, Claire had only just begun plotting her revenge. 

She'd stolen Leanne's purse from her locker. How? Well, Claire knew Leanne's and Caitlin's locker combinations because she was 'observant' (really, she had been just stalking them as they opened their lockers). Therefore, she'd sent Leanne into a near heart attack as she frantically searched for her purse everywhere (including the lost property area). 

When Cailyn told her that Claire had the purse, Leanne shouted, "WHAT?!"

Cailyn flinched, not expecting Leanne to scream. "Don't take it out on me, please...I heard about this from Helina. Claire told her."