A/N: I've switched around the order in which some of the songs were performed in order to fit my story better. Thanks for the votes guys :)
We have another two weeks before our next performance but in that time we have to perfect two songs instead of one. Well actually, it's more like three songs. We're doing Stuck Like Glue and then a mash-up of Since You've Been Gone and Forget You. Scott and Kirstie are sharing the leads for both arrangements. We've decided to keep the arrangement for Stuck Like Glue simple to show the judges that we can sound good without complicated vocal tricks. It doesn't take us too long to master it and we're considering choreography within about three days. We're all going to be sat down to start, with Kirstie in the middle and Mitch and I at the end.
"Ok and once I start singing we'll start doing the choreography and then we'll finish sat down in our usual order okay?" Scott asks and we all nod. "So my basic briefing is to flirt with everyone?"
"Pretty much girl. You'll kill it, just pretend that you're looking at Matt." Kirstie's cheeks become flushed "Shut up Mitch."
"He's right Kirstie. What's going on with you two?"
"Nothing's going on, we're just friends." A selfish, irrational part of me feels relieved when she says that. "Kirstie if you're not cool with the flirting thing then we can cut it out. You'll have to do it in the mash-up as well otherwise." Kirstie rolls her eyes. "I was just kidding Scotty, musical theatre major, remember?"
"Ok then guys once more from the top."
We've finished rehearsals for the day and Kirstie and I are sat in a corridor next to a couple of the studios. Scott, Mitch and Kevin have gone to get food and we're waiting for them. It's the first time we've been alone together since we were in Arlington and I was worried it would be awkward but I've been helping her run through her part of our song for about 10 minutes. "Ok, I think I have it. Did that sound alright?" She asks looking up at me with a frown. "It sounded great Kirstie. You'll be brilliant." She smiles radiantly.
"Thank you Avi and thanks for helping me practice." I smile back at her. "I was just telling the truth. Plus I love hearing you sing so of course I want to help you practice."
"You're so sweet." She says, leaning towards me to bump my shoulder.
"Not as sweet as you." I tease her unthinkingly. She just smiles up at me and it becomes impossible to ignore all of the things I've been trying to block out.
The way she always smells like fresh air and the way her body feels warm next to mine. The way her eyes light up when she's happy and the way she wrinkles her nose and frowns when she's concentrating. I'm staring into her eyes by now and I barely register the sound of my text alert coming from my phone. "Aren't you going to check it?" She asks and the moment slips away. "Uh yeah, I'll check now."
It's a text from Jess asking if I want to go and hang out with her. I guess Kevin was right and she does like me because we've been talking a lot recently and the way she says it makes it sound a little like a date. "Avi, is everything ok?"
"It's just Jess asking if I want to hang out with her."
For a fraction of a second I think I see something like hurt cross her face but it's quickly replaced by a -not quite as radiant as before- smile. "You should go meet her then."
"I'm not leaving you on your own." "They'll be back soon." I raise my eyebrows at her, she knows what those three are like. "Ok, maybe they won't but I'll be fine on my own for a bit." Her lack of selfishness in letting me go just makes me want to stay even more and it's easy for me to tell her that I'll stay until we've eaten. I reply to Jess' text and briefly scan her response before turning to Kirstie. "Ok we're playing slaps."
By the time the others get back I'm trying to teach Kirstie to overtone sing. She's pretty good at it but she keeps giggling whenever she gets close. "What's up guys?"
"Oh you know, nothing much just sitting here starving." Kirstie replies in a jokingly stern tone. Scott pouts exaggeratedly "please forgive us, pretty please." The other two star begging as well and I turn to Kirstie. "Do you think we should forgive them?" She pretends to consider it for a moment before nodding and grabbing the bag of food from Kevin's arms "Come on guys, let's eat."
