Christmas On Hart Street

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

~Jerome~

       Even though we chose a song to perform at the a cappella competition, arranging it was proving to be quite difficult. We really wanted to win this year, or at least not sound horrible like we have been during the practices.

       Which, so far, didn't seem like it was going to happen.

       At least there weren't too many people in the dance room, otherwise we would have been seriously judged about how horrible we sounded.

       I would ask Nolan how he think we sounded but he was sleeping right now, his head rested on my lap, and I definitely didn't want to wake him up. He probably needed the sleep right now, and he looked so adorable.

       Orchid cut us off while we were mid-song, but I didn't mind because it clearly wasn't working. "Okay, I seriously don't know what's wrong. We attend a school for the arts. How come we can't just figure out an arrangement and sound good?"

       "Maybe we're just lumping everything together at once," I said. "Maybe we just have to figure things out section by section."

       "Then let's figure this out because we already told the choir teacher that we're doing this," Ryder said. "The last thing he needs is for more people to drop out and for Galador not to compete again."

       We did try to take things more slowly but apparently, we still didn't sound good.

       How did I know that?

       Because Nolan suddenly muttered, "You guys sound horrible."

       "Wow, thanks for the show of faith," I said.

       "I didn't say you guys can't win," Nolan said, looking up at me. "I just said you guys sound horrible."

       "Then tell us how to not sound horrible." 

       "I don't know how to do that. I'm not in the music program."

       I sighed. "So in other words, we're probably going to lose the competition."

       "No, absolutely not," Ryder said. "I don't know about you guys but I don't lose. I am not going to lose this a cappella competition, so we will figure it out, even if it means that we stay in this school until we do."

       "Uh, we kind of have to stay in this school," Alan said. "You know, because of the snowstorm."

       "You know what I mean, Alan," Ryder said. "We will figure this out because I don't lose."

       "I think he doesn't lose," I said to Nolan.

       "I think so too," Nolan said.

       "Why don't you help us out then, Nolan?" Ryder asked. 

       "Uh, because I already said that I'm only going to be the moral support," Nolan said. "I don't sing." I was about to object but then he corrected himself. "In front of people. I don't sing in front of people."

       "You won't be singing alone," I pointed out.

       "I'm going back to bed," Nolan said, getting comfortable again. "Try not to suck so I can actually sleep peacefully."

       I sighed. So much for the moral support.

       "Look, why don't we take a break?" Orchid asked. "Believe me, I want to figure it out but we're obviously getting nowhere right now. Let's just let the tension drop before trying again."

       We all agreed, except for Ryder because he didn't like losing, but we told him to suck it up and deal with it. Things were way too tense right now for us to try and get this right.

       I tried looking through my backpack to find something to do while we were taking a break but there wasn't really anything except my homework, and there was no way I was going to do my homework now. I never did my homework, so why should I start now?

       I just wished there was internet so I could use my phone.

       Ryder and Mae had something to do during the break, at least. Mae thought it would help for the two of them to dance a bit to clear their mind and get the creative juices flowing. I would join them, but Nolan looked very comfortable resting on my lap.

       Everyone else went and found something to do to clear their mind, so it was just me and Nolan left where everyone was once sitting. He was trying to go back to sleep, but he was also quietly humming the song that we chose for the competition.

       "You really like that song, don't you?" I asked, playing with his hair.

       "Yeah," Nolan said. "It's my favourite Christmas song. To bad you guys are butchering it right now."

       I chuckled. "We'll figure things out eventually. I hope. The competition is in a week so I don't know if we could pull things together by then."

       "I think you will," Nolan said. "Probably because Ryder won't let you guys lose the competition. But if you lose to who you normally do again, you won't hear the end of it."

       "Are you sure you don't want to join?" I asked. "If is your favourite song and you love Christmas a whole lot. It's your favourite holiday. I see you arguing with your parents about setting up the Christmas decorations all the time."

       "Because they think I do it too early," Nolan said.

       "Nolan, you... you literally start decorating when you get home from my house on Halloween," I said. "I think that is too early."

       "Show me the rule book, Jerome."

       I just chuckled. "So do you want to join?"

       "No. You guys are doing good without me. I mean, not really but you will be."

       I gave Nolan a fake pout, trying to coax him into joining the competition with us. He would definitely help us perform better, because he was like the embodiment of a ray of sunshine. How could we not do well at a Christmas competition with a ray of sunshine on our team?

       Too bad Nolan still didn't want to join.

       "Fake pouts don't work on me," Nolan said, closing his eyes. "Especially when I'm tired."

       "That doesn't make sense."

       "It does to me. So the answer is no. You guys need the moral support."

       "You keep saying we suck."

       "It's tough love. It works."

       "Not really."

       "Then stop being horrible and get better so I can actually give you guys moral support?"

       "Trust me, if I could stop us from being horrible, I would," I said. "Something's just missing but I have no idea what it is."

________________

nolan is me, just sleeping at school during a snowstorm

seriously i had to wake up at 8:30 today (which is way too early for me, especially on a saturday) and when i got home just before 1, i went back to bed lol.

anyway stan jerlan <3