School starts again.

Christmas break was great overall. On top of the time I spent alone with the girls, we also went to Thomas’ New Years party. Not much I can say about it, though. I had a good time thanks to me knowing a good chunk of the people who showed up. Of course there were Mila, Grace, Sarah, Alice and Noelle, but this time Isabelle was also there, plus Ben, Kevin, Lena and Amanda. Mark wasn’t there. Still, it’s kind of crazy to think I can now name 10 people from my school, not including my sister, that I at least have an amicable relationship with. Other than that, though, it was uneventful in a good way.

Alice had yet to talk to me about what was bothering her, but I didn’t think she was putting it off. It was more that she’d been busy with work, and now that we were back in school, she and Noelle had the Talent Show to take care of. And speaking of the Talent Show…

“Just go now, Oliver,” Sarah told me. “No point in leaving it for later.”

“I know that, but…” I sighed.

I was sitting at my desk in our classroom with Mila, Grace and Sarah around me. I had a sheet of paper in my hands. A form, all filled up.

Participant Name: Oliver Brooks

Age: 18

Phone Number: *********

Email: *************@*****.com

Act: Guitar performance

Group or Solo Act: Solo

Special Equipment, Track information, etc: sound system, amp

All I had to do was hand it over to Mr. Rodriguez at the teacher’s office and I’d be officially a part of the Talent Show performances. Never before had a sheet of paper felt heavier.

“Having second thoughts?” Mila asked me.

“N-No, but… If I hand this in, there’s no turning back.”

“Of course there is,” Grace said. “If the day of the Talent Show comes and you don’t want to do it, you just say so and don’t perform. It’s not like they’ll suspend or expel you for it.”

“Would you think less of me if I did that?” I asked her.

“Just a smidge,” she joked, holding her thumb and her index finger closely together.

Mila gave Grace a soft, harmless slap on the back of her head.

I sighed. “Then no turning back.”

I got up from my seat and left the classroom alone. I made my way to the teacher’s office slowly, almost dragging my feet. This was something I’d already decided I’d do, but other than standing up on stage, this was the closest to actually making good on my determination. It was terrifying, but not doing it would really turn my words into empty promises and show that my resolve was weak. If I didn’t have five girls looking at me, running away would be easier.

I stopped in front of the door to the teacher’s office. I heard voices inside coming closer, so I moved aside to give them space to come out.

“Don’t worry, teach! We have this in the bag!” said a guy as he came out.

When I saw him I felt an uncomfortable chill in my chest and on my back. Short blonde hair, blue eyes, sharp features, slender and at least a head taller than me. Current lead guitarist of the music club, Julian Jenkins.

Behind him was another member of the music club, their drummer. His name was Eric, though I couldn’t remember his last name. He was about as tall as Julian, lanky and a little pale. He had shoulder-length dark hair that looked a little greasy.

When they saw me, they had two different reactions. Eric's eyes widened for a moment before he looked away from me. Julian, though surprised, too, smirked and raised his chin.

“Oh wow. If it isn’t the talk of the school, Mr. Gigolo himself,” he said.

I flinched and felt the urge to sink. I couldn’t look Julian in the eyes. It was… uncomfortable. I never liked the guy’s attitude to begin with, but even in the short time we were in the same club together, he seemed to have something against me.

“Ah, right, I forgot you’re mute. Sorry about that. I know some sign language, if you want to talk.”

I tensed up for a second, but didn’t react further to his mocking. “Excuse me, I need to go in,” I said softly, looking into the teacher’s office.

“Hm? Oooh woooow. Is that a registration form in your hands? Don’t tell me you’re planning to participate in the Talent Show, too?” His mocking grin ticked me off, but I kept a perfect poker face.

“Yes, I am, and I need to hand this in,” I told him.

“Man, you’ve grown! And now that you can speak a couple sentences you got the courage to perform in front of hundreds of other people? Wow, you’re so brave!”

“H-Hey, Julian, let’s just go…” Eric said, but Julian ignored him.

“And what are you planning to do, Oliver?” Julian asked. “Gonna dance? Play the flute? Make a comedy skit?”

“Hey, what’s going on there?” Mr. Rodriguez’s voice came from inside the teacher’s room. We heard him stand up from his seat and coming over.

Julian clicked his tongue. “Whatever. Good luck, Mr. Gigolo. Try not to embarrass yourself in front of your girls or they might end up falling for me instead.”

I had to stifle a laugh. Julian and the girls? Not even in the stupidest NTR stories. They’d kill him before the first day was out. I think Julian thought he’d hit a sore spot, though, because he grinned in satisfaction and walked away with Eric before the teacher got there.

Mr. Rodriguez came out of the room and saw the two other boys walking away. He sighed, frustrated. “Oh brother… Were they giving you trouble, Oliver?” he asked me.

I shook my head. “It’s fine. Julian’s always been like that.”

“It’s not an excuse. I’ll talk to him. Anyway, did you need something?”

I held out my registration form to him. His eyes brightened and he smiled widely. “You’re entering the talent show?”

I nodded.

“Are you confident?” he asked me.

“...Enough to give it a shot. I got a bass and a new guitar for christmas, so I feel like I have to show them it wasn’t a waste.”

“What will you be playing?”

I felt my cheeks heating up. “A… song from a game.”

“Can you write it down here?” he asked me, pointing to the last item on the sheet. “I need to make sure all acts are school-appropriate.”

“Ah. Right.”

It was embarrassing, but I wrote ‘Pillars of the Underworld’ in the registration sheet.

“Great. Thanks. Oh, and Oliver?”

“Y-Yes?”

“No matter what you play, play your heart out and enjoy it. Forget about everything else.”

I smiled. “I’ll try. Thanks you, Mr. Rodriguez.”

I took his advice to heart. If I was getting embarrassed to say I’d play a song from a game, what was I going to do when I actually had to play the song? Just… forget about everyone else. First and foremost I had to do it for myself, not even for my girlfriends or my family. I wanted to do it. I wanted to give it a shot. So I would.

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