Show Choir.

Lisa and Jack appear in the choir room five minutes before rehearsal, much to Mr Goldstein’s surprise.

“Oh, hey guys. What is it?” He asks, looking up from the sheet music he was stacking neatly.

“We’d like to change our solos for practice today. The songs don’t fit any more.” Lisa says. Mr Goldstein nods in understanding.

“That’s okay. Don’t tell me what your new songs are, though -surprise me during practice.” He says with a slight smile.

They sit quietly, having not yet mastered the act of awkward conversation, until everyone else shows up and puts them out of their misery.

Mr Goldstein picks up a hat that’s been resting on the piano and pushes it into Alex’s hand.

“Whichever number you pick determines the running order!” Mr Goldstein explains as he passes the hat to Lisa. “One means you’re first, twelve means you’re last!”

Alex grumbles when he looks down at his paper and sees ‘eight’ written on it. Lisa, however, seems pretty happy with her ‘three’.

“Okay, who has what?”

“I’ve got one.” Jack says nervously, staring at the floor.

“I’m two.” Vinny continues.

“Three.” Lisa says, waving her paper.

“Four.” Zack says with a shy smile.

“Five.” Hayley says, twisting her hair around her finger.

“Six.” Rian says, sliding an arm around a shaking Cassadee.

“Seven.” Christofer sighs.

“Eight.” Alex says quietly, staring at the ceiling.

“Nine.” Matt says, slumping back in his chair.

“Ten.” Cassadee says into Rian’s shoulder. He hugs her tighter.

“Eleven.” Sierra says, playing with the folds of her skirt.

“Twelve.” Victoria finishes, staring at the paper in her hands.

“Excellent!” Mr Goldstein exclaims, “Jack, you’re up first. You ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Jack sighs, dragging a stool over to where Mr Goldstein was standing. He rummages in his bag for a few seconds to find his backing track CD before he roughly pushes it into the CD player.

“I’m singing I Can’t Decide by There For Tomorrow.” He says, pushing the play button.

“Cold afternoon, I sleep in some; back of the room, avoid the sun. You turned off the light and I lost a lung. You called it a night, you had me won.” Jack sings, and he stares at the ceiling.

“Who told you to leave me all alone? Leave me in the dark, leave me in the cold? Who told you to leave, before I could show you half of the man you wanted to know?” Jack starts to play with the buttons on his open plaid shirt.

“But I had to face your last goodbye. But I had to face your last goodbye. The look on my face, my bloodshot eyes. So who won the war, deep down inside? I can’t decide, I can’t decide.”

“Only the dark can feel my touch. No kind of remark could burn this much. ‘Cause I’m as cold as December, and I won’t surrender until you give me back my life.” Jack fixes his gaze on the clock above Zack’s head that’s suddenly rather interesting.

“Who told you to leave me all alone? Leave me in the dark, leave me in the cold? Who told you to leave, before I could show you half of the man you wanted to know?”

“But I had to face your last goodbye. But I had to face your last goodbye. The look on my face, my bloodshot eyes. So who won the war, deep down inside? I can’t decide, I can’t decide.”

“I can’t see the sun in the morning, please send me a warning, next time I go through this again. All out of luck, all out of time. Who would’ve thought I’d lose my mind?” Jack pauses for a second, waiting for his cue to come back.

“No, I can’t decide. I can’t decide.” He sings, and his eyes close and his voice almost breaks.

“Who told you to leave me all alone? Leave me in the dark, leave me in the cold? Who told you to leave, before I could show you half of the man you wanted to know? But I had to face your last goodbye. But I had to face your last goodbye. The look on my face, my bloodshot eyes. So who won the war, deep down inside? I can’t decide, no, I can’t decide.” Jack finishes, and as soon as the track stops, the entire room explodes into applause.

Jack smiles a little sheepishly and blushes hard, moving everything back.

“Wow, Jack. When I said surprise me, I didn’t mean pull something like that out! That was incredible!”

Jack blushes fuchsia again and Vinny pats him on the back as he walks to the front.

He sits down beside Hayley and she hugs him tight.

“Was that for Alex?” She asks quietly. Jack nods a little.

“I guess so.”

*

Lisa ends up singing Beautiful by Christina Aguilera. It was for Jack, she says to Hayley after show choir practice is done.

Jack’s already wandered off to Gym class with Matt.

Jack loathes Gym class more than he loathes people who wear socks with sandals. And that’s a lot. The main reason he hates it is because it’s jock territory -they’re far more likely to pounce or tackle him extra hard just because they’re intent on getting rid of him. It’s just unfortunate that Zack or Rian isn’t in this class with him -just Matt, and he’s about as scared of his teammates as Jack is.

They’re supposed to be playing soccer today, but it turns into dodgeball whenever Jack is around and Coach Reider isn’t watching. Jack doesn’t particularly care; he’s used to this by now.

But it’s after class that gets to him. Austin and Caleb wait until everyone else has left to beat Jack up and leave him on the floor before they leave for hockey practice.

He curls up into a ball and sobs hard, and granted, it’s probably not his best idea, since anyone could hear him, but he doesn’t care. It hurts too much to move.

The door eventually opens and Jack bites his lip in an attempt to stop his sobs from being audible. It doesn’t work.

“Hello?” The new arrival asks. It had to be Alex, didn’t it?

Jack silently curses as Alex wanders around the changing room, looking for the source of the sound. Jack pulls himself to his feet and tries to pretend that nothing’s wrong.

“Jack? What’re you doing here?” Alex asks, cocking his head to one side.

“N-Nothing.” Jack stammers, not looking at Alex as he stuffs everything into his bag. He moves too fast though, because everything stings and aches whenever he does anything.

“Are you okay?” Alex asks worriedly. Jack sighs and keeps his head down.

“I’m fine.”

“You don’t look it. Come here.” Alex replies sternly, catching hold of Jack’s wrist and gripping it a little too hard. Jack winces.

Alex sits Jack down on one of the benches and looks at him, but the younger just stares at the floor.

“Jack?” Alex says again. The younger nods a little.

“Who was it?”

“Caleb and Austin.” Jack replies, and he still doesn’t look up. Alex frowns and makes a mental note to keep them behind for extra practice and make them clear away all the equipment.

“What did they do?”

“Just the usual.” Jack shrugs, “Hitting, name calling, leaving to rot on the floor. Nothing I’ve never faced before.”

“How can you be so calm about this?” Alex asks incredulously, his hands balling into fists. Jack shrugs again.

“It happens most days. I guess I’m just used to it.”

Alex suddenly deflates -this happens every day Jack’s in school, and Alex has done nothing about it.

“It’s not usually this bad, though. I don’t usually cry about it.” Jack says with a slight laugh. Alex half expects Jack to look up, but he doesn’t.

So Alex reaches over and raises Jack’s chin, forcing the younger boy to finally look at him. Jack’s eyes train themselves on the floor so he doesn’t have to see the disapproving look he thinks will be on Alex’s face.

But Alex just looks upset.

“Jack. Look at me.” Alex says quietly. Jack drags his eyes up, and they lock with Alex’s.

“Next time they do or say something to you, you have to tell me. Okay?” Alex says. Jack tries to pull away from Alex’s grip, but Alex holds him there firmly.

“Okay.” Jack replies quietly, meeting Alex’s stare.

Now, if Jack had a little more confidence, now would be the time he’d kiss Alex. But, Jack has the confidence and self esteem of a plastic fork, so he doesn’t.

Alex, however, has that confidence and self esteem in abundance. So he does what Jack is too scared to do.

He kisses Jack, and it’s short but sweet. It’s Jack who pushes away, staring at Alex with fear in his eyes.

“You’re straight. You have a girlfriend.” Jack says, picking his bag up from the floor, “You don’t want to be involved with me.”

He’s gone before Alex can argue against him.

Alex sighs and kicks at the floor. He always screws everything up.

Jack barely makes it to his car before he breaks down.

*

He calls Hayley, Cassadee and Zack when he gets home and has them come over. Hayley turns up with her entire collection of chick flicks and the Lost box sets, Cassadee has what appears to be her weight in ice cream, and Zack has about twelve different blankets of varying fluffiness.

“He’s such a dick.” Hayley comments from the floor when Jack finishes telling them what happened, “Now, do you want Sex and the City, Mean Girls or Confessions of a Shopaholic?”

Zack looks horrified, and Jack laughs at him for a second before deciding to let him choose.

“Mean Girls. Sounds the least torturous.” Zack laughs, shaking his head a little. Jack giggles, shuffles closer to Zack on the couch and throws one of the many blankets over the two of them and Cassadee.

Hayley pushes the DVD in and crawls over to the couch and hauls herself up next to Cassadee.

Zack actually ends up enjoying Mean Girls, much to his surprise. It’s quite entertaining, if he’s being honest.

When he leaves, a few hours later (and after he’s been subjected to Sex and the City, too), he gives Jack the biggest hug he can muster.

“Don’t let him get to you, okay? He’s not worth it.” He says, and Jack nods against his shoulder.

*

Lisa’s avoiding Alex.

Or so he’s been told by Sierra, in any case.

They’re in the auditorium, practicing New Perspective and doing a costume test. Jack and Zack are at the front of the stage, dancing around and pulling at the other’s bright yellow polo shirt.

Alex looks down at his outfit disapprovingly -it’s not the nicest thing he’s ever worn, but he can dance in it.

Lisa comes marching over in her costume -yellow vest with high-waisted shorts and tights, with black knee-high heeled boots. Alex thinks she looks pretty hot.

She’s swinging her headband -yellow, of course- around her fingers, and she stops and looks up at Alex.

“I know you kissed Jack.” She says simply, and Alex fumbles over his words.

“I… But…”

“Don’t deny it.”

Alex sighs, and she frowns at him and puts the headband on her head.

“I only kissed him because he was sad. And because I felt like I had to.”

“Alex, you never have to kiss anyone. You only ever kiss someone because you want to.” Lisa says, rolling her eyes at him.

“You didn’t see his face!” Alex says, “It was heartbreaking!”

Lisa frowns at him for a second and then shakes her head, pulling at her bangs.

“I just… need some time to think. That’s all.” She says, a little shakily, “It’s kind of hard to hear your boyfriend’s been kissing other boys -other boys who happen to be my friend.”

She walks away, and Alex sighs again and kicks at the floor. He’s been doing that a lot lately.

Lisa stops on her way to Sierra to talk to Jack, who’s currently on Zack’s back, steering him around the stage by pulling on his hair.

“Jack.” She says, and he drops down from Zack, who then wanders off to talk to Matt and Rian.

“Yeah?”

“Make sure he rebounds with some random girl before he gets with you.” She says, and Jack stares at her.

“What?” He asks incredulously.

“I just broke up with Alex. He kissed you, right? That means he’s interested. But, I know Alex, and he’ll need someone to rebound on before he gets serious again. Make sure he rebounds on some random chick before he tries it with you. I don’t want you to get stuck being a rebound.”

Jack nods, dumbfounded.

“Because being a rebound for someone you adore sucks.” She says. She’s about to say something else, but Mr Goldstein yells ‘Positions!’ before she gets chance.

It’s awkward, Alex decides, dancing with a girl who just broke up with you. He’s distracted, too, which doesn’t help.

It’s on the fifth time that Lisa lands on her ass on the floor that she starts yelling.

“Dammit, Alex! Pay attention to where you’re throwing me!” She shouts, glaring up at him. He raises his hands in surrender.

“Okay, take five. Change into the blue costumes.” Mr Goldstein sighs through the microphone he has on his desk way up between the seats.

“Alex, Jack, could you wait a second?” He asks. Jack hesitates, but leaves Zack anyway and walks back over to the front of the stage, where Alex joins him a few seconds later.

“I was thinking we could cover Journey’s Any Way You Want It for Sectionals, with you two as the leads. You are our best male leads, after all. And you do work really well together.”

“Yeah, sure, why not.” Jack says, shrugging. Alex nods too, and they disappear off to get changed.

If Jack is in a pissy mood with Alex (which the older is pretty sure he is) he doesn’t show it during the three practices they do of Any Way You Want It. Jack’s all grinning and laughing as he does the dance moves Mr Goldstein threw together in a few minutes after he thought up this idea.

“Very nice, guys!” Mr Goldstein praises, “Now, go change and we’ll work on this some more tomorrow! We have a Sectionals set list now!”

Jack rolls his eyes and Zack laughs a little. They both know that this choir could take both Sectionals and Regionals with their eyes closed and in bright orange jail clothes.

Zack picks the younger up on their way backstage, and Jack giggles and rests his head atop Zack’s.

Alex watches them from a short distance away and Hayley walks up beside him.

“They’re adorable, aren’t they?” She asks with a fond smile.

Alex mumbles something in agreement, but he has one thought running around his head.

I waited too long.

*

It’s Hayley’s idea for everyone to go out to see a movie together. It’s a ridiculous idea, Alex says, but everyone else is up for it, so he tags along anyway.

They end up seeing some random indie film that looks like it cost about five dollars to make, but Alex spends most of the film having a popcorn fight with Vinny and Matt, much to the annoyance of Victoria.

Alex stops, though, when he sees that Zack’s arm is securely around Jack’s shoulders and the younger is tucked into his side.

He’s thrown from his thoughts when Vinny tips half a bucket of popcorn over his head.

Victoria rolls her eyes in despair and attempts to watch the movie.

“Well, that was… different.” Matt comments as he throws an arm around Hayley’s shoulders, as they leave the theater.

“I’ve seen worse.” Zack replies, “Namely Sex and the City.”

Matt raises an eyebrow at him.

“That movie is a classic!” Hayley, Jack and Cassadee all yell at once.

Matt laughs, pulling Hayley in closer to him.

Rian and Cassadee shout a goodbye as they clamber into Rian’s car. Lisa and Sierra giggle. Hayley glances at them warily and Lisa beckons her and Jack over.

“Did you see them during the movie? Rian did the classic ‘yawn and put my arm around her’ thing.” Lisa giggles, miming the motion with Sierra. Hayley coos and hides her face.

“Well, that’s adorable.” Jack says with a smile.

“I don’t know, you and Zack might be worthy challengers to their cute. You could overtake them.” Sierra comments.

Jack blushes.

“He doesn’t like me.”

“Yeah, whatever.” She scoffs.

“Hey, Jack!” Zack yells, “Want a lift home?”

Sierra giggles and Jack playfully punches her as he walks over to Zack.

“Yeah, sure.”

“What were they all giggling at?” Zack asks as he pulls the car away from the sidewalk.

“Oh, nothing.” Jack says, blushing.

“Right.” Zack says in disbelief, shaking his head a little, “That’s really not convincing.”

“If you must know, it was Cass and Rian. He apparently did the classic yawning arm thing.”

Zack looks horrified.

“Seriously? I am so going to rip him for that on Monday.”

*

To say Mr Goldstein is excited about announcing the Sectionals set list to the choir is an understatement.

The choir have all shuffled in, and Mr Goldstein smiles a little to himself when he sees Alex sitting next to Jack. At least they’re not fighting.

“Okay, Sectionals! We’ll be doing New Perspective, Any Way You Want It and Check Yes Juliet! So leads go to Zack, Jack, Alex and Lisa!”

Lisa sighs a little and stands before going over to Mr Goldstein.

“Sir, I can’t sing that song with Alex.”

“Why not?”

“We broke up. It would just be too awkward. Offer it up to someone else, please.”

“Okay, who do you think I should ask? Since you’re giving up the part, I think you should pick who takes your place.”

“Hayley or Cassadee, I think. They deserve more recognition.”

Mr Goldstein nods, and Lisa returns to her seat beside Sierra.

“Oh, and costumes!” He announces to the group, rummaging down beside the piano, “What do you make of these?”

He holds up a pale blue dress that bulges into a bubble from the waist, with a black band dividing the torso from the bottom.

“Okay, they’re adorable.” Sierra squeaks, skipping over and taking it from him, “Order more.”

Lisa, Hayley, Cassadee and Victoria all go over and join her, passing the dress between them and holding it up to their chests.

“Boys, yours is kind of same old, same old.” He says, holding up a blue v-neck tee, a white shirt and black jeans.

“I don’t know, that seems more… respectable than last year’s.” Alex comments, shuddering as he remembers the acid-washed purple ‘jumpers’ from Sectionals last year.

Zack stands and takes the clothes from Mr Goldstein.

“We’re wearing the shirt open?” He asks, holding up the two shirts. Mr Goldstein nods.

“Yep. We should have one for everyone by next week, and we’ll be able to have a full rehearsal.”

*

It’s quite entertaining, Alex decides, watching the girls trying to squeeze into their dresses. Right now, Jack’s trying desperately to pull up Hayley’s zipper –it’s about a centimeter or so away from being completely closed.

There’s a shout of victory and a faint zipping noise as it finally closes. Cassadee (who was the first to successfully zip herself up) laughs, and presses herself further into Rian’s side. Hayley straightens out her black tights –again- and slips on the blue flats by her feet.

“Can we finally start practicing now?” Mr Goldstein yells, and the choir shuffle sheepishly out onto the stage.

“Right, positions for New Perspective! Now!”