It wasn’t long before S heard a rapping at the front door. He hurried to answer it, smoothing his hair down. Slowly, he opened the door. Cy and Ophelia were there, as expected.

“Come on in, guys,” he said, nodding in greeting to them. The pair eased past him and into the living room.

“So, what’s up?” Ophelia asked.

“It’s about the fundraiser,” S began.

Ophelia nodded. “Yes, Cy told me.”

S took a breath. “I want you guys to help me perform a piece. It’s… well…”


He couldn’t find the words to express his thoughts, so instead, he brought them through the kitchen to the small room near the back of the house, which contained, among other things, the piano that had been there when they’d moved in. S nodded wordlessly towards the sheet music. Cy and Ophelia glanced at each other and then stepped closer, peering at the page. Ophelia mouthed the words for a few seconds, before laughing hysterically.

“Is this a joke?” she asked.

“No. Why?” S responded. I knew this would happen, he thought.

“Not your style. Bubblegum pop, fully pre-fabricated, and… well…” Ophelia’s lips twisted into a small smirk, “…well… boy band stuff doesn’t seem to be your thing. Cassandra, sure, but… my God, S, you want us to help you play this?”

“Yes, I do. And I recall a certain person asking me to teach her how to play another song by this band.” Ophelia flushed vividly and squeaked out, “I was young and stupid. It was my way of rebelling.”

“Sure,” S replied. He nodded towards Cy. “What do you think?”


Cy shrugged. “Well, it’s not my kind of music, as you know, but to help a friend, sure.”

S grinned. “Great. Ophelia, are you in or out?”

Ophelia sighed. “Like I really have a choice. Of course I’ll help, but only under one circumstance.”

“Sure. What?”

“Explain to me why you want to play this song.”

“Charise. Need I say more?”

Ophelia rolled her eyes. “Of course. Always for Charise. You know, S, I’m pretty sure it’s a sign of mental illness to obsess over one thing… or woman. S, does she really mean that much to you?”

“She is my world,” he answered.

“Your world is too small if she is.”

“You can’t criticize the size of a world. I can’t help it and I can’t stop it and I can’t deny it.”

“I should say you look silly,” Ophelia said. “I should say you’ll look back on this and cringe. She may be lovely, S-- no, she is lovely, I agree-- but you’re worth a dozen of her.” Cy and S looked at her, shocked. Ophelia threw up her hands, blushing. “Not to me! I don’t mean me! Please, that stricken look! Spare me!”



“Okay, let’s try this from the beginning,” Charise said for the fifteenth time. They were practicing at Ophelia’s house the day after Ophelia learned S's plans, and Charise was not making things easy.

“Fine,” Ophelia said, wiping sweat from her face.

“Honestly, I don’t see why we have to wear our costumes for practice,” Tiffani remarked, peeking up through her wig.

“Because you need to get used to moving in it,” Charise explained.

“Yeah, but this?” Tiffani said, peering down at her dress.

“It’s fitting in with the character you’re playing,” Ophelia explained. “And trust me, I look just as stupid as you feel. I’m glad Charise here didn’t decide to paint me as well, just to look like my character.”

“Shut up, or I’ll do just that, Miss ‘Spend Half An Hour Looking For The Perfect Costume,’” Charise threatened. “Now, remember, first time, it’s circle clockwise, second time, counter clock-wise. And remember, you two are roomies and hate each other. That’s your motivation. Go!”

“Fine,” Tiffani muttered. “Although I think I’d do better if you were the roomie.”

Charise is taking this pretty seriously, Ophelia thought. I swear, she acts like this was her show. Why S likes her in beyond me, sometimes. I mean, yeah, Charise and I are family, but she grates on my nerves like no one else does. I just hope she appreciates what S is doing. Oh, what am I saying, of course she won’t. In fact, I think I saw Dunstan sneaking around her house the other day. Argh. Charise, why you went back to that horrible man is beyond me.

“Less thinking, more singing,” Charise said, clapping her hands.


Ophelia scowled. She’d had enough. “You know what, Charise?” she snapped. “I’m sick of you pulling rank, acting like you’re our director or boss or something. I’m going to do my own thing for the show instead of dealing with you being the.”

With that, she turned and walked away.

“Fine,” Charise yelled. She turned to Emily. “Emily, you’re taking her place.”

Emily bit her lip, unsure of whether to respond or not.

Ophelia returned. “By the way, Charise, I want you to leave. The rest of you can practice if you want, but I don’t want Miss Performance Nazi in here.”

“Fine,” Charise snapped. “Be a spoiled brat.” She turned on her heel and walked away. Ophelia squeezed Emily’s shoulder. “Go ahead and take my spot,” she said. “I’m not in the mood for Charise’s B.S. at the moment, and you’re a lot more patient than I am.”

Emily flinched a little. “But that means I’ll have to sing that song with AJ,” she argued.

“Yeah, but it’s just a performance. Besides, you don’t have to kiss him or anything. Just hold his hands. You can do it.”

“I guess,” Emily replied.