Limitless: The Second Edition

Oliver

We've been working on the music for a solid week. This last week has gone slower than a sloth running on an hour of sleep. Today is the big day. It's the day Courtney is supposed to show up. She did text me earlier that she would definitely be here this evening. I'm so excited I can't stand it. I've been tripping over my own bad leg all day because I can't focus. Hannah is going to be reunited with her best friend today. I'm going to get to meet the woman that Hannah hasn't shut up about since last week. It's going to be a good, good day.

Right now, though, Hannah and I have been sent to the band room to work on our big duet. Sadie has been sent to another room with her little ensemble to work on her song, "New Horizons". David and his entourage have been sent to yet another room to work on Anjan's big number. And everyone else is working on dance numbers.

David didn't want to work on the song at all. The poor guy absolutely despises "Greater than Me." Scratch that. He doesn't like anything about being the bad guy. He was so relieved when he found out that I would be in another room with Hannah while he reviewed his song with the other boys. I wish I could understand why he doesn't like being the antagonist so much. I wish I could make it better for him. I wish I could just tell him that he isn't a bad person for playing the bad guy and have him actually believe me.

Anyway, it doesn't matter now. It's time to concentrate on working with Hannah. She hooks up her phone to the speaker system in the band room and turns on the song. I begin singing, remembering how my voice has to be for this song. Wistful, but hopeful. Nervous, but brave. That's how Enso is, and that's how I have to be. By the end of my solo, I am no longer Oliver. I am Enso. I am the courageous teenager that somehow managed to be the sole catalyst in setting off a chain of events that ended a corrupt system. And suddenly I feel like I could take on the world.

Then Hannah starts singing, and her angelic voice snaps me out of my reverie. Her voice is sweeter than strawberry ice cream on a summer afternoon, more melodic than a canary's gentle song, and richer than Midas. I can't help but stare at her, completely mesmerized. I am willing to lose myself in the sound of Hannah's voice.

The instrumental break begins, and Hannah steps off to the side to dance. It takes me a moment to realize that she's doing the choreography from the actual show. She's probably got the whole musical memorized, now that I think about it. I watch her leap like a gazelle and twirl like a snowflake. I picture her in a sparkly dance leotard, holding a ribbon stick, the ribbon dancing with her as she gracefully waves it in the air. And it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

Unfortunately, just like every good thing in life, her dance break has an end. Now is the time for us to sing together. Each of us has our respective parts, and our voices blend like sugar and spice. It's beautiful. I feel goosebumps form on my skin, and I have to force myself to focus on my voice, my breathing, my dynamics. And I can't help but think that if I was a sailor lost at sea, and I heard Hannah's voice calling out in the dark, I wouldn't think twice about following that heavenly sound. Because unlike a siren, I know she'd actually take care of me.

When the song ends, Hannah and I just stand there, staring at each other. For a moment, I wonder if she's possibly going to try to hug me or even kiss me. But instead, she blinks rapidly and steps aside to restart the song.

But I'm not ready to restart. Not yet. I have to tell her something.

"Pause it," I tell her. She turns around and comes back to me.

"What's up?"

"Your dance moves are amazing. I could never do something like that." I tap one crutch on the ground to emphasize my point.

"Nonsense," she replies. "You can sing like the best of 'em. And I'm sure you can dance a little bit. Show me what you've got."

I can feel panic rising in me. "No, you don't want to see this," I protest. "I can't use my right leg at all. It's embarrassing."

She puts a hand on my shoulder. "Stop talking smack about yourself and show me. I promise I won't say anything negative." She walks to the door, pokes her head around the corner, then returns to me, shutting the door behind her. "See? Nobody's looking but me. Come on, please? I want to see what you can do so I can help you."

She sure is persistent.

I realize she isn't going to give up, so I decide to try. I attempt a little side step move. But of course, that move only works when you have two working legs. Which I don't, so I pitch forward, and definitely would be about to high five the carpet with my face if it wasn't for Hannah catching me and helping me steady myself.

Tears pricking my eyes, I shake my head. I can't bring myself to look Hannah in the eyes. "I'm so sorry," I apologize. "You deserve a partner who can actually dance. My crippled moves are just going to ruin the show for you."

Hannah looks horrified. "Oliver, no! Please stop." The next thing I know, her arms are around me. A bit shocked, I hug her back. "Please, Oliver. Don't say that about yourself ever again. I'm begging you. Please. Now can we do the song again? Just focus on how amazing you are. I don't matter here. You're the star of the show. There would be no show without you. Now let's restart and let me hear you sing your heart out."

She restarts the song. At the beginning I channel the feelings of helplessness and despair that Enso is conveying through his song. But then I let the confidence rise in my voice, loud and clear. Once again, the song takes over. But this time, when we get to the dance break, I decide I am not going to sit idly by as Hannah dances. I spot a tom drum standing nearby, just waiting to be used. I make my way over and sit in the chair next to it, then begin drumming out a rhythm as I watch her dance. Then, when the dance break ends, I go back to her, just as I notice the door to the band room open behind her. I pretend I don't notice the woman standing there watching with a huge smile as we sing. The song ends, and the woman approaches us.

"Look at you, all grown up. My little superstar."

Hannah looks around. Then she spots our visitor, and all the color drains from her face as tears form in her jade green eyes and she sprints over to crush Courtney in a bear hug.