FIRST KISS (High School Romance - FYI - In need of redrafting/rewrites)

Chapter Seven

"I sincerely hope your efforts today are going to be better than yesterday, Melissa."

Miss Dyer was standing at the piano, flicking through sheet music. I crumpled an awkward smile at her.

"I'm feeling better," I lied.

"Great. Andrew has just gone to the bathroom, but why don't we warm up whilst we're waiting?" She sat down and began to play some scales.

It felt like Andrew was gone for ages. Miss Dyer had me making owl noises to open up my upper range, and I was feeling pretty stupid by the time he came back in.

Miss Dyer warmed up his voice too, whilst I stooped to tie my shoelace and took a seat. Andrew was tall and gangly, but he had a warm and rich voice. If you closed your eyes, you could imagine he was totally gorgeous, serenading you like a proper romantic. Sadly it was a disappointment when you opened your eyes because he was long like a beanpole with a shock of red hair that mopped about his skull.

He was a lovely guy though; a real gentleman in an old school way. Really polite and properly waspish. He was an ideal singing partner because he never laughed when I hit a wrong note or if my voice cracked.

We ran through the duet from Les Mis; the one Cosette and Marius sing, about their hearts being full of love, and then we did A Little Fall of Rain, so I got to be both Eponine and Cosette, which was wonderful. I could never decide which role i would have rathered play if I had had the choice. Tough one to call.

Then we did Lionel Richie's 'Endless Love'. All the songs were pretty soppy, but that was because we were starting with the love songs. Once we'd nailed those we were going to do something more upbeat. We were going to be quite a feature of the winter concert, and I was secretly looking forward to showing off my voice.

As I was belting out the 'my first love' line, I glanced up at the clock. The game would be starting now. If I listened carefully, I could hear the students rumbling along the corridors, filling the stadium. They would be chanting Bryce's name soon, and Taylor would be taking position on the pitch to do her cheerleading thing.

My voice cracked.

Miss Dyer lifted her hands from the piano and Andrew tailed off his note.

"Shall we go from the top?" she asked.

"Yes. Sorry."

"Concentrate this time. Your mind was wandering, Melissa. Don't waste Andrew's time, or mine, please. Focus."

I nodded, and we began again.

When we were finished I packed up my bag, sliding the sheet music into it. I could play it later at home and practise. Miss Dyer scuttled out promising to see us next week.

"What are you up to tonight, Mel?" asked Andrew.

"Umm," I said, biting my tongue. "I think I might go catch the rest of the game."

"Do you want company?"

Did I? The question took me by surprise; Andrew never really wanted to spend any more time with me than was necessary. He always had some other musical friend to meet.

"Yeh, OK, if you fancy it. It's nearly over," I said.

"I don't mind." He put on a thick winter coat and wrapped a scarf about his neck. I did the same and pulled on a woolly hat and mittens. November had hit us with a real cold front, and it was bitter outside.

The pitch was floodlit, and as we left the main building I could see it glowing and hear the roar of the spectators. I scanned the stand for someone I knew, but the first person I saw was Taylor, sitting on the front row with the other cheerleaders.

She was wearing a tiny skirt, her bare legs crossed out in front, sports socks rolled down about her ankles. She must have been freezing; the other girls had pulled on tracksuits but, typical Taylor, had chosen to shiver instead. She was probably burning all that brown fat that she didn't have.

I looked up and finally caught sight of Anna, waving at me. She was standing with Luke and they were near the end of one of the rows of benches. I pointed them out to Andrew, and together we climbed up and edged our way through, apologising as we went.

"You're just in time, Mel," she panted. "It's nearly over. Oh look, look," she said pointing to the field.

"What?" I asked, trying to follow where she was focusing.

"It's Bryce. He's got the ball! Oh, look at him go! This is it, this could be the end!" She began screaming, raising her arms in the air.

Just as I had predicted, the crowds began to chant for Bryce as he ran down the pitch, dodging the opponents.

"He's really good," said Andrew, shouting in my ear over the applause.

"Yeh, I guess so. Do you follow football?"

"Sometimes. If it's a good game," he said, pulling his coat tighter around him and lowering his chin into his scarf for warmth.

"Mel, this is incredible! Bryce is on fire tonight," said Luke, smiling over at me, rubbing his hands together in the cold.

"It's Taylor, she's really got him going," said someone on the row above. There were mumbles of agreement which made me shudder.

I glanced back down to where Taylor was now on her feet, jumping up and down.

"Go Bryce, come on Bryce!" The screams of encouragement and support were overwhelming. They seemed to swallow me up and crush my chest until I could no longer draw breath.

And then he scored and the noise went through the roof. Well, it would have done if we hadn't been outside. They could probably have heard us in the centre of town.

The whistle blew, and it was over. Next to me even Andrew was yelling himself hoarse. We had won by the smallest of margins, and all thanks to Bryce's final efforts.

I watched as he pulled off his helmet, his hair dark and sweaty, plastered to his head. The other members of the team were running at him, hugging him and lifting him up, raising him on their shoulders whilst the crowd continued to applaud and shout his name.

"You're coming tonight, right Mel?" asked Luke, over the sound of his own applause.

"Ummm," I hummed.

"Yes, she is. Won't you come too?" said Anna, smiling a dazzling smile up at Andrew.

I shot her a sideways look.

"Come where?" he asked, his hair looking particularly orange in the light. His freckles patterned his face like splatters of paint from a child's brush.

"After-party at mine. You can be Mel's plus one. The more the merrier," said Luke, nudging me and winking.

"Errr...I would love to, if that's alright by Mel," he replied, looking down at me with a hopeful look in his eyes.

But my attention was elsewhere. Taylor was on the pitch, lolloping like a long-limbed deer over the grass, throwing her arms around Bryce's neck. He lifted her up and she wound her bare legs about his hips, shaking her hair like a mane.

I forced myself to look away. "Sure, why not?" I said.

Anna gave my hand a squeeze. She'd seen it too. My heart was thudding like a cannonball with nowhere to go. It made me feel sick.

"God, Taylor Whitrow is fiiiiine," said Luke, whistling through his teeth.

"Luke!" snapped Anna, slapping him across the chest.

"What was that for?" he asked.

Anna glanced at me before she spoke. "You are such an idiot."

He shrugged. "That may be true. She is fine though."

Students started yelling at Luke, asking what the plan was and when they should arrive and what they should bring. He told them to get there as soon as possible, and bring alcohol. No admittance without some kind of booze.

I watched Bryce walk off the field, one arm lazily draped around Taylor's shoulder. He kissed her forehead and she laughed. Then he ran off, following the others, no doubt to shower and change and get ready to head to Luke's.