Don't Stop The Music

- eleven -

CHAPTER XI

- practice makes perfect -

[Liam]

The places and times for rehearsals were always different each week, but Dom was true to his word: they never clashed with musical theatre rehearsals, his Further Maths lessons, which were usually scheduled during his free periods and Lunch 1, or the weekly Maths Challenge meetups he had with some of the people in his classes.

Liam liked the variation: it kept each week interesting, and him on his toes. He didn't mind being so busy, but part of him was looking forward to January, when his hectic schedule would ease off a bit. Also, they had mocks in January, and he liked exams, mainly because he usually did well in them.

This week they were meeting right at the start of lunch break, in the classroom on the top floor of the music and languages block. In truth, it was through these rehearsals that he learned more about the layout of the school. Their rehearsals were always in odd places when they were held at lunch, probably to stop people from finding them, and they'd shown him all around the school: the arts centre, the main block, the maths and technology block, the recreation rooms, all of the little nooks and quiet places that he wouldn't have had a reason to go to otherwise.

Nobody came into the music block during lunch because the classrooms were normally locked, and the practise rooms were in the main block in the music and arts centre. Dom did A-Level music, he explained, when Liam asked how he'd managed to get them into the classrooms.

"Alright guys, we're starting a new song this week," Dom said, enthusiastic as usual, when everyone had arrived. "A suggestion from our esteemed colleague," he added, gesturing to Wolfgang, who frowned and folded his arms.

"Jesus, Dom, I asked us to do this song last year," he said. Liam liked how he always found something to complain about. It had bugged him when he first arrived, but once he'd realised Chen was right - Wolfgang really didn't have an issue with him – he found his constant grumpiness slightly amusing. He focused most of his scorn on Dom, for reasons Liam couldn't quite understand.

"No offence, it's kinda a weird song," Dom said.

"Yeah, coming from you that means jack shit," he replied airily. "I wouldn't expect you to listen to actual music."

Dom looked confused. "Music is music, right?"

Chen coughed, getting their attention before Wolfgang could retaliate. "Look, Wolf, we're doing this song now, so try and be happy for once. Or we can do a Justin Beiber song or something, if you'd prefer."

Wolfgang shut up then, and Chen smiled at him. "Thank you. The vocal ranges on this song are all over the place, though, so we're gonna have to mix it up a bit. Dom and I will do the melody and Keats and Scottani will take the accompaniment—"

Scottani pulled a face.

"Noooo," Liam moaned, thumping his head gently on the table. "Not him."

Dom tilted his head slightly, confused. "What, do you two not like each other?"

Liam looked at him, surprised. How could he not have noticed? It was like every time he said something here Scottani responded with something sarcastic, like he was just waiting for him to speak so he could cut him down.

"This is a bad idea, Chen," Liam said appealing to her instead. "Can't we swap? I'll do the melody with Dom like normal."

"Hm," Chen said, tapping her pencil against the edge of the desk. "Did you listen to the song?"

"Yeah," Liam said. He'd skimmed it earlier, so he knew vaguely how it went, figuring he'd just pick it up as he went on, like he always did.

"Right. So you'll know that the top notes are pretty high, and Dom tells me your range ends at A4."