Finding Our Voice (Pentatonix)

Chapter 1

Kirstin Maldonado was standing in front to the mirror getting ready for her first day of senior year. She was applying mascara when she felt a sneeze creeping up on her. Kirstie tried her hardest to keep herself from sneezing but was unsuccessful. When she looked back up into the mirror, her right eye was a mess. She sighed and attempted to fix it before she had to leave.

"Kirstie, Avi's here!" Kirstie's mom called.

One of Kirstie's better friends Avi Kaplan was giving her and Kevin Olusola a ride to school. Usually the two of them would go together and the trio would arrive separately, but Kirstie wanted to allow Scott and Mitch to be alone for awhile. The two of them would never admit it, but it was obvious to the rest of the school that those two are meant to be together.

Kirstie knew she was already running late and she didn't want to be the cause of Kevin ruining his near perfect attendance record. The only time Kevin would be late or absent, he would have a proper excuse. She grabbed her mascara tube and small mirror and shoved it in her purse. She slipped on a pair of black wedges, so a couple underclassmen confuse her for a freshman. After grabbing her bag and heading to the car, she spotted the familiar face of her friend.

"Avi!" she yelled, barely able to contain her excitement.

"Long time no see," Avi replied and opened the back door for Kirstie to get in. "What, has it been about a month?" Towards the end of the summer, Avi had gone to an a cappella camp and the only interaction him and Kirstie had were the occasional late night texts (when Avi was allowed to use his phone).

"Is that the starting of a beard?" Kirstie questioned, drawing attention to the stubble starting to form on her friend's face.

"Yea I was thinking about growing it out," Avi said, reaching a hand up to touch his chin.

"You'll think twice once you get to the awkward patchy stage," Kevin commented. He once tried to grow a beard last year but it didn't work as well as he planned.

Avi pulled out of the driveway and headed to their school. Kirstie pulled out her mirror and mascara and began to fix her makeup the best she could in the moving car. Avi glanced in the rear view mirror and saw Kirstie and sighed.

"What was that sigh about?" Kirstie questioned, and narrowed her eyes.

"I don't see why you bother with all that makeup. It's not like you need it," Avi said, mumbling the last part.

Kirstie was caught off guard by his last comment and didn't know how to respond. Kevin noticed the awkwardness of the situation and laughed at the faces both Avi and Kirstie were making. Kevin's laugh was difficult to listen to and not laugh along, so soon the entire car was consumed by laughter.

Avi pulled up into the students parking lot of our high school and Scott and Mitch pulled up beside them. The five of them hung out in the parking lot before the warning bell for school had rang, announcing five minutes until homeroom began. Kevin took off pretty quickly, since his homeroom was on the opposite side of the school from the front entrance. Scott and Mitch walked together since they both had the same homeroom and very similar schedules. Avi and Kirstie strayed behind and separated once they got to the main intersection of the school.

Kirstie sat down in her first period class near one of her more popular of friends,Genevieve, who was the best candidate for home coming. The two shared a friendly smile and focused on the teacher who was explain the basic rules for school.

"Welcome Martin High Warriors to the new school year. Students understand the three R's of Arlington High, respect, responsibility and readiness. Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars Warriors!" The intercom boomed with the principal's voice. Kirstie laughed at the cheesy motivational lines they principal or one of the secretaries would always add at the end of the announcements.

The teacher continued to explain the rules of her classroom and schools for what felt like an eternity since homeroom is extended for the first couple of days of school. Being a senior, Kirstie knew these rules like the back of her hand and didn't entirely see the need to repeat them to her like she was a freshman.

Kirstie double checked a schedule and waited in anticipation for period 5, where she had a capella. Her choir teacher knew the potential in her friends and would try the hardest she could to make sure the five of them were together.

This year, she was going to bring pride to the choir section of the music department. No matter what.