Tyler and the Valaholics: The Beginning

Chapter 17

Song of the chapter- 'Everyday' by Ariana Grande ft. Future

'I don't be tripping or making mistakes
I made too many in my past (that's right)
I fight for the things you believe in'

I finally let out my breath, knowing that I'll pass out if I hold it any longer. How in the universe is he even singing like that?

I stand up to applaud for him, as does nearly everyone in the audience. Thunderous applause greets him as he smiles toothily and takes in all the applause and positive feedback from the judges. He's told he's moved on to the next round as we settle back into our seats.

"Some competition there, huh?" Stacie whispers in my ear.

"Heh, I'm nowhere near fazed," I wink at her, eliciting uncontrollable giggles from her and several stares her way as I elbow her in the side. She covers her mouth to muffle her laughter but it's still audible to me.

"Oh, stop it, Stacie! You- Oh, shoot, I totally forgot. I'll be back," I go to respond sass I'll but remember that I was supposed to meet Josh after his performance and rush out.

I rush to the sidewings to see Josh looking around worriedly. Sneaking up behind him, I randomly pull him back, shocking him to his core as he nearly hits my nose.

"Good aim, if someone were actually attacking you or were going to hurt you. Needs a little improvement though, especially in the placement of your elbow," I tell him, glad to have narrowly escaped a direct blow to my waist.

"My goodness, Valerie, you scared the bazooka out of me!"

"Bazooka?" I ask.

"Well, you know, you're a kid, might as well not swear near you," he trails off.

"Oh, I'm a kid?"

"'Course you are, you're like twelve," he says, gesturing to a very short height.

"I am twelve, but hey, I'm not that short!" I defend myself.

"You are short!" he mocks me.

"No, I'm not!" I squeak.

"Are too!" he sings.

"Am not!" I sing in response.

"Look!" he retorts, scooting over to my side and indicating the fact that the top of my head only comes up to his chest.

"Hey, it's not my fault that you're freakishly tall!"

"I'm only 5'5," he tells me.

"Well, I'm still growing so shut up and let's get back to whatever schlop we were talking about!"

He chuckles and playfully pats my head, making me push his palm off my head.

"Cool down, Angry Little Birdie!" he says, laughing at first but his expression seems to darken at the last word. Shrugging his shoulder, he randomly starts gushing about something I don't even understand because he's jumbling up all the words.

"Erm, Josh? You might want to talk legibly if you want me to understand what in Sam Hill it is that you're saying," I pat his shoulder.

"Um, yeah, I wasn't saying anything that important anyway, so let's skip it. Um, yeah, what'd you think of my performance?" his eyes give away the fact that what he was about to say is quite important for him but if he doesn't want to talk about it, I'm not going to prod, no matter how curious I am.

"I had no idea you could sing like that!" I squeal.

"So you thought I couldn't sing for what I'm worth, eh?" he says, a wry grin finding its way on to his face.

"That's not what I meant, bozo!"

"Then what did you mean, ickle Valliekins?" he snorts.

"Oh, I'm SO getting you back for that one, Jansen. I meant, where'd you learn to sing like that?" I retort, lightly swatting his arm away.

"Um, from the world?"

When I lift my eyebrow at him, he hesitates but continues, "Well, I never really was all that much of a music kind of fellow. You see, my brother has always had this obsession with singing and music in general. He pleaded and pleaded with our parents until they let him have guitar lessons so long as I stuck with him too so I learnt to play the guitar with him and also to sing when we would sneak off to classes after he would beg me not to tell anyone."

A small smile had shown up on his face when he spoke but the smile morphed into a bitter one as he continued, "I did everything I could to aid him and yet they chose him over me. In fact, I even auditioned here so I could atleast then have them have me at the center of their attention willingly. He hates it that I auditioned without him, and maybe I should have asked him, but I can't imagine the thought of that because even then he'd be their favourite."

During the course of his monologue, he bared his emotions on his face and became that much clearer but now shuts off his thoughts and turns to me.

"Oh, you don't have to deal with that, anyway. I mean you're a kid, you shouldn't be stuck listening to the problems of flibbertigibbet crums like this."

"Josh, I don't mind. Really, if anything, I'm glad you told me what's really on your mind so I can help you and-" I'm cut off by his angry response, which seems like a knee-jerk reaction.

"Help? No thank you! I don't need to be listening to inexperienced midgets like you who won't ever know how it'd feel like to watch your sibling be favoured over you. You can't help me because you've basically lived a perfect life as your daddy's precious girl and mommy's darling daughter."

He yells while glaring at me with so much hate in his eyes. All I've tried to do is be there for him but he's unable to realize that in his frenzied state.

"You might want to try actually gaining some knowledge about a person before you proceed to rip their character to shreds. I was just trying to be there for you, to be the someone I wished I always had to hear me out and help me for you, but if you don't want me to, Josh, I'm fine with it. Just don't say I never tried," I reply in a cool tone before I turn around and walk off to find Stacie.

Only, I can't find Stacie or the kids anywhere in the audience or backstage.

- - - - - - -

I don't know why but I took so much separate time to write this chapter!

What do you think of the tension between the two? What about Josh's relation with his brother? And where are Stacie and the girls?

Hope to see you soon!

- - - - - - -