Tyler and the Valaholics: The Beginning

Chapter 40

Song of the chapter- 'So What?', P!nk

'I got a brand new attitude and
I'm gonna wear it tonight,
I wanna get in trouble,
I wanna start a fight.'

"Ready?" I whisper as the announcers joke around with the judges minutes before we are to perform.

"Oh, I was born ready!" Josh exclaims, making me roll my eyes while reminding him not to forget the rhythm that he's absolutely missed every single time we've practiced so far.

"Alright, but apart from that, yeah!" he's trying to sound confident but his eyes betray his nervousness.

We've only practiced about three times after the drama with that nag ended with the other guy in the room, who actually turned out to be Cormac. He performed with Generica and still outshone her despite going with the song she had picked after she threw a tantrum. She sounded off and screechy and wound up blaming him for it but no one seemed to believe her after they actually played the video they'd recorded earlier. I kept thinking I should've felt sorry for her but I never did, not once.

Now here we are, taking deep breaths as we wait for the stage to be set and us to be called in. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Cormac and I wave at him, mouthing gratitude and congratulations, in response to which he smiles and wishes us the best of luck. I hear my name being announced, setting my heart racing faster as a stagehand nods at us and counts us in not more than a few seconds later. We enter and take our spots by the piano in the centre of the stage, me taking the seat in front of the keys and him opposite to me. He isn't playing but is ready to tap out a catchy rhythm with his uninjured hand and his feet.

My right foot is nudged and when I discreetly peer downwards, a thumbs-up is flashed at me with one of her characteristic smiles. I feel more relaxed knowing Vanessa is in place under the instrument and out of the view of the audience. We can do this, we can pull this off and be amazing. This sudden burst of motivation prompts me to flash Josh a wide smile meant to reassure and he reciprocates the gesture before he starts humming, giving me my cue to begin.

After a short run through of a few basic notes and some harmonious humming on our parts, Josh begins to sing the first verse of 'Love The Way You Lie (Part-2)', the Rihanna parts, and my job is pretty simple right now- play the piano accordingly while harmonizing (and a solo line in the middle). The real fun starts in the second verse when I stop playing the piano and take Electra in my hand from where it had been hidden by the side of the bench and slide to the side of the bench facing the audience, leaving Van enough space to slide out from her hiding place and take over playing the piano, all in the span of the first line of the second verse that Josh sings. Smiling at the gasps from the audience, I realize I'm having quite a bit of fun, knowing what lies ahead even though I'm tired beyond belief.

Most people are watching Van probably because they didn't know she was going to be on stage and also because her fingers are flying so gracefully but their wide-eyed attention quickly turns to me when I spring up to my feet rapping the first verse of Part-1 of the song, the Eminem parts, simultaneously with him singing the second verse of Part-2 so melodiously. I definitely thought this was going to be a mess but it does sound good, even if just to me.

After the second chorus of the both of us singing, Josh sings the Rihanna part of the bridge of Part-2 before I begin singing the third verse of Part-1 with just the piano and my violin for accompaniment with Josh occasionally harmonizing. The performance ends with me doing a run with nearly all of my remaining energy while he sustains a note I've never heard him hit before and the audience and the judges are on their feet as Van slinks off stage after giving me a huge hug.

I'm nearly giddy with excitement and exhaustion and Josh must seem to notice as he holds my hand firmly when we near the front of the stage where we're heralded to by the ecstatic announcers. An entire gamut of applause and positive response later, the music begins to play, mercifully giving us the cue to get off stage until another hour later after which two of us will be eliminated. The second we're off stage, I make a beeline for the nearest seat and plop down on the faded pink couch we first come by.

Pure relief overwhelms me until I eventually wind up remembering that I had to do something only to realize I don't remember what that was. I shrug it off and open my mouth to begin a conversation but my body fights me, perhaps wanting to conserve the little energy it has left. Josh says nothing either and we sit in blissful silence for not very long until I begin to feel drowsy. No matter how much I try to fight it, I know I can't fight it off for very long.

Through leaden eyes that I can barely keep from shutting close, I see that Josh is in more or less the same predicament as me as he seems on the verge of passing out any second while he settles down next to me. All my thoughts disintegrate to mere dust as the only thing I can focus on is just how exhausted I am at the moment.

My consciousness abates to vagueness and I'm about to drift off when a weight lands lightly on my right shoulder as I rest against the arm of the couch to my left. Unable to stay awake any longer, my eyes fully shut and I drift off to La La Land.

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Hey there! This chapter has been stationary for so many days minus the last couple of paragraphs so I'm glad I finally got it done! As usual, let me know what you think! I'll try to get the next chapter out ASAP.

Sorry for the intense description of the performance if it annoyed you! The songs (if you didn't already get them) are:

Part-1:

Part-2:

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