A Change Of Directions (Camren)

Chapter 10: Dirty Dancing

"Shawn, I need your help." I said the moment I strode into the choir room, shoving a piece of paper into his hand when he eyed me with surprise.

"Only these four chords, play them on repeat. I want an upbeat tune, strumming is fine and try to add a little swing to it, maybe emphasize two and four. Get it?"

Shawn only gaped at me.

"Good. I would play the guitar myself if it didn't hinder my performance. You'll be doing fine and I promise I'll make it up to you." I patted his muscular shoulder and walked up to Mr Cowell who had just entered the room.

"Mr Cowell? I'd like to sing an original song and see if the Harmonies like it."

The spanish teacher warily looked at me, the whole 'Lo Siento' incident in his spanish class clearly not forgotten. He slowly nodded. "Sure."

A self-satisfied smirk crept onto my face as I signalled Shawn to take his guitar, then made sure that Lauren was watching. Nodding to her, I hoped she would realize that I did it for her and how much of my reputation I was risking.

"Guys, I want to perform an original song that I wrote in History class today." I said, receiving different reactions. A scoff from Dinah, who had her arms crossed and a surprised look from Frankie, who smiled at me encouragingly. Only Lauren's blank expression was hard to read, but I didn't let my inner frown cover my face, smiling with self-confidence instead.

"I'm not a poet, but I mean what I say." I reminded them before I nodded to Shawn and he started strumming the guitar, playing the first chords solo as an introduction.

Piercing my eyes into Lauren's, a broad grin broke out on my face as I pointed to myself and cockily sang, "I'm an ass and you know it."

Some of the kids chuckled and Shawn almost played the wrong chord when he snorted with laughter. But Lauren merely raised her eyebrow.

"Second chance and I still blow it," I half-sang, half-said it in a cheery voice with an ironic undertone. Normani started to clap along to the beat, making the other kids join her. My grin widening, I continued.

"Girl, I'm an idiot, but I'm trying," I winked at the Head Cheerleader sitting in the first row.

Lauren's lips were twitching and I knew that she couldn't resist my charm for long. She playfully looked away while her boyfriend was staring at me with confusion written all over his face. Sneering at him, I sang, "And if you stop hiding, I'll stop lying."

That made Lauren turn her gorgeous head to me again, eyeing me with a pensive expression. Putting on a solemn look, I walked up to Lauren until I was standing in front of her and now everyone knew whom this song was dedicated to. Ignoring Jack's puzzled look on me, I didn't let my eyes stray away from the green ones.

"I'll be honest with you," I acted like I wanted to tell Lauren a secret, leaning in to her with a mysterious grin until I almost penetrated her personal bubble and I faintly heard her breath hitch. But it could've been just my wishful imagination.

"I suck at telling the truth."

Smirking, I retreated and jumped back to a grinning Shawn, going in for the chorus.

"I'm a jerk, I'm a fool, but I wanna change for you!"

Everyone in the room cheered and whistled as I loudly sang, using my hands to gesture between me and the audience. Then I jumped to the piano and played along with Shawn, hitting the keys with exaggerated vigor as I started to improvise a melody that nicely matched the chords.

Earning laughter and more cheers, I stopped playing and bounced to the drum kit, quickly picking up the drum sticks to wildly beat on the toms, but still in rhythm with Shawn. To dramatically end my solo on the drums, I hit the cymbals with so much force that the drum sticks flew out of my hands to somewhere behind me. And Shawn let the last chord ring out before he muted the guitar by covering the strings with his palm.