Undercover Star

♪ Forty-One ♪

They sat in a formation so familiar to the days I spent with the choir. Marie, Vincent, and Carla sat in the second row. In front of them were Nancy, Thomas, William and Leo. Summer sat in the center of all of them.

My heart froze for an instant, and I wondered if I was just staring into a lifeless photo.
"Jesse!" Marie said, and my blood ran cold. It was really them.

My mouth went dry and I had no words to say to the people I had been dying to talk to for weeks. They each greeted me in their own special ways, and all I could offer was a weak 'hello'.

"We miss you so much," Nancy said softly. "I'm just glad someone got this video thing set up."

"It's really you," William said, squinting into the camera. "You look great."

A ball of emotions welled up inside of me. I let myself grin like I never had before. "I'm so happy to see you guys. I don't even know what to say."

"We just couldn't believe it," Vincent said. "You're famous."

"Logan Myers," Leo said, shaking his head slowly. "I had no idea. I'm sorry. I wish I could have stopped Harley, and things could be different."

I stared at his small image on the screen before answering. He was apologizing? The one friend I had made their that meant so much to me was apologizing for not catching my lie?

"No, I'm sorry," I said quickly. "For lying."

"You did what you had to do," came his even reply. "You're still the same guy you were before. You're just a little cooler now."

"Leo joined the choir," Summer said through the laughter that followed Leo's comment. A sadness joined me when I heard her voice. I saw her. I had missed her for weeks and now she was right there in front of me, only she wasn't really there.

"That's amazing," I said gently, wishing I could jump through the screen and be back in Churchwood again. "I was hoping he would."

"We got a lot of new people," Thomas said, grinning. "Even a boy my age!"

"Wow," I said, my mind still processing.

"But it's not the same," Summer said with a forced smile, her eyes giving away feelings only I would understand.

William squeezed her shoulder. "It isn't the same, but don't feel bad. It's not your fault."

"I hope we didn't cause any trouble for you back there," Nancy said. "I saw you on the news the other day."

"No," I replied, "you didn't cause me any trouble. I wish I was still back there with you."

"Maybe someday," Vincent said. "Soon."

I nodded like I believed it was true.

I let them talk about what was happening around the town. They didn't ask much about my career, and for that I was thankful. I was sure Summer filled them in on the important things, as well as the fact that I was not really into it.

After about an hour of catching up, most of the members excused themselves to greet some of the new choir members who were coming into church. Though it wasn't completely obvious, I knew they were trying to get Summer and I alone, well alone as you can get across a camera screen.

It was just Summer and Leo and we chatted a bit about things only the three of us would. Talking to them was like I never left, but deep down I knew I had, and I would also have to do it again when I closed my laptop. But in those moments everything seemed okay.