Turn It Up! by Jen Calonita

Author:Jen Calonita
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2017-01-10T05:00:00+00:00

AMY: Sorry if I was weird before. Too much caffeine!

AMY: Congrats on getting in. With you in the group, I’m sure the Florida a cappella scene is going to go (Lady) gaga over the Nightingales!

“Wait! Where are you going?” Sydney watched in horror as her group’s newest star ran offstage to take a phone call. Sydney knew stage fright when she saw it. How had she not seen the signs before? Julianna hadn’t missed the original audition. She had panicked then too. She could go after her, but there was no way she was getting her on that stage to sing Sheeran right now.

“Who takes a phone call in the middle of a performance?” Whitney asked, clearly annoyed as she watched Dave and Pasqual high-five.

“You owe me ten bucks,” Dave told Pasqual. “Told you that girl would choke again.”

“She didn’t choke!” Sydney covered for her. “She just had an important call.”

“She kind of choked,” Gabby whispered just to Sydney and Viola. “She made an excuse during the auditions too. I thought you knew that.”

Sydney looked at the spot Julianna had originally been standing in and sighed. “Well, I do now.”

“Poor girl,” said Viola. “Someone should go talk to her. I’ll find her.”

“No, give her space,” Sydney said. “I don’t want to scare her off completely.” They needed warm bodies.

The most talented girl on the squad couldn’t handle singing in public. This was just great! Sydney closed her eyes and tried to breathe. Everything will be fine.

“Syd? You okay?” Griffin asked.

Griffin. She couldn’t do this right now. “Can we start from the top with a new soloist?” Sydney asked, not looking in his direction.

“Do-over?” Dave sputtered. “No way. You had your shot. Now it’s our turn.”

Sydney bit her lip.

“Great work, leader.” Micayla patted Sydney on the shoulder as they filed off the stage.

The guys stood in their classic triangle formation with Dave at the front. Griffin was to his right and Pasqual to his left. They bowed their heads, pressed their palms together like they were praying, and waited. They had two beatboxers who kicked the song off before Griffin’s voice came roaring in followed by Dave, who rapped. They performed the tune as if they had done it a hundred times before.

“No fair,” Gabby whined. “They’ve definitely practiced this already.”

“Of course, they’ve rehearsed already,” Whitney said, hitting Sydney where it hurt.

Gabby shook her head. “The Nightingales’ curse strikes again.”

By the end of the song, Sydney knew there was no contest. The Kingfishers were the clear victors, but she still wasn’t willing to give up her shot. She begged for another chance to perform, promising at the end of the song they’d agree to pick one winner even without Mr. Wickey’s presence.

She huddled with her teammates—minus one—again. “We’re going to be okay,” she said, even if she didn’t feel that way. Her eyes were as wild as her curly hair, which had lost its taming headband. “We can beat them without Julianna.” She looked at the group and pulled them in tight.

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