Page 23 of I'll Be the One

Despite the fact that Bora totally pretended I didn’t exist, I’m still glowing from the other judges’ comments when I rush backstage to change for the dance portion of the competition. My singing group was one of the last ones to perform, leaving me with less than thirty minutes to get ready. I’m rushing around like a headless chicken when I run smack-dab into Henry Cho.

Henry grunts. We both stumble back. I barely suppress a groan of frustration.

Why is my lifeliterallya K-drama right now?

“Hey,” I say. “Sorry, are you okay?”

For a second, I’m worried Henry might say something about how I should watch where I’m going since I take up so much space. It’s something a few of the meaner guys said back in middle school, and I’ve always been careful not to run into anyone in the hallway ever since.

Really wishing I weren’t blushing, I reluctantly look up at Henry.

Instead of being mad, Henry’s expression is a mix ofamusement and concern. When I meet his gaze, his eyes crinkle a bit at the corners.

“I’m perfectly fine,” he says. “You’re in a hurry to get ready, right? Go ahead. I think everyone else is done prepping.”

He steps out of the way with a grand flourish, his lopsided grin telling me that he’s just fooling around.

Ugh, I think.How does he manage to bebothgentlemanly and goofy at the same time?

I’m still reminding myself that Henry iscompetitionand not potential boyfriend material as I run into the nearest bathroom to change. Since we’re only performing for the judges today for both vocals and dance, I just brought a really cute pink tank top and black workout leggings as my dance outfit.

I feel energized the moment I put them on my nervousness transforming into raw determination. My mom always says that I shouldn’t wear bright colors. Every time we go shopping together, she always tells me to go for “slimming” colors like black and navy. I got the pink tank top from Torrid while shopping with Rebecca and Clarissa over the summer, and it’s one of my favorite things. It has a split in the back, and the color complements my skin tone perfectly. I look dang cute in it and I know it.

After retouching my makeup and making sure my hair’s not a wild bird’s nest, I run over to where my group is waiting backstage. Doug and Imani say hi, but Henry doesn’t say anything. All the mischief from earlier is gone from his slightly widened eyes as he slowly gives me a once-over from head to toe.

“Wow, Skye,” he says. “You look really nice.”

Henry opens his mouth like he wants to say more, but Doug cuts in with, “I am so nervous. Are any of you nervous or is it just me?”

“We’re all nervous,” Henry says flatly. “Who wouldn’t be? We’re—”

“Oh my God, Henry, you’re nervous too? Oh wow, we’re all doomed. I heard thateveryonein the group before us got eliminated. Jesus, take the wheel!”

Henry closes his eyes for a split second before focusing his attention on me. The expression on his face clearly says:Help.

“Well, I think it’s okay to be nervous,” I try. “We’re about to perform a choreography we only started learning last week, and the judges might eliminate us at any moment.”

“Yikes,” says Imani. “When you put it that way...”

“We’ll just have to try our best,” I continue with a shrug. I’m not usually optimistic, but I feel the need to say something to reassure everyone. We can’tallbe freaking out like Doug. “There’s nothing else we can do at this point anyway.”

“True,” Imani replies. “Hopefully at least some of us will make it to the next round.”

“I bet you’ll make it. Sorry if this sounds creepy, but I watched you in the mirror while we were practicing in the studio. You’re definitely the best dancer out of all of us.”

“Aw, thanks, girl! You aren’t so bad yourself.”

I’m about to respond when I hear a low keening sound, like a dying animal would make. Startled, Imani and I look up tosee that Doug iscryinglike he’s been given a death sentence.

“I don’t think I’m cut out for this,” Doug says. “I barely managed to audition. What was I thinking?”

“Doug, calm down,” says Henry through gritted teeth. His jaw is set in a firm line, and his shoulders are visibly rigid. And that’s when I realize: Henry hasstage fright. Maybe just as much as Doug. I wonder if that’s why Doug’s meltdown is bothering him so much.

I’ve been through enough choir recitals and dance performances that I’m perfectly fine with being onstage. Sure, I’m still nervous, but that has more to do with what’ll come afterward, with the judge’s evaluations, than performing onstage itself.

Imani, too, seems okay. Tense from anticipation, but still pretty calm. Henry, though... he’s better at hiding it than Doug, but I don’t miss the way his eyes are slightly widened, or how his breaths come out in shallow gasps.

“Are you okay?” I ask Henry out of genuine concern.How did he even audition for this competition when he’s this afraid of being onstage?I wonder. Whydid he audition?

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