Page 34 of Disharmony

“Who’s Brick?” Leila asks.

“My best friend,” I say, then correct myself. “Well, maybe not anymore. We had a fight the night before I left for camp. This has been the longest we haven’t talked since we were kids.”

Cookie listens intently, “Did you fight about the video?”

“No. I was pissed about it, but he meant well, and I get why he did it. He never expected it to take off like it did.” I take a deep breath. “We’re fighting because he told me he liked me. You know, liked me.”

“I’m guessing you don’t feel the same?” Leila says.

“No, but I wish I did. It’d make everyone back home happy.” I let my hair hang over my face, the way I do when I want to hide. “And I don’t know how to fix it. How do you go back after something like that? It feels like everything has changed.”

Brick has always been my go-to person since kindergarten. There are so many things I want to share with him. He’d die hearing about how I coveredLove Story,but… everything is so messy.

“That’s rough.” Leila shakes her head. “For both of you.”

“You’re clearly hurting,” Cookie says gently. “That shows you care about him. Have you tried calling him?”

“You didn’t hear how angry he was. He’s asked for time.”

It kills me to think about how I’ve hurt the person I care about more than anyone else.

“He was rejected,” Leila points out. “That’s gotta hurt. But how will you feel if you don’t try to make things right?”

The camp bell rings to signal our afternoon schedules are starting soon. Leila has a point, but it will have to wait.

“Shit,” I groan. “If the situation with Brick isn’t bad enough, I have McCallister next.”

“Good luck,” Cookie replies, then nudges Leila in the ribs. “Aren’t you glad we aren’t vocalists?”

“Hell yeah,” Leila agrees. “Way too much drama.”

“You’re telling me,” I mutter.

After our earlier auditions, we’ll find out today who McCallister has allocated spots in the final show. A decision that could change lives forever.

nine

Ash

The atmosphere is tense in the rehearsal room, like we’ve all got lottery tickets and know one of us is gonna be a jackpot winner.

McCallister paces the room like a puffed-up peacock, enjoying wielding his power. His smug smirk signals he’s enjoying every minute of the anticipation. He loves being the person who can create or dash careers with a click of his fingers. He knows his time of influence is fading and wants to hold onto it for as long as he can. No matter how pathetic his macho display is, it doesn’t stop the entire class from hanging off his every word.

“I have carefully considered your performances and attitude during your auditions.” His eyes land on another camper and narrow, signaling the poor guy shouldn’t hold onto any hopes. “A decision has been made about who will make the cut for the final show with the help of Mr. York.”

The same Levi York who cares so little about his involvement in this class that he hasn’t bothered to turn up or be seen again since the party on the lake. It’s hard to decide which of the Lionheart mentors is worse, from Levi being a no-show to Damon skulking around in the bushes smoking pot. The only one of them who seems to be making an effort is Zach to overcompensate for the poor performance of his bandmates.

“The lists are printed.” McCallister slowly pulls a laminated sheet of paper from a brown envelope. The names are too small to see from a distance, but he takes pleasure in pinning it to a notice board on the wall and stepping back to survey his handiwork. “Now, you can all see your positions.”

No one moves. Nobody wants to fall victim to McCallister’s tricks, but, as soon as Tiffany steps forward, everyone follows. There’s a rush as everyone jostles to get to the board on the other side of the rehearsal room. Tiffany doesn’t need to elbow her way through, all it takes is one withering look for her to glide through the center like she has some kind of godly power.

I hang back. I’m in no hurry to be put out of my misery. The longer I wait, the more time I can cling onto a shred of hope. MyLove Storyperformance wasn’t my best. It took multiple attempts to perform to McCallister’s standard, which couldn’t have worked in my favor.

The final show showcases the entire camp’s best talent, from vocalists and instrumentalists to stage managers and songwriters. Every camper has a chance to compete for a role in their particular discipline. Campers’ families, famous alumni, and industry contacts are all invited to the performance. The show consists of three songs, but only one of them is broadcast live to the world on TV and over the internet. The artists involved in that particular song are the ones people pay attention to and make superstars. Take the Lionhearts, for example. The final show rocket launched them to become the biggest boy band of all time.

Tiffany’s pink manicured nails slide down the list of names. She stands straighter and her head seems to inflate three times the size as a triumphant grin spreads over her face. Another girl breaks down in tears. This is more brutal than I expected.

I shuffle forward last to check my spot, while Tiffany waits beside the board for my approach. I ignore her as I scan the names.

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