[VA] The Choir Room

He hated the idea of singing with Sunshine. HATED IT.

She was new and weird, her glasses were almost as big as her head and worst of all, she was a good singer.

Still, he was trying to stay positive because, after all, he wanted to beat the other Clubs and get yet another Regionals trophy.

He walked into the Choir Room, knowing she would follow him.

"So, this is how this works. I sing most of the song and you make a... lovely, but minimal, contribution," he explained, matter-of-factly.

It didn't matter if she was good or not, he was still the star.

"Do you like Disney?"

Dustin Goolsby looked out from the front row of the audience, to the stage in which his team of high school students butchered his fine choreography.
"One-two-three-four, three-two-four-one!" Dustin shouted, irritation in his tone of voice. "Is that such a difficult sequence? You two. Trade places." He said, shaking his head, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"How do you expect to win anything if you can't even follow my orders?" Dustin sat back down in his seat. "From the top."
The lights dimmed, the kids going back to their beginning poses. Some were not in time with the others. He ordered them to do it again.

Lucy glared at the students that had them repeat the lifts over again. She couldn't remember the last time she was the cause for a re-run, and was thankful for that, but her stomach was going to give way if her partner threw her one more time. She could see her teammates feeling the same, and saw her partner massaging his arms for a moment or two, before stopping. Show no signs of weakness. Lucy was about ready to go home. One-two-three-four... she thought in her head, before feeling as though it wasn't even herself moving across the stage. She was interrupted by Goolsby's shouting. Same girl. Different issue. Lucy then realized that the girl's wrist was broken. At least they got farther along than last time.

Justin tried to sneak in undetected. He knew Goolsby would go crazy if he saw he was late again.

The team was halfway into practice when Lucy noticed Justin standing on the sides, looking for a place to jump in. She laughed a bit, but shut her mouth when she realized it was her time to sing. They were almost halfway through the song-- would Goolsby stop them again?

Justin saw his opertunity and jumped in with the music. Being in the background was definitely NOT his thing but he had to blend in to avoid Goolsby's anger.

Dustin merely shook his head at Lucy. She was one of his best, and rarely ever screwed up. And was rarely ever chastised, at that. Perhaps, it was for the greater good. Maybe, for once, these kids wouldn't be so defiant if he chewed out one of his favorites. He kept an eye on her, eager to find out what was so funny. Following her line of sight, he couldn't help but notice Justin coming in to the sequence. "Late! Again! Stop. Just stop." Dustin made his way up onto the stage. He circled around Lucy. "So, tell me, Lucy. What was so funny just then? Me having to stop you, again? I thought I once heard you say you were sick of lifts, so tell me, why you would want to cause the whole team to start over?" Dustin sighed, keeping his cool. He motioned for Justin to come over. "There's no point hiding in plain sight, Justin." He put an arm around his shoulder, and turned him to look at Lucy too. "So Lucy, care to tell me why you didn't rat him out? Isn't there a hand signal for that? Or did it just slip your mind tonight?" Dustin raised an eyebrow at Lucy. He shook his head. "Tut, tut, tut, grandmother used to say. Well, I guess we can thank Lucy for the gift I'm giving you all of three more runs, everyone! And did I mention? It's of all three songs we've gone over for today." Dustin said, patting Justin on the back before going back down to the audience seats.

Justin just stayed quiet. He knew if he opened his mouth he'd just add the being yelled at. In all honestly he thought it was quite a good hiding place, no one would expect the find him in the back.

Lucy kept quiet as well, shooting looks at Justin when Dustin began. Her jaw dropped when she had to take the blame for Justin's tardiness, and the extra runs. What the hell? She thought. They were doing a song she wasn't dancing in. She went backstage. All three songs? Three times each? They'd be here for hours! She took a sip of water from the plastic water bottle in her purse. She turned to Justin, who wasn't apart of this song either. Lucy went over to Justin. "What are you doing that's so much more important than getting to practice on time?! Next time I won't be so generous. Care to explain, though?" She said, crossing her arms, waiting.

Justin followed Lucy backstage where he also took out his water bottle. "Hey, what I do in my time is none of your business. But hey, it takes time to look this good." Justin smirked. He couldn't care less that Lucy took all the blame. He knew he was one of Goolsby's favourites.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry, but maybe you should take a little more of all that time on your hands. You're obviously not doing a great job." Lucy snapped, disagreeing with his selfish attitude. But, although he was an ass, he did look good. Lucy nudged Justin's arm, and motioned over to those who were still on stage. "Do you really think Goolsby's going to use this number in competition? I hate to be conceited, but if I'm not dancing out there, we're not winning." Lucy said, sweeping all her hair to one side. She looked at Justin. Arrogant. Conceited. Selfish. "You're not a bad singer though, I must admit." She filtered herself, trying to play nice.

"What's wrong Lucy? Jealous?" Justin smirked. Some people just don't understand beauty Justin thought to himself. Justin followed where Lucy was looking and observed. "Hopefully not, they're terrible." Terrible, something I'm definitely not. Justin smiled a little at Lucy's compliment. "Thanks, you're not too bad yourself, kinda good."

Lucy shot a glare Justin's way. "Unfortunately, no. I'm not one to parade myself all over the place. And thanks, but I don't need your compliments. I already know I'm the best dancer in our group, Justin." She rolled her eyes, watching Dustin claw the others out. Why didn't he kick them to the curb, already? Lucy felt like she was watching a cancelled soap opera. She turned away. "So? What're you doing for prom?" Lucy said, making conversation.

Justin rolled his eyes back. He was used to girls melting at his compliments but Lucy was obviously impervious to flattery.
"Dunno...not asked anyone yet? What about you?" Justin asked not really caring though.

Lucy took a quick glance at his body language. "If you don't care, why'd you ask? You don't have to be polite." She said. Why was he so easy to read, for her? Lucy hated these kind of guys. And was much too used to seeing them around her school. But she realized, that if she hadn't ever come to Carmel, she'd be kissing Justin's feet. She shook her head a bit at the idea, never wanting to be in that situation.

"Fine, I'm listening intently, I'd love to hear what you're doing for prom." Justin said with a dramatically cheesy grin on his face. There was something about girls like Lucy Justin kinda liked. At least 98% of the female population at Carmel fell all over him, Lucy was one in the 2% who didn't.

"Stay out of your own business, would you?" Lucy said with a smirk. "As if I'd tell you my prom plans. But I'm so glad you care. It means you're improving on that attitude of yours!" Lucy said, grinning just as dramatically back.

"There is just no pleasing you is there?" Justin shook his head. I compliment her, she turns it down, I try to be interested, she don't wanna hear it!

Lucy laughed lightly. "Not from a guy like you." She teased. She wondered if he was getting frustrated yet. She smiled. She loved playing this game.

Justin knew what she was trying to do. He wasn't gonna give her the satisfaction of getting frustrated. "You really are something else Lucy." Justin smirked.

Lucy shrugged. "I know." She said, taking another sip from the water bottle. "How's your sisters?"

"They're very good thank you." Justin replied.

Lucy nodded, and smirked at Justin. "Don't be late on your cue this time." She said, before leading the others out onto the stage, and taking her place at the front.

"Don't be late on your cue this time!" Justin mimiked as he lined up directly behind Lucy.

Lucy was the first to come onto the stage, but was also the last. She packed up her things and changed out of her dress, and into some everyday clothing. Lucy and Justin lived in the same neighborhood she thought, remembering seeing him once with his sisters. She liked that side of him. Lucy nudged his arm once again like she did before. "Wanna go for a walk?" She asked, looking up at him with a smile.