Hidden Talent
Ned and Roberto walk out of Geometry class laughing out loud from a Star Wars joke that would be not comical at all to others. Especially, to Michelle who was leaning against the wall for Roberto. Smirking at those two losers who she can’t believe they’re her only friends.
“Hey losers.” Michelle greeting herself.
“Hey MJ.” Ned spoke. “MJ?”
“My friends call me MJ.” Michelle mentions awkwardly.
“My friends call me Bobby.” Roberto mentions to her, smiling at her. “Nah, Bobby-Pin sounds better. You dork.”
“Sorry, Bobby.” Ned apologizes while smirking. “Sorry for what?”
“He shall be forever be named “Sir… Bobby-Pin.” by the court of Leeds.” Ned shouts out loudly like a king knighting him with a ruler.
“Are you fucking kidding me, dude?” Bobby asks. “No, sire”
“You guys are something else.” Bobby confirms to both of them. “But we’re your friends.”
“That’s true.”
“What are you guys doing right now?” Ned asks turning in front of them.
“We have a free period because our English teacher is making us do research for a project and he wants us to observe the entire school for a description essay.” Bobby explains to Ned.
“So, if we have any inspiration from anything at the school and base it on the essay.” Michelle finishes the explanation.
“You guys like to finish each other’s sentences, huh?” Ned asks both of them.
“Yes..” Bobby starts.
“We do.” Michelle intervenes to finish it.
After talking with Ned, they walk around the campus to see what they can “be inspired” to write about for their essay. They haven’t choose anything yet, even though there is a bunch they can choose. Such as, the robotics club, student council, marching band, varsity football team, the cheerleading squad, chess club, dance club, LGBT supporting group, etc. As they walk inside the library, Michelle turns and looks at the table that where the Academic Decathlon like to meet up.
“Why don’t you join the Decathlon group?” Michelle asks Roberto.
“Not big on book smarts.” Roberto briefly answers.
“Really?” Michelle gives him her look of misbelief. “What? It’s true.”
“You were able to solve every problem in Chemistry, Geometry, and Government. I think we need someone like you.” Michelle explains, which annoys him hearing it.
“I know… it’s just… that’s not what I wanna do in life.” Roberto hesitates.
“What do you wanna do in life?” Michelle asks once again.
Roberto grabs her hand and takes her along to find the band room. Once he passes through all of the marching band students after being released, he finds the closet that stores all of the acoustic guitars that are used for Guitar class. They both sit down on the chairs inside of the storage room and he closes the door.
“This is what I wanna do.” Roberto admits in a bold tone. “I didn’t know you can play. Can you sing too?”
“Uh….. yes.” Roberto hesitates again. “Sing something then.”
“Ok, I get nervous if others hear in some way. That’s why I closed the door for some isolation. What do you want me to play?”
“Um… Thinking ‘Bout You by Dua Lipa.” Michelle requests.
“Oooooo, someone you fancy Ms. Jones?”
“Shut up Bobby-Pin. Just… play the song.” Michelle demands hesitantly.
“ALRIGHT, YOUR HIGHNESS. YOUR WISH IS MY DEMAND.”
“Only gonna grant you this once.” Robert mumbles. “What did you say?”
“Only grant gustin is the best one.” Robert answers with a fake huge smile in his face. “Ok...sure.”
Roberto begins to pick on the strings on the guitar, while playing the chords on the specific frets. He remembers listening to this song for the very first time, it was a few days after New Year’s Day. Roberto and Miranda went and traveled to Flagstaff, Arizona for the holidays because they wanted to travel somewhere snowy and more isolated “per se”. He met someone that night, it was a girl around his age. Met each other playing in the show with their families and got to enjoy each other’s company. She insisted into giving him a New Year’s kiss, but it was more special because it was his first kiss.
For him, it was a magical moment for his life and on that day he listened, he thought about her. It was this everlasting thought on the drive home, even he didn’t have bad nightmares. Although, it wouldn’t last long as they grew apart and she found someone else. Her name was Evelyn Ramos. Hopefully, they would rekindle their friendship at least in the future.
“3 AM and my neighbors hate me.” Roberto begins to sing.
“Woah. Woah. Woah. Holy Shit, you have a nice voice.” Michelle interrupts amazed.
“I wanna be a performer when I grow up.” Roberto admits to Michelle.
“Do you write your own songs?” Michelle asks him. “Yeah, I do but not typical songwriting like other artists do.”
“Wow, you need to show me more eventually. Continue singing dude.” Michelle told him.
“Music’s blasting, shaking these walls.” Roberto continues to sing.
“This time Mary Jane won’t save me. I’ve been working later. I've been smoking deeper but the memories won't stop.” Roberto finishes the first verse. “How about if you sang along with me?”
“No. No. No. No. Nope.” Michelle answers immediately. “Why not?”
“I’m not comfortable singing in public, let alone only one other person around.” Michelle admits to Roberto. “MJ, it’s the same thing for me, but I have to say “fuck it” and enjoy everything. Here, I’ll help you out.”
“I can’t stop…” Roberto starts singing the chorus. “Come on, try it out. I won’t judge at all.”
As he was taking a sip of his bottled water, Michelle began to sing “Thinking ‘Bout You.” and Roberto spat his water out and landed on her.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I did that because holy shit, you have a great voice. Here let me help you out.” Roberto apologizes and dries her face with a nearby towel hanging on the wall.
“I hate you, you know that right?” Michelle tells him. “I love you too, MJ.”
“I don’t wanna do this anymore. Gotta shower that shit off.” Michelle began to walk towards the door. “MJ, I promise I won’t do that again. I always keep my promises. You can even ask Ned.”
“Nothing will happen?” Michelle asks to be sure. “I promise.”
“I can't stop thinking 'bout you. I can't get high, I can't get by, I can't get through. I can't stop thinking 'bout you.” Michelle continues to sing the chorus. “Alright, there you go.”
She began to sing the second verse and her voice to him is so distinctive and one of a kind. He wondered if anyone ever asked her to sink or if she does it in her personal time. Roberto fell in love with her voice immediately and thinks about how she’s already an interesting being to be friends with. Someone who tends to have their own complex of anonymity, as if she wants to be personified as a shadow or a thief in the night.
“I can’t stop thinking ‘bout you.” They sang in harmony together.
Before they could finish their duet, the door creaked loudly open and they turned to see Ned secretly recording them. He tried to make a run from it for a moment, but Michelle jumped towards him and they both land on the floor. Is Roberto stopping the commotion? Nope, he laughs hysterically and records the whole encounter. Michelle spots him and the bell rang. So, imagine a funny chase scene with everyone including a nearby hall monitor for no apparent reason around Midtown. Michelle tips him into ratting them out and getting in trouble.
“Holy fucking shit.” Roberto says after leaving school for the day.