Chapter 60: Another competition

'It'll soon be midterm, and InspireEduFest initiatives will be holding events among schools. You guys are invited to compete in a music contest on that day," Mr. Alfred said, standing tall before them in the studio, his tone both formal and enthusiastic. 'Oh yeah, I remember!" Jason said, his eyes lighting up as he shifted in his seat. 'I'll also be participating in the math competition that day." His excitement was barely contained, and it made the room feel just a little bit brighter. 'Hope you haven't accepted the invite?" Max asked suddenly, his expression serious. Everyone turned to him, confusion spreading across their faces. 'Why ask?" Mr. Alfred asked, frowning slightly at Max's tone. 'We won't be going," Max said simply, and silence swept through the room like a cold wind. The others looked at him in disbelief, shock written plainly across their features. 'Why?" Jace asked, his voice laced with curiosity and concern. Max sighed. 'If they've all forgotten, you shouldn't forget, Jace. Remember the last time we risked going on stage?" His eyes briefly met Jace's. 'I don't want what happened that day to repeat itself. So, until Jace is okay, we won't accept any stage work." The room grew still. Everyone fell silent, the weight of his words sinking in. The memory was still raw. Their last performance was meant to be their breakthrough, a huge moment in their journey. They had been set to perform in front of a large crowd at an interschool competition. Everything was perfect until Jace had a panic attack just before the first note. The pressure of performing live had overwhelmed him, and they had to cancel at the last minute. That moment left a scar, not just on Jace, but on all of them. Since then, they'd been careful, too careful about agreeing to live shows. 'Don't turn down the offer this time around because of me," Jace said, his voice steady but his eyes giving away the storm beneath. 'You should accept the invite. You guys are going there." 'Then what about you?" Jason asked, concern etching his features. 'We can't just leave you behind while we go out there performing." 'I'll be singing with you guys," Jace replied with a small smile, trying to reassure them. 'We're going to sing together." 'Will you be okay?" Ronald asked gently, leaning forward in his seat. 'Yes," Jace nodded. 'Have you forgotten I once sang at the stadium in front of all the students? I can do this too. And if I can't handle it, I can sing backstage with you guys. Besides, we still have time left. I can practice before then. If there's no improvement, I'll just sing from backstage." His determination struck a chord. The group nodded slowly, silently acknowledging his bravery. 'Okay, that's good," Mr. Alfred said, stepping forward. 'How about we use the school hall for our rehearsals from now on? Using the stage there might help him get more comfortable." 'Yeah," Jason agreed. 'That could really help." They all nodded, feeling a new sense of purpose settle between them. Just then, Mr. Alfred's phone rang. He excused himself and stepped out, leaving the group in silence. A moment later, Ronald broke it. 'Okay, now let's talk about Dorah's pictures," he said, rising from his seat with a serious look. 'What about them?" Jason asked, raising a brow. 'I went through Madison's phone," Ronald began. 'Didn't see any of you guys' pictures on it. I even checked the recently deleted folder, nothing. And Madison doesn't even have Helena's number." A heavy silence followed his words. 'But… if Madison isn't involved," Jason said slowly, 'that means Helena did all this on her own." He frowned deeply. 'But that's not possible. How could she have taken those pictures without us noticing?" 'It's complicated," he muttered with a frustrated sigh. Minutes later, Mr. Alfred returned, slipping his phone back into his pocket. 'We should start rehearsal if you guys have concluded. One of you should go and get Dorah." 'Let's call her," Jason suggested. 'She didn't bring her phone to school today," Ronald replied quickly. The others turned to him with questioning stares, silently asking how do you know that? 'I'll go get her then. Be back in a minute," Ronald said. Jace stood up too. 'I'll go," he offered, already heading down the corridor toward Dorah's class. As he entered, several students turned to look at him with admiration. There was something about Jace his calm presence, his looks, the mystery around him that drew attention. Dorah was seated, chatting with Emma, when she spotted him. Her face lit up with a bright smile. 'Jace, what's up?" she asked, rising from her seat. 'Hey, babe," he greeted softly. 'You're needed in the studio. Mr. Alfred accepted an invite for us to compete in a music contest during the InspireEduFest initiatives. We need to start rehearsing seriously." Dorah's eyes sparkled with excitement. 'That sounds great! When do we start?" 'Today, actually. Mr. Alfred suggested we use the school hall for practice, he thinks it'll help me get more comfortable with the stage." 'That's a smart idea," Dorah said with a nod. 'I'm sure we'll do great." 'Alright, let's head back. We have a lot to discuss," Jace said, and they walked side by side, the energy between them calm and understanding. As they walked, Jace couldn't help but think back to running into Madison earlier. Her reaction, her denial, it just didn't sit right. He decided to bring it up with the guys once they were alone. Back in the studio, the others were already preparing. Mr. Alfred was setting up some equipment. 'I thought Jace said we'd be using the school hall for rehearsal," Dorah said, glancing around. 'Yeah, but we decided to use this place for today," Mr. Alfred replied with a nod and they both engaged in a conversation. 'By the way, Dorah, I wanted to talk to you about your part in the song." He turned fully to face her. 'Your solo section is pivotal, and I think we can make it even more impactful." Dorah's eyes lit up with interest. 'What do you have in mind?" 'I was thinking of adding a slight variation to the melody to showcase your vocal range better. Something with more contrast to really pull the audience in," Mr. Alfred explained. Dorah nodded thoughtfully. 'I like that idea. Maybe we could start with softer verses that lead into a powerful chorus, it would create a nice buildup." 'Exactly," Mr. Alfred agreed. 'And we could try layering in some harmonies during your solo. It'll add depth and highlight your vocals even more." Dorah beamed. 'That sounds amazing. I can't wait to try it." 'Great. Let's begin with that new arrangement. If it doesn't work, we'll adjust," Mr. Alfred said encouragingly. While they talked, Jace leaned closer to the guys. 'I ran into Madison earlier," he whispered. 'She denied knowing anything about the pictures but I don't believe her." Jason frowned. 'We'll get to the bottom of it. But for now, let's stay focused." Max nodded. 'Yeah. We can't let this derail us. The contest is what matters right now." 'Alright. Let's get back to work," Jace said, noticing Dorah and Mr. Alfred turning back to them. They resumed their rehearsal with renewed focus. Dorah took center stage for her solo, her voice carrying through the room with passion and strength. The new arrangement added something magical to her performance. 'Wow, Dorah, that was incredible," Jace said, clearly impressed. 'Yeah, you really brought the song to life," Jason added with a nod. Dorah blushed, touched by the compliments. 'Thanks, guys. I just want us to do our best." 'We will," Max said confidently. 'With all of us giving our best, we won't just compete, we'll shine."