1.
I was in so much trouble. I'd always been in trouble but this was something else. This was suspended for three days, almost expelled, put in counselling, parents brought into school for a two hour chat trouble.
I'd been caught wagging, not for the first time. I'd been caught tagging- that was the first time I'd been caught and not the most wholesome way to stretch my creative endeavours, I know. And- just to hit the trifecta- I was caught outside the school, spray can in hand, at the exact moment I took a hit from a handmade bong. There was just no getting out of that. That had tipped me from stoner dropout but who cares to potential baby criminal.
"This is really serious." Miriam, the school counsellor was saying. "Is this getting through to you?"
"Oh yeah." I said. "Yeah I totally get it." They all exchanged a look that suggested I did not, in fact, get it. Miriam looked over my head and up at my parents.
"I have an idea to get him engaged." She said over my head. "Also means he'd be supervised after school for a couple of hours a couple of days a week." They looked at each other and shrugged. I could read the exhaustion in their eyes. They would try anything. Miriam looked at me over her glasses with a bit of a smile.
"You've got quite a voice on you don't you?" She said. I felt my face grow red.
"No." I lied. I do, in fact, have quite a voice. A powerful tenor. I took singing lessons once a week but I kept that pretty under wraps, because, you know, it was fucking lame.
She smiled at me.
"School musical is coming up." She informed my parents. Oh my god.
"No." I said quickly. "I'll take detention everyday."
"Hector, just an audition." She said firmly.
"You can drug test me. Every day. You can check my bag and locker and shit for spray paint..."
"That will be happening regardless." My mother said.
I whined and stamped my foot and begged and pleaded for anything other than this form of cruel and unusual punishment- but I didn't get my way.
—-/—-
"What will you be singing?" Ms Sayers smiled warmly at me as I stood with my hands shoved deep in my pockets in front of her and Mr Marsh. Ms Sayers was the head of the music department, but really more invested in the orchestra. Mr Marsh would be leading the musical...fucking shocker. He was practically a walking musical himself.
"I cannot see the city." I muttered. I hadn't loved any of the choices, I'm not really a musical theatre kinda guy. Mr Marsh smiled at me and gave me a bar on the piano. I sighed and began.
As I finished the two looked at each other.
"That's something." Ms Sayers said slowly. "Can you do that with anything?" She turned to Mr Marsh. "Try something contemporary." He started to play 'Let it Be' which, um, not exactly contemporary, but I obediently opened my mouth and sang a few bars.
"Excellent party trick." Mr Marsh muttered. "Alright. Thanks Hector." I grinned as I left the room, satisfied I'd totally fucked that up.
--/--
Mr Marsh caught up with me later. I was in the library, reading. He sat next to me and folded his arms.
"Next time you try to throw an audition you should know it's virtually impossible to sing that consistently off key unless you know what you're doing." I looked up at him. "And you should work on all that lovely vibrato. It's a dead giveaway that you're very talented." Dammit. I sighed.
"Please don't put me in the musical."
"Why not?"
"It's super lame?" I winced as I realised I was talking with someone who probably studied Musical Theatre and still starred in shows occasionally.
"If it's so lame why do you take singing lessons? Why are you in the choir?"
"That's just singing. It's not..." I threw my hands up in a grandiose gesture. Mr Marsh laughed and mimicked me. "Look." I sighed. "You remember High School right? I'm sure it sucked just as much for you as it does for me. I've somehow managed to stay under the radar for four years and I really don't want to paint a giant target on my back for the last one." Mr Marsh sighed and pressed his fingertips together.
"You already painted a target on your back by getting suspended." He said frankly. "People might not have known who Hector Raleigh was before, but they do now." I sighed. I had noticed more people were saying hi to me. And more people were turning away from me and whispering.
I might have made the tiniest bit of a name for myself.
"Manaia does the musical every year and he seems to be doing ok." He pointed to a guy just outside the library, Manaia, one assumed. He was dressed in a sports uniform- I didn't pay attention to sports so it could have been any team, but it was one of the fancy gold and black ones so he must have been representing the school in something. He was massive, one of those lucky guys who was already over 6 feet and probably still growing. I was still hoping for a growth spurt. Spoiler- it wasn't coming. His hair was curly and just above his shoulders. I frowned at him.
"That guy does musicals?" Mr Marsh laughed.
"See? I don't know where you're getting your stereotypes from." I rolled my eyes.
"Netflix I guess." I looked at Mr Marsh and sighed. "Please. Just don't put me as the lead. I'll do the chorus or something. If I have to."
"Alright. Not the lead. On ya Hector, I think you're gonna enjoy this." He leapt up and marched away before I had a chance to change my mind.
--
I know how it is in American TV shows but in Wellington, NZ, in my year it was definitely cool to be involved with the school musicals. I mean, kids like me didn't think it was cool, and a few of the tougher guys from the wrong side of the track clearly agreed. But those big glowing kids, the ones with the attractive personalities and usually photogenic genes- the popular kids- they were all over it. Something about being the centre of attention, maybe.
So that's why they announced the leads in Assembly on Friday morning, in front of everyone.
I was at the back with my mates. Well, I was with some art students I knew ok. My mates skipped this, every Friday. Unfortunately I had my very own personal escort in my home room teacher who was eyeing me right this second. So I stuck around. Not like I had a choice.
"Morning." Mr Marsh yawned as he stepped on stage. He always was a little rough around the edges until after lunch and his 4 or 5 black coffees. He glanced at the restless crowd of teenage boys in front of him and I could actively see him trying to shake himself into giving a little pep. He grinned. "Thanks to all who auditioned. So much talent in this hall alone. Unfortunately I have limited parts to give out and one of them is going to Meg from Wellington Girls since none of you can consistently hit those notes..." I mentally checked out. There was a smattering of applause after each name and, as tradition, the boys whose names were announced stood in their seats so we could admire them, I guess. "And finally we have our two leading men- Hector Raleigh will be our Judas this year and Manaia Tuhoe will be Jesus." My head jerked up. What? Oh for fuck's sake.
The guys around me exploded with laughter and I turned bright red. I wasn't gonna act like it phased me though- the only thing lamer than being cast in the musical was being lame about being cast in a musical- so I threw my arms in the air as though I'd won an Olympic Gold. I encouraged the guys to start a chant.
"Hector, Hector!" I bowed. I glanced across the aisle where Manaia was getting similar treatment, only unironically. I didn't remember his name but I definitely remembered the six foot whatever guy currently standing up with a huge grin on his face. He looked so cocky, and so damn happy. I wanted to bring him down a peg. I decided to grab his hand across the aisle. He looked surprised but he was good at playing along. I led him up to the stage, encouraging people to cheer for us as we got there. I thrust our hands into the air as I frowned at Mr Marsh. He smiled benignly. Fuck you, I mouthed. He looked away, pretending not to see.
We were quickly ushered off stage by our Vice Principal and the crowd calmed down. I realised my hand was still entwined and Manaia's and I was leading him to my seat.
"Coming with?" I enquired. He blushed and dropped my hand.
"Uh- hey..." He muttered. I looked at him, but he didn't seem to have anything to add so I raised my eyebrows.
