The JPK Gang, Maybe
Hi guys! Yes, the part you've all been waiting for: the final book of 'The Jr. Pop Diaries: Year 2'! Bet this one will rock your socks off! Enjoy:
1. Blank Face
They moved away.
They moved away.
I couldn’t handle it well.
You and I both know I couldn’t.
2. The Ride To Fresno
Narrative Continued by Tana
I sat in the train, cradling my sketchbook in my lap. My voice was hoarse after crying so much. I thought I would have a bit of a happier ending. Turns out, I wouldn’t.
I had a pencil in the little loop of the cover of my sketchbook, so I pulled it out and started drawing. I drew my old home, with its simple brick foundation and clay roof. I drew what I imagined would be my new house. It would probably be white and blue, kinda cheery, like a summer home. And maybe have an old-fashioned chimney coming out of the roof.
Mom and Dad were sitting opposite to me. They were staring out the windows, but Dad was typing frantically on his phone, perhaps trying to explain why we moved away so suddenly. When he was finally done, he sighed and leaned back.
“You okay?” Mom asked him.
“Yeah, the paperwork and everything went fine.” He saw me sketching. “Hey, Tana, can I see what you’re drawing?” He asked.
I shrugged. “Sure.”
I handed my sketchbook to him. He looked at the two houses on the page.
“It’s nice,” Mom said.
I looked elsewhere.
“Sweetie, is something bothering you?” Dad asked.
I swallowed hard.
“You can tell us.” Mom assured me.
I took a deep, shaky breath. “On the tour bus, when we were going back to NYC, something happened. And, honestly, that something was the best thing that happened to me, but…it was cut short by leaving so soon…”
Mom and Dad looked at each other.
“I have an inkling of an idea about this ‘something’, unless my eyes had been mistaken,” Dad said, grinning mischievously, and I blushed. “But, you know, you can text him later. We’re about to reach our new house soon.” He looked sad, though. “He was a good guy…and it was maybe cruel to tear you away from him—and everyone else, but…what could we do?”
He was right about that.
What could we do?
3. EganB and the Cords
Narrative Continued by Angela
“How’s he doing?” Mom asked me as I got down the stairs.
I shook my head. “Not great.”
She seemed relieved. “I’m glad I don’t hear any screaming. I’ve seen that happen before.”
“We might as well have,” I murmured, fiddling with my charm bracelet. “When are we ever gonna see him out of his room?”
Mom sighed. “Only God knows.”
If my big brother Trevor couldn’t handle anything, Mom and I would help him out and guide him through the ups and downs. But that? No, man, that was colossal, and he’d need more than us to help. And what he did instead? Shut us out. Shut the whole world out. At first, I was mad at him, mad at why he wouldn’t let us help. However, realisation dawned on me soon enough.
Tana.
His best friend.
His girl.
From what I knew, she was probably the next thing important to him after Jr. Pop and me and Mom. Or was it the first thing? She was the one person he’d protect, and after what happened in the studio ambush that day, he was the first to dash off to look for her when Indigo told us her location.
His life revolved around her.
And when she left. Poof.
He fell down like someone losing their grip off a cliff.
He had the rights to shut us out.
I sighed, but then my eyes traveled to my phone.
I had one more person—no, five people—I could call.
“What?”
Egan’s voice was louder than usual. I bet he was shocked.
“It’s true.” My voice shook.
There was silence on the other end.
“Angie, I need a favour.”
“If it’s talking to him, I wouldn’t suggest that.”
“It’s not.”
“Then what is it?”
There was a pause. He was thinking.
“Well, I actually am moving EganB Studios to YT NYC. What I’m going to do, is this: call Trevor and tell him to come over.”
“And what about me?”
“Inform the rest of the gang. Maybe the girls can hang out with my friends, and the guys can probably chill with me.”
“Okay. See you soon.”
Cutting the line, I grabbed my pack and headed out of the house. I ran to Wylie’s and knocked hard on the door. She opened it, and was surprised to see me.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“The Cords are coming here,” I said breathlessly. “And Egan. Get the rest of the gang on it.”
Wylie nodded, and turned to get her phone, but stopped. “Is Trevor okay?”
I shook my head. “That’s why I’m getting you guys. Cheer him up. Please.”
4. All Over Again
Narrative Continued by Wylie
After the news from Tana, late at night, I couldn’t sleep. It was even more depressing to hear Trevor break down, too. If what Angela said was going to give me hope, then something could be, at the very least, patched up.
When I headed to YouTube Studios, the first person I saw was Elijah. He was not looking his best. I headed to him.
“It’s like familiarity all over again. With Mrs. Wilson,” he murmured, eyes welling with tears. I reached for his hand and squeezed it.
I spotted Alana too. She was just like how Elijah looked. Everyone wasn’t expecting this bad news to hit like bullets.
When I saw Layla, the oldest of the Corduroy Sisters, I immediately relaxed. Maybe it wasn’t going to be so bad after all.
We walked to the Cords’ side of YT Studios. The recording room, to be more specific.
“We got a new song to be recorded, but we were thinking you should check it out,” said Twinkle, turning to the laptop and playing a karaoke.
“So many heartbreaks
Love has come and gone by
As fast as a summer breeze
Put everything at stake
Felt the highest of high
Ended crashing down on my knees…”
Ashlynn took the reins.
“Where do I go?
I may never know, I'm so confused
But don't you know?
I’m way too stubborn
I will never lose
I won't give up, no I won't give up hope
It's something that I see…”
Layla:
“You look at me wondering why—“
Mia:
“Call me naive, try to wake me up—”
Ashlynn:
“But it's what I see, not just believe—”
And the sisters went together:
“I’m sure…”
Then the Corduroys went in all together:
“Cause if the world will fall apart
I know you’ll make it right (just like the fireflies)
And if the wall is high
You will break it all down, you'll make me fly (just like the fireflies)
Oh, oh, oh!
‘Cause I believe in miracles (ah, ey, oh, ay, oh, ah!)
And we can be like one of those (ah, ey, oh, ay, oh, ah!)
Yeah, we can paint and light the black sky
Just like the fireflies…”
I was getting the song. So were the rest of the girls. I picked it up from there:
“Millions of faces
I’ve been waiting so long
Insecurity's pushing through…”
Alana went ahead:
“Your love is amazing
And no matter how long
I’ll keep holding on for you!”
Liv goes:
“How do I know?
I don’t worry, one day you’ll be mine—“
Indigo:
“How could it be?
Cause I never felt like this, no I—”
All of us, together:
“I won’t give up, no I won’t give up hope
It’s just something that I feel…”
The Cords were liking what we were doing, and the nodded for us to continue.
“Cause if the world will fall apart
I know you’ll make it right (just like the fireflies)
And if the wall is high
You will break it all down, you'll make me fly (just like the fireflies)
Oh, oh, oh!
‘Cause I believe in miracles (ah, ey, oh, ay, oh, ah!)
And we can be like one of those (ah, ey, oh, ay, oh, ah!)
Yeah, we can paint and light the black sky
Just like the fireflies…”
Then, the Cords and us JP Girls went for the bridge, together:
“We can paint, can paint the big black sky
We can dance and be like fireflies
We can glow up
We can glow up, oh…”
“Everybody, say!” Liv said, and we continued, clapping our hands to the beat.
“We can paint, can paint the big black sky
We can dance and be like fireflies
We can glow up
We can glow up, oh…”
Indigo added the big riff. “Just like we’re fireflies…”
Then we went full-on for the ending chorus.
“Cause if the world will fall apart
I know you’ll make it right (just like the fireflies)
And if the wall is high
You will break it all down, you'll make me fly (just like the fireflies)
Oh, oh, oh!
‘Cause I believe in miracles (ah, ey, oh, ay, oh, ah!)
And we can be like one of those (ah, ey, oh, ay, oh, ah!)
Yeah, we can paint and light the black sky
Just like the fireflies…”
When the song ended, we laughed a little, like laughing was the first thing that we learnt to do.
I sure hoped I still remember how to, though.
5. Best Friends?
Narrative Continued by Elijah
When Egan led the way to the recording studio, he said that he had a song that needed some work, so he thought Cooper and I could add the constructive advice.
“This song’s name is ‘Closer’,” he said, handing each of us a sheet of paper. “Elijah, since you’re the wordsmith, what do you think of the lyrics?”
I skimmed through quick. “Er…it’s alright.”
Egan raised an eyebrow. “What happened to the Dickens, man?”
“I’m just apprehensive about Trevor,” I said, sounding more like myself.
Egan nodded, propping his guitar up on his lap and sitting down. For a minute, there was silence. Trevor’s absence weighed heavily on us.
Egan gently strummed a tune of his guitar, softly singing:
“I know you're looking for something
But found nothing
Don't you ever get discouraged
Because when the world falls apart
You gotta remember who you are
And I know you've been trying
And defying
All the doubts you had about you
’Cause when you feel you're way too far
You're actually closer than you ever thought you were…”
Verse:
“Fall seven but get up eight times
Turn six around and let's make a nine
More than ten ways we can turn this round
Let me take that frown and turn it upside down…”
Pre-chorus:
“Know you ain’t been well
Your eyes always tell
Trust in me
Just believe…”
I knew the chorus was coming. I sang the first part:
“I know you're looking for something
But found nothing
Don't you ever get discouraged
Because when the world falls apart
You gotta remember who you are—”
Cooper continued.
“And I know you've been trying
And defying
All the doubts you had about you
’Cause when you feel you're way too far
You're actually closer than you ever thought you were…
Egan stopped the tune. “That’s all I’ve done. It normally takes more time, ‘cause I’m working on my own mostly. The Cords get their work done faster.”
“It’s a beautiful song, regardless,” I said.
He grinned. “Thanks.”
After the music session, I spotted Wylie coming out the front door. I called for her, catching up.
“I wish to talk,” I said.
Wylie’s ocean blue eyes turned away. “About what?”
“We need to be friends again.” My English didn’t go the way it usually does.
“We’re friends already.” She started walking faster.
“I don’t mean it like that—I mean it, as in…before everything.”
She stopped. Then she looked at me.
“Why?”
I steeled my courage. “We used to be such great friends, Wylie. Before Mrs. Wilson’s passing. I know it will spark sad memories. But better to bear them together than alone, right?”
My photographic memory made my eyes see a small tear trickling down her cheek. I stepped down to stand close to her.
“Please,” I whispered.
She closed her eyes, then nodded. “I’ll think about this. But first…” Wylie pointed in the direction of Trevor’s house.
I swallowed hard.
I barely knocked when Angela, Trevor’s little sister, opened the door.
“Not the best time, guys,” she said, grimacing.
“We need to see him. No buts.” Wylie’s stubborn demeanour got the better of her.
She sighed. “All right.”
Leading us up the stairs, Angela told us little bits about Trevor’s condition. I could tell it was worse than expected. And even more so when she opened his door.
Trevor was a mess, to put it in the simplest words possible. His clothes looked rumpled, his hair disheveled. But his eyes were what frightened the daylights out of me, They showed despair and possibly heartbreak, red from crying, which black bags underneath.
“Oh, lord…” I murmured.
He looked up. “Hey guys.”
Wylie couldn’t hold herself back from sitting on his bed with a thud! and slapping his hand. “Wake up!”
“What do you mean?” He asked.
“Well, don’t go all doom and gloom on us. Egan called us to hang out! And you didn’t come. He wanted to make you feel better. We all do.”
He squared his jaw. “I’m never, ever getting over it, Wylie.”
“No need to,” I said. “But, please, we’d like the old Trevor back. We still are a team, right?”
“EliTreLie,” Wylie reminded him.
He smiled a little. He was being reborn anew. I ran over and hugged him, and Wylie joined in.
Over his shoulder, she turned to look at me.
Best friends? She mouthed.
I nodded. Forever.
6. Sixth-Grade Me (Or Not)
Narrative Continued by Tana
I opened my locker on my first day of seventh grade in my new school, Edward Middle. It wasn’t posh, but it felt a lot like Cityscape back in New York City.
My plan was to be like how I was in sixth grade: head down, don’t talk, definitely don’t do anything out of the ordinary.
I headed to homeroom, and the teacher there, Ms. Beaumier, also introduced herself as the art teacher. Cool. While she was giving out the morning announcements, I pulled my sketchbook out and doodled the visuals that appeared in my head. They seemed fine. After homeroom ended, I headed out and stopped at my locker again. Just as I was stacking my books, someone said, “Hey, new girl.”
Maybe it was someone else they were talking to.
When I turned around, I saw a girl wearing expensive clothing and chewing bubblegum. And she was staring at me.
“That’s right. I’m talking to you.”
I kept silent, adjusting my folders.
“I know your kind, Miss New York. And if you think I’ll let you claim turf in this school—my turf, to be exact—then, keep in mind, if you even try to do anything stupid, then you’ll be on my list of victims. Got it?”
I looked her in the eye. Sure, maybe sixth-grade Tana wouldn’t have done that, but I wasn’t backing down.
“Wow, you’re dangerous. No one looks me in the eye, LOL.” She laughed like she was the funniest, but it was creepy.
She blew her gum, then snapped it. “Well, seems like a yes. And watch out.” The girl sashayed off.
I shook my head, muttering, “Jerk.”
Another girl walked to me. She was calmly watching the whole scene.
“Hey! Excuse me…”
I turned to face her. “Yeah?”
“I saw how you stood up to Mackenzie—that was silent but strong.” She seemed awed.
“That’s her name?” Elijah would’ve certainly told me that name and that attitude actually was similar to Mackenzie from ‘Dork Diaries’.
“Yeah.” She looked around. “Hey, listen, we’ve got a secret club for music…wanna join?” She handed me a flyer.
“Um… I’ll see about that.”
“Cool. Just text the number listed on that flyer—it’s mine, by the way. I’m Kelly.”
“Tana.”
Her eyes widened in recognition. I guessed she got the fact that I’m Jr. Pop. “Then we’d love to have you with us.”
“Okay, then. I’ll text you, like you said.” I smiled.
When she left, I headed for my next class.
I had the feeling that I needed to let my parents know about that.
In the lunch break, I quickly thumbed a message to ‘The Bowers’ group chain with a photo of the flyer:
Club meeting. I wanna join. What do I do?
I waited. Seconds later, Dad texted back:
3-4 pm… Hm… If so, be back by 4:15, SHARP!!
The exclamatory marks made the text serious. Mom’s text came, too, but she was supportive:
Fine by me! Have fun.
I grinned, sending two hearts to both of them. I then texted Kelly’s number:
I’m joining.
I heard a ping from the other side of the cafeteria, and I saw Kelly looking at her phone. She spotted me and showed me a thumbs-up.
It was going to be a good day.
7. ‘Apartment Song’
Narrative Continued by Tana
When I stepped into the dim and dark room that was the club meet-up, I immediately wondered whether joining was a good idea. The place was creepy, plus, I highly doubted there were any instruments around.
Suddenly, I heard singing from one side of the room. I walked in the direction of the music, and I saw Kelly singing ‘Hide Away’ on a microphone, with speakers blasting the beat.
“To be fly as another
Got my both eyes out for one that's right
Guessing I just don’t know where to find them
But I hope they all come out tonight
Hey!
Where do the good boys go to hide away, hide away?
I’m a good, good girl who needs a little honesty
Looking high and low, someone let me know
Where do the good boys go to hide away, hide away?”
The music ended. I saw three or four more girls clap, and Kelly took a bow. Then, she spotted me.
“Oh, there you are!”
I walked inside and all the girls gasped.
“Tana Wells?—”
“The JPK?—”
“I didn’t know you lived here!—“
“Actually,” I said, cutting them off, “I just moved here. And Kelly invited me to join.”
The girls cheered. It half-reminded me of us Jr. Pop Kids doing concert games.
“So, let me introduce you to everyone else.” Kelly gestured to a young girl with big brown eyes. “This is Kareña.”
Then, a dark girl with a jolly smile and many cute braids: “This is Leslie.”
A blonde girl with muscular legs: “This is Stephanie.”
And a girl who looked a little like me: “This is Mia.”
Kelly looked a lot like Tamira, but her eyes were bright blue. Ocean eyes, from what it looked like.
“So, do you have a karaoke ready?” Mia asked me.
I nodded. “I have a whole YouTube playlist. This one is ‘Apartment Song’.”
The girls took a seat on stools set around the mike. I stepped in front, hooked my phone to the speaker, and played the music. Then, I sang:
“Light in my head
Turned on in the morning, what a wonderful world it is
When you can see it (oh, oh)
Tears that I shed
Turned into glitter on the floor of my apartment
Pop of shimmer I needed (oh…)”
Pre-chorus, my favourite:
“I know I'm a bummer, got no lover
But the colour of the sky tonight's so nice I don't mind (hey, hey)
Slid under the cover, change my number
Feels like summer under kitchen light, it's nice I don't mind, yeah, yeah—”
Chorus:
“Something in the air
I’m trippin' inside, oh I, I swear (oh)
Something in the air
I’ve been up all night and I don't care, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah—”
The second verse:
“Filling the void with this joy I am feeling
Though I know that it is fleeting
I will welcome it in (oh)
Dance to the noise of whatever's on TV
For someone who gets so needy
I could get used to this (get used to this) (oh…)”
And then:
“I know I'm a bummer, got no lover
But the colour of the sky tonight's so nice I don't mind (so nice I don't mind)
Slid under the cover, change my number
Feels like summer under kitchen light, it's nice, I don't mind (ah)
Something in the air
I’m trippin' inside, oh I, I swear (oh)
Something in the air
I’ve been up all night and I don't care, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah…”
I waited for the tune, and went:
“I know I'm a bummer, got no lover
But the colour of the sky tonight's so nice I don't mind, yeah, yeah, yeah!”
I jumped as I sang:
“Something in the air
I’m trippin' inside, oh I, I swear (oh)
Something in the air
I’ve been up all night and I don't care, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah—”
And:
“Something in the air
I’m trippin' inside, and I, I swear (oh)
Something in the air…”
Ended with:
“(Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah)
(Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah)
(Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah)
(Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah)
(Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah)
(Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah)
(Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah)
(Something in the air)
(Tonight…)”
When the music ended, the girls clapped and whooped.
“That was so good!” Leslie gushed.
The clapping died down, and Stephanie asked me, “Are you an Alessia Cara fan!”
“Of course!” I shouted in excitement.
“Oh, wow, girl, let me let you know, we’re all Cara fans here!” Kareña cheered, and I cheered along with them.
In the midst of the cheers, I thought about my old friends. They’d be happy I was getting along with people. Trevor would definitely be.
And then—
I stopped cheering. The thought was heavy. I felt my eyes water.
I couldn’t tell Trevor that I left. I couldn’t tell anyone, but I felt like I should’ve given him a heads-up or a sign. I didn’t know what he was going through back at home. Was he okay? Did he move on? Or was he still haunted by betrayal? I didn’t want it to be the last one.
The girls stopped cheering, too, when they saw me looking quiet. Mia put a hand on my shoulder.
“Is everything alright?” Leslie asked me.
I looked at each of them. I trusted them enough to tell me my past, even the orphan thing. Should I?
“You know, once you’re a member, you’re part of a team,” said Kelly. “We’re actually called the doom-and-gloom people, y’know. We’ve all got things that make us sad, frightened, angry, self-conscious, or all of the above.”
I widened my eyes. “What’s the doom-and-gloom that haunts you?”
Mia said, “I’m a Chinese immigrant. I’m still getting used to America.”
I wondered how hard it was to start over in a new country.
“I’m black, if you didn’t guess already,” Leslie said. “My parents still face apartheid sometimes. I do, too.”
“My grandmother died, even though it isn’t a life-changing thing,” Kareña said. “But I miss her a lot. I was very close to her.”
“My parents and I live in our car,” Stephanie said. “We lost our home to the bank.”
I listened, stunned. I thought I had had the hardest life, but they had had it even harder. I didn’t know what to say.
Kelly was quiet. Then, she said, in a small voice, “I was an orphan. I have no clue to who my biological parents are.”
“You live with a foster family now, don’t you?” I asked.
She nodded.
“Tell you what?” I said.
Kelly looked at me.
“Me too. I live with a foster family. My aunt and uncle were horrible to me, but my best friend saved me. And then, the directors of our band adopted me.”
They smiled at me, then Leslie asked, “Do you miss your best friend?”
“I don’t think of him as a best friend anymore. More than that. And yeah, I miss him, so much it hurts.”
“Do you like him?” Stephanie asked.
I nodded. “And he likes me back. But, the day we admitted that to each other—it was the same day I had to leave.”
The girls were quiet. Then, Stephanie put an arm around my shoulder.
“You’re gonna tell him again one day. When you meet him in person.”
I smiled. “I hope so.”
8. Texting Him Back
Narrative Continued by Tana
I stared at my phone. I was debating whether to text Trevor or not. What would happen if I did? What would happen if I didn’t? It was all a mental jumble.
Sitting on my bed, leaning against the soft pillows, I tapped a ‘hi’, but I didn’t send it yet. Holly, flopped next to me, raised her head in question.
I rubbed her head. “Well, I’m scared.”
Holly seemed to pout.
“All right. I’ll send it through. If I wait, I’ll be waiting for the rest of my life.”
I sent the text. Heart beating, I waited. A minute later, I saw another text pop up, from Trevor, thank goodness.
Hi.
I texted back:
How are you?
Another minute later:
Not so great.
That scared me. So, he didn’t get over it. I had myself to blame for that.
Just describe ‘not so great’.
Let’s see: that means hours of crying, not having slept, etc., etc.
I didn’t know why, but I felt tears rolling down my cheeks myself. Trevor’s words had punched me in the gut.
I’m so sorry. I should’ve told you…but…
It’s okay. I get it. Time constraint. I understand.
I highly doubted he did. Okay, I get it was wrong, but texting doesn’t always show the true colours. And how could he understand, after all he’d been through?
I gave up trying to figure out and called him. When he picked up, his ‘hi’ sounded so shrivelled, he was probably putting the effort to say it. My eyes teared up again.
“Trevor…”
“Are you okay?”
I shook my head. “I’m not.” My voice cracked.
“Tana… I’m not mad.”
My eyes widened. “You aren’t?”
“No. I get it. Honestly. We can’t be together, but I won’t risk your safety. I wouldn’t do it in a million years.”
I sniffled. “But I never told you.”
“Because I know Mr. B wanted to get you out of the city soon. Trust me, I’ll handle it.”
“I thought you would hate me.”
He gasped. “No, no, I would never do that! Tana, all these years, I’ve understood. I know your life will be at risk, everywhere we go. And you being okay is all that matters. Honest.”
After he said that, I cried, full-scale. Holly whined and clambered onto my lap, trying to soothe me, but it wasn’t working. It was all from the fact that he understood. He had been hurt too, but he understood. Angela was always right: he had a heart bigger than the world. He wouldn’t think a second about himself. He’d always look out for others.
When I quieted down, I spoke again. “Trevor?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t beat yourself up now. I know it hasn’t been easy for you. I do.”
“Then, okay, I won’t.”
“Bye.”
When he cut the call, I wiped my face and rubbed Holly’s back.
Things were looking up more.
9. Mackenzie’s Battle
Narrative Continued by Tana
I was again greeted by Mackenzie at her locker.
“So…” she said, chewing on a stick of gum. “You’re a Jr. Pop Kid?”
“Yeah,” I answered.
“No wonder. There was an aura surrounding you—an aura that threatens me, still.”
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever.”
She flared up. “Fresno is a small town, mind you. And I get to be the celebrity, not some fancy-pants outsider like you, City Girl.”
I laughed hollowly. “Oh, is that a challenge?”
Just then, Kelly swooped in. “Mackenzie, let her go.”
“Or what?” Mackenzie snapped. “You’ll pound me to the dust?”
Defiant, Kelly lowered her head.
Mackenzie turned to look at me. “We’ll have a contest in their stupid club. Best remix. It has to be completely original.”
I stared back in return. “Fine. Challenge accepted.”
In the club, the girls were shocked.
“Tana, you won’t be able to do this,” Mia said, worried.
“Mackenzie is the best singer and dancer, and we know you’re a JPK, but it’s going to be hard…” Leslie tugged on one of her braids.
“What are you going to do now?” Stephanie asked me.
“Call it off.” Kareña wasn’t happy.
I stayed quiet, listening. Then, when they were done, I stood up.
“Look, I’m not so thrilled either. My friend Wylie back home would’ve pummelled her to the ground on the first try. But I want to enjoy. Celebrate music. And show that I’m not… I’m not who everyone thinks I am. I’m confident. And I will show Mackenzie that.”
They looked at each other, then sighed in agreement.
“We’ll need to help you.” Kelly stood up from her seat, tired of being quiet. “The most original remix is always a song mashup.”
“I have a lot of those in my sketchbook, even if it doesn’t look like it.” I grinned.
“Show us!” They said.
I opened my sketchbook and gave it to them. They rifled through the lyrics, then Mia turned to me.
“I think we should pick up a few songs, and make a mashup such that it should be as long as six or eight minutes, tops.”
“Okay, so, which ones?”
By the time it was four P.M., we had come up with a list of five songs for the mashup. They were ‘POV’, ‘MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)’, ‘Funny’, ‘Unstoppable’ and, on my insistence, ‘Best Days’. It was a group of songs that didn’t quite mix, but it reflected me, and that’s all that mattered.
10. Gal Gang 2.0
Narrative Continued by Tana
“And then, that’s when you were like, ‘I’m the Avatar, you gotta deal with it’!” I said, laughing as I talked on FaceTime video with Wylie and Tamira. We were recounting once when the guys were trying to ‘swoop in’ on us, and Wylie just kneed and elbowed then in the guts and the shins, and declared a line from ‘The Legend of Korra’, where four-year-old Korra scares the White Lotus sentries, “I’m the Avatar, you gotta deal with it!” Well, Wylie had the attitude for sure. She was a total Korra of our group.
“How’s it going in Fresno?” Tam asked me.
“Great, except that…” I told them about Mackenzie and Kelly and her friends and the whole remix battle thing. The girls were stunned.
“Wow, Tana, you better start shaping up if she’s gonna haunt your life.” Wylie whistled.
I snorted. “She probably might not.”
Tam chewed her lip. “Confident Tana scares me.”
That got us giggling.
“So, you told Trevor the whole story?” Tam flopped back into her bed.
“Uh…” I didn’t.
They scoped out the answer soon enough. “He might like it,” Wylie said, cradling a stuffed Momo.
I shrugged. “Maybe.”
I heard someone call for Tam. She turned to us. “Well, I gotta go. TTYL, girls. And you better win, Tana, okay?”
I nodded, and Wylie and I waved a goodbye.
Wylie looked at me. “You handling it okay?”
“Pretty much.” I wound a string of my comforter fabric around my finger. “How’s Trev doing?”
“Much better, according to Angela. He came out of his room, but he isn’t coming out of the house. Did you talk to him?”
“I did. He’s pretending it’s all okay, huh?”
“To you? Maybe. Not to us. He never pretended. You really pulled him apart, girl. All of us.”
I bit my lip. Guess my moving away cut everyone deep, including me, ironically.
“I have to leave too now. Take care.” Wylie waved plush Momo’s hand to me. “And win, for reals.”
I waved back, and cut the call. I put my phone and folded my hands around my mouth. I had better live up to my JPK status and show Mackenzie what I was made of. Otherwise, as Wylie said, she may haunt my life here in Fresno.
11. Prep For The Battle
Narrative Continued by Tana
“Last time I checked, you're the one that left
Last words you said, that you couldn't care less
It's funny how you miss me
More than you could ever love me
How you couldn't give me everything
And now you want it from me
Yeah, it's funny how it's different
Now that I got somebody
Yeah, it's funny (Yeah, it's funny)
Ooh-ooh…”
“And, cut!” Kelly declared. “It’s shaping up pretty well, Tana. I think we can beat Mackenzie!”
“Hold up,” Leslie said. “We need to revise ‘Best Days’.” She held a hand to her phone to play the karaoke.
I took a deep breath and sang:
“So much harder to be honest
With yourself at 20-something
Wish I knew what I'm becoming
And felt the ground while I was on it
Hoping, waiting on a moment
Not knowing if it's coming or it's going, mhm
What if my best days are the days I've left behind?
And what if the rest stays the same for all my life?
I’m running with my eyes closed, so it goes
You live and then you die
But the hardest pill to swallow is the meantime
Are the best days just the ones that we survive?
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh (ah, ah)
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh…”
“Good.” Mia clapped.
“So, when’s the remixing gonna get over?” I asked.
“Pretty soon.” Stephanie gave the answer, tapping away on her phone.
“You’re gonna win soon, Tana.” Kareña smiled at me.
“Not me.” I put an arm around her shoulders. “We.”
The girls grinned.
“Hey, what’s the gig called, by the way? You got a band name?” They’d never told me that.
“I told you before. We’re Doom and Gloom,” Kelly answered.
My eyes widened. “Wait, really?”
The girls nodded.
I grinned. “Then this is the best group ever.”
When I walked home, I felt bored, so I played some music and stuck my earphones in. The music was BTS. BTS was the best.
The song played was ‘Magic Shop’. It was upbeat, which I definitely needed these days. And I had a lot of thinking to do. Many happy thoughts to revisit.
The 3Ts.
Jr. Pop.
Doom and Gloom.
Trevor.
At Trevor, my thoughts stopped. I missed him, so much, it hurt. Like, real hurt. I wished I was back in New York City, then. I wanted to hang out with all of my friends. I wanted to make more Jr. Pop videos. I wanted to do everything that I couldn’t do in Fresno.
And yet…
It wasn’t so bad. I had a new group of friends, and a new life to look forward to. But it felt like it was a replacement for my old life. I didn’t want it like that. I didn’t want to lose my old life. But I couldn’t have both. Could I?
Argh. All the mental gymnastics made my head spin. This or that. Old or new. When I reached home, I stopped ‘Magic Shop’ and headed inside. Holly jumped up and ran to me. I petted her absentmindedly and went to my room. I opened my iPad to the Procreate app.
It was time to draw the metal gymnastics out.
12. Masterpiece of Masterpieces
Narrative Continued by Tana
I worked on my drawing, day and night, enhancing it, adding new things now and then, wanting to make it the best. I planned to enter it for display in the art show in school. If I lost Mackenzie’s battle, at least my art could fix that up.
I finished my drawing and posted it on Instagram. That’s where I primarily chose to showcase my artwork. Then, I texted the picture to all of my friends, and showed Mom and Dad. They smiled and said it was good enough to wow Ms. Secliff, the art teacher. My friends responded with hearts, ‘amazing’, ‘excellent’, and everything good in the third degree. I felt proud.
I left home for the paper goods’ store, where I had my drawing printed out on an A3 sheet. The next day, at school, I turned the artwork in to Ms. Secliff.
“Tana, what’s this? It’s huge…” she said, trying to hold the paper.
I looked at my sneakers. “It’s… um… for the art show. I did the drawing digitally, but I printed it out for display. I… um… hope it’s all right.”
Ms. Secliff got a hold of the paper. She gasped when she saw the drawing. “Tana, it’s beautiful!”
The artwork was divided in half. One side showed me in NYC’s Times Square, illuminated in neon glow from the buildings. Trevor was at my side, holding my hand and laughing about I joke I shared with him. The other side showed me and Kelly together, smiling about a song she was singing. The drawings were merged, with little lines jutting out here and there to create a sense of mixing up. The whole painting was inspired by minimalist Vector art and Xavier Bonet’s art style, and was meant to show that I was caught between having to choose my old and new life, just like how I felt then.
I told Ms. Secliff about the inspiration for the artwork. “I thought I want my old life back. But if I chase my old life, I might miss out on my new one,” I finished. “I made the drawing to explain the conflict between… my head and my heart.”
“I’m impressed, Tana,” she said, smiling. “I will definitely put this on the first window I find. It would be a big shame—no, disrespect, if I didn’t.”
I gave her a short bow. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“A word to the wise?” She cocked an eyebrow. “The best artists do not rely on talent alone. They also depend on the purpose that drives them forward. Your purpose, Tana, is furled by your thoughts. Your memories and feelings influence your work because you want to make them be seen. You’re tired of being quiet, aren’t you? Tired of putting all your emotions in a box in the ocean. Art is your speech, Tana. As well as performing, too, given your Jr. Pop status. Always strive to use both.”
I smiled. “I will, Ms. Secliff. Thank you.”
13. The Bending Scrolls
Narrative Continued by Wylie
“Teach me how to bend,” Elijah told me.
“You know it’s not possible in real life,” I said, raising an eyebrow.
We were in my room. Elijah was holding an action figure of Aang, turning him left and right, trying to settle him into a stance.
“But I really want to. What if we run into trouble and I have to use force? I need to be prepared, Wylie.” He set Aang down and looked at me pleadingly. “Please?”
I was fiddling with the action figure of Katara. “Okay,” I said, giving in. I put Katara down too and grabbed my phone. Setting it up on the nightstand, I opened it to an image of some replications of bending scrolls I found online.
“Okay, my young pupil,” I told Elijah. “We will first start with the art of waterbending.”
He grinned.
I took a stance. “Legs apart.”
He did the same.
“Watch the scroll and me.”
I then stretched my arms out, and, imaging water rising, lifted my arms up. The imaginary water came up, and, bending my knees a little, I curved my hands to pull it out. I balanced the invisible blob. I looked to Elijah. He had done the same.
“Good.” I smiled, then turned to my right. My eyes on the scroll, I lifted the invisible water and moulded it into a curved dagger.
I stopped the form and looked at Elijah. He had already gone ahead to the second form. He bent the invisible water perfectly and kicked some more, then merged the two into one stance, and let it flow into the air. He stopped when he saw me looking at him.
“Great work!” I said. “You did it faster than I had.”
His eyes widened. “I did?”
I nodded. “You’ll be a master in no time!” Then suddenly, I realised how silly it looked. People would think we were out of our minds. I chewed my bottom lip.
“Eli, I can’t teach you anymore,” I said, taking my phone and sitting back down on my bed.
“What do you imply, Wylie?” He asked me, pained.
“It… it looks stupid to others,” I muttered.
“So?”
My head snapped back up. “So people will think we’re idiots. You want that?” I sounded harsh, but I paid no attention.
Elijah sat next to me. He was quiet for a while, then he spoke up.
“I can handle it. I’m a JPK. People know me already. They can forget the past.”
“Not me. Do you want to go back to the days when kids bullied you for your bookish attitude?”
“No! But… Wylie, things change.”
I tasted bile in the back of the throat. I don’t know the relation that triggered the new thoughts, thoughts that made no sense with his statement, looking back at it now. But it did.
How could he say that? How could he just let my mom’s death slide by? How could he pretend everything was okay? I wanted to whack him over the head with an airbender staff. “Elijah, don’t speak to me anymore now.”
His eyes widened when he realised what he meant. “No, Wylie, that’s not—“
“Shut up!” I yelled, tears streaming down my face. “You don’t care. I knew it. You don’t care because you don’t know how much I am affected of everything that happens in my life. You don’t care about my mother’s passing. You never did.”
He looked at me, angry after my remark, and exploded. “I don’t? You think I haven’t crumpled because Mrs. Wilson had to go? No? Well, you’ll never know how much I wish things were the way they were, with Tana here, Trevor back to normal, and you will never, ever know how much I wanted Mrs. Wilson alive here on our green earth! So don’t talk to me like I don’t know a clue!”
“Fine!” I shouted back.
Elijah’s eyebrows were mashed together in anger, but he wasn’t like me, where I always kept my rage on. He couldn’t hold it together, and sadness gave way. He collapsed on the floor and cried. I had never seen him break down so emotionally. His face was red, his eyes were red… everything was red. When he settled down, I felt like I had to apologise.
“Eli—“
“No, Wylie.” He got up from the floor and grabbed his pack.
“Elijah, please—“
“No.”
I grabbed his arm.
“Just leave me alone, Katara!” he snarled, wrenching his arm from my grip.
My eyes popped. He never called me that. He never called me Katara. Was that what he thought of me?
Elijah looked down, then he dropped his bag. “Never mind,” he muttered, kicking at it.
I looked away. “I’m sorry,” I whispered.
He looked at me. “I’m sorry too.” I felt his hand on my shoulder.
I looked at the door. “I really wish…”
“Me too.”
He pulled me into a hug. And we weeped a million tears, wishing that life went back to what it was, before Tana left, before Trevor became muted, before Mom died.
14. I’m Gonna Win!
Narrative Continued by Tana
“Girl, it’s your day,” Leslie said, clapping me on my shoulder.
“Yup. Today, you gotta face off Mackenzie.” Kelly grinned, like she was excited.
I opened my phone and found an audio file AirDropped.
“That’s the remix track,” Mia said. She looked around. “Plus, is it just me, or is everyone getting the Christmas vibe in here?”
It was December. The vibe was in full swing. We were in lunch, and we could see that the cafeteria was decorated from the bottom to the top. There were even big hearths and strands of tinsel hanging from the walls.
“Are you guys gonna write letters to Santa?” Stephanie asked.
“Are you kidding?” Kareña raised an eyebrow.
Stephanie shrugged. “I might. For the ultimate collection of BLACKPINK CDs!”
“Naw. BTS is better.” Kelly sighed dreamily.
“I’d prefer art supplies more,” I said. “And something else more than that…”
The girls became quiet around me. Then, Kelly squeezed my hand.
“Hey, it’s okay.”
I smiled faintly. “Thanks.”
“Yo, by the way, I saw the art room’s latest display, ‘Stuck in Between’, by Tana B!” Stephanie wolf-whistled.
I laughed. “Thank you!” I took a dramatic bow. The girls giggled.
“You’re gonna win,” Kareña said. “You are a totally better cool girl than Mackenzie.”
I nodded to myself. “Yeah. I’m gonna win.”
When Mackenzie stepped inside the dark-ish room for the battle, she wrinkled her delicate nose.
“Ugh, what do you do in here?” She swatted at an invisible fly.
“Let’s just get this over with,” I muttered.
Mackenzie turned her nose in the air and strutted to the podium. I saw two other girls appear behind her.
“They’re the Jessicas. Jessica Brantley, Jessica Diaz.” Mackenzie gestured offhandedly.
“Nice to meet you,” Kareña murmured.
Jessica Brantley connected a phone to the speakers and played the music. It was ‘Shake It Off’.
Mackenzie smiled toothily and got to singing:
“I stay out too late, got nothing in my brain
That's what people say, that's what people say
I go on too many dates, but I can't make them stay
At least that's what people say, that's what people say—”
“Something’s fishy,” Kelly whispered to me.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“I’ve heard that beat somewhere. I can’t recall it…” Her eyebrows furrowed.
“We’ll find out soon, Kelly. Don’t worry.” I squeezed her shoulder. Meanwhile, Mackenzie had already started the pre-chorus:
“But I keep cruising
Can't stop, won't stop moving
It's like I got this music in my mind
Saying it's gonna be alright…”
Then the song didn’t straightaway jump into the chorus. It just used a cool rewind sound I’d hear in Alan Walker’s music and goes to the second verse:
“I never miss a beat, I'm lightning on my feet
And that's what they don't see, that's what they don't see…”
Then, another rewind sound. And then the chorus finally starts:
“Players gonna play, play, play, play, play
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate (haters gonna hate)
Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off—”
And I heard more remix sounds in between each line.
“Heartbreakers gonna break—”
One.
“Fakers gonna fake—”
Two.
“I’m just gonna shake—”
And it continued:
“I shake it off, I shake it off
I shake it off, I shake it off
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off
I, I, I shake it off, shake it off
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off
I, I, I, shake it off, I shake it off
I, I, I, shake it off, I shake it off…”
And an oh, oh, oh finish. Mackenzie exaggerated it by finishing her routine in a split. There was scattered clapping.
“All right, let’s get this over with your performance, then declare me the winner.” Mackenzie smirked.
I nodded, then stepped up. Kelly whispered, “Good luck.”
When the remix track started, I heard the music of ’POV’. I took a deep breath and sang:
“It's like you got superpowers
Turn my minutes into hours
You got more than 20-20, babe
Made of glass the way you see through me…”
Then, the track changes:
“With all that talking you don't even have to try
You're cool enough to hang with me tonight
Looking at the table and I see the reason why
Baby, you living the life, but yeah, you gotta live it right…”
Mackenzie was surprised. She didn’t expect that. And I bet she even didn’t expect:
“Last time I checked, you're the one that left
Last words you said, that you couldn't care less
It's funny how you miss me
More than you could ever love me
How you couldn't give me everything
And now you want it from me
Yeah, it's funny how it's different
Now that I got somebody
Yeah, it's funny (Yeah, it's funny)
Ooh-ooh…”
Then, my tour track came on:
“I'm unstoppable
I’m a Porsche with no brakes
I’m invincible
Yeah, I win every single game
I’m so powerful
I don't need batteries to play
I’m so confident
Yeah, I'm unstoppable today
Unstoppable today
Unstoppable today
Unstoppable today
I’m unstoppable today!”
Then, I sang ‘Best Days’ at a rapid speed:
“What if my best days are the days I've left behind?
And what if the rest stays the same for all my life?
I’m running with my eyes closed, so it goes
You live and then you die
But the hardest pill to swallow is the meantime
Are the best days just the ones that we survive?
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh (ah, ah)
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh—”
And my ending track:
“Call me by your name (mmm, mmm, mmm)
Tell me you love me in private
Call me by your name (mmm, mmm, mmm)
I do not care if you lying—”
“I couldn't believe it or see it for myself
Boy, I've been impatient, but now I'm out here
Fallin', fallin', frozen slowly
Fallin', got me right—”
“Yeah, it's funny, funny, funny
Couldn't answer, answer, answer—”
“Unstoppable today
Unstoppable today
Unstoppable today
I’m unstoppable today—”
“Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh (ah, ah)
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh…
”Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh (ah, ah)
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh…
(Best days)…”
Mic drop and I ended. I didn’t know whether I won. But I hoped I gave my best.
“Okay, so, I brought a judge,” Mackenzie said, checking her nails. “She’ll tell us who’s the winner.”
She gestured into the darkness for someone to come out. And when the girl stepped into the light, I gasped. So did she.
“Indigo?”
15. You Gotta Come Back…
Narrative Continued by Tana
Everyone was just as stunned.
“How do you know her?” Mackenzie snapped.
“She’s a fellow JPK, and my best friend.” I rushed to hug Indi.
She buried her face in my shoulder. “I didn’t know you were here, I’m sorry for not looking for you in school…”
“It’s okay. I got by fine.” I squeezed her, then released. “What are you doing here in Fresno?”
“This is where I live. All of us—Cooper, me, Alana, Liv—we moved back after you left.”
“Girl.” I looked at her incredulously. “I thought you were from Pennsylvania.”
“I was born there!” Indi giggled. “This is my real home.” She grew solemn, though. She had bad news.
“Hey, is everything okay back in New York?” I touched her shoulder.
She shook her head. “No,” she whispered. “At least, he’s not doing okay.”
My eyes started tearing up. “What? Tell me.”
“He hasn’t come out of his room yet, Tana! He’s still haunted, still hurt, still blue.” Indi couldn’t control herself.
“What?” I cried. “But Angela—Wylie—Tam—“
“They’re all lying to make you feel better. He’s telling them to. So that you don’t feel like you’re burdened.” She closed her eyes. “I wanted them to tell you the real thing, but… they insisted you be in the dark about this—“
“Indi.” I turned away. “Don’t judge the battle.”
“What?” Mackenzie screeched. “So now you just wanna walk away?”
“If I win, it’s not gonna help. If I make a hundred drawings to express my feelings, it’s not gonna help. Whatever I do here, it’s never gonna help. So you can have your win. I don’t care.” I held myself like I felt cold.
How could they lie?
How could they say false assurances?
How could they even think of it?
“One more thing,” Indi said. “Everyone wants you home, Tana. They want you to come back. You gotta come back…”
When I came back home, I dialled Trevor’s number, furious and sad at the same time.
When he picked up, I yelled, “How could you lie to me?”
“What?” He sputtered.
“You lied to me. You said you could handle it. But you can’t!”
“I… Tana—“
“Trevor, I just want you to be safe and happy. That’s all. And I want to hear the truth. Always.”
There was silence on the other line.
“Trev, just answer one question truthfully.”
“Go ahead.”
“Do you want me back in NYC? Do you?”
There was a pause. Then:
“Yeah. I want you back, Tana.”
16. A Teddy Bear Hug
Narrative Continued by Tana
“You do?” I asked.
“Yeah. I do. I… I told you before, I can’t handle it if you moved away.” His voice sounded truthful.
My anger subsided. “You—you were in a bad state.”
“I’m sorry for lying.” He sounded on the verge of crying.
I looked at my comforter. “It’s okay. Sorry for lashing out at you.”
“It’s fine.”
“One more thing,” he said before he hung up. “You won.”
“Won what?”
“The battle. Indigo told me that Mackenzie used an unoriginal remix. Said it was from the ‘Sing’ movie.”
No wonder Kelly thought the song felt familiar. She probably had watched the movie before. And why didn't Indigo tell me directly?
“Oh.” I pulled at a loose string of my T-shirt.
“Congrats.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re amazing, you know that?”
I smiled, blushing.
“I wish I could give you a big hug, but this text will have to do. Bye.”
“Bye.”
When I checked my messages, I noticed that he had sent me a hugging teddy bear. I felt good seeing it, and for a minute, I imagined that Trevor was there, cuddling me tightly, as I sang and sang about my victory over Mackenzie.
17. Christmas Wish
Narrative Continued by Angela
“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose (ah)
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos…”
I sang as I skipped down our halls, enjoying the holiday spirit. Christmas is my favourite time of the year, right up there with Halloween and my birthday. And after the gloomy mood set by Trevor in the house, I wanted to brighten it up. So, every day, as Christmas approached, I belted out Christmas carols and holiday songs at a high volume. Mom enjoyed it, and Trevor just smiled, grimacing. I even decorated the house from top to bottom. Wreaths, lights, our Christmas tree, stockings, and a manner of other things covered our home.
I knocked on Trevor’s room door.
“Big bro, you know what today is?” I asked.
“No.” I heard his murmur from the room.
“It’s letter writing day! We have to write letters to Santa.”
Seconds later, Trevor opened his door. “It’s not a thing for old kids now, Angie.”
I scoffed. “You’d be surprised. Remember when we wrote letters once, and you asked really hard that you wanted to join Jr. Pop, and lo behold, as Elijah would say, it came true! You are a part of the JPKs now!”
“I was,” Trevor corrected. “Now it’s just regular seventh grade.”
I sighed. “Come on. What do you want now? What is the one thing you really want?”
He seemed to mull it over. Then, he nodded. “Okay, let’s write letters.”
“See! Easy as pie.”
I grabbed his hand and pulled him downstairs. When we sat at the centre table of our living room with some loose-leaf paper, some pens, and a cute Santa sticker set I didn’t know I had.
“Come on, write your wish first.” I nudged him.
“I hope you’re right,” he said, tapping the pen on the tabletop. “That whatever I write to Santa comes true.”
“It does.” I grinned.
He smiled, for the first time in weeks, and wrote on the paper. I grabbed another pen and wrote on my paper. Then, we decorated the paper with stickers, glitter, and glue. After that, we tucked them into envelopes and put them underneath our tree.
Trevor wanted to go up to his room again, but I wanted him to stay. “Pleeeeease?” I asked, with puppy-dog eyes.
He grinned. “You know me well.”
We played some Monopoly with Mom, then Trevor and I played some Christmas songs and danced to them. My big brother was being more at ease and more like himself.
At night, I asked him what he wished for. He wagged a finger. “Nice try.”
“Come on, tell us,” Mom pressed.
The smile went from his eyes and he slunk down. Mom and I got the hint, and we hugged him.
And I wished for the same thing.
That Tana could come home and be with us.
18. What?
Narrative Continued by Tana
I woke up on Christmas morning and quickly got up to check under our Christmas tree.
The letter was gone!
“Santa finally listened,” I said, grinning.
Mom and Dad got up to see the commotion, and they saw me and the empty underside of our tree.
“Oh, honey, your gifts didn’t come.” Mom touched my shoulder.
“It’s okay. They won’t come immediately. But he knows.” I looked up at her and Dad. “Things will change, I hope.”
We exchanged our presents too. Mom gave me some nice markers and a new bundle of sketchbooks. Dad bought me watercolours.
“Time to take up something new in art,” he said, handing them to me. I smiled and hugged him.
Then, I gifted Mom some knitting handles. “I know your old ones broke, that’s why I gave them to you.” I gave Dad a ‘Best Director and Dad’ cup I made myself, and for Holly, I got her a new chew toy and some balls to play fetch with.
“I have a gift for all of us too,” Dad said, and from his back, he pulled out an assortment of train and plane tickets. Mom, Holly and I raised our eyebrows.
“To New York City. God, you didn’t get the hint?” He threw his head back in expression, but Mom and I threw our arms around him, screaming and crying. Santa had sent his blessing to Dad!
Then, I realised something. I turned to the window. Dad touched my hand.
“You have enough time. We don’t leave until late night.”
I nodded, then called Doom and Gloom to meet outside our house. When they came, I wished them a merry Christmas.
“There’s something I need to tell you.” I hung my head and swallowed. “I—I’m moving back to New York.”
Their eyes widened, then teared up. We engulfed each other in a group hug.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered in their ears.
“It’s okay,” Kareña said, rubbing my back.
“We’re totally okay with it.” Kelly smiled.
When we released, Stephanie said, “You get to meet Trevor again. And this time you got to give a goodbye to us.”
“We’ll stay in touch?” Leslie asked.
I nodded. “And give my regards to Indigo, Mackenzie and the Jessicas. Tell them.”
They smiled. After waving to them, I headed back in.
“Now, I was kidding,” Dad said. “We have to leave in an hour for the airport. Get packing, guys.”
I headed to my room and threw my stuff in my suitcase. I carried Holly and put her in her cage. When I was putting my phone in, the Lock Screen opened up, and I stared back at a picture of ‘Stuck in Between’.
I had an answer to it then, seeing it.
I could live in both places.
I could have my heart divided.
But it was alright.
It was alright.
The next day after Christmas, we touched down in New York City. It was good to be home.
We had bought our old house again, and we took to unpacking and resetting the house once more. But Mom and Dad told me to meet my old friends.
I first went to Wylie’s home, and knocked on the door. She opened it and gasped.
“Tana?” She asked.
“Merry Christmas!” I said, and hugged her tightly. Wylie grinned and squeezed back.
“How’d you come home?” She asked me.
“Oh, it was a Christmas wish.” I clapped her on the back. “I can’t wait to hear more Avatar quotes, girl, I missed those so much!”
Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice from down the street.
“Sifu Wylie, do bending classes stop during the hol—“ Elijah started, then screamed in joy when he saw me. “Tana!”
I hugged him too, and I released just in time to see Tom and Tam come out, running to give me a group hug.
“How—why—when—where—?” Tom was too stunned to say anything.
“Christmas miracles!” Tam spun on her heel.
Suddenly, I heard a door open and close next to Wylie’s home. I spotted him. Everyone did.
And we waited.
19. Reunited And It Feels So Good
Narrative Resumed by Trevor
I went out to see the ruckus that was occurring outside Wylie’s house, and I saw the gang clustered around somebody. Then Elijah noticed me and nudged the person. “There he is,” he whispered.
The person turned around, and my breath caught.
It was Tana.
She was just as stunned as I was.
And I thought about all the times I wanted to see her, talk to her, just… be with her.
All the times I wanted to hear her voice.
All the times I wanted to hear her sing, see her dance, see her Jr. Pop herself all over again.
Tana put a hand to her mouth, tears forming in her eyes. My vision misted over.
It was impossible.
It was unreal.
And yet…
She ran and threw her arms around me, crying loudly. My shell broke and I squeezed her tightly. I held her close.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” she sobbed.
I sniffled, unable to control my tears. “Nothing to be sorry about, Tana. Nothing at all.”
We hugged each other, not wanting to let go. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mr. B near the window of his home. I saw him smile, and I smiled back, grateful that he had listened.
My Christmas wish had come true.
I was reunited with Tana.
It felt so good.
“You have to tell me everything!” I said, grinning, as Tana was playfully trying not to recount her adventures in Fresno.
“Okay, fine.” She said, slapping my hand. “But I have one condition.”
“Name it,” I pressed.
She leaned in. I knew that. I had waited for it.
And as her lips pressed against mine, I finally felt complete.
Whole.
At peace.
Myself again.
20. Not The End!
So, that was a good happy ending, right?
Now I have a girlfriend. For reals.
But shall we see you guys in Year 3? I hope so. Year 3 is yet the most important part of our lives. It was what we called growing up.
Catch you on the upside!
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