What if she broke her leg? What if the school called her house? Those were only a couple of ways that this little plan could fail. Many others had floated through her head day and night. But even the thought of her dad knowing that she had disobeyed him kept her up at night. It wasn’t fair to take it out on her friends.
I’ll just be happy when this day is over, she thought.
Coach T entered the dance studio. “We are starting in thirty minutes. It’s time to dot your i’s and cross your t’s,” she warned them.
“I can’t believe we are about to perform in front of the entire school,” Emma said with a shudder. “Whose idea was this again?”
“Shut up, Emma,” Carson told her. She was having her own regrets too. Was this a bad idea? What if she was about to embarrass herself and her friends?
Mai couldn’t speak. She sat in the mirrorfilled room and applied her makeup. In front of the mirror, she looked like a clown. But from the stage it would look perfect to the audience. When she finished her makeup, she applied Carson’s. Then Emma’s. Those two didn’t know what they were doing. They had botched their makeup.
The three girls looked at themselves from every angle in the oversized mirrors. They were as ready as they were going to be. And they looked amazing.
Chapter 9
Showtime
Mai was ready. Everything was in place. Fog machine. Check.
Lighting cues. Check.
Sound system. Check.
Her heart was racing and her palms
were sweaty. She held tightly to her two best friends as they watched the cheerleaders’ performance. It was so nice to see them perform minus Jessa. They had even wished them good luck backstage—something that would have never happened if Jessa had been there.
“Okay, we’re up next,” Carson told them. “After the cheerleaders?Really?” Emma asked. Somewhere on the inside, she still didn’t feel adequate next to those girls. She had tried out for the squad but did not make it. Now she had to compete with the best of the best. And they killed it.
The lights went down in the auditorium. They knew it was time to bring it. Hopefully Holden had fixed the dry ice fog machine. But nothing was happening.
“Come on, Holden,” Mai whispered under her breath.
“He’s going to make it work. Don’t worry,” Carson told her. But she silently prayed that her boyfriend was not responsible for messing up their whole performance. Mai would be ready to kill them all.
Just in time, the stage filled with fog.
“Thank you!” Carson said, kissing her fingers and raising them toward heaven.
Mai had let go of their hands. She walked to the middle of stage just as they had planned. Her voice filled the auditorium. But the fog and dimmed lights masked who and where she was.
The audience strained to see who was singing. Mai’s beautiful voice made them fall silent. Then the silhouette of her body emerged.
“Who is that?” kids whispered to one another.
Out of the fog, Mai Pham appeared before their eyes.
“It’s Mai,” someone said.
“Who?” another asked.
“I’ve never seen her before.”
Phones went into the air all over the auditorium as Carson and Emma joined their friend on the stage. The two girls gave Mai’s song more punch by silently dancing every word that was sung. To the audience, it was like watching a music video unfold.
The lights switched from white to a deep red as she sang, “The blood on your hands is directly from my heart. Broken in pieces. You’ve picked me apart.”
The fog machine started up again. Holden was fanning the dry ice, trying to get the desired effect that Mai told him about.
When it cleared, Carson was on her knees begging Emma for forgiveness. Emma’s head was held high. Then she broke into a pivot and began her solo dance performance. She was giving it and the audience was eating it up. She landed her last aerial spin right in front of Carson.
Carson was still on her knees and began to mime a beating heart. She then crashed to the floor. Emma exited the stage, leaving Carson broken on the floor.
Mai began the climax of the song. She gave Beyoncé and Mariah Carey a run for their money. When she was done, she was out of breath. She stood in the spotlight with her hand on Carson’s shoulder.
They paused for five seconds, then Carson stood. Emma joined them on the stage. The girls took a bow. Immediately, the audience jumped to their feet. Camera flashes were going off everywhere. The crowd wanted pictures of the three talented girls.
“That was amazing!” Carson screamed when they got backstage.
“I could do that every day,” Emma responded. Adrenaline pumped through her like an oil-well gusher.
“And twice on Sunday!” Carson added.
“Encore, encore, encore!” the audience yelled.
“We didn’t practice anything else,” Carson said, worried.
“Mai did,” Emma said, turning to her friend. “That’s for you. Now get out there.”
Mai went back on stage. The crowd went crazy. She was a natural at calming them down. They sat back in their seats, waiting for more. She began singing one of her favorites by Jhene Aiko, one of the best Asian singers ever.
“She sounds just like her,” kids started to say.
“Omigod! They love her,” Carson yelled over the music.
“She’s everything,” Emma screamed.
When Mai was done, there was a huge smile on her face. The crowd was back on their feet. They were yelling. Screaming. Cheering. And it was for her.
The emcee came back on stage. “Let’s give it up for Mai, Carson, and Emma!” The entire school erupted into applause again.
The girls waited backstage as the other acts finished. One girl was doing flips through hula-hoops. The next guy was juggling balls. And the final act did a complete gymnastics floor routine.
The three girlfriends clung together nervously when it was time for the awards to be handed out. They hoped they would come in at least third.
“And third place goes to—” It was the lead singer in the choir. She was good. And she was in third place.
“Second place goes to—” It was the gymnast who had ended the talent show.
“The runner-up is—” The cheerleaders. That meant they either bombed or won. The cheerleaders always won. Every year they took the trophy home.
“And the winner of this year’s Summit’s Got Talent—Mai, Carson, and Emma!”
The crowd stood up, applauding as the three of them moved to the center of the stage, hand in hand. Everyone who placed took a bow, then went backstage.
Mai, Carson, and Emma held tightly to their winning trophy as the other groups congratulated them.
“You girls really did a great job,” one person said.
“Thanks,” they said in unison.
People were coming at them from every direction. They didn’t know which way to turn first. It was like being caught up in a whirlwind. Good thing it was the end of the school day. It would have been difficult to go to class after all that. It was truly a day they would remember forever.
Chapter 10
Who Is Mai Pham?
Mai, Carson, and Emma went back to the dance studio to take off their costumes. They were floating on a cloud following their big win. They filled the room with smiles and giggles as they entered. They had used up so much energy on happiness alone, not to mention all of the singing and dancing. By the time they entered the studio, they knew it was time to eat.
“I’m famished! I didn’t even eat lunch
today,” Carson told them.
“You? I was so nervous. All I’ve had
today was an apple,” Mai said.
“Excuse me.” The door to the dance
studio slowly opened.
Each of the girls started screaming, “Get
out! Get out! We’re not dressed.” They had no
idea who could be walking into their dres
sing
area uninvited.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” said a voice they recognized. As a matter of fact, everybody at
Summit would have recognized that voice.
It was Elise Mitchell, the student body president and the most popular eighth grader. “That was Elise Mitchell!” Emma whispered and yelled all at the same time. “We just put Elise Mitchell out?” Carson
asked.
If there were such a thing as a food
chain at their school, then Elise was at the top. She was always treated with respect. Carson threw on her T-shirt and ran to the door. Elise was waiting patiently next to the
water fountain.
“Elise, come in please. We had no idea it
was you,” Carson said.
“No problem,” Elise said, entering with
a smile.
“Were you looking for Mrs. G? She’s
still in the front office,” Emma asked. “No, actually I was looking for Mai,”
she informed them.
“I’m Mai.”
“I know you’re Mai. Today, everyone at
Summit knows who Mai Pham is. But seriously, who is Mai Pham?” Her eyebrows
moved up and down as if she knew some sort
of secret.
She was talking in riddles. Mai didn’t
know how to answer.
“Um … me?” she said. She knew there must be a different answer to that question.
They had already covered it.
“Well, Mai, you put on quite a show
today,” Elise said, moving on. “You’re really
talented.”
“Thanks.”
“I want to take your talent to the next
level. Are you in?”
“Um … I don’t know.”
Mai was getting nervous about this
whole conversation. Her mouth just hung
open, waiting for something smart to come
out. But nothing did.
Everything in her told her to tell Elise
she was not interested. But this was the
student body president! Every girl at Summit
wanted to be friends with her. Every boy at
Summit wanted to date her. She flew above it
all. She was on “grown woman business,” as
she liked to call it.
“What would I have to do?” Mai asked. “Just be you. Continue to write your
music. I’ll record you. Look, I plan to be
a millionaire before I graduate from high
school. I want to take you with me. You’ll be
the biggest thing on MyTube when I’m done
with you.”
“But—”
“No buts. You have your people call my
people. We’re going to make this happen.”
She thrust her business card in Mai’s hand. It
read Talented Teens.
Mai studied the card. “But … but I don’t
have any people,” she stammered.
“Neither do I. Yet,” she whispered with
a wink. “But that’s neither here nor there.
We’ll be each other’s people.” There went
those eyebrows again. “Toodles, ladies!”
She flipped out the door with a perfectly flatironed toss and was gone.
“Omigod! Elise Mitchell is representing
you! This is crazy!” Carson screeched. “You won’t be able to hide in anonymity
any more,” Emma warned her. “You’re out
now.”
Mai’s face looked as if she swallowed a
bug. Oh my God! What have I gotten myself
into? she wondered.
Chapter 11
Deep Water
Mai had tiptoed around her house for weeks. She never knew when her mother or father would see her on MyTube. Elise Mitchell had kept her word. Her MyTube videos were gaining views daily.
The marketing campaign that Elise had planned was actually catching on in the teen community. They were comparing Mai to her idol, Jhene Aiko. It was so flattering. There was no going back now. Mai knew at some point her parents would find out. She’d been on edge ever since she agreed to allow Elise to represent her.
Today was different. It was the weekend. She was relaxing and watching one of her own performances. She criticized her every move. Her thoughts were far, far away when her father entered her bedroom.
“Mai, get up now. I need to speak with you in my office.” Her insides shook. Is this it? Is this it?
Had she been outted? Had her rise to stardom been discovered? Her father hadn’t even looked at her before leaving her room. Not that he was all hugs and kisses on any regular day. But today he was even more detached than usual.
Mai pulled the covers from her body. She put on a T-shirt and sweats. If she was going to take a verbal assault from her father, she didn’t want to do it in her pajamas.
She felt like she could plead her case, make him see her side. Her father was a sensible man. He didn’t get where he was without following his dream. She had to make him see.
“Mai!” he yelled. She was obviously taking too long for his taste. Her mother was already sitting there when she entered his office. She didn’t expect her to be in on the conversation. She was happy to have an ally in the room.
“Is there something that you want to tell us, Mai?” her father asked, looking her directly in the eyes.
She looked from her father to her mother. She didn’t want to tip her hand. She didn’t know how much they knew, so she said little. “That I made all As on my progress reports,” she said, trying to joke her way out of the conversation.
Her mother’s eyes slowly opened wide. She looked as though she was witnessing a train wreck—something very much out of her control.
“Mai,” her father’s voice grew even sterner. He turned the computer screen toward her. There she was her latest music video. She was singing everywhere: on the stage, in the school cafeteria, on the playground. There was no hiding any longer.
“Is this what you do when you go to school? Is this what Summit has to offer? Turning my daughter into a … a common …”
“Hai, no,” her mother said, reaching out for her father’s hand. The last thing she wanted him to do was say something he couldn’t take back.
“Father, I am anything but common.” Mai couldn’t believe she was standing up to him. She didn’t only surprise herself, but her mother too. She didn’t look her mother’s way. But she could feel her energy. She stood a little bit taller. “I am talented. People are noticing it. Where do you see common on that video? That is who I am. That is your daughter.”
“Mai, I forbid you—”
“From everything! You forbid me to have friends. You forbid me to date. You forbid me to sing, even though I love it. You forbid everything!”
“You keep it up and you will be in boarding school, far away from Summit. I will save you from yourself if I have to. There is no way that this leads to anything but trouble, Mai.”
She ran from the office in tears. Her mother was right behind her as they went up the stairs to her bedroom. They could see the crack in Lan’s bedroom door. Her little eyes peeped through the small opening, trying to remain undetected. Mai ignored her and went straight to her room.
“I need time alone, Mom. Please.”
“You need to calm down. Your father is only doing what he thinks is best for you.”
“Threatening to send me to boarding school? Any time I don’t do exactly what he wants … it’s off to boarding school! Really, Mom?”
Mrs. Pham took her daughter in her arms. She wished that her husband would lighten up. She saw the light in Mai that her own father had extinguished in her. They sat together on the couch in her room. Mai’s mother held her as she cried. She hadn’t cried like that since she was a little kid when things didn’t go her way.
When the tears subsided, her mothe
r spoke. “That was quite a performance you put on for the school. And that video …”
Mai pulled away from her mother. “You liked it?”
“I loved it.” She smiled at Mai and smoothed her hair. “Now get yourself together. There’s only one cure for this. Shopping.”
Her mother was a godsend. They got dressed, grabbed Lan, and were out the door in minutes. The winter air was biting and crisp. The sky was winter blue. Beautiful. Memorable.
Mai stared out the car window as they took the short trip to the mall. When they got inside, her mother spared no expense. They got their nails done, had lunch, and shopped. Mai and Lan got new gray snow boots, skinny jeans, infinity scarves, and jewelry. Then their mother left them to their own devices while she shopped.
When they saw each other again, it was at the movie theater. They decided to meet there and see the latest blockbuster. They sat down in the lobby before their movie was scheduled to start. Mrs. Pham pulled out two boxes. One for Mai. One for Lan.
Lan opened hers first. It was a delicate gold bracelet. Mai slowly opened her box, expecting to find the same thing. But it wasn’t. Inside was a twenty-four karat gold chain. From it hung a beautiful gold microphone charm, encrusted with diamonds. She gasped. It was stunning.
“You do know you are the best, right?” she asked her mother.
“I am officially your biggest fan.” Her mother hugged her tightly. Lan joined them. “Now let’s get to our movie.”
Chapter 12
Her Moment to Shine
Mai and her father had been avoiding each other ever since their blowup. Today was his mother’s seventieth birthday. They were having a huge gathering at the house. It was inevitable that they would have to talk.
Father and daughter had to be in each other’s company. Neither one of them was looking forward to it. Mai thought her father was a tyrant who ruled their home with an iron fist. Mr. Pham just missed his baby, the little girl who thought that the sun rose and set with him. Only two years ago, she would greet him at the door when he got home from work. She would hang on his every word. Now, she challenged his every word. He was sick of it.
Silentious (Summit Middle School) Page 4
