Julianna gripped her knees, hung her head, and took deep, gulping breaths, rocking back and forth on the ground outside the theater’s back door.

It was over. She wasn’t near the stage anymore. It’s going to be okay, she told herself. She was thankful Gabby and Viola didn’t follow her. When she finally felt her breathing slow, she stood up and leaned against the theater wall.

Her first day at Bradley had been an epic fail. How was she going to face her new classmates after running out on them twice? And what music extracurricular option was she left with now? She banged her head on the wall she was leaning against. Chorus, that’s what.

Julianna clutched the small silver musical note she wore around her neck. It was a gift from her mom for her birthday. It was meant to be a reminder that all roads in Julianna’s life led to music. But so far, every road she went down was a dead end. How many more times could she put herself out there and fail?

Julianna didn’t know how much time had passed when her phone buzzing got her attention. She looked at the group text.

NAYA: I’m with Amy! We’re thinking of you. How was your first day?

Julianna took another deep breath, feeling the warm air fill her lungs. She might as well be honest. These were her closest friends.

JULIANNA: Terrible.

NAYA: Why???

JULIANNA: I chickened out of trying out for the school’s a cappella group.

NAYA: Aww! Who cares? Try out for volleyball instead. You’re good!

JULIANNA: Thanks, but every student needs a music program here. Lucky me.

Julianna was too embarrassed to tell her friends she’d lost another songwriting contest too, so she left that part out.

NAYA: Eek. That is a problem. You’ll figure it out. We love you, Ju-Ju!

AMY: Join the chorus! You can stand in the back and sway! LOL!

Ouch! She knew Amy was kidding, but didn’t she realize not making the Tonal Teens was a sore point for her?

JULIANNA:

NAYA: She’s kidding!

AMY: JK! Their loss! How’s the songwriting going? Got anything TT could use this competition season?

Julianna sighed. It was just like Amy to change the subject. Julianna had given her a song for the Tonal Teens to use last season and it had won them gold. Amy was forever trying to get Julianna to write for the group, but Julianna was hesitant. It still hurt too much. Besides, she had been saving her music for the songwriting contests, which required original, unperformed songs. The fact that Julianna had music she wouldn’t give to the Tonal Teens seemed to drive Amy nuts.

JULIANNA: Nothing yet! Maybe today’s screwup will give me inspiration. ☺

NAYA: That’s our girl! Don’t let an audition beat you. And you’re too good for general chorus. Get back in there and try out! What do you have to lose?

JULIANNA: XOXO!

What do you have to lose? Naya had a point. If she didn’t go in there and audition, then she was definitely going to be stuck with general chorus or worse—having to learn the tuba. At least with the Tonal Teens she had tried. Would she kick herself if she didn’t audition? The crowds had probably thinned out by now. Maybe no one other than Gabby and Viola knew she was missing. After all, she did say she was running back to get her sheet music. Julianna smiled. This might work!

She stood up and banged on the theater door, hoping Gabby and Viola or someone else would hear her. It felt like she was banging forever before a custodian finally opened the door and Julianna rushed in past him.

“If you’re here to audition for the a cappella groups, they’re over,” he said.

Julianna stopped short. “They’re done already? How?” She hadn’t been last on the list. Had they finished early?

The custodian shook his head. “Not sure. There was a lot of yelling. Crazy a cappella kids. Left a ton of papers behind. No one cleans up after themselves anymore.” He grabbed his broom and walked away.

Julianna went to the stage to be sure. The custodian was right. It was a ghost town. The auditorium lights were dim and everyone was gone. The only thing left behind was a stack of sheet music on the piano. She walked over and picked up the piano music. It seemed like everyone had either sung a song from Wicked or Hamilton.

She’d screwed up. A future in a cappella was not in the cards. She sank down on the piano bench.

“If you want to stay and use the piano, I don’t mind,” the custodian said. “I like music to work to.”

Julianna glanced at her phone. Her mother wouldn’t be picking her up for another half hour anyway. She didn’t want to run into anyone on campus. She was upset and tired and when she felt like that, music was the cure.

“Thanks.” She opened the piano key lid, flipping through the Wicked songbook till she found what she was looking for. “What Is This Feeling?” was her favorite tune in the show. She loved how Elphaba and Glinda started out the musical as enemies and eventually found a harmony that worked for the two of them.

“What is this feeling so sudden and new?” Julianna sang, doing the Glinda part, which was always harder for her as an alto. She could barely hit Glinda’s high notes, but she gave it her best shot as the song flipped back and forth between the two singers. It felt good to sing. As she hit the first stanza, her voice reached a crescendo and her fingers moved over the piano keys more feverishly. She was so into the song, she didn’t notice a girl had jumped up onstage until she was standing directly over the piano. Julianna froze. It was Sydney Marino.

“Keep playing!” Sydney whispered, smiling encouragingly. “Let’s just say, I loathe it all!” she sang in a rich, high voice. She was a soprano, and a really good one. She motioned for Julianna to keep playing. “Every little trait, however small … ,” she continued to sing, and without thinking, Julianna joined in.

It took a few lines for it to happen, but their voices began to harmonize. Maybe that’s why the song felt so electric. When Julianna ran a line, Sydney was right there with the next one. They were sparring in song, and it worked. Julianna hadn’t sung in front of anyone but her mother in a while, but this felt right. Suddenly, she didn’t want the song to end.

“And I will be loathing you my whole life long!” the two girls sang, holding the last note until Julianna’s fingers finally left the ivory keys.

The custodian broke out into applause. “That was amazing!” he said, clapping harder. “You two have my vote!”

Sydney jumped up and down too. “You were amazing! That was the best audition I’ve heard in forever!”

“Really?” Julianna said in surprise. “But that wasn’t an audition. I was looking for my sheet music and I guess I lost track of time and didn’t realize you guys finished up.” I chickened out.

“But you were going to audition so this counts,” Sydney said matter-of-factly. “I’ve been sitting in the back of the auditorium in the dark, sulking over the fact that we don’t have enough talent for the Nightingales to pull from. And then I heard you start to sing. You’re just what the group needs—what I need after today—a true talent. I say that was an audition, and if it was an audition, I’m officially telling you, you’re in!”

Julianna felt like she had stopped breathing. Was she dreaming? This couldn’t be real. When she put herself out there, she fell flat on her face. That’s how her life worked. But now she was being thrown a musical lifeline. “You can do that without asking anyone?”

Sydney’s face darkened. “Yes, because I am the only captain who cares today.”

Julianna wasn’t sure what that meant, but she nodded.

Sydney held out her hand and grinned. “Who are you, by the way?”

“Julianna Ramirez.”

Sydney pumped Julianna’s hand. “Nice to meet you, Julianna. Welcome to the Nightingales.”