Brooklyn Girls by Gemma Burgess

Author:Gemma Burgess [Burgess, Gemma]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Tags: General Fiction
ISBN: 9781250000859
Publisher: Quercus
Published: 2013-01-01T08:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 17

I can’t do it. I can’t stand up in front of everyone. My voice will disappear. I’m going to have a panic attack and/or crash and/or burn and/or collapse in a hysterical pool of sweat and vomit. I can’t do it, I can’t.…

“Go, Pia!” shouts Julia, pushing me through the crowd.

I somehow make it to the stage, painfully aware of how tiny the room is, how piercing the lights, how silent the crowd, and how hot and claustrophobic I suddenly feel. There’s a bilious fear-lump in my throat—or is it puke? Oh, crap … I glance down at the karaoke screen and can just make out the words “99 Red Balloons,” but the lyrics are swimming in front of my eyes. You and I in a little toy shop / Buy a bag of balloons with the money we’ve got …

My vision is too blurred to read it, but I can’t get down off the stage. I can’t back out now. I can’t—I won’t—fail.

I can do this.

The music begins. I still can’t read the words, but somehow, I open my mouth, remember the lyrics, and start singing. The first few lines come out as squeaky whispers, but gradually, I get louder and louder.

The crowd gasps and a split second later, I realize I’m singing the original lyrics … in German.

My father loved “99 Luftballons.” He played it constantly, from a German Best of the ’80s compilation CD. I couldn’t translate it, but I can sing it. I just need to hang on and get to the end of the song.

“Hast du etwas Zeit für mich…” I feel like my voice is coming from another person altogether, someone tiny and shaky. But when I dare to look up, people are smiling. I grin back, and then at the end of the first verse, the electro-rock kicks in and I start clapping along, the crowd joins in, and then I start singing again, more confidently this time.

“Ninety-nine Luftballons…”

The moment I finish the song, I’m covered in a light sheen of fear-sweat, but there’s no fear left. Only exhilaration. I feel euphoric, invincible, ecstatic! Karaoke: free MDMA!

I can’t stop smiling. It feels like the entire bar is roaring approval and I can hear Julia above everyone else. I do a little curtsey-bow, and then jump down and run over to the girls.

Before I can get to them, though, I’m picked up and twirled around.

By Mike. What the hell is he doing here?

“Put me down!” I’m wearing a tiny gold dress. Why do guys always want to pick you up when you’re not dressed for it?

“Pia! That was so amazing!” Mike looks less cute tonight than I’ve ever seen him: he’s had a bad haircut and his blue shirt billows in the wrong places.

“Thanks,” I say, edging away from him. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Coco and Eric making out at the bar. Yes! I fight the urge to punch the air. Good for her!

“You are so gorgeous when

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