Off-Key by Jennifer Torres

Author:Jennifer Torres
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aladdin
Published: 2022-07-26T00:00:00+00:00

I can’t tell if Soledad is angry or nervous. Either way, it isn’t such a bad idea. After all, I have been listening to the song, note by note, measure by measure, all week long. I know it by heart.

“You’re right,” I say. “I will!”

By now the cheering is so loud that we almost can’t hear one another. I rattle the tambourine to get the band’s attention. Then I count us off. “Uno, dos, tres, cuatro!”

Ruthie’s drumming keeps us all moving at an even tempo. Pablo’s keyboard notes blend perfectly with Soledad’s guitar chords. The music swirls around my head as I shake my tambourine along with the beat. When I throw back my head and begin to sing, I pretend I am La Chispa. I wish she could see me now. But after this audition, I’m sure she’ll get a chance to see me at the talent show next week.

We make it to the end of the song without missing a single note. I know because I’ve been paying attention to each and every one of them. My plan worked! We sounded just like Tía Abuela’s famous recording. I’ll have to tell Josefina the Librarian. Sometimes it’s a good thing to follow the pattern. In sewing and in singing.

The crowd cheers again as we bow. I wave and blow kisses, the same way I’ve seen Tía Abuela do when she finishes a spectacular performance. But then, when I turn to see if the rest of the band is enjoying the attention as much as I am, I realize they aren’t there anymore. I’m all alone onstage. They probably wanted to rush home to tell their families what a great job we all did, I think. But even I don’t quite believe it.

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