13 On the Road

Two months later:

Shannon settled herself beside Iris in the alto section and waited as Mr. Thompson took the stand. His infectious smile captured all who saw it. "Good afternoon ladies. I have a wonderful announcement! Four of our choir members have been selected for All State!"

There was a gasp from the group of girls, as they all looked at each other in wonder. Mr. Thompson nodded and continued. "This is a great honor indeed and I'm so proud of all of you who entered. The selected four are as follows: singing first soprano, Maya Earl."

There was a loud applause. Shannon smiled at the bird-like girl, who shied away from the praise.

"For first alto, Iris Edwards." Iris gasped and squeezed Shannon's hand, her spikey hair vibrating with excitement.

Shannon hugged her and congratulated her friend. Mr. Thompson's icy eyes turned to her seat. "For second alto, Shannon O'Ryan."

The words that escaped his mouth fell over her. She held back a squeal of pleasure, but just barely and she almost missed the final placing.

"And for second soprano, Alexia Jackson."

Her celebration stopped in its tracks. She twisted around to see the dark-haired beauty smile sweetly and wink in her direction.

Shannon felt a cold shiver run down her.

Mr. Thompson caught her attention once more. "All right, settle down. The event will be held in Seattle and I will be escorting you there. Stop by my office after class for packing lists and the required forms."

There was a quiet roar in her ears, when she imagined Alexia breathing down her neck the entire trip. She had to keep her feelings in check and give no implication of her desire for the man she'd been trying not to look at every class, if she could avoid it.

Thankfully, he hadn't been paying her that much attention in the past few months, sticking true to his word about staying with his wife. While she knew it was for the best, her heart ached every time he said her name or when she caught him staring out of the corner of her eye.

After class, they picked up all the forms and packing lists. Mr. Thompson smiled at them. "Well girls, this is a huge honor. I'm so proud of you. We'll leave Friday at 4:00 am, to get there in time. Make sure you aren't late and I will see you all bright and early."

The four girls walked away, Maya clutching the form to her stick like frame, Iris and Shannon chatting happily and Alexia smiling smoothly behind them. "Oh Shannon, make sure that you give a special apology to God for missing church. Looks like there are more important things in your life after all."

Iris flipped her off and linked arms with Shannon. "I can't believe she got one of the spots. She hasn't even been in the choir for that long."

Shannon sighed and looked at her form. "Yes, but Alexia does have one of the best soprano voices I've ever heard. She's always been able to sing, but never took interest in joining choir until..."

Iris looked up to her. "Until what?"

Mr. Thompson's eyes flashed before her as she shook her head. "Until she realized this was the last opportunity to torture me before college."

Iris shrugged and squeezed her friend's waist. "Well forget her, I'm looking forward to it. We get a road trip away from this stupid town! Hello big city boys!"

Shannon laughed and squeezed her back. She prayed this trip would be a smooth one.

~~~

"4:00 am. 4:00 am is too... freaking... early." Shannon thought to herself as she stumbled out of the house, clutching her rolled up sleeping bag for warmth.

The wind was bitterly cold. She carefully stepped down the deck stairs, afraid of lingering frost.

Leo whined, as she loaded up her car and Shannon settled down to pet the pit bull. "Sorry boy, but I have to go away for a few days. You be good and don't give mom any trouble."

"Oh, I will be the only one giving your mom trouble." Michael said lifting her suitcase into the car.

"Ew, dad! I didn't need to hear that!" Shannon complained, as she shivered in the cold.

Michael laughed. "And just what did you mean, young lady? I only meant that I will be annoying her twice as much to make up for your absence. That school has put your mind in the gutter."

Shannon rolled her eyes and puffed out a cloud into the cold air, as Michael wrapped his protective arms around his daughter. "You be safe, baby girl."

Shannon inhaled his familiar scent of leather and Old Spice. "Yep, I'm only going to be gone for five days. Take care of Leo for me, ok?"

He nodded and grabbed the dog's collar, as Shannon climbed into the freezing car and backed out of the driveway.

It was still dark outside and the sleep deprived girl was so tired, that she was already four miles away, before realizing that she had passed the school.

As she pulled her Honda into her parking space, she saw a small bus that she assumed was meant for them and three sleepy girls shivering in the cold by their belongings.

Shannon unloaded her stuff and locked her car before, joining the group.

"Early." Maya said as Shannon nodded.

She glanced over to Alexia, who sipped her coffee silently. This was probably the only time they were in agreement over anything. Iris tipped her head on her friend's shoulder.

They stood in annoyed silence, until a chipper voice called out. "Good morning ladies! Are we ready to go?"

All at once they jumped with the sudden intrusion into their world of shared misery and Shannon glared at him. "Oh no....you're a morning person, aren't you?"

Mr. Thompson looked handsome even in jeans and a dark tee-shirt, that clung tightly to his shaped body. He adjusted his glasses. "What's wrong with you all? It's a beautiful morning!"

There was a pained groan from the group and Shannon placed a hand on his shoulder. "Mr. Thompson, listen for a second...do you hear that?"

His gaze twisted around parking lot. "I don't hear anything."

"That's the sound of no birds chirping. The birds aren't even awake! It is TOO early!!!"

The other three girls nodded in agreement and he laughed his glorious laugh. "Oh, come on, you all can sleep on the way up there. Now let's get a move out!"

They piled into the bus, with Maya securing a seat in the very back so she wouldn't have to speak to anyone, Alexia two seats in front of her and Iris and Shannon near the front by Mr. Thompson.

She glanced around the small bus and back to her teacher. "How did you get a bus and a driver for us on such short notice?"

Mr. Thompson sipped his coffee, that was steaming in the cold.

His eyes fixed on the tired girl, as he winked. "Never underestimate the power of baby blue eyes. You ladies aren't the only ones who can use your wiles and the manager of the school buses happens to be an elderly woman."

Shannon's jaw dropped. "I don't even know what to say to that."

He shrugged and took out a newspaper from his bag, "You may be experienced, Ms. Shannon O'Ryan, but I am a pro."

She laughed and leaned back in her seat which was currently being occupied by Iris. That was the thing between them, even though there were several seats open, both girls preferred to be near one another.

Ever since Iris's mom died, Shannon became the maternal figure in her life, though neither of them admitted it. She leaned her back against the fogged-up window allowing Iris to slide down and rest her head on her lap.

Seattle was over eight hours away and hopefully most of the girls would sleep through it.

Shannon always found it difficult to sleep in anything that moved, so she would most likely be awake the entire trip.

She placed her headphones in her ears and closed her eyes to the sound of Yiruma. He was by far her favorite pianist and she hoped to come across his path one day, if she could hold her fan-girling in long enough to say anything.

Two hours into the trip, Shannon opened her eyes and glanced out at the sun, as it rose over the mountains, making the shoreline a pinkish gray. The ocean was unusually still and she wondered how God made it look like glass so perfectly?

It was then that she heard a soft voice say. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Mr. Thompson's crystal eyes were turned to the ocean and she nodded. "I've been in Myrtle Shores since the day I was born. I grew up seeing the ocean every day and I still haven't gotten used to it."

He nodded. "You're very lucky. This is my first time living so near to it. I came from a city and while there were a lot of things to entertain yourself with, nothing is more beautiful than what I see before me."

She pictured him walking through subway cars and high buildings and sighed. "I wish I could go to a city, see the world for all it has to offer."

He smiled. "You will end up right back here."

Shannon's eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He turned and winked at her, sending a shiver through her heart. "Because true beauty is right before you. You will go out and see the world, but I believe your heart belongs here, Shannon. I can see it in how you look at the water and the trees. You belong here."

She glanced back to the still water and shrugged. "Maybe."

It occurred to her that Mr. Thompson felt more playful on this trip than she was used to seeing from him. From his clothing, to the slight tussle of his dark hair, he seemed a little freer and she smiled, as he looked to her. "What? Something on my face?"

She laughed and nodded. "Yep, you're smiling. That is not something I'm used to seeing from you."

He looked puzzled. "What are you talking about? I smile every time I come to the stand in choir and whenever I address the class."

Shannon shook her head, red hair sliding down her shoulders. "Nope, you're smiling for real this time. Those other times were because you have to. Now you are smiling because you want to."

He thought about that for a moment, before reaching a hand out and ruffling up her hair. "Maybe you're right."

She felt an electric current run down her back at the feeling of his hands in her hair.

Smiling softly to herself, she glanced around the bus, until she laid eyes on Alexia who was watching her carefully.

Both girls locked eyes. Shannon felt her heart pound at the look in Alexia's gaze. It was one that said. "I'm watching you."

Most of the time Shannon felt very secure in herself, but in that moment, with those golden eyes piercing through her, she felt as if she was a little girl with her hand caught in the cookie jar.

They held the glare for another moment, as Shannon tried her best to make her eyes say. "Go ahead, there is nothing wrong here."

When the front wheel hit a hidden bump in the road, it jarred both girls and made Alexia turn her eyes away.

Shannon sighed, before turning to look out the window. If this was how the entire trip would be, she was certain there'd be a confrontation one way or another.

She just prayed she wasn't in too deep to be caught with anything, but a crush on her teacher, who was flittering through his newspaper, unaware of the silent conversation his two students exchanged.