Chapter Text
“Mischa, put your stupid phone away!” the small red-headed girl scolded. The tall boy with his hat on backwards scoffed and rolled his eyes, turning away from her.
“Ocean, calm down. We’re gonna get first place this year, I can feel it in my bones!” the other girl said, placing a hand on Ocean’s shoulder. She had a bright smile on her face and her hair pulled back into two ponytails. It was so curly and purple. Penny loved it.
“You’re right, Constance. We can only go up from here!” Ocean said, pumping a fist in the air.
Father Marcus looked at Penny, almost helplessly, and gave her a small smile. The small choir stood in formation, a fair distance away from the Uranium City Bandstand. Penny had been following Father Marcus around most of the morning, wide eyed. The fair had just started, the rides were flashy and carnies were loud. Now, the choir was preparing for the competition. They were tucked away in a quiet place. They had already done their vocal warmups, which Penny had quietly participated in next to Father Marcus.
“They’re a lively bunch,” he laughed, gesturing towards the group. “If you could just stand behind Mischa…”
He gestured behind the tall boy with the backwards hat. Penny shuffled over to where Father Marcus had gestured and stood behind him, as asked. The kids in the choir didn’t even notice. She stood with her hands clasped together behind her back. While they practiced, she stared at her backpack that sat at Father Marcus’ feet. She very badly wanted to dig into the bottom and stroke the hair of her dollie - it would make her feel better about having to stand behind these students she didn’t know. Maybe she could hold it behind her…he probably wouldn’t notice.
Father Marcus’ clap pulled her gaze away from her backpack. Her attention shifted to the choir. She watched the tall boy, Mischa, pull his phone out multiple times. He was barely singing and Penny could hear that his voice held a thick accent. She wondered where he was from.
There was another boy who was singing very enthusiastically. When they weren’t singing, he was quite loud and often arguing with the red-head. Penny heard Ocean call him Noel. He had a very expressive face and Penny could tell he enjoyed performing.
There was one last member of the choir who hadn’t said anything yet. He barely moved, in fact, the other boys would move his upper body for him - but Penny caught him staring at her. She tilted her head and he looked away when Father Marcus called his name. Ricky. He looked back at her once more with a slanted smile.
As the choir ran through their pieces once more, Penny found herself humming along. The piece that Father Marcus wrote was easy for her to sing along to. Hopefully, he wouldn’t mind her humming.
Before she knew it, she was being ushered onto the stage behind Mischa. Father Marcus gave them a thumbs up and went into the audience. Penny plastered on her best smile, which she had been practicing in the mirror at recommendation of her social worker, while Ocean stepped up to introduce the choir.