Capítulo XIII- Concurso De Talentos

     Patience had never cared if she was recognized or not. All she wanted to do was go to school, get good grades, and be with her friends. The thought of everyone liking her never crossed her mind, she often minded her own business skipping around the school with a bright smile.

     But the funny thing is that everyone knew her as 'Perky Patience'. Either people used it as a complimenting nickname or as a mockery, which is often used by Principal Perry or Trent. She already stood out with her amiable personality at times, especially with her outfits, they were always added with a splash of color.

     Patience peered over Leo's shoulder examining the school yearbook in Adam's hands. Patience hadn't ordered one that year, she was going to buy it her senior year, either that or she could just order one now if she pleased.

     Chase ran in between Adam and Patience with another yearbook in his hands, "Did you guys see the yearbook? Everybody but me got a 'Most likely to' even Leo!"

     "What? Let me see that." Leo snatched the book from Chase's hands. "'Most likely never to get a most likely.' I'm on the board!"

     Patience read hers at the bottom of the page, "'Most likely to live in a cottage and befriend every animal.' That one is oddly specific."

     Chase pouted, "Well, that proves it. I'm completely invisible at this school."

     "Chase, that's not true," Adam assured. "If you were invisible, I couldn't do this." He punched Chase's shoulder, knocking him into Patience which she bumped into Leo. Chase clutched his shoulder as Adam walked away.

     Bree crossed her legs and spoke, "Chase, just because you weren't nominated doesn't mean you're invisible."

     "Oh, really? Yeah?" Chase shoved the yearbook in front of Bree's face, "What's this? 'Chip Davenport'. I'm a misnamed question mark!" he slammed the book shut.

     Principal Perry hustled into the hall, a piece of paper in her hand flippered around, "Listen up, snot-buckets!" she announced, "Don't forget to sign up for the annual Mission Creek High talent show. Auditions are after school, and we'll be judged by moi. Chances are that if I don't like you, you won't get through, and I don't like any of you, so good luck."

     Owen stood up from his spot on the circular bench, "Talent shows are wrong! There are no winners or losers in creative expression." He advanced toward Perry as she stapled the sign-up sheet on the wall.

     Perry scoffed, "Stick a paintbrush in it, Emo Sabe!"

     Agape, Owen turned back to Bree, Chase, Leo, and Patience. "I refuse to stand by while that woman crushes the artistic souls of our student body. I'm gonna go sketch my feelings!" he says, straying away from the group.

     The four teenagers watched as he left. Bree dreamily sighed, "He is so tortured. Isn't it great?" She wondered off with a smile on her face.

     Leo beamed, "This talent show is the perfect opportunity for me to build my fan base."

     Patience hugged her textbooks closer to her, "What fanbase?"

     Chase glanced down at Leo, "Leo, you don't have a fan base."

     "I know. That's why I have to build one. With magic!" Leo sprawled his hands in front of Chase and Patience's face.

     "Well, that is what it would take," Chase commented.

     Patience lightly elbowed Chase. "Magic? As in abracadabra?" she waved her invisible wand around.

     "Sort of," Leo crossed his arms, "I got a magic kit and I've been practicing, specifically for the competition."

     "A magic kit? Isn't that kind of lame?" Chase vacillated.

     Patience half shrugged, "Actually, magic can bring people's attention. I think magics pretty cool."

     Chase emphatically laughed, "And by lame, I mean entertaining." Patience's eyebrows knitted together smiling at him.

     "There is nothing lame about buying something off the Internet to make friends." Leo exhaled placing a hand out in front of Chase and walked to two random girls. "Hello, ladies. Would you like to see a card trick?" They nodded and Leo picked out a random card, "Okay, this is your card. Mm-hmm." He put it back in the pile and reached out, "Hey, what's that in your hair?" He pulled the card out of her hair, "Bam! See? Magic," Leo shoved the card in front of Chase's face.

     Chase removed Leo's hand. "You know what my problem is? All of my talents are bionic, and I can't reveal them at school."

     Leo cooed, "Awe, bionic people problems."

     Chase stopped Leo from walking away, "Hey. Give me those cards. Come on, gimme." Leo placed the cards in Chase's hands as he held the yearbook between his arms and ribcage. "Watch this." Chase faced Patience, "Patience, Pick a card, any card." She chose the nine diamonds. "Put it back in." Patience did what he told and Chase picked out the card, "Is this your card?"

     Patience pursed her lips, "No." Chase tossed the card aside.

     "This one?" he asked again. Patience shook her head, 'no'. "This one?" he continued to pick cards guessing which one was hers as she shook her head. "This one?"

     Patience winced while smiling, "...yes."

     "No, it's not," Chase detected her lie.

     "Boom," Leo showed the card in his right hand. He brought it close to Chase's face, "Magic." Leo dropped the card and raised his hands, walking backward away from the duo.

     Chase exhaled, kneeling down to pick up the cards on the floor. Patience did too kneel to help him pick up the cards scattered across the floor. "I'm sorry that I tried to lie about the cards thing."

     Chase replied, "It's okay, I think sticking to the truth suits you."

     Patience softly laughs, shaking her head, "I should definitely stick to that." She put her palm out, the cards faced down handing them to Chase, "I know your upset about the fact that you're 'invisible' to the school, but trust me your not. If you want to sign-up for the talent show then go ahead. I know you have many talents, you just have to find the right one."

     Chase took the cards from her hand, smiling at her, "Thanks, Patience."

     Patience hummed, standing up as did Chase. "I'll see you later," she turned around waving.

     "See you later," he waved as she walked off to class.

     Patience was and wasn't fond of the school's talent show. In cases, it could be where students can have their moment to shine and express a talent that people didn't know they had. Or in some cases, a student's confidence could be destroyed within seconds, especially since Principal Perry was the judge.

     Patience was going to sign up for the talent show until she realized she didn't know what to do. She could get on stage and plug in her keyboard and sing, or show off her Taekwando skills. But Patience didn't feel like it was necessary to use her abilities just for show.

     She sat in the front row of seats in the gymnasium to support Chase and Leo for their talent show audition. At the moment, her face held the expression of confusion as a student gargled water in the tone of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Patience couldn't tell if she was impressed he didn't choke or if she was grossed out.

     Principal Perry smacked the red buzzer on her desk, "Next!" The boy on the stage was ready to spit the water back in his cup, but Perry exclaimed, "Don't you spit that out! You swallow that disgusting performance!"

     The boy grimaced swallowing the water, he left the stage. Leo sprinted up the stage, grinning, "Aha!" he rose his arms, on one hand, he gripped onto three rings.

     "Ugh! Dooley. Next!" Perry hit the buzzer.

     Leo frowned, "Come on, give me a chance."

     Perry rolled her eyes, "Ah, fine. Just get it over with."

     "Three solid steel rings pass right through each other to become interlocked," Leo locked the three steel hoops together, "Locked solid, right? Hmm?" he lifted them and blew on the rings. The rings sparked as they disappeared in mid-air.

     The audience clapped their hands fascinated by Leo's performance. "Wow! that wasn't awful!" Perry smiled, "All right, you're in." She dinged the bell.

     Patience clapped, grinning at Leo. "Yes! For my next trick, I'll leave while I'm ahead," Leo took a seat next to Patience.

     Chase was next in line for the audition. When he stepped on the staged Perry asked, "What's your talent? Other than having my middle school haircut."

     Chase tensed, he glanced at the crowd feeling a certain someone's eyes on him. Patience smiled, sending him a thumbs up. "I am the smartest man to ever live." The audience scoffed and groaned. "Break out your online dictionaries, people. I can spell any word."

     "I got one for ya, 'snoozefest,'" Perry laughed pressing the button, "Next!" The crowd tore the paper out of their notebooks, crumbled them up, and threw them at Chase.

     Patience stood up to help Chase off the stage. However, she stopped when Chase said, "No! No! I have another talent! I can do magic!"

     Leo leaned forward from his seat, "Oh, no, you can't."

     Patience sloped back into her chair. Chase stretched his hands out, using his molecular kinesis he lifted the paper balls off the stage and floor. Chase levitated the balls, gradually spinning in a circle. When he faced the crowd again, he fired the paper balls at them.

     Principal Perry clapped, "Yeah! Wow! That was amazing!" The crowd shot up from their seats, cheering Chase on. He bowed with a smug smile on his face. "Dooley, you're out. Little Dutch boy, you're in!"

     The crowd dispersed, leaving Chase, Leo, and Patience in the gym. Leo caustically smiled at Chase, "Great job, Chase. Hey, maybe for your next trick you can remove this knife from my back!" he fumed and stomped out of the gym.

     Chase abashedly smiled at Patience who pursed her lips. Chase scurried down the stairs, "I'm sorry, I panicked and I didn't know what else to do?"

     "I'm not the one you should be apologizing to. Chase, you stole Leo's act," Patience said, pointing her thumb behind her.

     "Patience, I found a way to look cool using my bionics without anyone knowing about them."

     Patience sent Chase the disappointed look her father gave her once when she broke a vase. "I wish you luck on your performance."