Part 4: Self-growth and Vocal Peer Pressure

"Don't know what to expect, don't know what's coming next, don't know what I'm walking into. Will I find the new me somewhere new?"

I prides myself in my self-growth. I've always found myself starting to do things just for Kai. I tolerated watching those cheesy romances with Kai even though he claimed he was doing it for me. But we both know I only watched The Princess Bride because it had battles in it. Sometimes I would surprise Kai with special dinners every once in awhile since he was often out late during patrol. I even allowed Kai to make an Instagram for our relationship. I mean, I serious regretted it after but I still did it.

All that didn't even compare to the effort Kai would put into our relationship. Granted, sometimes he put in too much, such as overdoing it on a Valentine's Day. I still can't get that little plastic arrow off of the ceiling fan. But Kai was a hopeless romantic and strove to make everything special.

These two points was the reason why I allowed Kai to beg and please and bribe me to join the road trip. If hitchhiking through a desert was what Kai needed to relax and feel happy than I would do it. Of course I would complain if it included hitchhiking and a desert but I would do it.

So, I could handle being stuck in a moving vehicle with three girls. Even if one was obsessive.... Even if one was a little crazy.... Even if one knew an unhealthy amount of lyrics for a song from a children's cartoon.

"Does anyone have any suggestions for my playlist?" Siena piped. She had been playing music since they had crossed into the country road. They were good song choices even if they weren't all my usual style.

"Ooh!" Gwen almost knocked over Zane, who had passed the wheel on to Lloyd, over in her excitement. "Do you have the instrumental version of the beginning song from Toe Fungus The Musical?"

"No...." Siena drew out slowly.

Not gonna lie, this girl does not seem like Zane's type.

Gwen gave a disappointed sigh and moved from where she had leaned over Zane so he could sit upright again.

Kai chuckled as I sent him a look that said you left out some key information about these girls when you got me wrapped up in this mess.

"There's this YouTuber called Dreamcatcher that I really like. She makes her own songs and they're really good." Reagan offered, taking a nibble of trail mix.

Siena had an expression that looked very close to a cringe as Cole burst out laughing. I raised an eyebrow at his hysterical laughter while Reagan looked sincerely pissed at being laughed at for a joke she didn't tell.

"Sorry, Reagan." He apologized when Lloyd roughly shoved him with the hand that wasn't on the wheel. "Siena doesn't like listening to her own music."

"It seems shallow!" Siena protested as Reagan's jaw fell open.

"You're Dreamcatcher? That's so cool!" Reagan exclaimed.

I wasn't that surprised. "I mean, you were the one person in high school choir tags didn't make my ears bleed so it's not that unbelievable."

"That's Isla's version of a complement!" Kai explained, raising his hands in surrender when I gave him a glare.

"Now I really wanna hear the songs!" Gwen chimed in. Siena groaned as we all stared expectantly at her (peer pressure- am I right?) and reluctantly pressed a button on her phone.

We listened for awhile and Gwen got right into it, dancing with her upper body while Zane stood as ramrod straight as any robot would.

"This is really good." Kai told Siena, who had engaged the shrinking snail act in her seat. I raised a finger in silence as we got to the chorus, her voice moving smoothly off of the notes.

"That's a really high note." I commented. Trying to strain for my musical knowledge from my days of slamming fists on a piano for twelve years.

"It's not that hard." Siena brushed it off. "I've been taking some voice lessons on between working with my mom. After doing a few exercises I can hit the note decently."

I took that as an acceptance of the challenge that she totally signed up for. "Alright, sing it now."

Everyone turned their head to her. She visibly paled. "Wait-what?"

They all whipped to face me. "Do the note- right here, right now." I raised my eyebrows and smirked.

"It's a dare."

Gwen made an ooh sound as she reached over Zane for some of Reagan's trail mix. Reagan wasn't bothered and kindly passed it over.

"Come on, Si." Cole glanced at her, pulling his headphones off her neck. "You've done it before."

Siena gave him a hard look that said BETRAYAL or What the heck you're supposed to be on my side before engaging in another lengthly sigh. She sat waiting through the next verse until the chorus again.

She mouthed the first few words before launching into the section that climbed up to the note. "The sky can fall, the day can break, the water will rage and the earth will break but it will never take me away from where we belong!

As she hit the second vowel she let it extend, mixing in her head and chest voice as she riffed off of the word into an impressively high octave. If you're wondering about my knowledge in vocal vocabulary than you will need to know my secret pleasure. YouTube videos of vocal coaches teaching horrible singers how to actually carry a tune.

Don't tell anyone or I will toilet paper your house.

Her voice was pretty good, sweet but strong and not shrill like my eighth grade music teacher. Sometimes I still need to yawn and open my mouth to get my ears back to normal.

"Holy chips." Gwen gaped. "That was awesome."

Reagan started a nice round of applause and I though I'm not much of a crowd cheerer I gave her a nice little clap in appreciation.

"Okay, great." Siena said quickly as our hand slapping ceased.

"Why don't we listen to some Weekend Whip?"

That we could agree on.

Authors note***

For anyone's that's wondering Siena's nickname is pronounced 'See'.

And for the same wonderers when your favourite YouTube artist gets a reaction video from a vocal cache you gotta watch it.

And for any other curious alive cats I changed the cover because the previous one was ugly and the bottom was cut off.

That's all for now, I hope you enjoyed!

Please smash that star as gently as you can to avoid damages if you liked the chapter! If you didn't......

I'm really sorry and please press it out of pity anyway.

LuckyBugBooks🐞