The song didn't last long.
As the performance wrapped up and Regina and the girls bowed to the audience, preparing to exit, the crowd erupted. The applause was deafening, and amidst the cheering, chants of "Encore! Encore!" started to break out.
The chanting grew louder and more synchronized. It was obvious the crowd absolutely loved the "Plastics" and Mike's performance.
Not one to miss out on the drama, Damian grabbed a microphone backstage and rushed to the edge of the stage. He started hyping everyone up, shouting along with them: "One more song! One more song!"
By this point, the atmosphere at the school's Christmas showcase had officially hit its peak.
Seeing how popular she was, "Queen Bee" Regina beamed with joy. The other three girls on stage were just as thrilled. They were at an age where vanity runs high, so they were soaking up the adoration and couldn't quite play it cool.
But after the initial rush, the demand for an encore put them in a bind.
"What do we do? Should we do a dance number?" Regina whispered frantically to her squad.
Regina's "cool mom," June, had choreographed a bunch of trendy, slightly risqué routines for them—lots of hip-shaking and hair-flipping. They could use one of those to get through the next few minutes.
The girls quickly looked over at Mike.
The problem was, even though Mike had seen them practice those dances, he had never actually learned the choreography. Asking him to jump in and do a synchronized dance with them now would be a total disaster.
"Mike, do you have any ideas?" Regina asked, looking for a lifeline. She realized the spot he was in.
"Let's just do 'Jingle Bells.' I'll accompany you guys," Mike suggested immediately.
It was a classic, universally known Christmas song—perfect for the occasion. The girls' eyes lit up. Singing another Christmas carol fit their vibe perfectly and kept them in "pop star" mode.
And just like that, the impromptu performance of "Jingle Bells" was set.
The familiar electronic beat kicked in, and the audience realized a new song was starting. The chaotic shouting died down as the crowd listened.
The girls' crisp vocals rang out over the keyboard track. However, since it was just Mike on the keys, the sound was a little thin for such a big room.
Ms. Sharon, watching from the wings, noticed this immediately. She quietly slipped onto the stage and sat behind the grand piano.
As the rich sound of the piano joined in, the performance instantly gained depth and texture. Swept up by the music, the audience started clapping along. Since literally everyone knows "Jingle Bells," the second half of the song turned into a massive, auditorium-wide sing-along.
"Thank you, everyone!"
When the song ended, the girls waved to the crowd and made a quick, cheerful exit.
Performing was a rush, but they knew they didn't have any material left. If the crowd asked for a third song, they'd be in trouble. It was better to quit while they were ahead rather than risk ruining their image with a messy, unrehearsed dance.
Mike nodded his thanks to Ms. Sharon for the assist, then followed the girls offstage.
[Piano XP +166]... [Cooking XP +88]... [Zoology XP +66]... [Photography XP +99]...
Backstage, Mike's system interface lit up with glowing experience orbs. They came from Ms. Sharon, Grandma Connie, Cady's parents, and June. Clearly, the XP drops meant they were all very satisfied with the show.
"Mike, we did it!"
Regina practically tackled him with a hug the moment they got backstage. The other three girls took turns hugging him, too. They knew that Mike, who had done so much work behind the scenes, was the MVP of this success.
"Yo, Mike! I saw the whole thing. You guys killed it. Congrats, man."
Kevin, still hanging around in his hip-hop gear after his rap performance, came over to offer props.
"Thanks," Mike nodded at him. He tried to offer a polite compliment in return. "Your rap was... definitely unique."
Honestly, the guy's flow was terrible, and Mike couldn't think of a better way to phrase it.
"I knew you were different from these normies," Kevin said, completely missing the subtext. He looked like he'd found a kindred spirit. " bro, you really get me..."
He looked like he was about to launch into a deep conversation, but then he noticed the four girls glaring at him.
"Alright, Mike, I won't interrupt your celebration. Let's chop it up later," Kevin said awkwardly, taking the hint and backing off.
Once the third wheel was gone, Regina suggested they all head to her place for a private after-party. It wasn't even 4:00 PM yet, so they had plenty of time to celebrate before the midnight Christmas countdown.
Later, under the beautiful Christmas tree at Regina's house, Mike was treated to a private "fashion show."
The girls modeled Christmas-themed mini-skirts, reindeer outfits, and candy-striper costumes. It was quite the view. Eventually, Mike got pulled into the festivities, and the party moved from the living room to the bedroom.
---
It was just past 10:00 PM when Mike, having experienced quite a variety of "dance styles," walked out of the room with the girls.
It was Christmas Eve, and unless something major came up, the unspoken rule was that you spent the hours before midnight with your family. Mike needed to head back to be with Grandma Connie and the Coopers.
Regina's mom, June, was already back in the living room. She was watching the recording of the talent show on the big screen TV.
Seeing them walk out, she looked at Mike with a knowing smirk. "You look like you could use a protein shake. Or maybe a strong cocktail?"
Clearly, the "cool mom" had heard the commotion upstairs.
"No thanks," Mike declined. "I should get going."
Even with his thick skin, the situation was a little awkward. He said his goodbyes before June could make any bolder comments and headed for the door.
"I'll walk you out."
Regina and the other three girls followed him out.
At the driveway, after watching the other three girls drive off, Mike hopped into the passenger seat of Regina's red convertible so she could drop him off.
On the ride home, Mike called Dennis and the family back in Minnesota to wish them a Merry Christmas.
Sitting in the passenger seat yet again, his mind started to wander. He started thinking about what kind of car he should buy next year.
For a guy, having his own wheels was essential. Come next spring, he'd be old enough to drive, and luckily, he finally had enough cash saved up to buy something he actually liked.