on a winter's day

Kyle didn't expect to see Ellie nor Eric down at the Christmas program at the old museum. Even Cory and Roger showed up. Kyle had taken the bus while he guessed Eric had driven them down for the lunch hour program.

"We could get extra credit if we came," Cory informed him. Of course, Kyle wasn't performing in the choir. Their school wasn't even on at this time. Amanda was with her school choir.

He spotted her immediately, even if she was in her school uniform. Kyle smiled. He kept staring at her out of happiness mostly, and then he noticed something that he wondered when it had exactly happened. She was about to bust out of that uniform. His eyes widened. He looked at the others, see if they noticed. Of course, Eric had his arm around Ellie like he owned her while Cory and Roger were whispering about something.

It was nothing, he then thought. Not that he actually thought that Amanda was getting fat. Exactly. Something else, perhaps. Maybe not. He was sure of it now, he was watching too many episodes of House, and he thought he could diagnosis anything. It was nothing to worry about. Nothing. He let out a deep breath as if he had to think lots of happy thoughts now so Amanda would get through this.

She had told him not to come. Told him it was no big deal, but since her mother couldn't come due to illness and her father was out of town on his truck route to Des Moines, he thought it was the least he could do. Be here for her. And he'd mentioned it to Eric, but he didn't think they would come. He just hoped she wouldn't mess up and then be mad at him so Kyle hid in the crowd and thought he'd stand back and just listen. He hoped he could find her voice in the choir.

The old train station had great acoustics, actually. Once they started, it was heavenly. The harmony was amazing and Kyle knew he didn't appreciate this sort of thing enough. He couldn't help but smile. And then Amanda did a solo part of "Holy Night".

Even Ellie gave him a push in the arm, smiling as if he'd done good for once. None of them knew she even sang. It was the kind of voice that could just make you shiver as if you might have had a religious moment or two.

"Wow," Eric said in a low voice afterwards, "Did you know she could do that?"

Kyle shook his head, no. With a voice like that, he guessed she could easily go anywhere on a scholarship. And he was pretty sure she had the grades for it. He should have expected it. All the music in their house. He just didn't know. He kept thinking of Derrick and his many songs going on in the livingroom. He was a bit of a show off, but you learned to love that about him.

Kyle hoped he wasn't holding her back from anything. A sad feeling sank into him. Maybe he was the wrong guy for her.