Free Fever Pitch by Heidi Cullinan

mine. Though maybe that’s too tricky, playing and singing?”
    â€œOh no, not at all.” Aaron considered his performance options. “Does it matter what I play? I have some stuff memorized, but it’s pop.”
    â€œDon’t worry about that. Like I said, if you’re a guy who can hit the notes, you’re in. It’s a lot more difficult to get into the Ambassadors, but that’s only sixteen guys and mostly upperclassmen anyway.” She bounced a little. “I can’t believe I stumbled into an accompanist in line for auditions. I hope we’re both in chorale together.” Rocking on her heels, she glanced ahead at the line. “I’m starving. I should have grabbed dinner first.” She smiled apologetically. “Sorry, I’m a total spaz when I’m nervous. I can’t stop talking.”
    Jilly was cute and sweet. It occurred to Aaron how convenient it would be if he found her attractive, because he could ask her to dinner after the audition, and they might even end up dating. Aaron knew that route wasn’t for him, though. He wasn’t sure he was ready to be out, but he wasn’t lying anymore.
    â€œHow was your orientation tour?” she asked.
    â€œI didn’t go,” Aaron confessed.
    â€œWish I’d skipped. Totally worthless. What about your roommate?”
    â€œI haven’t met him.” Realizing their conversation was almost one-sided, he forced himself into a more active role. “What about yours?”
    Jilly shrugged. “She’s nice enough. A little fussy, but I’m hoping that’s just nerves. She’s from some small town up north.”
    Aaron asked where Jilly was from—Mankato—and they spent the rest of their wait chatting easily about their pasts. Jilly’s parents were divorced as well, but she had three younger siblings. Aaron asked about them, and that opened a floodgate that lasted until they were standing in front of the double doors, waiting their chance to go in. As soon as she was about to perform, however, Jilly’s panic returned in full force.
    â€œI’m going to suck.”
    â€œYou’ll be fine. Hey—it’s only an audition. And if it helps, I’ll be there the whole time.”
    She nodded, but she still looked pretty wrecked. “I really want this.”
    â€œThen go get it. Being nervous isn’t going to help.” He remembered his horrible encounter with Giles, and his stomach plummeted. He repeated to her what Walter had said to him. “Maybe it’s meant to be, and maybe it isn’t, but you need to try. Go in there and be fabulous, whatever the outcome.”
    Before she could reply, the doors opened, and an upperclassman ushered them in.
    The room was smaller than Aaron had thought it would be. Most of the space was tiered riser seating full of black chairs, though only a few of them were occupied. A mustachioed man sat in a chair in the middle, flanked by two young women and three men. One guy had a slight geek-cool thing going, another was fresh off the cover of J.Crew, and the third was all angles and styled hair—and a pair of dark sunglasses. They were all cute, an assorted-chocolates box of young men.
    The mustachioed man had to be the conductor—he was older and had a sense of ownership about the room. When he spied Aaron and Jilly, though, he was a welcoming king, rising and shaking both their hands.
    â€œSo good to have you here.” He asked for their names and where they were from and what kind of history they had with choir, and as Aaron and Jilly answered, the men and women behind him took notes.
    The geek-cool guy spoke up. “Dr. Nussenbaum, are they both auditioning?”
    â€œYes,” Jilly said before Aaron could answer. “Aaron is accompanying for me, but he has something to perform too.”
    â€œFantastic.” Dr. Nussenbaum beamed at Aaron. “Were you in the choir in high