Microphone check and dance rehearsal had been great. They had also been quiet. Unnervingly quiet.

Alex has spent the better part the day looking for a sign of doom. Whenever someone comes close, touches him or speaks to him, he is on edge. It had been a wonder his performance had not suffered. Most think he is just stressed, since he is taking Carlos’ slot on the show so, that was a good cover for him. The reality was that he just wanted to know what was in store for him, what had I planned?

In all honesty? Nothing. I can’t plan anything, this is his life, it only waited for him and my voice just unraveled it, I didn’t design it. Alex does not care for that though, and he is too nervous to process what I say.

“What do you think will happen tomorrow?”, he asks Eva. With the rehearsal over they were on their way to the convenience store. The cafeteria was closed in preparation for the next day. Lots of freshmen and new arrivals to feed.

“I don’t know, love. Maybe you finally meet your 'one and only' and this is all over?” she was hopeful, and wrong. “Or maybe something great happens. Hell, Roxana got discovered on this little gig just four years ago (lucky girl), and now she is touring! Anything can happen.”

Roxana: now a pop sensation on the rise! People at the theatre department loved that story. It'd be fun if he got so lucky. Not that he is counting on it.

Alex knows Eva is right, anything can happen. He is also aware that “the love of his life” won't be here tomorrow, per my narration, which only makes him more annoyed at me. What was the deal then? Will he get a Roxana moment too? Hopefully not.

Finding out, bit by bit, what life has in store for us is just part of the fun. Alex should just accept that.

***

The big day had arrived: time to make a show. They are all dressed in jeans and bright yellow t-shirts with black lines that sported the uni’s logo. He feels like an oversized bumblebee, just like years prior.

The stage was right under a building built like an arch, which is mercifully protecting them from the sun because, the temperatures on the city are known to get very out of hand.

Today they were trying to hide from a 42ºC sun that could have made any of them faint if they tried to dance under it. Performing outdoors was always stressful, but at least they knew the acoustics of the building well enough, and the sun didn’t hit them directly; even if the arch created a perfect wind stream for sand to get carried directly into their mouths and eyes from time to time. With nature, you win some and lose some.

“So, he left a lot of static last night, huh?” Eva is behind him. She's helping him place the mic’s transmitter on the waistband under his shirt, so it won't fall.

“He is talking right now, though, he is driving me insane. What if something goes wrong?”

It was all in his head. They all had rehearsed and done perfectly yesterday. Luna had found Alex at the convenience store after I went quiet, and then asked him to cover some teachers that had not come to the rehearsal of the closure ceremony. He and Eva went home to drink wine afterwards. He then went to bed, came to rehearse (perfectly) again and the show was starting in about an hour. All had been well. All was well.

“He keeps saying all is well, but I know something is coming,” he is shaking now. Ana takes his hands and starts rubbing them. Then she slaps them both. He yelps and stares at her shocked.

“We’ll be fine, he just said something interesting was on the way, it can’t be anything bad. You told me he protects you, so all will be well,” Eva is confident, her big brown eyes are filled with friendliness, and Alex is afraid she might slap his face next, so he decided it is safer to at least believe in her. He didn't dare say I didn't protect him, but rather his story,

“Thanks, Eva. All will be well.”

Alex takes a deep breath, gives Eva a smile, and they wait.

***

They heard them coming. It is a procession of sorts, big drums coming ahead with banners on the university’s colors, and the huge line of freshmen and exchange students trailing behind. They had been expecting the sound, since the arch of the building didn't allow them to see the slope or the stairs by which they were entering the courtyard.

Eva tries to fix her hair, “tries” being the operative word after an hour of gusts and sand. Alex just needs to check nothing is out of place: that the transmitter is in its pouch and the little microphone is still stuck to his cheek. All is well, it is showtime.

They had to wait for the people to fill the courtyard under the arch, and then they would come out “discreetly” onto the stage to start singing. There is nothing discreet about the presentation though, every student could see them "hide" behind the ill-conceived stage that had no cyclorama and wasn't tall enough to actually cover them or the stairs they had to use from prying eyes. So, often, as the procession came closer people would see them and just wonder “What are those clowns going to do to us?”

They would just sing about school spirit. Nothing else, and by the end of the song most people realized this whole school spirit thing was a cult of sorts, and they'd just roll with it. Just like Alex and Eva had done when they were freshmen.

Alex keeps hearing me and staring into the void. Any minute now, David would play the track and Luna would be relieved to not do this until next summer. The roar of the crowd is wild, and they can hear the announcer coming closer with his megaphone. “We want to welcome you all! This is the first day of your biggest adventure. Remember, we all share one sky and one destiny!” he shouts. Alex was sure he had stolen that from a video game, but he has no brain power to remember which. The roar is becoming steady. “And now, a special presentation just for you!”

Cue the music.

“Somos gente, quiero ver a la gente…”

He doesn't know when did he start singing or walked on stage, but as far as he hears, he is on tune and dancing properly. He has always thought the song is extremely corny, but he has grown very fond of it, and he can see some people getting into it on the first row. It is nice and easy to dance to.

Alex keeps scanning, but he can't notice anything out of ordinary, except that he is riffing more than usual. David would probably give him an earful for that, since he had not rehearsed that, but he doesn't sound bad at all.

The number keeps going but nothing odd is happening. Maybe nothing would happen. I would keep talking, he would finish the dance and all would be clear. 

The rap comes up —it had been added to make the song more "relatable" to current sensibilities, which didn't work at all but it had now become a very kitschy staple— and with it Eva's dance solo. People love Alex and Eva, and Luna is actually smiling. It seems they are on the home stretch and the small routine has gone without a hitch.

Eva had been right: all was well.

And then the ending of the number happened.

Jaime is at the center of the formation, but he has terrible spatial awareness and has not gotten used to the smaller stage yet, so he, inadvertently, pushes Alex and Eva as soon as he gets in position for their final poses. Eva falls on her knees and just strikes pose, but Alex, well, he isn't so lucky: he is falling stage left... 

There is a collective gasp, a thought of cursing me into the oblivion and then his hands looking for the floor. But the floor is not there. Instead, something is holding him steady. Princess carrying him, actually.

Dirty blond curls, solid brick pecs and a lovely pair of hazel eyes behind wire frame glasses. That is all Alex registers at first, besides the surprise of not being on the floor.

“Are you ok?” the guy says, putting him down.

This is Moritz, and Alex would start to see a lot of him soon.