From Skid Row to Superstardom: An Idol System Novel
Chapter 193: Truancy (1)

Chapter 193: Truancy (1)

"Thank you to our J-pop group for their amazing performance. The next group performing has given themselves the name the Ocho Amigos, and they will be representing Latin America. Please give them a round of applause!"

Clap clap clap-

Gabriella clapped along with the watchers with wide eyes as her brother’s team, dressed in what was clearly an outfit inspired by a mariachi band, took the stage.

If they had the sombreros and instruments, it would be similar to other mariachi band outfits she had seen at various events before, and she felt a bit touched seeing a bit of her family’s culture being represented at a non-family event.

Having done her research after watching Carlos’ previous performance in Las Vegas, before everything blew up at home, Gabriella had become pretty familiar with the contestants, apart from Ari and Carlos, and easily recognized the popular members who were now on Carlos’ team.

She recognized Jamie, who always had a cowboy hat, the angry fuzzball Levi, and Alfonso with long hair.

On the small, black stage in front of her, Jamie was handing out specific microphones to his other teammates while speaking to a staff member, and Ari had his back to the audience, pointing at his teammates to move into the right position like an orchestra conductor.

The eight boys lined up, and she could see Carlos tapping his foot the way he did when he got nervous before he scanned the crowd and took a deep breath to calm down as he spotted Antonio and Luis waving at him.

Gabriella quickly waved as well before putting her hand down, peeking at her mom’s frowning face and saying a quick prayer that her mom would see Carlos perform, see how good and talented and amazing he was, and change her mind.

If that could happen, then her dad could change his mind, too, and the house wouldn’t be so tense.

Gabriella glanced around once more, noticing that more people than before had shown up, including several two police officers with different outfits than the ones already here who had surrounded the stage and seemed to be speaking with a rail-thin blonde woman who was arguing fiercely.

Absentmindedly wondering what was going on, Gabriella turned her attention back to the stage as guitar sounds began to play.

On the small stage, only the backs of the 8 boys were visible as they all clapped in time to the beat.

Clap clap clap

Clap clap clap

Dum dum dum dum dum dum~

Clap clap clap

Clap clap clap

"Carlito, sing to them."

At Ari’s distinct voice calling his name, Carlos turned around smoothly, holding the microphone to his lips and singing with his immaculate, angelic voice as everyone else snapped their fingers to the beat.

"Yo te miro y se me corta la respiración,

Cuando tú me miras, se me sube el corazón"

Despite the microphones and speakers not being of the best quality, Carlos’s voice was clear and unmistakable, as he crooned into the microphone, making people sigh while staring in a trance-like state.

"You’ve got me begging, got me hoping that our day won’t stop."

As Carlos finished singing the intro, all the boys turned around in one slick movement, with Jamie taking the center spot from Carlos and singing the first chorus.

"Bailando~, Bailando,

Tu cuerpo y el mío llenando el vacío, subiendo y bajando"

Staggered in two rows, the 8 boys performed basic salsa steps as Jamie repeated the chorus in his deeper voice, nailing the pronunciation perfectly as Ari echoed him.

"Bailando~, (Bailando),

Tu cuerpo y el mío llenando el vacío, subiendo y bajando."

Charlie then stepped forward, shaking his red head with a small smile as he began to sing while beckoning the audience with one finger.

"Yeah, I like the way you move,

Come and show me what to do,

Man, we’ve got nothing to lose

I can’t wait anymore."

As Charlie finished his part, Ari, Levi, Jamie, and Carlos, who were standing in the back, braced their legs and held the arms of those in front of them as they bent back dramatically.

For a second, there seemed to be a mishap with Levi, and Gabriella thought that he would let go of his partner’s hand from the openly disgusted expression on his face, but it was quickly resolved as the boys jumped high and danced at a fast pace as Diego took the center and began singing in a slightly breathless voice.

"Yo quiero estar contigo,

vivir contigo,

Bailar contigo,

tener contigo una noche loca"

"Woooooah~ Bailando,

Bailando~,

Es que se me va el dolor"

Or

Or Or

Oi oi oi

Oi oi oi

As the singular word repeated with a remixed electro beat and trumpets, another song was blended in. The contestants on stage began to perform fast-paced dance steps with fluid arm motions, which were emphasized by ties snatched from their necks, revealing them to be handkerchiefs.

Alonso, who took the center, danced with so much intensity that his long hair began flying around as his hair tie broke off.

Then he began to sing-

"Oi, oi, oi, oi

É pa’ quebrar kuduro

Vamos dançar kuduro,

Oi, oi, oi, oi"

As Alfonso began singing in Portuguese, and she could no longer understand the words even though she had heard the song before, Gabriella turned her eyes to Carlos, watching as he danced the choreography with everyone else, and showed off a different side that she normally didn’t see.

In fact, watching her brother perform live for the second time, she noticed things that she hadn’t been able to notice the first time, when he was wearing a mask and was further away.

She could see his smile toward the audience, the ease with which he interacted with his teammates on stage, the confidence he had anytime the microphone was put to his lips, and just his general happiness.

He fit right in with everyone else and even stood out in a good way when it was his turn.

This was a side of Carlos that she had only ever seen on stage, and Gabriella peeked sideways to make sure her mom was watching Carlos in all of his glory.

As the song changed to La Bamba, a song that Gabriella heard all the time at every celebration hosted and attended by her family, or even just played around the house, she thought she saw her mom wipe away a tear before resuming her stoic expression.

On stage, it felt like Carlos did the same thing before his wavering voice became stronger and belted out the notes, with even more strength and clarity than before.

As the last chorus of the song began, with Carlos standing in the front, all the boys started singing the familiar song that everyone knew, even if they couldn’t understand Spanish, in unison while moving freely around the small stage and trying to interact with the crowd.

"Para bailar La Bamba,

Para bailar La Bamba,

Bamba, bamba

Bamba, bamba

Bamba, bamba"

Hearing the crowd singing along with Carlos and some people in the audience even imitating the simple choreography, Gabriella had secretly wiped away her own tears.

Carlos looked extremely happy, singing and dancing on stage.

He was showing the kind of carefree, truly happy smile that he never showed at home anymore, and it made her both happy and sad to see it.

In her heart, she wished that her mom could at least understand and see Carlos’ heart and support him in what he wanted to do, even if her parents didn’t think he would succeed and make any money from it.

She didn’t want her and her siblings to become the reason that he would have to give up on his dream.

As long as he was happy, that was what mattered.

Holding her wish in her mind, Gabriella sang the lyrics to La Bamba, hoping with all of her heart that her brother’s dream to do music, to sing, dance, and perform to his heart’s content in front of an audience would come true.

The last notes of the song trailed off, and as the boys on stage took a bow, Gabriella clapped along with everyone else.

She was immensely proud of Carlos, especially because her mom clapped as well, albeit slowly.

As Carlos and his team members were getting ready to get off the stage, she noticed that the officers who were arguing with the thin, blonde woman were shoving their way past her toward the stage while the one in front pulled out handcuffs from his belt.

"Hey! Hey! Stop right this instant!"

Ignoring her, the officer continued marching to the stage and began yelling, "Student Ariel Matisse, you’re under arrest for truancy. Your guardian reported you and asked us to come and grab you since you think it’s so cool to skip school and you’re not afraid of authority. You have the right to remain silent; anything you say can and will be used against you, and if you resist arrest, I’ll have to use some force."

At the police officer’s words, the audience watching the stage suddenly quieted down, and people began recording with their phones again, wondering what was happening.

An arrest?

For truancy?

After he had just performed?

What the heck was going on?

Gabriella’s head swished back and forth between Ari on stage and the two police officers approaching him, but Ari seemed to glance at the officers before his sea green eyes swept across the audience before turning around to look in the direction of the contestants who had already performed.

He then began laughing hysterically, as if he were watching the biggest joke of his life, and Gabriella could only stare at him as if he had lost his mind. was this?

Author’s Note: So, for those who don’t understand Spanish, the lyrics of La Bamba are kind of all over the place, but the general meaning is that it’s a song encouraging people to enjoy and celebrate life with music and dance, which I think is pertinent to Carlos’s story.

Same with Bailando, it literally means ’dance’ in Spanish.