Well...This Is New - 35

I turned around and just decided to go a couple seats back to stand next to a friendly-looking bass. There was no way I was standing next to Jason.
I took in a breath, glad I had found a place for myself.
When I felt a hand lay on my shoulder.
"Excuse me," Jason's voice said softly.
His hand still on me, his arm gently touching my back, he weaved his way around the chair in front of him and planted himself firmly next to me.
Surprise made me unable to speak.
He grinned at me, green eyes sparkling. "What's up?"
I heard running footsteps, and suddenly, an alto had helped herself to the spot on the other side of him.
"You suck, Lizzie!" another alto whined, and tramped back to her seat, tail between her legs.
Jason turned and looked at Lizzie with slight interest, and then turned back to me.
"Hey," I smiled cooly, my tears disappearing.
"Hey," he said. "How ya doin'?"
"Good," I said.
Lizzie started obnoxiously chirping to him, giggling at her own joke. He laughed, too, and I tried not to let it annoy me.
Paul was completely out of my head.
Thump, thump, thump.
I looked over and saw Jason's music binder smacking into mine.
"What are you doing?" I asked, chuckling.
"I dunno," he sighed. "I'm so tired."
"Me too," I agreed.
Then, Paul came back into my head, and my shoulders slumped.
I felt the tears again as it was time to begin singing. I was a bit self-conscious singing in front of Jason. This was the first time I'd ever done it, because the first time he asked me to stand next to him, I'd been moved away from him.
Nevertheless, I did it.
I braced myself to hear him sing, and when he began, I noticed, with an uncontrollable giggle, that he was singing just a bit off key. I wondered if he was nervous, too.
We stayed singing for a good ten minutes, him smiling at me, chuckling at me even though I wasn't doing anything funny. I wondered if I sounded good to him, or if I sucked.
Then, the song ended.
"Take up Nelly Bly," Mr. Andrews declared.
I took a step forward to leave.
"You were phenomenal," Jason said.
I stopped.
"Thanks," I smiled calmly. "You were, too."
My heart was fluttering, but the pain of Paul made its wings heavy.