The auditorium was packed.
Parents, students, teachers—even a few local reporters showed up, half-hoping the Hooded Saviour would make a surprise entrance through the roof.
But tonight?
Tonight wasn't about capes or superpowers.
It was about us.
Joey and I stood backstage, hyping each other up. Our names were projected on the screen in bold letters:
THE FALCON & STEELE SHOW
Comedy. Chaos. Questionable parental approval.
"I still say we should've used fog machines," Joey whispered.
I smirked. "And trip the fire alarm?"
"Exactly. We exit in mystery."
I laughed. "Let's just try not to get booed."
The lights dimmed.
We stepped out.
A few claps. Some curious murmurs.
Then Joey started us off: "Hey, Ridgewood! I'm Joey Rooney. You might know me as 'that guy with too many siblings' or 'the Falcon,' depending on which hallway you're in."
Polite chuckles.
"I come from a big family. My mom's the principal. So if I mess this up? I'm cleaning bathrooms for the rest of the semester."
The audience laughed louder.
"And my dad? Gym teacher. Thinks running laps builds character. I think it builds shin splints."
Another round of laughs.
"My sister Liv is a popstar—every mirror in our house has seen more drama than a soap opera. Maddie's a sports legend. She once made a three-pointer while yelling at me. True story."
Even Maddie couldn't help but laugh from the front row.
Then I stepped up to the mic.
"My name's Aiden Steele. I just moved here. I'm the quiet guy who sits in the back of all your AP classes and pretends not to know all the answers."
Laughter.
"My parents? Scientists. Like—hardcore scientists. You ever had dinner while someone explains enzyme reconfiguration? I have. Every night."
I paused, letting the laugh roll.
"And growing up… I wasn't exactly the picture of health. I was that kid. The one who knew the inside of hospitals better than playgrounds. My immune system took more Ls than Joey at family game night."
The crowd laughed, but a few people blinked—surprised.
I kept it light.
"Let's put it this way: while other kids were collecting baseball cards, I was collecting medical wristbands."
A mix of laughs and soft "awws."
"Seriously. I sneezed once and got an MRI. My mom tried to bubble-wrap me before a field trip."
Now they were laughing with me.
"But hey, look at me now. Not in a bubble. Just on stage… with a mic and a friend who still thinks he's a superhero."
Joey jumped back in: "I am a superhero. I have a name. A brand. A legacy."
I raised an eyebrow. "You tripped over a beanbag chair yesterday."
"I leapt into a tactical roll."
The crowd cracked up.
We brought it home together.
"My parents still think I'm a science project," I said.
"And mine still think I'm going to trip over my own ego," Joey added.
"And that's why—" we said in sync, "we're both still single."
The place erupted.
We stepped offstage to loud cheers, high-fives, and even a whistle from Coach Pete—though he immediately shouted, "That dodgeball joke was exaggerated!"
Joey leaned over. "I think we just became legends."
"No," I said, grinning. "We became us."
After our set, Joey and I disappeared behind the curtain to thunderous applause.
I leaned against the wall, still grinning. Joey was already pretending to autograph the air. "We crushed it," he whispered. "Put us on tour."
I smirked. "Hold that thought. I think we're about to be upstaged."
Principal Rooney's voice boomed through the auditorium speakers.
"And now… a first-time-ever duet from two of Ridgewood's most talented daughters… give it up for Liv and Maddie Rooney!"
The crowd stirred.
Whispers.
Wait—Maddie?
People leaned forward in their seats.
Even Joey's jaw dropped. "This I gotta see."
The curtain rose slowly.
Liv stood in the spotlight, all showbiz and glitter.
Beside her… Maddie.
In her basketball jersey.
Holding a ball.
She bounced it twice—
Doom. Doom. Doom.
Doom. Doom. Doom.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
The rhythm echoed across the stage—steady, strong. Like a war drum and a heartbeat rolled into one.
She bounced the ball on the "doom," stomped her foot on the "boom."
The crowd was silent.
Then…
Maddie sang.
🎶 "One Voice, Two Worlds" 🎶
(Original Song by Maddie & Liv Rooney)
Maddie (with rhythm):
🎵 Doom, doom, doom… I walk my path in silence.
Doom, doom, doom… They see the game, not me.
Boom, boom, boom… I've played to win, not show it.
Boom, boom, boom… But now I want to be free. 🎵
Liv (joining in):
🎵 You wear your heart like armor,
But I know what's underneath.
We don't need to be the same,
To find the same heartbeat. 🎵
Both (harmonizing):
🎵 One voice, two worlds,
Different roads but side by side.
When we sing together,
We don't ever have to hide.
We rise—
We shine—
We fly—
Tonight! 🎵
Maddie (solo, still drumming with the ball):
🎵 Doom, doom, doom… I'm more than courts and numbers.
Doom, doom, doom… More than they believed.
Boom, boom, boom… With you, I feel it lifting.
Boom, boom, boom… This song, it sets me free. 🎵
Liv (powerful, soaring):
🎵 You're the beat that holds us steady,
You're the fire they don't see.
You don't have to play the echo—
You can sing it next to me. 🎵
Both (final chorus):
🎵 One voice, two worlds,
Now the silence fades away.
When we sing together,
We've got something more to say.
We rise—
We shine—
We fly—
Today! 🎵
The music cut.
Maddie stopped dribbling.
The final stomp echoed across the room like a mic drop.
Silence.
Then—explosion.
The entire auditorium jumped to their feet.
Cheering. Clapping. Screaming.
Even Coach Pete stood with his hand over his heart.
Karen Rooney had tears in her eyes.
Joey? Screaming at the top of his lungs. "THAT'S MY SISTERS!"
Backstage, I couldn't help but smile.
It wasn't just a song.
It was a moment.
For Maddie.
For Liv.
For both of them.
And as the applause roared louder, I whispered to myself:
"One voice. Two worlds."
Just like I said.