The choir director announced a silent rehearsal because the hall next door was hosting an exam. Everyone would mouth the words and mark the timing with their hands.
For twenty minutes it went beautifully. Then the director stopped at the last verse.
“Someone is singing,” she whispered.
The singers looked around. Nobody’s mouth moved.
The director listened again. The melody came from the back row, where Ted was holding the sheet music against his chest.
His phone was playing a recording of last week’s rehearsal.
“I needed a reference,” Ted whispered.
“So did the exam candidates,” said the director. “They’re all writing down the lyrics.”