“Michael, she looks great.”Penny lightly shoves his shoulder in my defense.
“She looks like a kaleidoscope.Admit it!”His frustration sends the weight of him into the back of his seat.
“Yes,” she says softly to him before her eyes find mine and smiles.“And everyone loves kaleidoscopes.”Her compliment feels like glitter in my veins.Michael is rubbing circles into his temple, his eyes in a far-off stare.
“Did we lose you, buddy?”Tom jests when the room has officially grown uncomfortably quiet, yet again.
“No, no.I’m here,” he says, pulling himself upright again.
“Tate, like I was saying...Though you didn’t get to, as you say, ‘hit the high notes,’ we still all found you rather impressive and—”
“YOU‘RE GOING TO HOLLYWOOD!”Tom and Penny shout in unison, cutting Michael off.
“Wait, what?!For real!”I squeal.
“For real,” Michael says as he shakes two Advil into his palm, his eyebrows jumping into his fading hairline in false excitement.My hand finds my head, holding it up in disbelief.
Thank you, God.Tears of happiness start to creep from the corners of my eyes as I make my way back off the stage.
Chapter 2
Levi
Aheavy breath sitsat the apex of my chest as everything goes dark and still.Well, everything but her.I told myself nothing good could come from scoping out the competition, and yet, here I am with the curtain that separates me from the stage pulled back just enough to see her.The tip of my tongue runs along the cracks of my bottom lip.It’s so cold in this place, you would never know we’re in Tennessee, let alone at the end of summer.She’s good...like, really good.Which really shouldn’t be all that surprising considering she’s made it this far in the auditions, but sheesh, this girl’s got some pipes on her!An unpolished diamond.A little rasp, but beautiful.Rascal Flatts was an interesting choice for a song though.
“Stop, stop, stop!Make it stop!”Michael, the man who literally makes millions on crushing other people’s dreams, shouts abruptly.
I drop the curtain.Not because I’m necessarily worried about the living, breathing reincarnation of Rainbow Brite.After all, she would have to go eventually.Everybody will.I just don’t want that energy before I walk out there.It’s purely science.Besides, I’m up next and need to get my head in the game if I’m going to win this thing.I take in a sharp inhale and shake out my shoulders in the process.The same move a boxer does before he enters the ring.
Am I nervous?I question myself, feeling a weird sort of vibration riding in my bloodstream.Nah, not nervous.That doesn’t happen to me.Excited...yeah, I’m excited.Ready to take what’s mine.This silly little competition is just a stepping stone to what will undoubtedly be my one-way ticket to fame, money, and success.Mentally, I’ve already spent the purse money.Ten percent to the church because, well, Mom.Another 10 percent to the high school music program because, again, Mom.And then another 10 percent to Mom herself because, let’s face it, I wouldn’t be here without her.Proud mama’s boy till I die.That leaves a cool 70 percent for me...
The sound of cheering slices through my mental math.It’s coming from behind the curtain.I pull it back again, cautious to not make too many waves in the heavy fabric.The brown-haired girl is still standing in the center of the stage, beaming brighter than the colors on her back.Then the judges shout, in impressive unison, “You’re going to Hollywood!”
Huh.Well, maybe this is a good sign.If she can make it, anyone can.
Lie, lie, lie!my inner monologue screams.
