The Colors In Her Voice

☆Prologue☆

Bethany's POV:

"God! I am so glad that we're finally done with this audition stuff." Serena sighed theatrically.

"Not yet, no."

"But we just..." Ashley trailed off, looking perplexed.

"I was told that there should be ten participants and we are still at nine as of now," I informed them both, twirling my finger around my brown locks.

"Why didn't you tell us this earlier? I mean we could have selected someone," Serena almost shrieked with wide, panicked eyes.

"Exactly. Now who are we going to audition?"

We continued walking down the school hallways and I was swimming in my own thoughts. "There weren't "many" people who could've made it into our audition list," I snapped, rolling my eyes at them.

"Yeah true. We want some ba-" I cut Ashley off in the mid sentence with my best death glare directed toward her.

"You don't say those words out loud, y'all get me?" I stopped walking and looked them both in the eye and they nodded their heads. "You betcha."

I held the sheet of names in front of me to look at the participants listed there. "April fool." Serena snorted distastefully from beside me.

I glanced up from my paper to look at her and followed her line of vision. She was staring at the girl in a black 'Reputation' sweatshirt, loose jeans and sneakers. Her signature skateboard clutched to her side like usual. 'April fool' is a certain someone who happens to be the joke of our school. She's infamously known by that crappy tag.

"Wait up, guys!" I whisper-shouted and held both my hands out to stop them. They shot me confused looks but I ignored them. An idea started forming in my head and I didn't intend to let it go to waste. "What's her name again?" I asked them, pointing at the blonde girl walking in the other direction with her head hung low. 'How typical!' I scoffed.

"Why'd you wanna know her name?"

"I know, right?"

"Name, girls," I asked them impatiently.

"Rachel. Rachel Winters. At least that's what I know," Ashley muttered, crossing her arms across her chest.

Nodding my head, I gestured for them to follow me. "I guess I got my tenth participant." I smirked evilly and they both returned it with the same passion. Before Rachel could get out of our sight, I called out, "Hey, Rachel!"

She glanced up and her eyes fell upon us. I gave her one of my best phony smiles and waved her over to us. Her eyebrows were furrowed in question and she tucked a piece of stray hair behind her ear.

She pointed at her chest to confirm and Serena said, "Yes you, Rachel. We're talking to you."

"Oh...kay." She reluctantly made her way toward us and I could see the blatant suspicion swirling in her dull green eyes. In just a few steps, she was standing directly in front of us. "What's it?"

"Rachel, I am Bethany. She is Ser-"

"I know who you guys are. Everybody does."

"Oh." I feigned a laugh and prepared myself for the actual blow. "I know it might come off as a shock to you but I was just wondering if you could register your name for the upcoming singing competition held next week in our school itself?" I asked her, wringing my hands in front of me innocently.

"Uh... whaaaat?" She sputtered with wide eyes. She was in utter disbelief and I just hoped that she wouldn't give me a negative answer.

"Because I know you can sing," I lured her in with my words and her eyes widened like a huge saucer.

"Wh-what... but h-how?"

I internally smacked my head because everyone knew that she didn't sing so I quickly corrected my blunder. "You see, I've got a knack to immediately identify the singers with talent from miles away. I can tell that you are going to be a pretty good singer someday so why not start off with a small competition?" My convincing act was working because she seemed to be hanging on to every word I was saying. She had this dreamy, far off look in her eyes.

"But then... why me?"

"Actually... I was falling short of one contestant and I couldn't get many good singers while auditioning. I feel so stressed out." I shook my head dramatically and released a weary sigh. "But then I saw you and I think that you are really eligible for this competition. I mean, what if you win?" I commented, widening my eyes.

She mirrored my expression and I resisted the urge to laugh in her face. "You really think so?"

"One hundred percent, Rach." And that did it.

"Oh, my God!" She whispered. "You can't believe how happy I am right now. I mean - I mean I feel like I am on cloud nine at this moment," she told me and released a giddy laugh.

"You betcha."

"Yes." She continued giggling and it was as if her green eyes were twinkling for the first time. 'Stupid bitch! Thinks she's gonna win this huh?' She glanced at her wristwatch and gasped. "I am so sorry but I need to go," Rachel apologized and we all nodded at her.

"Bye, Rach," Serena, Ashley and I said in unison.

"Little does she know that this singing is going to ruin her already bad reputation. Such a naive girl." I tsked at her retreating figure. Serena and Ashley agreed with a sinister chuckle.

'Soon, you're going down. All because of your "singing",' I thought bitterly.