HAZEL FINE SINGS ALONG (WATTYS 2022 Winner!)

Chapter 33: All I Ever Wanted

Hazel's first number had gone well, a cover of Billie Eilish's "All I Ever Wanted" that she'd done simply at the piano, wearing a long flowing ballet pink dress that Kate had once again sourced for her. Her mind was spinning with the words that had been whispered to her offstage, trying to figure out who it was. She was lucky that the chord progression was simple, and the song wasn't that vocally challenging.

But with this song, it was the performance that was important, and she channeled all her angst and fear about Nick and their argument into the lyrics while a single spot shone down on her. The stage behind her glittered with colored fairy lights. It had been beautiful when she'd done the tech rehearsal and it was even more so in front of a live audience with the lights down low.

When she hit the last chord, she held it for as long as she could, and the audience went perfectly still before erupting in applause. Keshawn blew her a kiss while she took a bow, and she avoided eye contact with Martin. She scanned the crowd for any sign of Nick, but he was nowhere to be found. She had to put any thought of him aside. She just had to make it through tonight, and then she could fix things with him. She could fix things with everyone.

She left the stage and went to the quick-change area to get ready for her group number. Zoey was already there, slipping into the black shirt and pants they'd decided to add to the number. They were all going to wear miners' caps on their heads with lights that would syncopate with the clapping they'd done the first time around.

"Where's Bella?" Hazel said.

Zoey shrugged and adjusted her cap. "What do you think?"

"I think we look silly, but it will be effective."

The costumes had been Benji's idea. The teams who'd dressed up in the group auditions hadn't succeeded but that was then, and this was now. When they'd done a run through and Hazel had watched the playback on a monitor, she knew he was right to insist on it. Nick had agreed. Hazel had wondered, then, if that was still part of him helping her, because even though the group number didn't count toward your individual performances, every minute you were on stage was important, and Hazel had the best part of the song.

"We should get in place," Zoey said.

"Right."

Zoey started to walk away from her prep area when her phone flashed on the desk. "It's Brooke, let me just check it real quick."

"Okay, but we don't want to miss our cue."

Zoey picked up her phone. Hazel knew in an instant that something was wrong. Zoey's eyes went wild, and her hands started to shake.

"Is Brooke okay?"

Zoey stared at her. "Is it true?"

"Is what true?"

Zoey's eyes tracked to her phone then back to Hazel. "Are you her?" She held up her phone, turning it toward Hazel. On it was an image of a young girl, about eight years old, striking a jazz hand pose. "Are you Daisy Dawson?"

Hazel felt like she was floating, like she might rise right up out of her shoes and leave the earth behind. But the past, her past, was tethering her to the ground. It had been an anvil around her neck ever since she'd agreed to go on that show when she was seven.

No, that wasn't fair. She'd begged her parents to let her be Daisy Dawson, America's little sister. She'd begged and begged, and they'd relented. Her life had been a disaster ever since.

"You are?"

All Hazel could do was nod.

"Hazel, Zoey, what are you doing here? Onstage, now," Nick said pulling the curtain aside without even checking to make sure they were dressed.

Zoey put her phone down and walked past Hazel in a daze.

"You coming, Hazel?" Nick asked, a tinge of annoyance in his voice which Hazel couldn't blame him for.

"Right behind you."

Hazel followed Nick to their staging area outside the fire doors. They were going to start the song in the audience, just like in the group rounds.

Bella was up ahead of her. She shot Hazel a self-satisfied look over her shoulder and Hazel knew, right then and there who'd done this to her. Who the voice was in the darkness.

It was Bella. Bella all along who'd been plotting against her. Their détente had been a fake out, or if it had been real, then something had happened to set her against Hazel again. She was the one who'd leaked that stupid pregnancy story, and somehow, somehow, she'd found out about Hazel's past.

"Ready, Hazel?" Bella said sweetly. "Careful out there. You wouldn't want to do a 'Whoops-a-Daisy'."

Hazel closed her eyes as the lights dimmed.

Her secret was out.

Her secret was out.

The fake pregnancy was going to be a cake walk compared to this.

But she couldn't do anything about that right now. Right now, all she could do was sing.