Dazzled

Tony - Pressure

After breakfast was over, all 16 of us piled into the black cars we came here in, and drive off to some offices not far to go on with business. First, we got told what songs we would be working on.  Then, we were taken off to our individual vocal coaches who did some warm-ups then I sang through my song, and then got put in a booth to record my vocals. I had no idea that the process went so fast. I was told by my coach that two other people were going to feature in the song with me, and I would find out whom later.

I was sent into a studio with mirrors covering the walls to meet the ‘Dance Troop’ as people called it. They were the backing dancers and I would have to learn how to dance with them. I was beginning learning the dance when two more people came in. First came in Darrin, I had got to know him a little, but he seemed like a cool guy. Then followed Emma, the pretty girl from Coventry who I had breakfast with. My heart skipped a beat and I could feel my pulse in my throat. She went over to the other side of the studio to talk to the dance instructor. I tried to walk over to Darrin to greet him, but kept my eyes glued on Emma. Because of this, I ended up walking into a chair that was in the way. Thankfully she didn’t see. Come on Tony, I scolded myself, get your act together man!

We learned the entire dance in one day, and went over it many times too so that now it was permanently imprinted into my brain. I guessed that was good since there were only two day until show-time and I couldn’t mess up on stage. We had quite a few shows until the first filmed one. What it worked like was that we’d have a live audience for about five shows, then the sixth one would be filmed and televised, then people would vote, and someone would get eliminated by the end of the week, and that all over again the next week. It was quite some pressure, and little time to prepare as well. Some people got snappy because they were starting to feel the strain. I asked my vocal coach if she could give me the recording I did of my song, so I could put in on my iPod on repeat to learn it.

By the time I had got back to the hotel, my legs were in agony. I took my phone and iPod from my room and went down to the hotel lounge to try and relax there. I looked around the lounge and saw many familiar faces; including Emma. She, along with some others were sitting on beanbags watching T.V. Afraid that I would mess up and do something stupid again, I sat down on a sofa not far away but not too close. She noticed me when I sat down and smiled a cute one. I leaned forward so that my forearms were on my knees, trying to be as cool as I could, and I looked up at her shooting her a cheeky smile. She turned away back to the T.V, but I knew I had her locked. She almost immediately turned to look at me again, but this time I winked at her. She flushed red, and looking quite satisfied turned again back to the T.V for the last time.

I managed to calm my legs down and get a bit less stressed before dinner. We sat in the same place as breakfast; with Lindy and Emma, earning a few angry faces from other girls, but I had no objections. Once dessert came, I picked up a fudge sundae and took it to our table. As I took the first spoonful to my mouth my hand was unexpectedly smacked by Lindy.

“Tony!” She exclaimed. “That is a fudge sundae.” I looked at her, confused. “Fudge.” She emphasised. “Didn’t your vocal coach tell you? Fudge is bad for your voice.”

“No, I had no idea.” She looked at me unimpressed. “Did your vocal coach tell you?” I asked Emma.

She nodded sympathetically. I sighed, got up, and took my fudge dessert back. I came back and plopped back into my seat huffily and pouting.

“Well now you have taken away my food, entertain me.” Lindy and Emma both smirked at my irritation.

“What do you want us to do?” Emma giggled cutely.

I smiled in my head.

“Ok, um…” I said, trying to think of conversation. “Tell me where both of you are from, and about your families.”

Lindy went first after getting an approving look from Emma. Emma, always so polite.

“My parents were from Hong Kong, and they came here when they decided Hong Kong life was too busy and stressful.” I nodded in understanding, and then turned to Emma, waiting for her go.

“Born and brought up in England. My family is okay, I guess.”

“What makes them just okay?” Lindy asked with suspicious curiosity.

“Well, our relationship with my mum is not the best, she kind of hates me and my dad and I kind of hate her, but they’re too old for a divorce, or so my dad says.”

“Interesting.” I said. “What does she think of you being here in this competition?”

“Hm?” Emma said looking up from her drink that had been distracting her. “Oh.” She said catching on. “She probably doesn’t even know I’ve left.”

The look on Lindy’s face mirrored mine exactly as we both stared at Emma in shock.

“She…she doesn’t know you left?” Stuttered Lindy, exasperated.

“Don’t look at me like that!” Said Emma. “My dad knows, and he’s very proud.” She explained.

Our conversation was further cut off by Emma’s mobile phone ringing.

“Oh, sorry.” She took it out of her pocket and looked at the caller ID.

“Who is it?” Lindy asked with curiosity sparkling in her eyes.

“It’s just my best friend, Jeanette.”

“Stay here and pick it up, I want to know all the gossip.” Lindy insisted. Emma picked it up.

“Hi Jeanette. Yes I’m sorry I didn’t call earlier, I’ve just been so busy.”

“She can talk now!” Lindy spoke down the line after snatching Emma’s phone from her grasp, then handing it back to her.

“What do you want to tell me so urgently?” She said down the line. “What!” She screamed a few seconds after the question. “Wait, you are telling me, Andrew has been going around telling the entire school we are still together?”

Lindy gasped.

“Who’s Andrew?” She said, suddenly aware that she had no reason to gasp, considering the fact she had no idea who ‘Andrew’ was.

“My ex.” Emma shushed her with the wave of her hand. “Why is he doing that, he clearly walked off with another girl? But I’m not!” It was strange hearing her conversation only on one end.

“What is he saying?” Lindy asked leaning in. Emma held her hand to the microphone of her mobile and explained to Lindy.

“My ex is going around school saying that we are still dating, even though we broke up, just because he thinks I’m some kind of hot-shot-star.”

“Ooohhhh.” Lindy understood. “That’s not okay!”

“I know right!” Emma replied.

I was still sitting at the table, taking in all the information like a sponge. Poor Emma, he had this douche to deal with, then all the stress from the Listen Project. I would never treat her like this.

“Yeah, shows are starting soon. What do you mean you know? Opening night? How did you get those? Aww thanks Jeanette, that’s so sweet!”

“What is it?” Lindy questioned. Again, Emma put her hand over the mic.

“Jeanette has tickets for our opening night.”

“Oh that’s cool!”

“Look out for Emma Harris, Lindy Cooper and Tony Oliver.” I smiled at her. She bit her lip as she listened for the answer.

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“When did the shows start?” Claire asked.

“A few days later. We all finished out preparation, got our costumes fitted and so on.” Emma replied.

“That must have been so scary.”

“Everyone was terrified and stressed, people were snapping at each other and some came into work with bags under their eyes from lack of sleep. However, before we knew it, it was show time…”