Spotlight #the2017Awards

Chapter 7

"You, with your words like knives and swords and weapons that use against me" - Mean by Taylor Swift

Today we had to rehearse the group number which meant I would see all the contestants again- including Mason.

It had been twenty hours since the awkward occurrence of the band asking me about my past, one littered with betrayal and regret but I honestly couldn't bare to tell anyone here about myself then they'd be disgusted.

The song we had to sing for the group number (before our individual performances) to showcase we 'could function as a well oiled machine and not just alone' (in the words of Belle Monroe) and we were singing 'Merry Christmas, Kiss my Ass' by All Time Low which we all were a little shocked by but we were assured it would leave a lasting impression.

I didn't doubt that for a second.

Everyone was here on the stage trying desperately to keep up with the choreography (a constant battle between Anna Patch and the dance director Pascal Quimby) and also read the confusing  signals their coaches gave. "On the eighth count your all going to spin around and face the audience" Pascal demonstrated a complicated looking turn, which made his neck scarf fly across the room. "Simple now you all try" he gestured to us as we stood there kind of awkwardly.

"GO ON NOW!"

We all stood in a straight line and began to spin, for a split second I felt it all click in my head but then I fell flat on my face, also creating a small tear in my dress. "Damn it" I pounded my fist into the stage as I felt all the contestants eyes boring into my skull, what a day. "Gosh Marley now we need to start all over again" simpered Tallulah who began to pout while I began to growl.

"It's alright Marley" Jack Huang came over to me and helped me up by the arm and led me to the back of the group. "Thank you Jack" and he just shook his head "it's okay, not everyone can dance it's not a big deal"
"In this industry it is" and with that comment Jack began to fix my posture so I could do the spin. 

I nailed it after four hours and felt like this dance would be the death of me and my career.

---/----/

I had my song book open but the pages were blank. The hotel room was cold and chilling and I had my beige shawl wrapped around me and I held the pen stiffly in my hands, I needed something-anything.

We had since been tasked after our gruelling practice to start to write and formulate a lyric, a beat, a genre anything to get us going. The competition was about to kick off in two days ,the performances were to start and our live audience would either beg for more or boo us off stage.

I had so much pain in the last year or so but I didn't know how to express it. I mean how!? How do singers do it? How do they pour it all out because I certainly couldn't.

*ping*

Checking my phone I noticed a missed call from Clarion and I decided I needed to talk to my sister, even if it was just to procrastinate. I dialled her number and she picked up on the third ring.

"Marls?" She sounded a bit worried and chocked up. "Clarion what's wrong?" I pushed her "nothing, nothing tell me how's Treble?" She was stalling but I was actually so excited to tell her that I ignored it. "Oh Clarion it's amazing! My mentor is Phillip Carol! And I am singing great music and having the best time. Oh gosh and the Florence Entertainment Centre is amazing, it's gorgeous and I have met this band called the Emeralds and I am becoming friends with them especially Mason-" Clarion cut me off "who's Mason!?"

"The lead singer?"
"But is he?..." I knew what she was asking and I already knew my answer "no Clarion he's just an acquaintance , nothing more and nothing less" she sounded satisfied for the time being but I wasn't letting her off the hook about before "Clarion what's wrong? Tell me now" I gripped the phone tighter and heard her sigh deeply. "Marley, Jesse and Iris called around and they were looking for you"

Well shit.

---/

I am sorry it was a short chapter but the next in will be the official start of the competition. There will be an elimination and a bit of Marley's past revealed...