Spotlight #the2017Awards

Chapter 9

"I'm broken do you hear me? I'm blinded, 'cause you are everything I see"- More Than This by One Direction

I pick up the phone with shaking hands. I don't even care how late it is, it needs to get done. I pick it up and begin to listen the voicemails that were left behind.

"Marley what have you done?" -Jesse
"Have you thought about this?"- Iris

They escalate more and more until the last one which sends chills down my spine: "your a selfish bitch" which naturally came from Iris. I tried to ring Jesse but it just went straight to voicemail. "For heavens sake" I was tempted to throw my phone across the room I really was because I was sick of them! I was sick of their bullshit and making me the bad guy! I didn't do anything I did what some would say was the right thing...but there was doubt.

I grabbed my headphones and plugged them in and scrolled through my extensive music library, I needed something to detach myself. In the end I picked Move by Little Mix but even then I only tuned in the half of the song before falling into a restless sleep.

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'I've got the moves like Jagger..." Startling myself awake I realised the Maroon 5 song was coming from my phone. Reaching over I grabbed my phone and checked who was calling :

Iris Hamilton

"Hello?" I felt cautious speaking to her because I knew how she gets. "Don't speak Marley" what...? "Iris-?"

"I said shut up Marley" okay she's pissed. "You didn't even tell us! Why what's wrong with you? We knew you auditioned but you didn't get in!" I tried to interrupt her but she kept going until she said it: "is this because of me and Jesse?". I froze because how dare she ask me that! How dare she! She knows exactly why I am upset but maybe not all of it. "Piss off Iris, tell Jesse I say hello and I will see you in a few weeks but would prefer it if I didn't".

Before I could be yelled at I hung up on her. "ARGGGGGGGHHHHH" I flopped back down onto the hotel bed in both defeat and victory, checking my phone and I saw the time: 9:45 "OH MY GOD I AM LATE!!!" I pulled on a yellow sundress and ran a brush through my hair, cursing as I ran down the hallway.

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I heard the singing as soon as I stepped inside 'the Flo' and thanks to the wonderful acoustics I could hear everything including the wonderful song choice of 'my first kiss' (really!? We are a show about talent and this what they pick?) I followed the noise and saw everyone sitting down on stage and singing, the judges no where to be seen.

"What's going on?" I tentatively stepped on stage and everyone turned to stare at me. "The judges aren't coming this morning so we are having a little down time" Peggy explained, patting the spot next to her. When I sat down I heard Tallulah snicker and everyone whipped to face her. "What's so funny?" I asked her sharply but she just stood in the middle of everyone, her pink t-shirt dress under the yellow pinafore would look babyish on others but on her it looked stylish and grown-up. "I'm going to suggest a little showcase of our talents. We didn't really get a chance to watch each other for the competition so let's do it now" she gave me a wicked smile and I knew that this whole 'showcase' was a ploy, to what I didn't know.

"I'll go first" Tallulah announced she opened her mouth to sing but stopped to speak instead "oh and it will acapella too" and then she began to sing: "guess this means your sorry, your standing at my door" oh no a Kelly Clarkson song, they were powerhouse. She belted the chorus and she was amazing and when she was done she took a bow, instigating an uproar of applause which I couldn't help but in join. "Beat that" she looked at me when she said that and suddenly I got the game: territory.

One by one everyone started to get up and sing their piece (The Emeralds rendition of 'My only one' and the twins 'my signature move' were my favourites). "Alright my turn" I stood up and dusted myself off, racking my brain for a song until I had one and it was risky. "Be careful making wishes in the dark dark"everyone knew what song it was and banged their hands to the beat. It made me feel in charge and in control, some I saw Tallulah couldn't stand.

When I was done I could the same form of applause the Tallualh did only louder and the applause meant more to me than it ever could to her. "Wow that was..." Mason rubbed his neck as he approached me, struggling to find the words. "It was alright, I know" I winked and walked off the studio where I needed to practice my song for this Sunday.

Sitting at the piano, my song book sitting open and still unblemished with my writings. "I need something" I mumbled. I opened the book,prepared to write and realised I would have to go to the beginning of this pain to weave it into what some would call 'art'

No matter how much I didn't want to...

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A/N

So this beginning of next chapter will mark the first chapter-length flashback and provide some insight into the reason why Marley is so broken.

I apologise if she seems very Whiney but she is vulnerable even after a long time and she won't heal quickly so give her some time, she'll come good :)

Btw started adding some cast photos! Hope you like them :)