Spotlight #the2017Awards

Chapter 14

"You won't ever be alone, wait for me to come home /Loving can heal, loving can mend your soul" - Photograph by Ed Sheeran

I stood there trembling, tears slipping down like a waterfall and Brody staring back at me curiously. You see Brody and I weren't as close as Mason and I are - soon to be were! But we still had the occasional talk and we sometimes ate together in the music rooms jamming out to everyone from Taylor Henderson to Lady Gaga.

"Marley my god , come in" he pushed me inside where I noticed the second bed in the room which instantly filled me with panic , who else would need to see me like this? Noticing my panic Brody explained some of us got singles while others doubled and he got doubled with Ryan with Jack next door bunking with Hans (a singer who I nicknamed 'Elvis' because all he did on stage was swing his hips) but Ryan was partying and would sleep off his hangover tomorrow.

Brody gestured for me to sit and I sat on the end of the bed still sobbing hysterically. "What's the matter Marley, I don't know what to do..." He rubbed his head tensely and unfortunately my sobs were getting louder due to my thoughts of Mason being tainted with Tallulah making me sick.

"Marley please you need to breathe, MARLEY!" He shook me a bit but I didn't let up so he did what the cliche allowed and kissed me. It wasn't passionate but it was soft, sweet and short and most of all it shut me up. "Good you've stopped crying now will you tell me what the hell is wrong?" I carefully evaluated him, checking for any tell tale signs of malicious intention but couldn't find any so I took a deep breath to compose myself.

"Can't you hear that across the hall?" I asked him pointing to the door where the noises were audible but muffled substantially. "Yeah Mason is banging Tallulah unless he's screaming the wrong name then that would be bad" he chuckled but when Brody saw my expression he stopped "why does that...oh" it clicked in his head and he observed me carefully watching for me to deny it but I didn't and I couldn't.

"And that's not the worst of it..." I continued to tell him how he kissed me after rehearsal and what he said and I watched Brody's face became contorted in anger. "That fucking twat, I'm going to kill him" as he stood I pulled him down and shook my head at him. "I want to do something though to say how much he hurt me and that he can't pretend nothing is wrong".

Brody thought for a moment and then his eyes lit up. "I have an idea but it's risky and you could get in serious trouble"

"I'm all in Brody, whatever it is I'll do it and I'll do whatever you say"

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Round three of Treble was about to begin which to me felt surreal because it felt like a lifetime since it started but it had been been three weeks -only seven more to go.

I was standing in front of my dressing room mirror in my long blue ballgown type dress, makeup done and hair curled into place- they had chosen this costume to make me look regal but I felt like a poser. I felt like I was suffocating in it and I wanted to rip it off in hast because I could have passed out.

I heard people sing Calvin Harris and Bastille and then I heard my name be introduced but before I did I unzipped my dress leaving me in a a nanny blue slip and a pair of blue heels but I walked into stage anyway. When I got onto the stage, like always I couldn't see the audience but I did hear gasps.

Thankfully I had spoken to the people I needed to so this could work.

Walking up to the microphone I saw the strange looks from the judges ranging from horrified to intrigued. "hi everyone... I know tonight I was expected to sing Ready to Run by one direction but recently someone has hurt me and like my mentor says "music is a language which can be translated into pain, loss, sorrow, love and many more" so I've decided to sing a song that reflects the recent transgressions of this person".

The beat started and the gapping and furious glares of the judges watched me intensely but I ignored them.

You wanna play, you wanna stay, you wanna have it all ,You started messing with my head until I hit a wall.Maybe I should've known, maybe I should've known that you would walk, you would walk out the door, hey!

I began to strut  around the stage earning some whoops from the stage and began to really get into it as the chorus hit where even judges looks softened a bit. I managed to spot Mason in the wings and see his shocked and pissed off expression. Now for the main attraction, the part traditionally sung by Cher Lloyd was now going to have a twist.

On cue Brody jumped out and began to belt the verse:  "Yeah, listen up, hey, hey, never look back, dumb struck boy, ego intact. Look boy, why you so mad
Second guessin', but should've hit that...
Hey Marley, you picked the wrong lover should've  picked me, I'm  cuter than the other. I just wanna laugh, cause you're tryna be a singer! Kick him to the curb, take a Polaroid picture..."

We both sang the final chorus together earning a huge uproar of applause and we took our bows, walking of the stage in triumph. "HEY! You made a fool of me and what the hell are you angry about" Mason roared when we got into the wings and I couldn't help but laugh "you screwed with my head and her" I said gesturing to Tallulah and decided he would get nothing more from me and walked off.

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All through the Emeralds number Mason kept giving Brody dirty looks during his extremely angry rendition of The Reckless and the Brave. For our elimination it was stressing me out as we all stood in nervous shaking until the last three contestants were left standing and I realised I was part of them. "Marley you did a reckless thing ... But it was inspired and heartfelt and I expect that from my students but never do something like that again without consulting me but tonight you are safe" I almost collapsed in relief and got hugs from the final two  Hans and The twins.

In the end Hans was eliminated leaving the competition down to 8 contestants and it felt scarier now than it was before. I saw a voicemail left on my phone from Clarion and mum but I judges needed to sleep.

Collapsing in bed I was strangely blessed with dreams of a better time...

__________

Sooo Marley for her musical revenge and it looks bleak for her and Mason but will he fix her shattered heart.

The next chapter will be a flashback on Marley's happier times ...

Above is Marley's controversial slip that she wears while singing.