Accidental Fame (Fame #4)

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

A week has passed and Genesis was still dating Chandler. On the bright side, when I told my dad I almost had a panic attack at school, he talked to all my teachers for me and told them that I had to sit away from other people. Mrs. Rush ended up getting Chandler to move whenever he tried sitting there, and he made Genesis move with him.

At lunch, I was doing what I normally did ever since I had to stay away from Genesis; walking around the hallway, trying to pass time.

I saw a poster for a talent show and Chandler was currently signing up. When I read what his talent was, I almost scoffed. "Really?" I asked him. "Since when is flexing your muscles a talent?"

"All the ladies love it," he said. "Especially my Genesis. Besides, nobdy could ever compete with me."

"So, did you leave Genesis yet?" I asked.

"That isn't going to happen," he said. "You know, unless you sign up for the talent show and just so happen to beat me. But you are a socially awkward person. You can't even sit near people. I doubt you can ever perform whatever talent you have in front of people."

When he walked away, I stared at the sign up seat. I know he was being sarcastic about him leaving Genesis if I beat him in the talent show, but it would be hilarious if I did.

Too bad I couldn't perform in front of people.

I tried walking away from the sheet, but I couldn't. Instead, I found myself picking up the pencil attached to it and writing something I never thought I would. I signed up for the talent show. For singing.

I couldn't believe I just signed up for the talent show. For singing. Something I was trying to hide from everyone that I could do. If I sang in front of my school for the talent show, I would be revealing myself as the mystery singer. I couldn't do that.

Then again, on the other hand, I could always sing the song I was keeping for myself. When Genesis heard it, maybe....maybe she would have the courage to leave Chandler.

I had no idea if I should go through it or not. I could quickly erase my name so I didn't have to.

So why couldn't I? I was trying, but I couldn't bring myself to erasing my name.

I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and called Hunter. He answered shortly after. "What's up, Zander?" he asked. "Is everything okay?"

"I don't know," I said. "I just signed myself up for the talent show."

"And?" he asked. "That's not that big of a deal."

"I wrote that my talent is singing," I said.

"Wait," he said. "You're going to sing at your school's talent show? But then everyone will know you're the mystery singer. I thought you couldn't sing in front of people."

"I can't," I said. "But for some reason, I can't bring myself to erasing my name off the sign up sheet."

"Then that means a small part of you wants to go through with it," he said. "Are you going to?"

"I-I don't know," I said. "I signed up because Chandler said me beating him in the talent show was the only way he was going to leave Genesis alone, but he meant it as a joke. I just thought it would be funny for me to sign up and perform something because he thinks I can't."

"I think you should go through with it," he said. "You have agoraphobia because you're afraid of humiliating yourself in front of people, right?"

"Yeah," I said. "That's exactly right."

"But that won't happen," he said. "A lot of people, and I do mean a lot, love your songs and want the mystery singer to reveal himself so badly. You won't have to worry about humiliating yourself because you won't. Zander, you are an amazing singer and an amazing song-writer and I guarantee that if you get on that stage and perform, you will not humliate yourself. When's the talent show?"

"Two weeks from now," I said.

"Okay," Hunter said. "Here's what we're going to do. On Sunday, we're going to get everyone who works at the recording studio to come to my house because that's the one day it's closed and nobody will be working. Then you're going to tell them that you're the mystery singer."

"Hunter...."

"I'm not finished," he said. "You will practice your song a few times in front of us so you can get used to performing. The studio won't release your name as the mystery singer until the talent show."

"Hunter...."

"Zander, just listen," he said. "The song you've been keeping to yourself. That's the one Cannon and I heard the day he found out you're the mystery singer, right?"

"Yeah."

"And I'm guessing it's about Genesis and Chandler?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"If you sing that and Genesis hears...."

"Then she'll know that I'm in love with her," I said. "You know, something I don't want my best friend to find out."

"But what if the song makes her realize that she likes you?" Hunter asked. "That you'll treat her better than Chandler ever did. Best friends, most of the time, make the best kind of lovers. So. Are you going to go through with it?"

I was silent for a bit. I couldn't sing in front of people.

Well, apparently, my mouth had a different choice. "Yes."

What was I getting myself into?

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2-3 more chapters for today. cx I can't do anything else because apparently, I have no life.

According to my brother, I really need to lay off the salt. I have been really salty lately, but idc. I'm salty af.

The cover attached was made by @Genie2111