Tyler and the Valaholics: The Beginning

Chapter 13

Song of the chapter- 'OBVI' by Sanjoy ft. Elliott Yamin

'Drink me up, drink me up like a potion,
Fill me up, fill my cup, you're my holy grail'

"Val, come on, don't be so hard on yourself," Stacie says in an attempt to coerce me out of the bathroom stall I've been standing in for at least the past forty minutes.

"She hates me, Stacie; I'm a monster. I mean, who would come here to audition for something her sister has been so pumped about for so long and then choose to do it alone if she had the chance to?" I mutter in a quiet voice that sounds quite disbelieving but it's just so shaky.

"Valerie, listen to me. They just offered you that option, it wasn't your fault that they did. And true, it does suck that the girls couldn't manage to get in, but guess what? This is a really good experience for them, and now they'll know how to take a rejection gracefully. Besides, you haven't even told the judges you would choose that," Stacie replies firmly but calmly.

"Yeah but-"

"She heard something she wasn't supposed to hear directly and so bluntly and that's fine, Val. You know you're the closest they have to a parent and part of being a parent is letting your kids face failures and disappointments because they are everywhere! You can't protect them from everything in this whole wide world. You've learnt from your mistakes and experiences, and they'll learn from theirs. Just give them some time and show 'em that you understand them. That'll have to do it."

I take a deep breath and let it put slowly, counting to seventeen in my head before I open the door and head to the wash basin. I splash my face continuously, even managing to soak the front of my top, with the cool water until Stacie holds my wrists and turns off the faucet.

"Val, seriously, take it a little easier," she whispers calmingly while gently wiping off my face and as much as she can of my neck and shirt.

After rummaging through her bag, she shoves a tee in my hand and gestures me to the stall directly in front of me. I rush in and peel off the wet shirt, managing to dry my torso as much as I can with the dry back part of the shirt, and slip into the oversized tee before heading back out and running my hand through my hair to make it look less messy.

"There you go. Now you walk on all the way back there, give 'em whatever response you want to and get to it now," she urges me on.

When I turn to look at her with remorse writ large on my face, her expression softens, "You aren't going to take it?"

"It won't be right to the kids. If those judges really want me so bad, then they're going to have to make room for all of us, not just me."

"But if they wouldn't?"

"They won't have me. That's all."

"But this, this is a rare opportunity, Val. You're certainly in love with music and I can so see you having this as a career option. Are you sure you want to give this up? Who knows if you'll be in the right place and at the right time if Lady Opportunity strikes again?"

"Stace, this is certainly a great opportunity, I'm not denying that. But it just wouldn't be right. Plus, you know, it's going to involve a lot of advance payments and the like. I don't, I don't want to have to spend one bit on something that just might not materialize when it could instead be used for the purpose of the kids. You might say this is just once but once we've had a taste of it, we'd probably be so intoxicated by it that we wouldn't even realize until we've blown everything we have on it and it just crashes."

Stacie stares at me, looking extremely dazed.

"But Val, I- I- you're getting an opportunity so many dream of. And I'm pretty sure the girls would also support you after they realize just how good it is for you. Don't- you're a lucky girl, but just don't push your luck too much."

Stacie pats my shoulder before she walks out. I wipe away the tears that somehow managed to escape my eyes during either of our monologues and take another deep breath. Okay, I'm doing this!

I walk out and, right away, I spot Vanessa.

"Hey, Van, can we talk?" I ask her in a soft voice.

"Actually, why don't you head on over to the judges who seem to have their beady eyes on you and forget that we even existed?" she says bitterly.

"Van, I-"

"No apologies, no excuses will ever work. You've got an opportunity so go for it. Bye bye birdie."

"Vanes-"

Van pushes me in the direction of the judge who spoke with me and indicates that I should get all the talking done.

"Um, hey, Valerie, have you made up your mind, huh?" he asks me.

"Are you sure you can't fit all of us in? They're my sisters, and I can't do it alone," I plead.

"Sorry, but we can't do that. It's you or none of you."

"Well, then, Mr. X, I've made my decision, and it doesn't involve you." I say and strut out of the room, heading towards the girls when someone grab my wrist and pulls me back so I can't move an inch.

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Go listen to the song of the chapter because I love it so very much! 😍😍

Also I don't know what the heck I've typed out because I was like half-asleep when I wrote this.
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