Tyler and the Valaholics: The Beginning

Chapter 15

Song of the chapter- 'In the Name of Love' by Martin Garrix and Bebe Rexha

'Would you let me lead you even when you're blind?
In the darkness, in the middle of the night,
In the silence, when there's no one by your side.'

"Oh, Val, do you want me to put up your hair for you?" Stacie asks me just before I walk out the door.

"Oh come on, Stacie! It isn't so bad left down!" I whine.

"Sure, you look real cute with your hair down the way it is right now but an elegant elaborate updo would definitely do those luscious locks justice!" she gushes.

Vanessa rolls her eyes as she drapes my jacket around my arm.

"Lay off her, she looks great. Here, it'll surely be at least a bit cold there. Enjoy!" she says and goes back to her room.

Stacie smiles at her closed door and tells me, "I knew she'd come around to supporting you!"

"Alright, you are the most intelligent person I have ever had the privilege of acquanting my poor brainless self with but now I've got to leave, okay?"

"Okaaay!" she drawls.

I get that she's quite excited but it's quite abnormal of Stacie to be so excited and so hyperactive. Plus she was even a little jumpy.

Shoving the unease to the back of my mind, I proceed as instructed and soon find myself waiting for my turn to perform at the final qualifiers for the top twelve.

"So you play the violin, huh?" a guy who seems a couple years older than me asks me after plopping down by my side.

"Yeah, that's me," I respond in a  bland tone.

He chuckles in response and tells me he plays a stringed instrument too before nodding at an acoustic guitar by his side.

"Josh Jansen," he introduces himself, reaching his hand out for a handshake.

"Valerie Tyler."

"Wow, that's a really cute name!"

"Really? I've always hated it because it sounds so old and Victorian."

"Elizabeth is Victorian. Victoria is Victorian. Valerie may feel a little old-fashioned to some, I guess, but I love it!" he gushes and moves his hand in an animated manner, somehow managing to drop his pick.

It clatters to the ground by my feet. I bend down to pick it up but so does he and we end up butting heads and wind up on the floor, rubbing our foreheads and wincing at the pain.

"Shoot, I'm so sorry, Valerie!" he apologizes.

"Oh, that's alright," I pick up the pick and drop it in his outstretched palm.

Dusting myself off, I stand up and bend down a little to offer him a hand up. He takes my hand and stands up, his eyes bare inches from mine.

"Wow, your eyes are such a pretty shade of brown. Reminds me of my favourite dark chocolate," he almost purrs in a low voice.

"Gee, thank you!" I shoot back, my voice breaking through the fog he seems to be caught blind in like laser beams.

"Anyhow," he steps back cautiously, "good luck!"

He quickly sprints away, seemingly embarrassed. Oopsy daisy.

"Valerie Tyler?" one of the attenders in their trademark black shirts calls out my name.

"That's me," I tell him, waving my hand.

"You're up next so gear up!" he says and his attention returns to the clipboard snugly seated in his clutch.

I pick up my stuff and hum as I walk over to the side wings of the stage where I'm told to await further instruction. The contestant performing before me messes up and misses the note she set out for and I wince. Poor lady!

All of a sudden, my chest feels a little tighter as a familiar nauseating feeling takes over. I would probably throw up if not for the hunger clawing at my stomach that I'm just reminded of. My earlier calm breaths turn to quick and rapid pants as I gasp for air. No, this can't be happening! Not right now!

"Hey, hey, cool down!" the attender closest to me rubs my back and tries to calm me down but I just don't seem to be able to relax. I try to force my body to take deeper breaths but I can't draw out my breaths until they're deep.

"Good Lord, girl, are you okay?" someone asks me.

"Elsie, does it look like she's okay, for heaven's sake?" someone else rebukes her.

My vision is doused in blackness and I'm pulled over to a chair where someone keeps rubbing my back and telling me to breath normally. My short inhalations soon expand as I cool off a little, my vision slowly clearing and my breathing returning to near normal.

"Oh, good thing you're okay!" someone seated by me sighs.

"How are you feeling about performing?" she asks, pointing at the now empty stage.

"I have to do this," I tell her and carefully take a deep breath before picking up my violin and taking dainty steps to reach the dais. The lights feel too bright and my mouth feels too dry. I squint at the judges who wave and ask me to reintroduce myself to all the people present.

"I'm Valerie Tyler and I'm twelve," I utter softly, my voice barely a whisper.

"A little louder, honey?"

"My name is Valerie Tyler, I am twelve years old and I love to sing, write and dance," I repeat in a voice audible enough and, with the microphone, it should be enough.

"Okay, and how are you feeling about coming here and performing soon?"

"I'm nervous for sure but I'm quite thrilled to be at the receiving end of such an opportunity," I reply shakily. My arms are feeling quite wobbly and my knees are about to turn into water.

"Alright then, whenever you're ready, take it away!"

My head pounds as I try to look at the judges but I can barely make out their silhouettes in the blaring light nearly blinding me. I squint and peep but I can't see anything beyond a few feet from me. Those little black spots soon start to blot up my vision and expand to form one giant blob before I lose the minimal balance I had before and collapse to the ground.

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Double update 'cause I love y'all!

Also, Josh wasn't initially supposed to be in the story this early but I couldn't resist putting him in, the adorkable guy he is!

Anyhow, see ya soon!

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