"Sunday night... it's finally here," Zoey said, as she stood back stage. "Oh my god, I can't do
this, Mel! Do you see how many people there are out there?"
"Zoey, yes you can! I know you can! Your a fighter."
"A fighter with a mean case of stage fright, maybe."
Melanie smiled calmly. "Relax, girl. You look sooo totally fine, the judges won't even know it's
you!"
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
"Good. Definately good."
Zoey smiled. "Good."
She peeked through the curtains in time to see one of the entry's twirling a baton. "How can she
do that with a gown?!" Zoey wondered.
She stepped away from the curtains, and took a deep breath, trying to calm the butterfly's that
were in her stomach with nervousness.
Taking a few steps backwards, she bumped into someone. She turned around, coming face to
face with one of her contestants.
"Watch it," the girl snapped.
"Sorry," Zoey apoligized, and walked down the hallway. She wouldn't be up to sing for a little
while, anyway. Getting a bottle of water at the canteen, she sat down at a table. She couldn't help
over hearing the conversation that was going on at the table beside her.
"Oh, have you seen the compitition here?" One girl said haughtly. "I am a definate winner."
One girl agreed. "You got that right, Amber. You're definately the best looking here. I
mean...sitting next to that...that...trash," she said, looking in Zoey's direction, "You look like a
queen!"
Zoey's eyes filled with tears, as she got up from the table. She closed her eyes, and wished them
away, and when they had desolved, she opened them again. She walked back to where Melanie
was standing. It would be her turn to go up soon.
She waited and waited, until finally, it was her turn. She stepped through the curtains, her
stomach in a nervous knot. She stepped up to the microphone, and nodded to the piano player.
He began the soft melody to "On My Own" from Les Miserables. Zoey began to sing softly, and
then louder, filling the lyrics that flowed out of her mouth with emotion, and energy. She
searched the audiance while to sang, and to her horror, she saw Taylor, sitting front row, center.
She raised her eyebrows at him. He just sat there, his eyes wide.
Great, Zoey thought, as she sang. I must look like a complete idiot. I mean...Taylor.. he can really
sing...but me... I can't carry a tune if I tried.
She looked down at the floor, and continued the last lyrics to the song. "Without me his world
will go on turning. A world that's full of happiness That I have never known! I love him. I love
him. I love him. But only... On My Own." She looked up at Taylor as she sang the last words,
and then dissappeared behind the curtains.
Chapter Fifteen
