Chasing Stars (Daniel Seavey)

House Of Blues / Top 24

It was the night that the top 48 American idol contestants were performing the first time in front of an audience. Payton was back in the dressing room with Jax and Adanna getting ready. "You excited about tonight?" Adanna asks. "I am!" Jax smiles. "I'm am but also nervous." Payton says. "Don't be nervous Pay, you'll do great!" Jax smiles at Payton. "Thanks. I know you two are gonna slay." Payton laughs. "Thanks!" Adanna laughs. Payton phone buzzes and sees a text from Trevor. She laughs at the text and answers him back. "Who you texting?"Jax asks. "Trevor. He's such a nerd." Payton rolls her eyes. "Ohhhh do you like him?" Adanna raises her eyebrows. "No dude, he's just a friend! We're from the same state so we get along pretty well." Payton explains. "Yea Adanna. She likes Daniel." Jax turns over to Adanna. "Oh god. Don't start with him." Payton sighs. "Admit it Payton. You have a thing for Daniel and he has a thing for you!" Jax says. "Nooooo! Daniel can never like me." Payton looks down. "Aw come on! He likes you!" Jax says. "How can you tell?" Payton asks confused. "Well one, when we were watching the episode from last week, you said he was cute and he said you were pretty!" Jax explains. "That doesn't mean anything." Payton scoffs. "The way he was looking at you at the hotel last night though." Adanna adds in. "We were just juggling hotel apples with Trevor." Payton laughs. "It's obvious he likes you!" Adanna says. "I'm not gonna focus on Danny now." Payton laughs. "See! You even have a nickname for him!" Jax laughs. "So? It's a nickname." Payton laughs and stands up and walks towards the door and opens it. "Where are you going?" Adanna asks. "No where." Payton says closing the door. "She's meeting up with Daniel." Adanna says. "No kidding." Jax says turning back to the mirror and finishes her makeup.
*****
Meanwhile at the boys dressing room

"Hey guys!" Daniel walks in the dressing room with Trevor and Adam. "Well aren't you looking like a stud?" Trevor laughs. "Funny." Daniel smiles and sits down. "You nervous kid?" Adam asks Daniel. "Meh a little." Daniel shrugs. "Who you texting?" Daniel asks Trevor who's laughing at a text. "Oh Payton." Trevor looks back. "Vaughns?" Daniel smiles. "No Payton the unicorn." Trevor laughs. Daniel laughs. "What is with it with you and Payton?" Adam asks Daniel. "What about us?" Daniel looks at Adam. "Do you guys have a thing?" Adam asks. "Oh gosh no." Daniel laughs. "We are just friends. Plus she likes Trevor!" Daniel points at Trevor. "Ok one. We are just friends." Trevor starts to say. "And two, that's not what she told meeee." Trevor sing songs and raises his eyebrows. "You know who she likes?" Daniel smiles. "Yep." Trevor smiles. "Well who does she like?" Adam asks Trevor. "I promised I won't tell anyone." Trevor turns around. Daniel takes a pillow and throws is at Trevor and Adam laughs. "And why do you care? You don't like her do you?" Trevor raises his eyebrows. Daniel sighs. "I'm not saying anything.." Daniel stands up. "Hey where are you going?" Adam asks Daniel. "Meeting up with Payton before the showcase." Daniel says opening the door. "Awww Daniel has crush." Adam teases. Daniel looks at Adam and picks up a pillow. "Hey! Don't you dare!" Adam says. Daniel throws the pillow. "You're welcome!" Daniel laughs. "Don't tell anyone ok?" Daniel walks out and closes the door. "He likes her!" Trevor tells Adam. "Ah young love." Adam laughs.

Payton and Daniel meet up with each other before the show and head backstage. Trevor just finished and Daniel was up next. "Next up Daniel Seavey." The announcer called Daniels name. "Good luck Danny!" Payton hugs Daniel. Daniel walks up on stage in front of the audience and started singing "Straight Up". The crowd cheered and there was a big smile on Daniels face. Daniel walks back backstage and was greeted by Payton! "Danny you did great!!" Payton hugs Daniel. "Really?!" Daniel breaks the hug. "Yes! You killed it!" Payton smiles. "Thanks. Good luck to you as well!" Daniel smiles. "Thanks Danny!" Payton smiles and Daniel smiles.

Daniel walks back to the dressing room where Trevor is waiting for him. "Bro!" Daniel runs in. "What's up?" Trevor looks at Daniel. "I like Payton." Daniel sits down and covers his face. "Noooooo!" Trevor says sarcastically. "Shut up dude I'm serious." Daniel says. "Ok Daniel. What made you officially start to "like" like her?" Trevor asks. Daniel sighs. "After my performance, she hugged me and I felt something." Daniel says. "Wow! Well I could talk to her for you if you would like." Trevor offers. "Would you?!" Daniel looks up at Trevor. "Yea man. Like a wingman!" Trevor smiles. "Thanks Trevor but now I'm gonna act stupid in front of her." Daniel stands up. "Hey you'll be fine. Just be normal ok?" Trevor tells Daniel. "Ok. Thanks Trevor." Daniel smiles. "No problem." Trevor smiles. "Payton's up soon so I'm gonna get going." Daniel says walking to the door. "I'll come." Trevor says getting up. Daniel and Trevor walk backstage to catch up with Payton before she goes on. "Hey Payton!" Daniel runs up to Payton who's grabbing her guitar. In a blink of an eye, Daniel trips. "Danny!" Payton runs up to Daniel. "Are you ok?" Payton asks. "Yea...I'm fine." Daniel hisses in pain. "Are you sure?" Payton asks. "Yea Pay. I'm fine really." Daniel smiles. "Next, Payton Vaughns." They hear the announcer. "You need to go." Daniel says to Payton. Payton sees Trevor running towards her and Daniel. "Trevor please look over Daniel." Payton tells Trevor. "Payton Vaughns." They hear the announcer say again. "Yea I will just go!" Trevor says motioning her to go on stage. "Payton!" Daniel calls Payton. Payton stops and looks at Daniel. "Good luck." Daniel smiles. Payton smiles. "Here." Adam runs up to Payton with her guitar. "Thanks Adam!" Payton hugs Adam and goes on stage. "Sorry, I had some trouble backstage." Payton says to the judges and the audience. "That's ok baby. Go ahead." JLo smiles. Payton smiles and starts playing the guitar to Sing by Ed Sheeran. She finished and everyone clapped. She went backstage. She spots Maddie and Joey. "Hey guys!" Payton walks up to them. "Hey Pay! You killed it!" Joey smiles. "Thanks! Hey have you seen Daniel?" Payton asks. Maddie and Joey looks at each other and raise their eyebrows. "What?" Payton asked confused. "Nothing." Maddie laughed. "I saw Daniel with Trevor and Nick just around that corner over there." Maddie points. "Thanks Maddie! Good luck you guys!" Payton smiles and walks away. Payton stops and walk back to Maddie and Joey. "We are not dating by the way. Get it? Got it? Good." Payton smiled and ran around the corner leaving Maddie and Joey laughing. Payton spots Daniel on the couch with an ice pack on his knee with Trevor and Nick next to him. "Danny!" Payton runs up to him. "Hey Payton! You did awesome!" Daniel smiles. "That doesn't matter are you ok?" Payton asks. "I'm fine Pay." Daniel laughs. "Are you sure? Do you want me to help with anything?" Payton asks. "I want you to quit worrying about me because I'm fine!" Daniel laughs. "You're crazy!" Payton laughs. "Well I'll get going." Payton stands up and hugs Daniel. Trevor and Nick just raise their eyebrows. Payton breaks the hug and walks to her dressing room leaving Daniel with Trevor and Nick. "Well Bill Nye, your advice didn't work!" Daniel looks at Trevor. "Hey, you're the klutz ok?" Trevor laughs. "Well, I completely made a fool of myself in front of her!" Daniel takes the ice pack off his knee and stands up. "Don't worry bout it!" Nick says to Daniel. "I'm gonna go back to the dressing room and watch the rest of the show." Daniel says walking away. "He must really like her!" Nick tells Trevor. "You have nooo idea." Trevor laughs. The rest of the night, everyone just hung out and watched everyone's performances and waited to figure out who made it through to the top 24.
*****
It was the day when everyone figures out who made it trough to the top 24. So far the contestants that made it were Adam Ezegelian, Adanna Duru, Alexis Gomez, Clark Beckham and then Daniel got called. "Good luck Danny." Payton hugs Daniel and him and his parents walk to the entrance where the judges are. "Hi baby!" JLo greets Daniel. "Hi." Daniel smiles and sits down. "You know we've been impressed with you from the beginning...." JLo starts to say. "...you're so young. And you know this is a really tough process. Great singers out there...." JLo starts the dramatic pause. "...you're one of them and we want you to be in the top 24." JLo smiles. "Oh.. My gosh." Daniel smiles in belief. "Thank you!" Daniel stands up. "So cute." JLo whispers. Daniel walks out and see his parents, Ryan, Payton and everyone else waiting. "I'm in!" Daniel nods and smiles. Everyone screams and claps. His mom hugs him and hugs his dad. "I'm so proud of you!" Daniels dad tells Daniel. "Danny!" Daniel hears and sees Payton running up to him. She jumps into Daniels arms and Daniel cries on her shoulder. "I'm so happy for you!" Payton tears up. "Thank you." Daniel smiles and breaks the hug. "Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt." Payton says to Daniels parents. "It's alright sweetie." Daniels mom smiles. "Congrats Danny!" Payton looks at Daniel and smiles and walks to her seat. After a break, Daniel sits next Payton. "I wish you the best." Daniel tells Payton. "Thanks Danny, I'm very nervous." Payton slightly smiles. "Don't be. I'll be here." Danny smiles. Payton hugs Daniel and Daniel takes Payton to meet his parents. After that, more people were chosen. Jax Cole, Joey Cook, Loren Lott, Lovey James, Maddie Walker, Mark Andrews, Michael Simeom, Nick Fradiani and then finally Ryan called in for Payton. Payton looks at Daniel and Daniel nods. Payton takes her two friends and Daniel to the entrance and went inside to see the judges. "Hello!" Keith greets Payton. "Hi how are you?" Payton smiles and sits down. "Great!" Keith smiles. "Now you know this is one of the hardest parts of being a judge..." Keith starts to say. "...but we always feel confident about the people we chose because they are very talented. When we see someone with excitement, dedication, energy, power and they look very happy on stage when they perform...we know that they have talent." Keith says starting the dramatic pause. "We see all those characteristics in you. And that's why we want you in the top 24." Keith smiles. "Thank you so much." Payton tears up in joy. "Congratulations baby." JLo smiles. "Thank you guys." Payton stands up and walks out with tears. She walks out and sees Daniel, her friends and Ryan with everyone else in the room staring. They see her crying and get the feeling that she didn't make it. Daniel goes up to Payton hugs her and she cries in his shoulder. She lets go. "I made it!" Payton smiles. Everyone jumps up and down and claps and Payton hugs Daniel tightly and hugs her friends and Ryan. "I'm so happy." Daniel smiles. "We made it!!" Payton hugs Daniel. "Ok love birds." Payton's friend Lulu breaks them up. Payton and Daniel laugh and take their seats and waited for everyone else to make it through. Qaasim Middleton, Quentin Alexander, Rayvon Owen, Riley Bria, Sarina-Joi Crowe, Savion Wright, Shi Scott, Shannon Berthiaume, Trevor Douglas, and Tyanna Jones all made it through. The rest of the night, the 24 American idol contestants went out for dinner.