new girl » jerrie au

Ch. 2 - Aftermath

Tulisa was the first one to speak. She says that Perrie has the voice of an angel. She also comments on her ability to carry out Jade's high notes.

Kelly also adds that her voice is soothing but, at the same time, needs some improvement. Gary is the one that scares Perrie because he gives the females a hard time with his answers and is the one that sends them back.

Perrie watches from afar as Tulisa and Gary argue and go back and forth. They are bickering over whether they should keep Perrie on the show. He says that Perrie has potential, but because of her breathing at the wrong time, he doesn't see potential in her.

Tulisa said something along the lines of the group. Group? The only group she knows is Little Mix; well, they aren't a group, but soon to be when the fourth member is revealed. Perrie was too caught up in the moment that she wasn't paying attention to them.

Tulisa sits down with a pouty look on her face. "I'm so sorry, Perrie... but would you like to have a chance with my girls on their show? I believe you have what they are missing..."

If anything, Tulisa is Little Mix's manager, and if she gets that spot next to Jade. Perrie wouldn't mind losing this opportunity. She remembers Jade and her sweet voice telling their fans on Instagram ladies that the audition would be placed on a list. Then, three of those on the list will meet Little Mix in their studio in London.

Finally, Little Mix will choose the final member for their group.

As someone directs her backstage, she holds back a couple of tears. Is this real? Is she going on that list to be the fourth member of Little Mix? Her dream has always been to be a part of a group. She smiles when she sees Debbie asking around for her. Making her way toward her mother, she started to pick up her pace.

"Mom!" Perrie shouts as she spots Debbie opening her arms. Embracing her mother's arms, she hugged her tight.

"You did wonderfully, my little Pez. How about we go out for a treat, on me!" Debbie lilted as they walked to her car. Perrie glances around the parking lot, spotting a couple of the other contestants before her. Debbie glances back at her daughter as she sighs. This is the first time she finds Perrie smiling again. Since the incident a couple of years ago, she is glad to see herself waking up and being in her bubbly mood again.

Walking to the car, Debbie turns on the ignition as Perrie gazes out the window. Sucking in a breath, she looks away from her mother. Concealing her face from her mother, she looks down at herself to find her hands tied down to a chair. But the more she kept confining herself to a single spot. She can feel his eyes glaring down at her.

She wriggles in the chair, thinking she can remove herself from it. The slapping sound of something hitting the wall caused her to look back. "Come on, Perrie... it's just french fries. Eat it, honey."

He growled as Perrie shook her head. She refused to eat it. Especially if it is coming from him. Perrie continued to chain her no's, one after another. She screamed out for help as he inched closer with the food. The intoxicating hot fries burn at her skin as she stretches her head away from it. Hoping she doesn't eat it, but then...

"Honey! How about we go to Nandos!"

Before her mother could stop the car, Perrie shouted frantically. Tears were pricked at her eyes as she shook her head. She didn't want Nandos. Her enjoyment of any restaurant was ruined the second she met his family. How can one live in such conditions and still be respectful to each other?

"Mom!"

"Can we go to Kmart instead..."

The sudden change of mood and expression takes aback her mother. Perrie fumbles with the hem of her shirt as she looks down at her phone. Since she's been at the X-Factor, many friends have sent pictures of things she misses at school. She replies to her friend with a peeking emoji. Sighing, she shakes her head at the memes she's received from it.

"Yes, we can go to Kmart and get pasta instead."

She is traumatized by how her ex-best friend/ boyfriend was to her. Who wouldn't be? Abused mentally and physically. Her mother is the one who knows what happened that day. Blood remained on her hands. She's been washing her hands with hot water, hoping to remove it from her mind. Down she went; the hot water scalded her hands. It hurts to relieve the memories knowing no one wanted to believe an attractive and caring boy could have done such things. She just wanted the blood to be gone. Instead, it was a stain on her mind. Every time she spotted something that connected to him. She would lose balance, or she would faint.