Finding Yourself || on hold

Chapter 2- Nightmares and Daydreams

Chapter 2

Thanks to Elaine, I had to wait about an hour until it was my turn. I liked being the third or fourth act because I could get it over with before my nerves got the best of me. This time, I was getting more and more nervous as the minutes ticked by.

As the time went by, the seats were filled with relieved kids, rather than extremely nervous. I kept checking my wrist-watch and playing with my braid. I then studied my sheet music and listened to the song that I was going to sing through my earphones. Again.

I heard a round of clapping from the audience above the song. Looking up from the running notes and staccato markings, I yanked the earphones out of my ears. Plastering a smile on my face, I clapped politely. 

From the stage came a girl who was clutching a violin as if it was her baby. She was red-faced was smiling slightly. I knew that her name was Sarah and that she was thirteen. However, she was very petite and looked ten instead of thirteen

Sarah stumbled into the chair next to me. Cautiously placing her well-kept violin on the ground at her feet, she folded her sheet music gingerly. I noticed that it had many thirty-second (32nd) notes and a ton of markings that ranged from detaches to trills. 

"Wow, how did you play that?" I asked her, nodding at the folded music. Sarah turned to me, her brown eyes twinkling.

"Well, it's only Bach, and his melodies repeat and he goes back to A Tempo a lot, so it's quite easy once you get the hang of it. It's a level six peice, but it doesn't seem like it," she blabbed on and on. I nodded fervently nad pretended to understand what she was saying.

"So... I'm guessing you did well?" A smile tugged at my lips, seeing how relaxed she was. Sarah twisted the ends of her straight brown hair and met my smile with a shy one of her own. 

"I think I did well. Did you hear who's in the audience?" She abruptly asked. Furrowing my eyebrows, I shook my head no. Please don't tell me it's Justin Bieber, I prayed.

"It's Blake Eversworth!" She exclaimed, letting out a small squeal. I frowned and leaned back in the metal chair, folding one leg over another.

"Isn't he the eighteen year old heartthrob that calls himself a singer?" I asked in a bored voice. Picking up my sheet music from my lap, I glanced over the lyrics for the umpteenth time. Sarah gave me a look that contrasted with her usual sweet ones.

"He's amazing! I also hear that his manager is with him. I think they're looking to discover someone!" She exclaimed, failing to keep the excitement out of her voice.

Before I could reply, there was another round of applause. The stage manager, who had an earpiece bigger than he was, poked his head out from behind the massive red curtains. After he glanced around the room, he called, "Lundqvist, Olivia." I abruptly stood up, and the stage manager motioned for me to follow him.

Squeezing my eyes shut for a split second, I shook off all my nerves. After opening them again, I  started walking towards the stage. As I got on it, the blinding lights shined on me and I heard some polite clapping.

Walking downstage, I picked up a large microphone from its stand. I quickly scanned the audience for Mariana, but I couldn't see her amongst the hundred or so people in the audience. I took a deep breath and cleared my throat.

"I'm Olivia Lundqvist, and I'm gonna sing Don't Rain on my Parade," I spoke into the microphone, loud and clearly. My voice echoed throughout the auditorium because of the speakers. I heard several audience members mumble, since it was a hard song to sing for someone my age. But, I chose to sing  it because I always used to sing it to my dad.