FLASHBACKS ➳ JACK GILINSKY

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - SAY GOODBYE

This is the shortest chapter ever. I am so sorry for how short this is. I didn't even realize, but check out the note in the end!!!

SEVENTEEN

I blinked rapidly after the song had ended. I had to close my eyes then reopen them again to see if this wasn't some dream my head was tricking me with. How can this possibly be real?

"What a moving performance from Jack and Elena! Am I right?" Nick questioned the audience, resulting in them to erupt in applause and cheers. "Jennifer? What do you think?"

"I think," she began cautiously, looking up from her papers, "that you guys were incredible!" She exclaimed, making the sounds of applause and cheers louder than before. "That - that was just perfect. I don't know how you guys can perform with so much emotion than you did before, but this was just spot on. You have a long way in this competition."

"I actually disagree," Simon voiced, and the crowd booed loudly at him. "I believe that you guys have a long way in the music industry in general." The crowd roared with cheers again. "Even if you don't win, I would be happy to sign you to my record label."

I sucked in my breath. Holy shit, I thought. I can't believe he has that much faith in us to promise us such a thing. What if we were to let him down? What if we won't even keep this duo if we lose?

As if Jack knew what I was feeling, he reached out for my hand and grasped it tightly in his warm hands. He smiled sweetly down at me, pulling me closer to him so that his hip was touching mine.

"I am actually really jealous of Adam because he managed to snatch artists as good as you guys, and I probably ruined myself because Adam just got really happy when I said that," Blake said, then sighing afterward, making all of us laugh.

"You're right," Adam replied. "Thank you for that."

"Damn."

"The whole room could just felt that performance in their skin," Adam said, bringing his arm up to demonstrate. "It's really something to see you guys come so far. You have got what it takes to win, and I'm quite happy because I won't get to see that guy over there," Adam pointed at Blake, "win and brag about it all the time."

"Give it up for Jack and Elena everyone! If you want them to make it through the next round text 1 at 92850!"

We got off the stage, and Ivy came up to me, pulling me into a tight embrace almost knocking me off my feet. "You did amazing! I'm so proud of you!" She exclaimed with a huge smile.

I gave her a small smile in return, but then something behind us caught my eye. Something really weird and out of place and that something was Jack standing all alone. You see the weird thing about this was that no one was with him, no one accompanied him when he came backstage. That was unusual because Avery would always come up to him, kiss him, congratulate him on his awesome performance or soothe him when he had a bad one. Today though, she wasn't there.