SIX - One Direction

4

The round that finally sent her packing felt both surreal and inevitable. She'd pushed herself to the brink, giving everything she had in her last performance, but the competition was brutal, and everyone was on top form. She'd sung her heart out, but it just wasn't enough.

After the results were announced, she found herself sitting alone, letting the reality sink in. The crushing sense of failure loomed, feeling almost like a weight on her chest. She'd come so far, but still, it hadn't been enough. Had she mucked up choosing the song? Had she let her nerves show too much? She ran through every little thing that might've gone wrong, replaying her performance in her head until she couldn't bear it.

A gentle hand on her shoulder brought her back to the present. It was Rachel, who'd made it through to the next round. She plopped down beside Alex without a word, offering a quiet comfort.

"Guess this is it, then," Alex said softly, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

Rachel shook her head, giving her a warm smile. "Nah, this isn't the end for you, Alex. Not by a long shot. You'll see."

They sat in silence for a while, both of them processing the day's events. After a bit, Rachel gave her a quick hug and headed off to prepare for her next round, leaving Alex to her thoughts.

Not long after, one of the show's assistants came over and asked her and a few of the other contestants who'd also been eliminated to gather in a small side room. Alex didn't think much of it—probably just some formal bit, maybe a last goodbye or feedback session. She followed the assistant, joining a handful of other contestants, both lads and lasses, all looking just as gutted as she felt.

Once they were gathered in the cramped room, the assistant left, leaving them in an awkward silence. Alex glanced around, recognising a few of the faces from the blokes' category, but no one seemed to have a clue what was going on. They shared uncertain looks, wondering why on earth they'd been called here.

Just as the tension was becoming unbearable, the door opened, and Simon Cowell himself walked in.