Ready to go back to 2010 with me?
Amber wakes up in her childhood bedroom with a massive headache. She looks at the date and it says; April 11 2010. This can't be right, because only yesterday it was October 16 2024. But it is right, it is real. So...
When Jade and I enter the girls' sleeping quarters, the hallway greets us with five numbered doors. Each door is uniform, painted a plain off-white with small brass numbers bolted on.
"This must be us," Jade says, stopping in front of Door 2 and turning the handle.
The room inside is simple but cozy. Two bunk beds sit against opposite walls, each paired with a small desk and chair. There's a shared closet near the door and a compact bathroom tucked into the corner, complete with a shower and a small vanity mirror. The sunlight streaming through the single window gives the space a warm, inviting glow.
"This is actually pretty nice," Jade says, tossing her bag onto the top bunk of the bed closest to the window.
I glance around the room and notice that one of the other bunks already has luggage neatly placed on both the top and bottom beds.
"I guess I'll take the bottom," I say, dropping onto the bed below Jade's with a small sigh.
"Where do you think our roommates are?" Jade asks, spinning around in the desk chair with her hands clasped behind her head.
As if on cue, a soft voice answers, "Oh, hello there."
We both turn to see a stunning girl standing in the doorway. Her light brown curls cascade just past her shoulders, framing her perfect light brown skin. She has a dusting of freckles across her nose, and her wide, kind eyes make her instantly likable.
"I thought I heard voices in here," she says with a warm smile.
Another girl follows her into the room. She's equally striking in her own way—tall and willowy with pin-straight hair bleached to an icy platinum blonde. Her fair skin glows in the sunlight, and her sharp, sculpted features give her a confident air.
"Hi, I'm Jade," my sister says, standing and gesturing toward me. "And this is my sister Amber."
"Hi," I add with a small wave.
"Oh, how cool—you're sisters!" the blonde girl says, her voice soft but enthusiastic. "I'm Laelynn. But you know, Lynn will work too."
"And I'm Daisy Mae," the curly-haired girl says. "But you can call me Daisy or Mae—whichever you prefer."
"Nice to meet you both," I say, smiling.
"We already unpacked a little," Laelynn says, motioning toward the closet by their beds, "but the one near your bunks is free if you want it."
"Thanks, but I think I'll just live out of my suitcase," I reply, patting my luggage.
"Yeah, no thanks," Jade says, already unzipping her suitcase. "I hate wrinkled clothes."
"Fair point," I say, reconsidering. "Maybe I'll unpack later."
"You two are really beautiful," Daisy says, sitting cross-legged on her bottom bunk and studying us.
I laugh lightly. "I was thinking the same thing about you two when you walked in."
"I love your dark hair and light eyes combo," Daisy says, grinning at me.
"Are you guys excited for today?" Jade asks, neatly folding a shirt and placing it into the closet.
"Oh, absolutely," Laelynn says, applying a light coat of lip balm. "My first solo class starts in about twenty minutes, so I need to hurry, though."
"You've got solo first? I'm on for duets," Daisy says, slipping into a vibrant dress that perfectly complements her complexion.
"Same here, solo that is." Jade says, closing her suitcase. "Want to head to class together?"
"Of course," Laelynn replies. Then she turns to me. "What about you, Amber?"
"I've got vocal duets," I say with a small shrug. "So I guess I'll see you guys later."
Before anyone can respond, there's a sharp knock on the door.
"Who's there?" Daisy calls out, her voice curious but casual.
"Probably for me," I say, getting up and heading to the door.
When I open it, I find Liam and Louis standing outside. Liam scratches the back of his neck, looking a little sheepish.
"For a second there, I thought we had the wrong room," he admits.
"No, you're good," I say with a grin. "Let me grab my schedule before we go."
I turn to head back inside, and Liam and Louis step into the room behind me.
"Harry got nervous about being late, so he already left," Liam says, glancing around. "Oh, hi, ladies."
"Hi," Lynn and Daisy respond in unison, both flashing polite smiles.
"Hi, Liam. Hi, Louis. Bye, Liam. Bye, Louis," Jade says quickly, grabbing a bottle of water and brushing past them. "Come on, Lynn—we've got to go!" She grabs Laelynn's arm and pulls her toward the door.
"Bye!" Louis calls after them, his voice trailing off as they disappear into the hallway.
Turning back to Liam and Louis, I gesture toward Daisy. "Liam, Louis, this is my new roommate, Daisy Mae."
They exchange quick greetings, and Daisy gives them a small wave.
"I really need to run," Daisy says, slipping on her sneakers. "Don't want to be late for my first class."
"We're heading out too," I say. "You can come with us if you want."
"Yeah, let's walk together," Daisy says, tying her hair into a sleek ponytail. "You've got duets too, right?"
"Yep. And so does Louis," I reply, turning to him.
"Let's go, then," Liam says, gesturing for us to lead the way.
We file out of the room and into the hallway, our small group falling into an easy rhythm as we make our way toward the classrooms. Daisy hums softly under her breath, and Louis chats animatedly with Liam about the competition's schedule.
The buzz of excitement and nerves is palpable, not just in our group but throughout the hallways as other contestants hurry to their classes. Some look confident, others wide-eyed with anxiety, but everyone seems eager to prove themselves.
As we reach the fork in the hallway where the classrooms divide, Liam waves and heads off toward his solo lesson, leaving me, Daisy, and Louis to find the duet room.
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