The Spotlight

Chapter 28

I stand in front of my vanity mirror, my fingers still shaking slightly as I apply mascara. The wand trembles against my lashes, leaving tiny black dots on my eyelid that I quickly wipe away. My pulse hasn't settled since the elimination show, hours passing without diminishing the lingering adrenaline. Survival. That's what tonight was about—not winning, not impressing, just surviving another week. And somehow, against the odds and my own spiraling doubts, I did.

The image staring back at me from the mirror looks stronger than I feel. Blonde hair falling in loose waves around my shoulders, cheeks still flushed with emotion, eyes bright with remnants of fear and relief. I cap the mascara tube and set it down, taking a deep breath to steady myself.
Just hours ago, I thought my X Factor journey was over. One by one, Dermot called names that weren't mine, each contestant rushing forward with tears and smiles while I remained rooted in place, heart hammering against my ribs. With every name, the oxygen seemed to thin around me. David was called early, his relieved smile flashing as he bounded across the stage. Then Dean, looking genuinely surprised, as the audience cheered. As each person left the line, those of us remaining shifted closer together—a silent, instinctive huddle of shared anxiety.

When only three of us remained on stage, my legs gave a traitorous tremble. The studio lights beat down, mercilessly hot, highlighting the thin sheen of sweat across my forehead. Beside me, the lads from Phase One, one of Louis's groups, exchanged anxious glances, their youthful faces pale. On my other side, Katie, Tulisa's remaining girl, stood ramrod straight, her jaw set with a fierce determination that I almost envied. The commercial break stretched into an agonizing eternity, the three acts frozen in our poses—statues around the flurry of crew members rushing to adjust lights and cameras.

When Dermot finally returned, microphone in hand, the silence in the studio grew so profound I could hear the soft mechanical whir of the cameras. His eyes moved between us, that practiced pause extending to its breaking point before he finally spoke.

"The final contestant going through to next week is..."

The pause lasted an eternity. My heartbeat filled my ears, drowning out the audience's hushed anticipation. I stared at Dermot's mouth, waiting for it to form a name—any name—to end this suspended agony.

"Riley Scott!"

I nearly collapsed from relief. The sound around me exploded into applause, but it felt distant, underwater, as blood rushed in my ears. I must have walked forward, must have hugged Dermot and said something to the camera, but those moments are lost in a fog of adrenaline and disbelief. What remains clear is watching Phase One take the stage for the sing-off against Katie.

 Their faces were painted with the same desperate hope that had just been etched on mine. The judges sent them packing, their dreams ending while mine continued.

The weight of their elimination sits heavily on my shoulders, a reminder of how tenuous my own position remains. Here I am, preparing for another week while Phase One packs their bags. The arbitrary nature of it all makes my continued presence feel both precious and precarious.

I run my fingers through my hair, trying to coax more volume into it. My reflection shows someone who's changing. Subtle shifts in confidence, in how I carry myself, in how I meet my own gaze now without immediately looking away. The competition is transforming me in ways I hadn't anticipated when I first auditioned, standing terrified before the judges, Gary's eyes meeting mine for the first time across that vast expanse of stage.

Gary. The memory of him finding me afterward plays in my head on repeat. After the chaos of elimination—the tears, the hugs, the promises to keep in touch with departing contestants—I'd stepped into a quiet corridor, needing a moment alone to process everything. He appeared before anyone else could reach me, his expression unreadable to everyone but unmistakable to me.