When you left [COMPLETED]

~5~

   "Now, I would like to call upon Stephanie Roseline Cooper up the stage!" I heard my name being called by the host . I took a deep breath and walked up the stage .

   "Hi , I'm Stephanie Cooper ," I said nervously to the audience . The audience clapped , anticipating my performance . Tons of butterflies gathered in my stomach and I could not let them go.

   "Alright , you may sing now," said one of the judges.

   I tried to open my mouth. Not a single sound came out. I tried again and again but to no avail. My voice finally came out during my fifth try. By then, the judges were slighty annoyed. Suddenly, the lights went off. Everyone screamed in shock. Something started to touch me. I had no idea what it was. The lights went back on and everyone laughed at me.

   "There are scribbles on your face !" I heard someone shout. My cheeks were burning in embarassment but I persuaded myself to not leave the stage. I knew that it was Clarice's doing and I did not want to give up easily .

   Hey , boy you never have much game ... I sang Cher Lloyd's 'Want You Back' as I let my voice flow to the ears of the audience. Everyone gave out a standing ovation almost immediately, even one of the three judges. Just then, the lights went off again. This time, everyone was prepared. They used their cellphones as their flashlight to see the culprit. Clarice ran to the stage, ready to scribble all over me again.

   "Hey! Is that Clarice Winston?" a guy with a deep voice shouted. All eyes were on Clarice. Her face turned bright red and she ran off the stage in a flash. She managed to give a whisper to me, "I won't give up on you."

   I sighed but continued singing confidently. At the end, everyone on the room gave a round of applause I had dreamed of, the applause that I thought would never come alive. But this is it. I covered my open mouth in shock. I did not hear what the judges were saying to me. I just kept saying 'thank you' after they stopped their comments.

   "Now, its time to vote," said Mr Davidson, my music teacher.

   I gasped as I held the microphone tightly. Nervousness kept simmering on me, which drove me crazy. At a moment, I could not hear anything. I stared at the ground, and I forced myself to look up. I could hear only one sentence.

   "Okay , sweetheart , you're going to the quarterfinals !" beamed the judges ethusiasticly.

   Oh my god.

   Everyone clapped loudly. My face lit up as I skidded out of the stage. At the backstage, there was a girl who wss ready to hug me.

   Allie Marilyn Stewards. She was the best of my friends, best friend in short. We knew each other eversince the day I broke my friendship with Clarice. She was entitled as the hottest girl in the school. Her hobby: rejecting dates at the guy's face. Thats what she told me.

   "Steph! You rocked the entire auditiorium!" her beautiful blue eyes glow as she pounced on me, hugging me so tightly.

   "O-okay, okay! You're suffocating me," I pushed her.

   "Oops, sorry," she apologised and showed a peace sign. "Maybe you should meet your boyfriend now? I think that he is one of the many reasons why you had an excellent performance."

Oh no. I forgot about Jake completely during the entire audition. I did not even scan for him when I entered the stage.

   I checked the time which shouts 4:30 p.m. By now, he should be at home already.

   "Thank you for everything, Allie," I said and ran for my destination: Jake's house.

   "Stephanie!" she grabbed my arm. I looked at her.

"I'm proud to be your bestie." I smiled . She is the sweetest girl on Earth. She let go of my arm and I sprinted to Jake's.