Promises or Lies (Darren Espanto)

Chapter 6 - The Next Star

Skylar J.

He laced his fingers through mine as we walked onto the stage, a big smile plastered across my face.

The second we hit the stage, we were greeted by three smiling faces, of Mark Spicoluk, Tara Oram and Keisha Chante.

The smile that was on my face immediately dropped and I started to turn around when Darren put an arm out and stopped me.

"I can't do this," I muttered as I wiped my sweaty palms on the side of my pants.

"Hey, Skylar, look at me," he said as he put his hands on my shoulders. I looked into his eyes. "It's just me and you and nothing else matters."

I stared at him for a few seconds before I curtly nodded.

He slipped his fingers between mine once again and pulled me towards the stage. I used my other hand to steady the guitar strap that was hanging off my shoulder.

"Just me and you," I muttered as I walked onto the stage with him once again. I quickly released his hand and wiped my sweaty palms on the side of my pants.

"Hi," Tara said in an excited voice.

"Hello," Mark chimed in along with Keisha.

"Hi," I greeted them in a small voice.

"Hey," Darren said as he smiled.

"Darren, I see you're back again," Mark pointed out. "We're glad to see you here again."

Darren nodded.

"So we know that's Darren," Tara said, "and who might you be?" she looked at me with curious eyes.

"I'm...I'm-" I momentarily forgot everything and the only thing I could think about was me messing up, and that only made me want to run off the stage that much more. But I knew I had to stay and do it for Darren.

"Skylar," Darren finished for me.

"And where are you from?"

"We're from Calgary," I responded, finding my voice, and throwing in a small smile just for the sake of it.

"What song are you going to sing?" Keisha asked.

"Little Do You Know by Alex and Sierra."

"Aww, that's such a cute song," Tara gushed.

Mark rolled his eyes at him. "Whenever you're ready," he said.

At first, I didn't understand what he meant, but then Darren elbowed me and pointed towards the guitar on my back.

"Oh, right," I muttered to myself. I swung the guitar around and looked down as I put my hands in the right position. I lightly strummed a note on the guitar as a test, and cleared my throat.

Now I was physically ready for this, but not mentally.

I looked down at the guitar again, then up at Darren for two seconds. In those two seconds, he gave me a smile, and a reassuring look. He leaned in close to me, and whispered in my ear.

"Just look at me, and pretend we're back at my house, rehearsing, where it's just me and you."

I nodded and looked down at the guitar. I put my fingers in the position for the first note, and sang, before joining in shortly with the guitar. I looked back up at Darren as I sang, memorizing all the fingerings.

"Little do you know how I'm breaking while you fall asleep. Little do you know I'm still haunted by the memories. Little do you know I'm trying to pick myself up piece by piece. Little do you know I need a little more time." As I kept going, I slowly started to forget that it was an audition and I really believed that it was just me and Darren there.

"Underneath it all I'm held captive by the hole inside. I've been holding back for the fear that you might change your mind. I'm ready to forgive you but, forgetting is a harder fight. Little do you know I need a little more time."

Now it was Darren's turn and all I had to focus on was getting the right notes on the guitar.

"I'll wait, I'll wait. I love you like you've never felt the pain, I'll wait. I promise you don't have to be afraid, I'll wait. The love is here and here to stay, so lay your head on me.

"Little do you know I know you're hurting while I'm sound asleep. Little do you know all my mistakes are slowly drowning me. Little do you know I'm trying to make it better piece by piece. Little do you know I, I love you 'til the sun dies."

I joined in with Darren for the next part.

"Oh wait, just wait. I love you like I've never felt the pain, just wait. I love you like I've never been afraid, just wait. Our love is here and here to stay, so lay your head on me.

"I'll wait (I'll wait), I'll wait (I'll wait). I love you like you've never felt the pain,
I'll wait (I'll wait). I promise you don't have to be afraid,I'll wait. The love is here and here to stay, so lay your head on me. Lay your head on me. So lay your head on me."

I ended on the last note of the song, and Darren sang the last line.

"'Cause little do you know I, I love you till the sun dies." 

I smiled at him, as he pulled me into a side hug, putting his arm around my shoulder. I dropped my guitar so that it hung from my shoulder.

Now I don't remember the rest of the audition really well. It was all one big blur, but what I do remember was the reassuring smile that Darren had given me and walking up to the judges to take the golden ticket. 

~~~~~

Hello, readers!

So I got bored and decided to get back to writing so here I am. Tada.

Okay, bye

-Wishing Upon A Star

04/22/16 @9:21pm