Torn *A Louis Tomlinson and Cher Lloyd Fanfic*

Chapter Three

~Louis POV~

I sat in the audience, waiting for the next performer to take the stage. My stomach was in knots as I realized just how talented they all were. I didn't know I would make it this far, but I was thankful for every minute I get to compete against these amazing vocalists.

A girl walked onto the stage, and my breath hitched. It was the girl whom I had seen hugging Liam.

Her dark brown hair was pulled over her left shoulder, hanging down to her waist. I hadn't realized how long her hair was! And her outfit...she wore killer black heels with beige capri pants. Her shirt was one of those black tube tops that showed her stomach - amazingly flat, might I add, and she wore a navy blue jacket over it, only one or two buttons holding the jacket together in the middle.

"Hello!" She exclaimed, smiling lightly. "My names Cher. I think I've for something special for you, and I'm ready for it!" She nodded subtly, as if she was trying to convince herself more than the judges.

So, her name was Cher. What an unusual name! She walked to the center of the stage, and the music began to play. I recognized it immediately. Viva La Vida. Great song!

"Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, I'm tryna get that Oprah, to get that Oprah," She rapped, and my jaw dropped. She rapped! And...wrote those lyrics? "I hear Jerusalem, bells a ring-a-ding-ing, Roman Calvary, oh my choir's singin'! Be my mirror, mah, mah, my sword and my shield, missionaries in a, in a, a foreign field, like, mmmmmm-hmmmm-"

Her track sounded like a DJ had stopped it, and switched the track...you know that fuzzy sound that...ah, never mind. My eyes nearly bugged out of my head. No one had ever performed something like this on the show.

People around me stared at her in awe, confusion, and sometimes annoyance. They knew as well as I did that - good or bad - she would be remembered with crystal clarity.

"Oh-oh-oh, yeahhh, oh yeah, oh yeah!" She belted, and then proceeded to move to the music. I glanced around to see everyone was just as shocked, and intrigued, as I was.

"I used to rule the world, seas would rise when I gave the word, now in the morning I sleep alone, sweep the streets I used to know-oh-oh-" her voice was like nothing I'd ever heard before, it had an...airy...quality to it...but it was also slightly raspy. Beautiful, really. My eyes remained locked on her, unable to tear away from her petite frame.

"Roll the dice, feel the fear in my enemy's eyes, listen as the crowd would sing, 'Now the old king is dead, long live the king'" She had incredible stage presence. Truly. She danced around, using her hands to gesture. She looked so confident.

"I hear Jerusalem bells a ring-a-ding-in, Roman Calvary , oh my choir's singing! Be my mirror, mah, mah, my sword and my shield, missionaries In a, in a, a foreign field like" she paused, listening intently to the music "oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, ah-ah," she raised her hand in the air. "Cause this is when I rule this world!" And with that it was over.

She stood there, her hand still in the air, and I watched as she went from the confident girl that just performed, to a girl who was full of fear and anxiety.

"Thank you," Simon said, and I longed to see his facial expression. Cher smiled wearily before walking off the stage.

"She sucked!" Some guy next to me muttered, and my jaw dropped.

"Are you freaking kidding me?" I exclaimed, more out of shock than anything. He turned to look at me, his eyes widened. "She was incredible!" The boy rolled his eyes.

"She RAPPED Viva La Vida!" He replied, and I nodded.

"She rapped it dang well, too!"

"What your problem, man? That your girlfriend or something?" I felt my cheeks heating up, and I prayed that the dull lighting would hide it.