I Play for Keeps

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

I had an hour to get ready. To make myself look like a pop star. It’s a little hard to pull off a Lady Gaga look in a fancy pencil skirt, blouse, and black stilettos. Well, I could make my hair look like crap.

But that would just look awkward.

Don’t trashy celebrities like Ke$ha smear eyeliner all over their face?

Well I could do that.

But that would look weird too.

I could go for a sexy look. I mean…unbutton the first three or four buttons. Hike up my skirt. Then my messy hair look would go well, and I could wear really bright red lipstick. But my slutty days are over. So I’m just gonna have to go with the classy look. I put my hair up in a messy bun, put my perfectly neat outfit on, and walked out the door.

The girls around me all had different looks to them. Kat looked just like a pop star. She was wearing extremely short jean shorts and a low cut tank top. Her hair was all messy looking and she had an animal claw mark thing in bright pink wiped across her right cheek.

Olivia was wearing pink cowboy boots with dirty jeans and a button up shirt. Her blonde curly hair was in two low pigtails.

Maria was wearing a fancy flowing red dress like a Salsa Dance would wear. She was wearing dangly earrings and bright red lipstick that went perfectly with her dress.

Emilie just looked…normal. She was in shorts, a t-shirt, and her hair was down. She wasn’t wearing any major lipstick that was too noticeable. It made me feel a little less awkward with the outfit I was wearing.

And then we left.

The drive up was silent. The tension was rising every second. All of us really respected each other, we loved everyone, though we had only known each other for a little while. And now, we had to push them out of our way so that we could get a tiny chance of becoming famous and living out our dreams. I don’t know how it made the others feel, but I felt like a selfish pig. But then again, I guess that’s showbiz? The car lurched to a stop suddenly.

It was time.

We all were put in separate business rooms. We were told we could do whatever we wanted to make ourselves comfortable and that some guy would come and pick us up when it was out time to sing. I didn’t move anything. I just sat, strumming my fingers on my leg and thinking about my song.

Maybe I should’ve written something about partying.

But then that makes me just as average as them.

But isn’t that what they’re expecting? Me to be another Ke$ha, another Katy Perry, another Lady Gaga?

I don’t want to be that.

I’m actually deep. I don’t do drugs, I don’t have sex, I don’t cheat, go to parties, or any of that crap they sing about.

I’m sure they’ll like the change.

Just do what everyone else is doing. The thought wedged its way to the center of my thoughts. Do what everyone else is doing. All my life, I was told to be different. All my life I have been different. And now I should change it?

“We’re ready for you.” A man said, opening the door. I nodded and numbly took my stuff with me. He led me down a long hallway and to a large business like looking room. “Good luck.” He whispered before opening the door.

“Rae.” The man who auditioned me yesterday said. Well, that must be good. He remembered my name. “What are you singing for us?”

“An original song. Just Like You.”

“What’s it about?” one of the like eight men said.

“It’s about how everyone goes through struggles along with me, so does that make me just like you?” I answered simply. Some of the guys nodded, others kinda rolled their eyes, others had a flicker of excitement in their eyes.

“Whenever you’re ready.” Another man said.

And I began.

“Who am I, to write I'm fine?

When the rest of the world is just trying,

to make it through..

Well I'm just like you.

Who am I, to say there is a way?

When you’re just trying to get through today.

Well I am too..

Maybe I'm just like you.

Sometimes I laugh, sometimes I cry.

Sometimes I wonder what it’s like to die.

You don't know what I've been through..

I could be just like you..

Sometimes I fly, sometimes I'm left behind.

Sometimes I get lost inside my mind.

My heart breaks when I don't want it to..

Do I sound just like you..?

Who am I, to say we are the same?

When I can't see, don't even know your name.

You don't know a thing about me too..

That makes me just like you.

Who am I, with nowhere to go.

So I pour my heart to people I don't know.

This is how I make it through..

Does this make me just like you..?”

“Thank you Rae. You can go back to your room. We assume you can find your way.” I nodded and left them. The second I closed the door, many voices began to chatter. I couldn’t really make out most of the words but I heard things like different, special, something new. Hopefully that meant something good.

I smiled to myself and walked back to my room where I would wait for hours and hours to find out where the hell my dreams would take me.