I lay down on the couch in the middle of the boys' garage as they mill about rehearsing a variety of music I am somewhat familiar with. I don't really understand why they invited me back to their house after the second challenge was given to us almost three hours ago, but they told me it could get me into the right headspace in order to perform.
They're halfway through the song I know as Hey Everybody, when my phone begins to vibrate rapidly in the pocket of my leather jacket so I pull it out gently and watch as my Mum's face fills the screen and her name appears above.
I sit up and dash out of the room speedily before appearing in the kitchen and answering the call.
"Hey Mum. What's up?" I say sweetly as I lean up against the kitchen's island bench.
"Oh, Darling how I've missed your voice. I'm great thanks. How is university? I hope you've been studying hard." She replies, her harmonious voice flittering through the speaker into my ear.
I cringe slightly and say in an almost unsure, questioning tone, "It's great. The teachers here are super smart?"
"Well that's great darling. What accounting methods have you studied so far?" She asks with a sweet chuckle.
Shit.
"Uh... well... We've only be touching on vague things at the moment but at the moment we're looking at comparing inventory given to us by warehouses and comparing it to our own." I bluff as she hums in response.
"Well it is rather complex isn't it. Have you got a nice roommate?" She asks.
Whilst I think up an explanation, I hear the boys' voices growing closer so I immediately kick into panic mode and begin blabbering wildly into my phone.
"Well she's really sweet and has natural brunette hair that she always ties up in a bun. She enjoys reading her textbooks thoroughly and has never touched a drink of alcohol in her life." I spit out wildly as I walk into the boys' line of vision and wave my hands crazily to get their attention.
"She also has a pet cat that lounges around in our dorm a lot." I continue whilst holding a finger up to my lips in a silence motion.
They only nod in response and walk past me into the kitchen whilst my mother steps in and says, "That's nice and all sweetheart but I have great news for you."
"What is it?" I ask, my bod tense as I await her news.
"I know you're not at your university in Darwin." She says with a sarcastic laugh.
My eyes widen as I walk into the kitchen and stare out the long open window at the sea.
"What do you mean mother? Of course I'm in Darwin." I reply, my voice calm enough that she couldn't suspect anything further.
She huffs in disapproval as she says, "Shayla Rose Aurora Holmes. I know you are lying to me. My best friend Betty sent me a picture that was posted on the Scintilla Music Academy's school website. It was about the victor of their first challenge."
"Mum. I can explain." I manage out as I brace my arm on the bench and stand next to Ashton who's pouring himself a cup of ginger beer.
"I don't want your explanation. I want you to win." She says with a voice of poison.
I choke on the air and cough awkwardly as I manage out a 'what' in reply. She laughs on the other end of the line and says, "I want you to put me on speaker pronto."
I look at the boys next to me who have gone still and are watching me eagerly as I pull the phone away from my ear and put it on speaker.
"You're on speaker Mum." I reply cautiously as I look towards Luke who has gone stiff and ghostly pale.
YOU ARE READING
Ghost Of You *SLOW UPDATES*
Fanfiction"You left me alone. How can I forgive you for that?" ///// Shayla Holmes has always felt music was a part of her identity. It's what kept her sane throughout her high-schooling life. So when she gets accepted into Scintilla Music Academy, she jumps...
