The Heartbreak Factor - Part One

Chapter Forty-Two.

As I walked off the stage alone, I stared into space. I made my way down the corridor to the dressing room that used to belong to me, Lucy and Jade. As soon as I got to the rehearsal room door, it opened. George ran towards me, hugging me. He’d obviously been crying as his eyes were red and puffy. Wrapping his arms around me, I sunk into his chest. Tears streamed down my face as he held onto me tightly. After a few moments, another pair of arms appeared around me and George.. then another.. and another. Me, JJ, Jaymi, Josh and George all stood in the corridor hugging.

“I don’t want you to go,” Josh sniffled as we all let go.

“I don’t wanna go either,” I said, “but you guys are gonna do amazing in this competition.”

“It’s not gonna be the same without you,” JJ said, trying to force a smile onto his gutted face.

“You’ll have forgot about me even being here by tomorrow,” I smiled.

“Don’t joke. You know we’re gonna miss you like crazy,” George said, trying to wipe the tears away from his face.

“It’s gonna suck without you,” Josh added.

“No more movie nights,” Jaymi said.

“No more horse puns,” JJ said.

“Why the long face?” I joked.

“That was terrible,” Jaymi laughed.

“Can’t you just turn boring for the next few hours so we don’t miss you when you’re gone?” Josh suggested.

As we stood joking around, the producer came up to us. “Union J, you’re on the Xtra Factor in two minutes.”

“I’m gonna go ring my mum as she’ll be worrying like mad about me,” I smiled.

“We’ll come find you once we’ve finished,” George said.

“Don’t you dare leave without saying bye to us,” Jaymi said, hugging me tightly.

“I won’t,” I promised.

“I’ll see you later,” George said, before kissing me softly.

As he began to walk down the corridor after Josh, JJ and Jaymi, I called after him. “George.”

He turned around. “Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.”

As he disappeared into the distance of the corridor, I rushed down the opposite way of the corridor and into the dressing room. Turning on ITV2 on the television in the corner of the room, I sat on the sofa. Flicking through the messages on my phone, there was at least two off all of my family members.

“We’re proud of you, Sammy.”

“You’ve done us so proud. Love you lots.”

“It’s not your loss. It’s their loss. So proud of you.”

“Cannot believe that. You deserved to win the whole competition. Love you so much.”

Tears rolled down my cheek as I continued to read the messages. As the talk talk advert came on the television, I quickly texted mum before Caroline and Olly interviewed the boys. “Hi mum. Was going to ring you but really busy. I’m gutted I’m not through, but I’m okay. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be home in a few days so I’ll talk then. Love you all lots. Sammy xxx”

As I clicked send, Olly and Caroline announced Union J were the first act that they would be talking to. I sat on the sofa and watched them. They all still looked devastated over the result. “So first of all,” Olly began. “We all know you four and Sammy were close. Are you shocked by the result?”

The boys all looked at George, expecting him to start talking since whenever I come up as a topic in a conversation, he’s the first one to answer questions. But this time he stayed silent. Shaking his head, you could tell he was still fighting back the tears.

“It was a complete shock. She’s our best friend. She has been ever since we met her at boot camp. We’re going to miss her like crazy,” Jaymi said, placing his hand on George’s back.

As they played the VT from today’s adventure at the water park for the Beauty and a Beat clip, I turned it off. I couldn’t watch it. I was going to miss all the good times I had in the competition so much – I definitely didn’t need reminding of that.

*

"Now time to welcome her back for her Xtra Factor send-off, it's Sammy Jones!" Caroline smiled as I walked back into the studio.

Sitting down on the sofa for the last time, I could feel tears trying to push their way out, but I held them in. "How are you feeling?" Olly asked me.

"I'm gutted, but I know the acts left deserve their places here and somebody had to go. This week was my week to go," I smiled.

"Now you're out of the competition, who do you want to win?" Caroline asked me.

"Union J without a doubt," I replied, without any hesitation. "But they've all got amazing voices and personalities. They're gonna go so far."

I looked over to Josh, JJ and Jaymi as they stood in the corner of the studio. "You're gonna be missed so much by everyone here," Olly said.

"I'm gonna miss everyone more."

"What has been your best part of the show?" Caroline asked.

"Meeting everyone and making some really, really amazing friends," I grinned. "Every contestant has been so close to everyone so it's gonna be really hard to say goodbye to them all."

"What's the plan for Sammy Jones from here then?" Olly asked me, smiling.

"Definitely not going to give up on chasing my dream."

"What has been your favourite moment on the X Factor?" Caroline smiled.

"Every single moment on the Xtra Factor," I laughed.

"Good choice," Olly winked.

"Well why don't we watch your best bits before we say good bye?" Caroline smiled.

As the VT began to run of clips from my time at the X Factor, JJ, Jaymi and Josh came to join me on the sofa. Wrapping their arms around me, we watched my best bits together. From my first audition to the song I just performed, it was all there. "Where's George?" I whispered to JJ as the VT continued to run.

"He couldn't deal with it anymore so he's gone back to the hotel."

I nodded as the VT ended.

After Caroline and Olly ended the show, they both gave me a huge hug. "It's not going to be the same without you, fishy arms," Olly laughed, doing the fishy arms move from earlier this morning.

"Thank-you for having me," I smiled.

"Thank-you for being such a lovely girl to have on the show," Caroline grinned, giving me another hug.

As I began to make my way down the corridor towards the cars, Tulisa came out of her dressing room. "Sammy, I'm so glad I caught you before you go," she said, hugging me tightly. "I'm so sorry. I blame myself for you not getting through."

"Don't be silly," I smiled. "You've done everything you could do, if not more."

"Gonna miss you, my little star," she said, hugging me again.

"Thank-you for choosing me to be in your final three," I smiled. "Thank-you for taking a risk with me and thank-you for being such an amazing mentor."

"No, thank-you for being such an amazing girl to work with," she said, tearing up.

"I've got to go back to the hotel," I said. "But I'm gonna be back."

"You certainly will," Tulisa smiled, giving me one last hug.