Raise Your Voice [lrh] (EDITING)

fourteen

I finally got Serena to learn the song on the guitar, after three hours of practicing and skipping lunch and our last class. After school, I went to work at Wizardo's and since it was a Friday night, it was packed. Aspiring artists from all over Sydney came to show off their talent and skills in front of others. It was weird, even weeks after Joey's passing, it still felt like he was on a vacation and I was running the place. Joey had left me the shop, but I hired a manager since I was only seventeen years old.

Making some tips and closing up, Fabian, Luke, Mark (the new evening manager and a close friend of Joey's), and I began sweeping and cleaning the kitchen. After that, we all went our separate ways home.

****

The showcase. Tonight. Only forty of Sydney Arts' most talented got to perform tonight and Serena, I, was one of them. I took Serena to the rehearsal room so we could go over the song one more time. After Carly and Fiona performed, I went with Serena to meet up with Luke and Fabian.

"Are you nervous?" Luke asked Serena.

"Just a little." She lied. It was obvious that she was beyond scared, like she knew that something was gonna happen.

Luke looked at her and hugged her. "You're going to do fantastic, Serena."

Serena takes a deep breath and nods her head, then looks at me for affirmation. I nod back and she gives me a weak smile.

Mr. Briggs pulled me away to make it look like I was helping with setup, but handed me the microphone, then walked away. I heard Ashton, who was helping MC the event begin speaking.

"Please welcome Serena Briggs to the stage!" Michael screamed into the microphone. There was a loud roar of claps from the audience and Luke came rushing back towards me.

"Luke, get out! You have to perform!" I say.

I start singing and he looks at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Six weeks since you've been away, and now you're everything has changed, and I'm afraid that I might be losing you." I sing and Luke looks at me walks away, like he got a new plan.

"And every night that we spend alone, it kills me thinking of you on your own, and I wish I was back home next to you."

I stand back and watch with his guitar, getting ready to sing and walk out on the stage like a God.

"Oh, everyday. You feel a little bit further away, and I don't know what to say." He sings.

Suddenly, I'm being forced to harmonise, hearing the music in my in-ears and Luke singing on the stage.

"Are we wasting time? Talking on a broken line... Telling you I, haven't seen your face in ages, I feel like we're as close as strangers. I won't give up, even though it hurts so much. Every night I'm, losing you in a thousand faces. Now it feels we're as close as strangers." We sing together. I look at him from a far and I see him and Serena looking at each other with smiles on their faces.

I can see Lincoln, Devon, and Fabian standing front row and singing along. I hear the band harmonizing with Luke and I, and I turn around to see them performing with us. After the song ends, I drop the microphone and run away from my place and out of the building.

There are a few more acts left before Luke has to go out and announce the winner. I walk back in sit down in the audience with my friends, who are telling me how amazing the performance was and how lucky I was to perform with the band, even if it wasn't really me. I giggle and keep my eye on the prize, Luke, who was barely making himself visible from behind the left side curtain.

When Ashton came out he looked at me and Luke came out as well.

"So guys, I don't know if you know this, but I have a very talented friend in the audience tonight..." Luke begins. "And even though I've given her crap, she puts up with me and the boys way more than she should..."

Ashton begins to speak, "But, it wouldn't be a talent showcase if the daughter of the beloved Violet James didn't showcase her voice." He says.

I get up and walk away and blend in with the audience.

"Ellie, come on up here. You know you want to sing!" Calum says as he runs from the back of the stage.

The band begins chanting my name, then the rest of the theatre does, and I begin to feel trapped. Fabian grasps my elbow and smiles at me.

"You don't have to do this, Bean. Not if you don't want to." He smiles.

I hug him tightly and mumble "You're the best." in his ear.

I walk towards the stage and the crowd begins cheering happily. I make my way to Luke and take the mike out of his hands before speaking into myself.

"I don't think you guys want to hear me sing." I say and the crowd cheers. "I promise, I'm really not as good as my mum." I say and the crowd boo's at me as I walk off the stage.

"But, on the other hand, I would love to show this petty boyband how to sing." I mutter into the microphone and then make my way to the piano at the back of the stage.

"So... my mum... Violet, wrote a song for me as she was on her death bed. This is called Rose. Please bare with me as this is the first time I've sung it in a while." I say.

My fingers begin playing on the piano and before I can get the words out of my mouth, my hands freeze and so do my words, and before I know it, I'm back stage freaking out. Luke rushes to my side and looks me in the eyes.

"El, look at me. You can do this, you can't give it up now. You're so close, baby. I believe in you." He says.

His eyes are blue and his smile is sincere. I wrap my arms around him and hug him tightly, chuckling quietly. He lets go and sighs, and I hear footsteps behind me.

"Bean, are you okay?" Fabian asks and I nod.

"Yes, I am. If you'll excuse me, I have a song to sing." I respond.

The stage is dark as I walk back on and sit down at the piano. I take a deep breath and the light shines behind me, so you see a silhouette of the piano. The lyrics begin flowing out as I play the notes fluidly. I close my eyes and belt my heart out, hitting the notes with ease. Once I finish, the crowd roars and I see Serena run from the front to the back of the stage.

"This was your plan, wasn't it? Pathetic!" She yells before I even have time to breathe.

Luke races towards me, "It's pathetic that you had to use Ellie's voice to even get close to me!"

Serena humphs and I raise an eyebrow.

"But Ellie, you were really good." She remarks before running off.

I sigh and look at Luke who is smiling widely. "If you'll excuse me, I've got to consult with the judges."

He kisses my cheek and walks off with his band, and I stand there, content with everything that's just happened.

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Hey! If you read this, comment what country you're from! I want to know where y'all are from! First comment gets a dedication! x - Brooklyn