It Was Like A Dream

Chapter 42

-Lia

"Everyone, stand by! We'll start shooting in approximately ten minutes, so please don't go anywhere." The staff lady said.

I held onto my microphone as I scratched my arm.

"Lia, do you need some water?" Yuna asked.

"N-No Thanks." I look down as I bit my lip in nervousness. I couldn't reach Yeji, and I kept worrying if something had happened.

"B-By the way, where's Yeji?" I asked.

"She's not here yet? I thought she'd come early—"

"She promised. I can't do this without her, Yuna. I'm going to mess up. She was supposed to be here, yet—"

"Look, calm down." Yuna said as she held onto my arms and looked at me. "Your Uncle is there, and I'm here too. We're both here to support you. Yeji might be late, but I'm sure she'll be here any second now."

"All contestants, please line up this way." The staff said.

"Y-Yuna..." I called weakly as I felt my whole body tremble.

"It's gonna be okay. You'll do great! I know it." Yuna cheered, as I saw her figure disappear behind the curtains. I felt myself lacking oxygen. I couldn't breathe, as my eyes laid on the crowd of people seated accordingly. The judges were seated in front of the centre of the stage. Three of them. My uncle was on the left, another guy with glasses was at the middle, and a lady on the right.

And as the first contestant sang, I heard voices inside my head. Voices only I could remember. Voices that I wish I had forgotten.

Hahahaha! Your voice was terrible! It was so funny!

Yeah, you should be called a mouse. Squeak squeak little mousie!

I can't believe you would enter a contest like that when you're not even that good.

Terrible performance.

I wonder what went through your head to think you were actually a good singer.

Beyoncé would laugh at you if she saw that!

You put all singers to shame.

Talentless.

I felt my tears start to seep in, as my eyes landed on the crowd. But the sight was quickly replaced by a memory where a group of girls surrounding me in the hallway.

"You're such a drag. My mom put all her energy into this school, and you just go and humiliate her like that."

"We need to teach you a lesson."

"P-Please s-stop... I'm begging you, I'm sorry..." I cried.

"Sorry?" One of the girls said. "You better stop singing, because no one likes your voice. The whole school will just keep laughing at you."

"We're doing this because we thought we should help you come to your senses."

"Stop singing. Never sing again, because your voice is so horrible, my ears are gonna bleed."

"Next contestant." The staff said as they gestured for me to show up on stage, but I could only bite my inner cheeks to stop myself from crying.

To stop myself from remembering why I hated singing. To forget people said about me.

But all of it haunted me all along.

"I...I-I can't..." I said weakly.

"What do you mean you can't? You can't back out now, you have to go on stage." The staff said.