Never stop dreaming

CHAPTER 9

AS LIZZIE WALKS OFF THE STAGE, Brown runs back on as the audience is still cheering loudly for her. "I know! Wasn't she amazing?!" The crowd cheers louder. The crowd eventually settles down, allowing Brown to continue. "Well, it looks like we basically finished the... " as Brown was talking Dee ran up from behind him, holding a piece of paper. Brown takes it from her. "Put it on pause." He says as he reads it. "We have a last-minute addition. Come on up, Margaret Dupree!"

Ella looks around backstage confused, not recognizing the name. "Who's Margaret?"

Peggy steps up next to her, holding her guitar. "I am."

"Go, Margaret!" Ella squeals as Peggy walks on stage, strumming her guitar.

As Peggy performs, Lizzie watches from backstage. She feels a tap on her shoulder causing her to turn. Tess stands behind her sister with an apologetic smile on her face.

"I'm sorry, Lizzie." Tess apologizes. "You were really good. No not good, amazing."

"Thanks Tess." Lizzie smiles weakly.

"And I'm sorry for making you put up with my crap." Tess continues. "I'm sorry I was mean to everyone and I was mean to you."

Lizzie smiles, placing a comforting hand on Tess' shoulder." I accept your apology, but I think you should apologize to everyone else."

Tess nods in response as Sander calls out to Lizzie.

"Short stack!" He yells causing Lizzie to laugh. She smiles at her sister before walking over to Sander and Barron.

"Hey guys." Lizzie greets, but Sander cut her off by lifting her in a hug, causing her feet to leave the ground.

"Sander!" Lizzie yells, laughing slightly. "Put me down."

Sander puts her down, allowing Barron to give her a hug. "Who knew you had that voice, short stack? Where've you been hiding it?"

Lizzie just shrugs in reply as Peggy walks off stage. Tess walks over to Ella and Peggy.

"Peggy?"

"What?" Peggy turns to face Tess, expecting her to ridicule her.

"You were really good." Tess admits, causing surprise to flash across Peggy's face. "I didn't know you were that good, and when someone's that good, someone should tell them."

"Thanks." Peggy smiles.

"And I'm sorry." Tess apologizes. Peggy nods in response before walking past her with Ella following behind.

Brown runs back onto the stage as the audience continues to cheer for Peggy.

"Wow! She was amazing. I know, I know. All right, all right, all right. Settle down. Settle down, sunshine!" Brown calls, causing the crowd to laugh, slightly. "I guess that's it. It's officially the end of Final Jam, and time for our judges to go off in private, and, well, judge." The crowd claps as Nate, Jason, and Shane all stand up and head towards the back of the theatre. "So, we'll check you in a minute." Brown pauses as the music for the opening of Final Jam plays. "Excuse me. Just a minute."

Brown runs back stage to see Caitlyn and Mitchie staring at him with hopeful expressions on their faces.

"It's the end of Final Jam." Mitchie says hoping she understood the message, Brown gave them.