LEADING EVENTS
Tori's POV
Being the new girl at a new school is always hard. It was my first day at Hollywood arts today and all I could think about is what if i'm not good enough as Trina drove us towards the boarding school for talented performers or gifted in the arts. I can hardly believe how I came to be in this position in the first place. I couldn't help but keep going over it again and again in my head.
*flash back*
A guy from school and I had been working on our science project about various moulds when my big sister Trina stormed in.
'I am so upset!' she yelled as she came storming across our living room towards me. "You won't believe who I got partnered with for the big showcase!" she finished with a little more drama then the situation really called for in my opinion.
'Who?' I asked both equally curious to know what got her so ticked off and also for this conversation to be finished so I could finally get the project I'd been working on finished.
"Andrew Harris...a tenth grader!" in all honestly, seeing as I don't go to her school I didn't have the slightest idea who that was, but seriously, having already heard my sister sing on numerous occasions I think I probably feel slightly worse for him. Don't get me wrong, I love my sister and I truly believe she can do anything she puts her mind too, except singing. She likes to think she is an amazing singing but it sounds to me more like someone is drowning a poor innocent kitty.
At this rate there was no way in hell I was going to get my science project finished this arvo and go spend some time at the beach like I really wanted to. Of course it sure didn't help that Trina was currently pulling my science partner towards the door. "Hey! We've got a science project due tomorrow. We got to hand in our mould". I informed her as she slammed the door in the poor boys face.
"I don't care, Andrew is coming over to rehearse for the showcase, and I really need your help to decide what we're going to do! I definitely want to sing!" she whined as I started packing up the project she'd so rudely put a stop to. Just as I was about to tell Trina its her showcase she should figure it out on her own, the doorbell rang, successfully cutting off any chance I had of escape. "That's him" she declared as she turned to face me before going to open the door. "Stay" she commanded in such a tone that I knew she would make my life a living hell if I disobeyed and sprinted for my bedroom like I so wanted to.
As she opened to the door I could see that "Andrew" was about 16, dark skin, dark hair styled into dreadlocks and was probably about the same height as I was.
"Tori this is Andrew, Andrew this is my little sister Tori" she said with a sigh that clearly showed how unhappy she was with the pairing. However looking at the boy who'd just walked into the room I could tell she wasn't the only one.
"Actually its Andre" he corrected her but still smiled at me and shook my hand all the same.
"Hey" I said returning the smile and the handshake as I watched him look around until his eyes finally fell on the piano in the corner of the room.
"Wow cool piano!" he said as he sat down and started to play. I could hardly believe what I was hearing. The way Trina talked about him I expected some half assed singer perhaps like Trina herself. But not this talented musician. He was amazing. The way his fingers simply flew over the ivory and each note blended perfectly into the next. It was like nothing I had ever heard before.
"Wow!" I said unable to suppress the grin on my face. "You're amazing"
After that the rest of the day pretty much was the same. As it turns out André is not only an extremely talented pianist, he is also a very gifted song writer and had written the song Trina was going to sing in the showcase the following night. That night truly was one of the longest nights of my life, as Trina rehearsed her song over and over and over again as I was forced to sit there help and listen to that dreadful noise coming out of her throat. Truly it was excruciating.
The next day however was just as bad, except without the added bonus on Andre's company who actually turned out to be a genuinely nice funny guy. However, that night just before Trina's big debute' at the showcase everything changed. As it turns out the herbal tea remedy she had been making every day, five times a day that she had been drinking for the past 2 days, she was highly allergic to. And since she had been drinking it for a while she had a horrible reaction just before she was up. Trina's tongue had swollen so big, that it wouldn't even fit into her mouth anymore. It really was kind of disgusting and mildly funny all at the same time. Poor André' at least with Trina and her horrible singing he at least had an act, now he had nothing.
Needless to say the events that followed that moment no way in hell could I ever have predicted. To sum it all up, basically I was attacked by the entire stage crew and forced into performing in Trina's place. I was unbelievably nervous. Standing there behind the curtain before the start of the song, I swear I was probably vibrating from the nerves. But once the music started everything seemed to just slip away and there was nothing but me and that song. It was amazing the way it made me feel to sing like that. As if no one could hear me.
Here I am, once again
feeling lost but now and then
I breathe it in to let it go
And you don't know
where you are now
with what it will come to
if only somebody could hear
When you figure out how
you're lost in the moment you
disappear
You don't have to be afraid to put your dream in action
your never gonna fade you'll be the main attraction
not a fantasy
just remember me
when it turns out right
'cuz you know that if you live in your imagination
tomorrow you'll be every body's fascination
in my victory
just remember me
when I make it SHINE!
Reaching high
feeling low
I'm holding on but letting go
I like to shine
I'll shine for you
And it's time to show the world how
it's a little bit closer
as long as I'm ready to go
All we have is right now
as long as you feel it inside you know...
You don't have to be afraid to put your dream in action
your never gonna fade you'll be the main attraction
not a fantasy
just remember me
when it turns out right
'cuz you know that if you live in your imagination
tomorrow you'll be every body's fascination
in my victory
just remember me
when I make it SHINE!
Everyone can tell you how it's all been said and done (Ooo whoa)
That harder times will change your mind and make you wanna run
But you want it
And you need it
Like you need to breath the air
If they doubt you
Just believe it
That's enough to get you there
You don't have to be afraid to put your dream in action
your never gonna fade you'll be the main attraction (Ooo whoa)
not a fantasy
just remember me
when it turns out right (Turns Out right)
'cuz you know that if you live in your imagination
tomorrow you'll be everybody's fascination (Oooh)
in my victory (Oooh)
just remember me
when I make it SHINE!
Somehow between singing that song as a stand in for Trina, absolutely everyone in the hall that night decided that Hollywood arts was the place for me. And so here I am. Getting out of the car and staring up at the absolutely intimidating building standing before me, questioning hundreds of people's judgement.
Walking into the huge school, carrying Trina's heaving books I managed to stumble five times and actually fall on my but once.
"Trina! Carry your own stupid books, oh and thanks for waiting, it's not like I just fell over or anything!" I grumped at my sister who I knew was just being her usual self and I really shouldn't expect anything else.
"No need silly" she smiled at me as if doing so was her charitable deed for the day. "My locker is right here, once you've put them in for me you won't have to carry them anymore now then will you" she said as she opened the door of her locker and stood there expectantly.
I couldn't take it. I just opened my arms, dropped her books, turned on my heal and walked off. I didn't even know where I was going and it wasn't until I felt my foot slip on something that I was even consciously aware of the presence of others. I closed my eyes as I felt myself begin to fall and I waited for the impact of the hard ground hitting my face as I fell. But it never happened. Instead I felt strong hands grab me around the waist and hold on tight. It was then that I opened my eyes, and it was as if I was opening them for the first time and seeing true beauty.
