Prologue:

If only she hadn't opened her big mouth and let those horrible words spill out of it, piercing me like daggers with every sharp, stinging word said. If only she hadn't found out about my 'holiday plans' as Mum called them, and if only she wasn't set on making the rest of my twenty-four hours spent at home hell.

And probably at school, in front of everyone, as they all stared at me, embarrassed and pityingly.

And probably for the rest of my life, too.

"You're going for a singing audition?" My sister Tessa screeches at me, standing opposite me in my bedroom, with her fingers clawed into fists as if she's ready to gouge my eyes out. "For a glee club somewhere in America?

I fold my arms and stare at her defiantly, as if I'm not at all bothered by her set, angry face, or the way every word she screeches makes her voice sound like nails on a chalkboard. The sunlight is streaming through the window, making the curtains ruffle in the breeze. But at the moment, there's nothing sunny about my sister, who looks as if she's ready to blow a fuse.

"Yes, I am. Got a problem with that?" I don't know why she's so furious. Or upset. Maybe both, I don't know.

Tessa starts pacing the floor like a caged animal, back and forth. I know she's mad at me for a reason that I don't know, but soon the storm will blow over and we'll be back to the way we always were, talking about what we're both going to do for the holidays. My thoughts are cut short as she whips around to face me, and the angry features on her face have been replaced with a smirk.

"Yes actually, I do have a problem with that." That look on her face always means that she's about to really rip it out of me, then walk away with a satisfied grin on her face, while I stand there miserably picking up the pieces of what's left. "My little sister is about to go on a trip somewhere in the US of A, and humiliate herself in front of this glee club when the noise coming out of her mouth sounds like a couple of cats caterwauling." She jabs her finger at me, her fingernails becoming seemingly sharp and pointy, but I know that's just my imagination. Or is it?

"You can't even sing! Angel, what on earth made you think you can?" With a flick of her long, blonde hair, so much like mine, Tessa resumes her pacing. "Everyone is going to think less of you than they already do, and I'm your sister. Why couldn't you have told me about the fact that you got this audition? Then I would have gone for the scholarship instead, and saved you the embarrassment!"

A haze of red is rapidly clouding my vision, coloured dots dancing in front of my eyes. I did tell her about it ages ago. And she seemed really happy for me, hugging me and telling me that she was proud of me, something she never really did that often. And now...she's just acting as if none of that ever happened. I breathe deeply, and look at my sister. Really look at her. At the moment, she's a jealous individual who just wants to be recognised, who always wants to be the star of the show and have an audience, wherever she goes.

"I can sing. If I couldn't, I wouldn't have got the scholarship to go to Lima, Ohio. I am going to do the audition, whether you like it or not. And I–" I step in front of her, "am going to show everyone, especially you, that I can do it. I have what it takes."

My sister lets out a shriek, then storms from the room, her footsteps hammering loudly on the wooden floor. A door slams downstairs, the echo sounding through the house, then all traces of her have disappeared.

I smile and flop onto my bed.

Drama queen.