Shining Star
"This is my time to shine. I never knew." Casey sang into the mini-microphone in her room.
"That was really good. I never heard you sing before. You should enter the Jr. American Idol competition this year." her best friend Libby told her.
"I guess so. I mean I've never been in a competition before for singing because we were in one for cheerleading, but not singing. Do you think it would be hard in the competition?" Cassey asked her.
"I would think so." I told her with confidence.
The next day at school Cassey and I met up with our other friends Stacey and Lizzie. All weekend we have wanted to get together but all of us have been so busy lately.
"Do you guys think that I should enter the Jr. American Idol competition this year? I really want to and Libby thinks I should. She heard me on the phone last night." Casey asked Lizzie and Stacey.
"I don't know we've never heard you sing." Lizzie answered speaking for the both of them.
"I was cheated by you and I think you know when." Cassey sang amazingly as always.
"That was amazing. Why haven't you ever sang in the talent show or when we were around? You're awesome!" Stacey said.
"I didn't think I was that good." Cassey told them apologetically.
"Girl you weren't just good you were A-W-E S-O-M-E! AWESOME! AWESOME! AWESOME WERE YOU!" Lizzie said practically screaming.
"You think I was that good?" she asked.
"We'll talk about this at lunch 'cause we need to get to class before Mrs. Filter yells at us for being late." I said just noticing that we were the last ones in the hall (as usual).
"Please get out last Friday's homework on the Pythagorean Theorem." Mrs. Filter our homeroom, religion, and math teacher said.
"Mrs. Filter, I didn't understand how to do the homework I still did it but I was wondering, could you please explain it again." Stacey pleaded.
"If you come over after school tomorrow I will explain it to you." She replied.
"OK! Thanks." Stacey told her.
At lunch Lizzie, Stacey, Casey and I sat at lunch debating on whether to cut school or take the social studies test they had after lunch.
"I am not missing this test. I stayed up until midnight studying last night. I know this stuff really well and I need a good grade on this test just to get an 'A' in the class." I told everyone.
"Yea my mom told me that if I didn't do well on this test that I couldn't do anything this weekend and I would be at home studying all weekend so I'm not cutting school today." Casey said taking my side.
"Lizzie I'm sorry but if my mom found out that I was cutting school I'd be grounded for a year." Stacey told her.
During the social studies test after lunch I caught Lizzie copying off of Stacey's test. I couldn't believe my eyes so no wonder Stacey would get in trouble. Lizzie probably told her that if she didn't let her copy she wouldn't talk to her or something like that.
"That test was really hard and I stayed up until midnight studying for it." I said after the test.
"Yea it was really hard. I just hope I passed." Casey said. "If I don't my parents might not let me compete in the Jr. American Idol competition."
"It was really hard." Stacey said.
"I found it rather easy." Lizzie said bragging.
"That's because you copied off my test. Don't think I didn't see you. Every time I turned my head you pretended to be working on your test. I'm not stupid. That's why I pass my tests. No wonder, when ever you don't sit by me in class you pretty much fail the tests." Stacey said almost in tears. "Maybe once if you studied you wouldn't have the urge to cheat off of me. I've got to go. I need to study for tomorrow's test."
"Lizzie I know you have cheated before, but I think you're pushing it. You need to stop it. I'm going to go talk to Stacey." I told them, mainly Lizzie.
"They're right. This is high school. What are you going to do when you and Stacey don't end up in the same class because you know that Libby and I won't let you look off of our papers?" Casey asked her.
"I don't know. I don't know how to study!" Lizzie said almost in tears herself.
"What do you mean you don't know how to study?" Casey asked her confused.
"Up until today I have cheated off of people's tests. I've never studied on my own." Lizzie said now in tears.
"Well, when you get home type up a study guide on the science chapter that we have a test on tomorrow. OK?" Casey told her.
"OK!" Lizzie said drying her tears.
That night Stacey, Casey, and I were at Lizzie's house studying for our science test.
"Tomorrow when you take the test we want you to sit next to someone that you don't know and don't cheat. You know the material. You can pass this test." Stacey said reassuringly.
"OK! I can do this." Lizzie said trying to gain self confidence.
"We need to go to sleep in order to feel ready for the test tomorrow." I said.
A week later we got the science test back and all four of us passed with flying colors. And I really mean it.
"Children sleeping snow is softly falling." Casey sang.
"I swear you should enter that competition." Stacey, Lizzie, and I said at the exact same time.
"Look at what I found in the newspaper Libby." Casey said pretty much screaming with excitement.
"What? Let me see." I squealed back.
"I says: 'Anyone interested in competing in the Jr. American Idol competition please fill out the form below and send it to 1243 Singing St. LA, CA 15678.;" Casey said reading the article.
"I think you should fill it out." I told her.
"Well, my parents said that if I get straight A's on my report card that we get today then I can participate." she told me.
"Well then I hope you get straight A's."
"Me too!"
On their way home from school all four girls looked at their report cards nervously, but no one was as nervous as Casey.
"I got straight A's Libby!" Casey cried out with joy as soon as she looked at her report card.
"So did I! I am so happy right now. What about you two?" I asked Stacey and Lizzie.
"I got straight A's too! This is my first time!" Stacey squealed so happy that she got straight A's.
"Well, I got mostly A's and two B's." Lizzie said in an 'I could care less' tone.
"That's still really good. You brought all your other grades up from C's to B's and your B's to A's. You should be proud of yourself." I told her reassuringly.
"Guys since I got straight A's I can fill out the form and participate in the Jr. American Idol competition." Casey said filled with so much joy that she could participate.
That night when I got home I gave my parents my report card and they praised me. Then I called my grandma and told her that I got straight A's again and she complimented me. She always does no matter what grades I get.
Later Casey called me and said:
"Libby could you call Lizzie and come over like right now. I have something really important to tell you involving the competition."
"Sure I'll call and be right over." I told her.
"Lizzie it's Libby, Casey wants us to come over. She said she had something really important to tell us involving the competition. Can you go? She said to come over like right now." I asked her.
"Yea I'll go right over." Lizzie told me.
When Stacey, Lizzie, and I were at Casey's house she started to tell us the important news when someone called Casey's cell phone but when she said hello nobody answered her. Then the door bell rang and when she opened the door Sean stood there with a nervous and embarrassed look on his face.
"Can I help you?" she asked him.
"Yea I was wondering if you would like to go to the mall on Saturday night with me? Your friends could come if they wanted to." Sean told her.
"Do you guys want to go?" Casey asked us.
"Sure we'll go!" I answered sorta speaking for all of us.
"Oh by the way when someone called your cell phone and nobody answered it was me." he said explaining what happened involving Casey's cell phone.
"Why did you hang up or not answer when I said 'Hi!'?" Cassey asked him.
"I was nervous and didn't know what to say so I decided to come over and see you so I couldn't back out in what I was trying to say." Sean explained.
"I'll see you tomorrow at school. OK?" she asked.
"Yea that's cool!" he responded.
"Back to the competition. My parents don't think that I'm ready to compete with singing. They've never heard me sing before either. Libby you were the first person and Stacey and Lizzie you two were second. Nobody has ever heard me sing before. I think I have stage fright." Cassey explained to Stacey, Lizzie, and me.
"Cassey, it's OK. We'll help you perform. Maybe you could just pretend your singing for us and that nobody else is in the room listening to you. Could you sing something for us?" Stacey said.
"Six AM radio playing, stumble up of bed run out the door. A brand new day. Never thought I'd get this feeling. Never thought I'd get this far, but I'm OK. And I fly. I reach out my hands and touch the sky. It's right in front of me. And I try. Just let go relax enjoy the ride. And I feel free. When I fly." Cassey sang to us.
"You were amazing as always." Lizzie told her.
"Guys I don't mean to be a party pooper, but we have school tomorrow and need to get some sleep." I said being a poopy-head.
"Yea Libby's right. We need to get some sleep." Stacey said backing me up.
Thank goodness for good friends to back you up when you need it. I thought thinking of Stacey grateful for backing me up at Cassey's house.
The next day at school Cassey was so bubbly with excitement about something.
"What are you so cheerful about?" Stacey asked.
"I sent in my application form to participate in the Jr. American Idol competition." Cassey said enthusiastically.
"So, what happened?" I asked her.
"Well, the people in charge called me and said that I need to perform for them in order to say whether I'm in or not." Cassey explained.
"So, why is that important?" Lizzie asked
"Well, I have stage fright and can't sing in front of anyone. Nobody but you guys have heard me sing before." Cassey said.
"OH!" Lizzie said.
"You know what you could do?" I asked Cassey with an idea.
"NO what?" she asked me back.
"You could just pretend you are singing to us and nobody else." I said happy with my idea.
"I don't if that's gonna work, but I'll try it." Cassey answered my idea.
The next day Cassey runs up my driveway and to the front door.
'Something must've happened' I thought nervously.
"Libby guess what?" I asked excited.
"You know the competition?"
"Yea."
"Well, my mom said that when we go to LA for the tryouts that I could bring one friend and well, I want to bring you because you're my best friend." she explained.
"Let's go talk to my mom." was all that I could say.
"Mom Cassey invited me to go to LA with her for the competition tryouts, and I was wondering if I could go." I asked me mom hoping that she would say yes.
"I don't know honey. When are you planning on leaving Cassey?" my mom asked her.
"Probably next Friday afternoon. Right after school's out for the weekend." she answered.
"How long would you be gone?"
"Well, if I make it than we would probably stay until school is out for the summer, but if I don't we'll come back the following week." she explained.
"Mom I promise if I go that I'll ask the teachers for all the work that I would be missing and Mrs. Skunski would make sure that we do our homework. Won't she Cassey?" I said.
"I know she will Mrs. Shasha." Cassey told her.
"OK you can go. Go start packing right this instance young lady your leaving in a couple of days and go do your homework." mom told me.
"OK! See you tomorrow at school." I told Cassey.
That night I did my homework and studied extra hard so I would know that material for the math test I had the next day. Which by the way was Friday. Cassey, Mrs. Skunski, and I would be leaving for LA.
"Cassey, did your mom get the tests that we would be missing this week and possible the end of the year." I asked her as we left school to go get our things and meet each other at the airport.
"Yea she will check our homework and assign tests and grade them and e-mail our grades to the school so we will be able to get our grades over the internet. And they will send our report cards to our houses and our parents that are there will sign them and bring them or send them up to school." Cassey explained to me.
"OK. Well I'll see you at the airport in about 15 minutes." I told her.
"OK. See you then." She replied.
When I got home all of my suitcases and what not was in the hallway ready for me to go.
"Mom, why are all of my suitcases down here?" I asked her.
"Because, I thought I should take them down here for you so you could get ready to go faster." My Mom said.
"OK!" I told her sort of sarcastically.
"Mom, do you want me to leave?" I asked her.
"No, honey what gave you that idea?" she asked me back.
"When you brought my things down here. It seems that you don't want me around anymore." I answered her.
"Do you want me to take you to the airport?" she asked me with tears in her eyes.
"Can you? I'm gonna miss you so much!" I told her crying myself.
"I'm gonna miss you to sweetie! Call me everyday! Ok?" she tells me now bawling her eyes out.
"Ok! I promise!" I said as I started out the door.