Here's the next chapter, sorry that it took so long, please read, like, follow, and review, thanks so much you guys.

Chapter 6: Let the Show Begin

The rest of the week went by with a flash. Every day I would come home from school and practice for the concert and after that Ricky would come pick me up so we could go cliff diving. Then we went back to my house to do homework. That was how it was. At school on the day of the battle everyone was talking about who they thought would win, and I even saw bets being placed. The sad part was that they were all being placed on Melissa. Where ever I walked people were staring at me like they were sorry for me.

At lunch I decided to ask Alexa why everyone was staring at me.

"They haven't heard you sing so they think you're just going to embarrass yourself." She said leaning into Daniel as he put his arm around her. They started dating a couple of days after me and Ricky went on our date.

"You really think so?" I asked

"Why else?" she replied, "Everyone knows you're going out with Ricky, and he made that all too obvious. I mean I guess girls might be staring at you in jealousy on any other day."

"Just to check, the showdown's right after school right?" Daniel asked

"Yeah, Alexa and I have told you that a million times." I replied

"Yeah I know. I just can't believe this is finally going to happen! Melissa is going to get showed up at last." Daniel said, excited.

"And it's your sister who's going to do it Danni, which makes it so much better!" Alexa joked, and I burst out laughing just as Melissa walked by.

"Laugh while you can Call, you won't be able to once we're done today," she leaned down and whispered in my ear "and your brother will be with me sooner or later. That idiot you call a friend doesn't stand a chance." I tried to stand up to deck her but Daniel stopped me. Melissa walked away laughing and I sat down. This had happened multiple times, she said something to make me angry and Daniel would stop me like he knew what she told me.

"What did she say this time, Ivy?" Alexa asked

"Ok let's see, she called you an idiot and said you didn't stand a chance against her for Daniel's heart." I said, poison in my words

"God she is going to eat her words after school." Alexa frowned

I slowly drank my water. I hadn't had any milk, juice, or anything else that would coat my throat for the whole day, while Melissa did the exact opposite so my chances were looking pretty good.

The rest of the school day went by pretty quickly. When it was a half an hour till Melissa performed I went and found my family.

"Hey mom, do you have my water?" I asked

She handed me a bottle of water and said "Its room temperature like you asked, no ice or anything like that."

"Thanks, I'll see you guys after the performance." I said. Then I ran to the area behind the stage where we would be performing.

"Hey Call, why are you drinking water? Every professional singer knows that you have to drink juice before a concert." Said Melissa

"You know what, from now until the end of this competition I'm ignoring you." I replied

I heard her talking to me but staying true to my word I ignored her and drank my water slowly. I was wearing what I had been wearing to my first date exactly except I was wearing my black DC shoes. I heard our teacher talking about what was going to happen. Then she called out Melissa. I heard the music and then I heard her start to sing

After all that you put me through,

You think I'd despise you,

But in the end I wanna thank you,

'Cause you've made me that much stronger

Well I thought I knew you, thinkin' that you were true

Guess I, I couldn't trust called your bluff time is up

'Cause I've had enough

You were there by my side, always down for the ride

But your joy ride just came down in flames 'cause your greed sold me out in shame

After all of the stealing and cheating you probably think that I hold resentment for you

But uh uh, oh no, you're wrong

'Cause if it wasn't for all that you tried to do, I wouldn't know

Just how capable I am to pull through

So I wanna say thank you

'Cause it

Makes me that much stronger

Makes me work a little bit harder

It makes me that much wiser

So thanks for making me a fighter

Made me learn a little bit faster

Made my skin a little bit thicker

Makes me that much smarter

So thanks for making me a fighter

Never saw it coming, all of your backstabbing

Just so you could cash in on a good thing before I'd realize your game

I heard you're going round playing the victim now

But don't even begin feeling I'm the one to blame

'Cause you dug your own grave

After all of the fights and the lies 'cause you're wanting to haunt me

But that won't work anymore, no more,

It's over

'Cause if it wasn't for all of your torture

I wouldn't know how to be this way now and never back down

So I wanna say thank you

'Cause it

How could this man I thought I knew

Turn out to be unjust so cruel

Could only see the good in you

Pretend not to see the truth

You tried to hide your lies, disguise yourself

Through living in denial

But in the end you'll see

YOU-WON'T-STOP-ME

I am a fighter and I

I ain't gonna stop

There is no turning back

I've had enough

You thought I would forget

But I remembered

'Cause I remembered

I remembered

You thought I would forget

I remembered

'Cause I remembered

I remembered

As she sang I could hear people cheering and at the end there was a lot of applause. Melissa came back and stuck her tongue at me. After that I hear our teacher call me out to sing.

"Ivy Call will be singing My Immortal by Evanescence

I took the microphone from her when she held it out to me and I waited for the music to start, then began to start singing.

I'm so tired of being here

Suppressed by all my childish fears

And if you have to leave

I wish that you would just leave

'Cause your presence still lingers here

And it won't leave me alone

These wounds won't seem to heal

This pain is just too real

There's just too much that time cannot erase

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears

When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears

And I held your hand through all of these years

But you still have

All of me

You used to captivate me

By your resonating light

Now I'm bound by the life you left behind

Your face it haunts

My once pleasant dreams

Your voice it chased away

All the sanity in me

These wounds won't seem to heal

This pain is just too real

There's just too much that time cannot erase

I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone

But though you're still with me

I've been alone all along

As I sang I walked around the stage and I could see the awe in people's eyes as they watched in silence. When I finished there was complete silence because they were in shock. After a moment everyone burst into applause, there was cheering and whistling which made me proud. I walked behind the stage and that was when the devil spoke.

"The reason they didn't applaud at first was because you sucked so bad."

Screw her.

I heard our teacher call us out so we walked back out on stage.

"I didn't tell the students this but, the student with most applause will get to perform an encore of their choice so," she pointed to Melissa "clap if you what Melissa to sing again." there was a little bit of applause but it stopped after a second. Then the teacher pointed to me. "Clap if you want Ivy to sing again." everyone began clapping and it kept going until our teacher stopped them. "Ivy, what song do you want to sing?" she asked

I thought for a moment. "I'll sing Sing for Me by Yellowcard." I said. She gave a hand movement and then she dragged Melissa back behind the stage the music started and I began to sing. As I sang people cheered and whistled. As I walked around the edge of the stage I gave people handshakes, high fives, and fist bumps. When I finished people were cheering like crazy.

Our choir teacher came back out and said "As you leave please leave your votes in the glass jar outside. Thank you for coming and I hoped you enjoyed."

I walked behind the stage and grabbed my stuff. Then I went back outside and found Ricky and my family waiting for me. Daniel ran over and gave me a hug.

"Dang sis, you totally rocked it." He said. Then my mom came over and hugged us both.

"Yes you did Ivy, when everyone first heard your voice they were so shocked! I'm so proud of you."

After that my dad came over and my mom and Daniel got off. After that he pulled me into a hug and picked me up and spun me. Then he set me back down and said "You were amazing Ivy. I think it's impossible that you could get any better."

Ricky walked over and pulled me into a quick short kiss. "You killed it Ivy, I'm proud of you. Plus the look on Melissa's face was hilarious."

"Are you serious?" I said

"Of course, you know I was thinking about something. And I just decided to go through with it because you are so awesome." He reached behind him and pulled out a small bag. He took my hand and put it in it.

"Can I open it?" I asked

"Of course you can, it's for you."

I opened the bag and tilted it so the contents could go into my hand. When it came out I found a bracelet with a wooden ivy flower charm. After closer inspection I realized it was a promise bracelet. I looked over to Ricky in shock.

He pulled me into a hug and said in my ear "I promise I will never hurt or leave you, ever."

When we got home we ate dinner and had dessert. The thing was, I wasn't paying attention to the conversation. I was thinking about the promise bracelet. I felt so happy to have it, but it felt wrong, like he shouldn't be the one promising me this. After a while I decided to go to bed. I didn't tell anyone that I was I just left. After I got to my room I laid face down on my bed and started crying. It was like that time with my dad. I didn't know why. The thought of that time made me cry even harder. Why was that whenever I thought abouthimit made my heart hurt? It made the itchy feeling come back. I curled into a tight ball and cried and cried. After a while I heard a knock on my door but I just continued to cry. I felt the bed sink and I opened my eyes. I saw my mom staring at me.

"Ivy, what's wrong?"

"That's the thing I don't know. I'm happy that Ricky gave me the bracelet but it feels…wrong. Like he's not supposed to give it to me or like someone else is supposed to. When I thought about the last time I was crying it made me cry even more. When I went to go wash up I saw…someone in the mirror. When I looked to see if he was actually there he wasn't, and when I looked back I saw an expression on his face. He looked…ashamed. He was someone who was there when I got kidnapped. He had the same look he had that night. I just don't know what's going on. Whenever I think about back then it hurts so much. The pull comes and it makes me try and break it because it hurts so much. But no matter how much I scratch it doesn't go away. Mom, please tell me what's going on, and don't say you don't know, because I know you do."

"I wish I could tell you, I wish I couldshowyou, but the thing is your father won't allow it. He doesn't want you exposed yet, well at least not fully. We are trying to get you permission to know the big secret but it's going to take some time."

"Does Alexa know?" I asked

"Why would you say that?" she replied

"I was there when Daniel first saw Alexa after he came back, it wasn't natural." I said

"Yes, she does know, for multiple reasons. The same reasons you should know but your father is being weird. I just hope you don't find out the dangerous way." She said getting up. "Try and get some sleep, I'll talk to your father tonight about the secret." She walked out the door and closed it. I curled up into a ball and fell asleep.

I hoped you liked it, I finally got a beta for this story and it makes me so happy. Her name is sapphire3344 and she is awesome. I will never be able to thank her enough for this. That was part of the reason this chapter was so late, I have also been very busy. Well, thanks for reading. CB, out! ;D