Chapter 25

Over the next few weeks, Sarah got to work on preparing for the contest. In order to perform in the contest, each person had to write their own music and would be accompanied by a band. Because of this, she had to write five new songs and figure out what sound she wanted each to have. However, she found that it was becoming increasingly difficult to hide her work from the rest of the family.

Almost immediately after her birthday, everyone started noticing changes in the way she acted. She stared spending all of her free time in her room, and when someone would catch her playing the piano, she would run out of the room. When they started asking her about it, she knew that she could not hang out around the house, so she started hiding out at Abby's place, sometimes with Dustin, making everyone think that she was hanging out with him or Conrad.

Sarah was hiding one day before a weekly family dinner, but when she and Abby got to the house, they stopped in the front hall. In the living room, they saw their entire family waiting for them…it was creepy.

"Sarah," Don said quietly. "We want to talk to you."

"Whatever it is, I didn't do it." She said quickly, putting her hands up in mock surrender.

"Oh God…" Abby sighed. "Guys I told you not to do this."

"Sarah we all love you very much. But we are worried about the way you've been acting lately." Sheila said slowly.

She shook her head. "Oh my God. This is an intervention…isn't it?"

They nodded and Donnie sighed. "We're just worried that you don't like it here anymore."

"But an intervention….really?" She asked quickly.

"When we adopted you, your social worker told us that because of your past, we should watch for unusual behaviors that could be a sign for something worse." Don said quickly.

She laughed. "Oh you guys think…oh gosh." She turned to Abby. "Maybe I should have just told them."

She nodded. "I am starting to see that."

Sarah sighed. "Guys…I am fine."

"Maybe if you got involved in things, you would feel better." Sheila smiled sadly. "I got a letter form the school about a contest for this music school. You could do that."

Sarah laughed. "That's exactly what I am doing." She smacked her forehead. "I entered the contest the Monday after my birthday, and I have been working on it ever since, which is why I have been so distant."

"But why wouldn't you just say something?" Richie asked.

She shrugged. "I guess…I just didn't want to say anything before I knew I could do it. It has been rough trying to come up with these songs, and figure out how I am going to perform them and stuff. This is big…but I want to do this." She paused. "I have never had anyone who care so much, that they would have an intervention for me. So thank you. But you have nothing to worry about."

"I told you." Abby glared at Steve.

"You knew?" he asked her quickly.

Sarah nodded. "The only ones who knew were Abby, Cassie, Dustin, and Conrad; he only knew because Dustin doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut during lunch. Cassie and Abby knew because they talked me into it. Dustin only knows because one, he would've figured it out eventually and two, he is in the contest too."

"So you've been hiding at Abby's place to avoid us?" Don asked her.

She sighed. "It started that way. But…I realized that the city inspires me. Sitting on her roof has provided me with a lot of stuff I needed for the music."

"So what do you get if you win this contest?" Steve asked, a grin on his face.

This time, Sarah didn't notice how her face lit up. "You know that really fancy music school in the city…like the crazy expensive one?" They nodded. "They choose two winners, and those winners get to attend there next year, full tuition covered."

"Are you serious?" Richie spat out immediately.

Sarah laughed and nodded. "Dead serious. I want to go there…because music is what I want for my future. If I don't win, I am just going to have to find another way to do it."

"That is a very good sign for someone who is growing up." Don smiled at her.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh whatever! Now, I don't know about you, but I need food. So if there isn't any here, we should order a pizza because if I am going to finish writing five songs and figuring out my whole performance, I will need fuel."

They laughed and headed into the kitchen. Sarah sighed and shook her head. Oh how she loved this family. She had her moments where she wasn't sure how her future would play out and now that she was 18 she didn't know what was going to happen with her place in this family. She knew it was her choice of what she made of it. Sighing, she knew what her heart would settle on.

"Don't you dare eat all of the food!" She shouted as she raced off to the kitchen after the people she would always keep close.

…

The next day, Abby found herself at Steve's house playing in the snow with him and his children. After a while, she and Steve sat on the porch, while his daughters played in the snow fort they had built earlier that day.

"So why didn't you just tell us about Sarah and the contest? You knew we were planning something…it would have prevented a lot of awkward stares last night." he asked her, a grin on his face as he watched his little girls squeal in delight.

Abby sighed. "It wasn't my news to tell. If it was something that would harm her or worse, you know I would have." She paused. "I didn't actually think you guys would go through with the intervention." She laughed.

"So she is serious about a future in music, isn't she?" Steve asked after a few moments of silence.

Abby nodded. "Yeah, she is." She paused for a minute before she turned to look at him. "I haven't seen anyone so determined to follow the path to their future, since Donnie decided he wanted to be a cop like Dad. She is so focused on this…she wants this more than anything, at this point, and she is working on getting there even if she doesn't win."

"She'll do it. She belongs in the music field. I have listened to a lot of female musicians, in many genres thanks to Gail, and Sarah has the best voice of anyone I have heard." he shook his head. "I realize that our opinions are biased, but still. She could do this, Abs."

"I think she wants to go all the way. She wants to be on stage and making music." Abby stared at the snow. "It's what she loves to do." She paused.

Steve sighed. "Do you think she'll do it?"

Abby smiled. "Without a doubt. She puts her whole heart into her music. Anyone who works that hard just because she loves it, deserves to go that far and will find a way no matter what."

They were silent again for a few minutes before Abby laughed. "Can you picture, in a few years, our sister on a huge stage performing for a bunch of screaming fans?"

He shook his head. "That would be so crazy." he smiled. "Definitely different than our lives have ever been."

She nodded. "Oh yeah. But I think she can handle it."

"She can handle a lot more than she thinks she can." Steve agreed.

I am sorry I didn't update yesterday! It was just a string of bad luck for me, and I was sick and then I had to stay up until 4am writing a paper. Anyway, here is another chapter! I hope you like it and let me know what you think!

Also, there will only be 5 or 6 more chapters, just so you are aware!