"Thank Goodness" from the Wicked soundtrack.
Set before the series and before Sydney joined SPD.
"You're gonna love this Syd," Maisie Banks, agent extraordinaire, addressed the blonde girl sitting before her, "You're latest single is top ten in all of the pop charts. Isn't that great Sydney? Sydney? Sydney?"
Startled Sydney woke up from her daydream, "Sorry Maisie, my mind was somewhere else. What were you saying?"
"Syd you gotta start focusing on your career." Maisie shook her head, "You keep jumping from fencing to singing to modeling, when are you gonna stop and choose what you are? Look at you, you have everything, adoring fans, a doting family, the kind of life any girl would dream for, and you always seem so lost."
"I'm sorry Maisie, but it just seems like there's more to life then being famous. I feel like I could do more." Syd sighed, "It's been a long day, why don't we quit and start again in the morning?"
"Sure Syd, get some rest." Maisie shuffled some papers as she watched her client get up and leave the office. "You should be thankful for all you have." she said softly as Syd closed the door behind her.
A tall man with dark blond hair waited in the plush lobby tapping his foot as he saw Sydney leave the office. He stood up and waved to her, "Hey Princess, all set?"
"Yes Daddy." She shuffled over to him and gave him a hug.
"Your Mom is picking you up after dinner and you're staying at her house for the weekend until then your french tutor will be working with you, then you have an hour with the gymnastics coach."
"Yes Daddy."
They walked outside the tall building to see hordes of fans screaming out Sydney's name. She immediately broke out of pen and was engulfed by the crowd. Sydney frantically signed notebooks and shook hands hoping that another riot won't break out this time. She looked at her father to see him hovering over her but not pushing away the crowd. A fan grabbed her and gave her a big hug before screaming, "I couldn't have been happier to meet you. Thank goodness you make this wonderful music."
Amid the chaos Syd thought to herself,
"I couldn't be happier,
Right, Dad?
Couldn't be happier.
She looked at her father and wondered what he was thinking, he smiled back and gave her a thumb's up.
Right here
Look what we've got
A fairy-tale plot
Our very own happy ending
All she felt was loneliness as she navigated the crowd to the black SUV waiting for her and her dad.
Where we couldn't be happier -
True, Dad?
Couldn't be happier
And we're happy to share
Our ending vicariously
With all of you
Sydney waved to the crowd out the open window door knowing that they all loved her or at least her image.
I couldn't look prettier
I couldn't feel humbler
We couldn't be happier
Because happy is what happens
When all your dreams come true"
Her face fell from happiness to sadness as she closed the dark tinted window where no one could see the real her. It was a silent car ride to the mansion where she lived part-time, Sydney stared out of the window to see people living life, couples walking hand to hand, groups of girls giggling in outdoor cafes, and families having picnics in the park. She looked over to see her father talking on his cell phone arguing with some imaginary stockbroker.
Her day progressed with a flurry of activities when she arrived home. There were fencing lessons, gymnastics, singing, dancing, French, Spanish, and Italian lessons before she had a quiet dinner with her father. She waited in her room for her mother to come by and pick her up. Sydney looked around her room, at the trophies and awards that decorated the shelves.
"That's why I couldn't be happier
No, I couldn't be happier
Though it is, I admit
The tiniest bit
Unlike I anticipated
She observed the pictures of her family: a five year old Sydney with both of her parents standing proudly behind her, a ten year old Sydney smiling at two different birthday parties when her parents divorced, and a black and white picture of Sydney sitting by her window alone.
But I couldn't be happier
Simply couldn't be happier
Well - not "simply":
'Cause getting your dreams
It's strange, but it seems
A little - well - complicated
A closer look at the pictures revealed that there was never any friends in any of the pictures. Family, acquaintances, and later agents and show business people but never any close friends to share her life with, there was always something to get done. Her life was taken over by the hobbies that her parents pushed on her.
There's a kind of a sort of : cost
There's a couple of things get: lost
There are bridges you cross
You didn't know you crossed
Until you've crossed...
And if that joy, that thrill
Doesn't thrill you like you think it will
Still -
With this perfect finale
The cheers and ballyhoo
From downstairs, loud yelling made it's way up to Sydney's ears. Every time her parents would meet up there would be arguing. They could never be civil to each other. The only thing they agreed on was that their little girl was going to be famous, to be great.
Who
Wouldn't be happier?
So I couldn't be happier
Because happy is what happens
When all your dreams come true
Well, isn't it?
Happy is what happens
When your dreams come true!"
Syd looked at the SPD brochure in her room and put it down. Resolutely she walked down the stairs slowly seeing her mother berate her father again, their arms up in the air and their voices screaming.
"Mom, Dad, I have something to tell you..."