Just Listen
I'm sorry for a short chapter. I'll try to make the next one longer.
My mom was ecstatic that I was joining the Lakeview Talent Show. Years prior, she had focused all her energy into modeling – something Kirsten, Whitney and I all did at one point. Now it seemed she had something new to get into to: my talent show performance. Her eyes glittered as I mumbled that Clarke had gotten me to join.
It was immediately decided that I would be singing. This wasn't like me at all. Singing was something I did not do. It was something I tried to avoid, if at all possible. I had never thought I was any good at it. But according to my mom and Clarke – I was wrong.
"Do you have a song in mind yet?" My mom sat at the kitchen table, a coffee in her hand, a clipboard in front of her. I sat down in the chair to her right and shook my head.
"I really don't want to do this…" I trailed off, watching my mom's expression change from a smile to a frown.
"Oh Annabel, you have a beautiful singing voice, have some confidence!" She went back to writing on her clipboard. I frowned and got up to get a glass of orange juice. "Well, if you don't have any songs, you could always ask Owen. I'm sure he has something you could sing," I sat back down and didn't say a word. Silently, I drank my juice.
I had been thinking that I could surprise Owen. Invite him, not tell him what it was…But that wouldn't be such a great surprise. I was no singer.
A few silent minutes later, the phone rang. It echoed through the house as my mom jumped up to get it.
"Hello?...Kirsten! Hello!...That's fantastic! I am so proud of you…Well, actually, Annabel has decided to join the local talent show!...Oh I know, but she doesn't believe it. You know your sister….Yes…Oh, I'm so sorry that you'll have to miss it!...Of course I'll get it on film for you…It's no trouble…Well, Ok. I'll talk to you later…Bye!"
She sat back down and looked me straight in the eyes. "Kirsten wanted me to give you all her best wishes," she smiled and started writing down songs she could think of off the top of her head. "Are we thinking of a song originally sung by a girl or a boy?"
I shrugged. "A girl I guess would be easier to sing…" I didn't know what I was saying. A boy could be easier in some instances too.
Suddenly, a song hit me. My mom must have seen it in my expression, because she was immediately questioning it.
"What? Annabel? Do you know what song you want to sing?"
"Black Roses Red by Alana Grace!"
