The audition day is finally here. We go to school, go home, load our equipment in a van, Bakugo got, then go to the center.

It would be an understatement to say I'm nervous. So nervous I think I could vomit.

Mio wrapped her arms around me, "Hey, sister, you're gonna do great. I know you are."

I sighed, "Let me know when Denki is here."

She nodded as I walked back into my room and grabbed my phone.

I sat on my bed and dialed my mom, I got voicemail, no surprise, "Hey! You reached Kameko! Sorry, I didn't get your call, leave a message and maybe I'll get back to you! And if you're one of my precious girls, mommy's sorry she didn't answer. I miss you both so much and remember, you're the best little miracles I could ever ask for! I love you!"

I smiled, "Hey, mommy, I wanted to call and tell you about my audition today. It's tonight after school. I am so nervous about it. I haven't had an audition since the last one you took me to. You made me that puff star and I squeezed it so tight, I squished it. Do you remember? I have a puff star for today. A boy and I gave each other a puff star.

I really like this boy. I wish you were at home. I think you'd like him, dad does. He's cute and funny and I always have a good time with him."

I paused, I could hear a knock on the door, "I gotta go, mom, I love you and miss you."

"Maki!"

I grabbed my bag, "I'm coming!"

School dragged on so slowly, I was the only one who was a nervous wreck all day. Denki was hyped, Jiro and Tokoyami were calm, and Bakugo didn't seem to care.

When school was over, Denki took us home, the boys changed and started helping Bakugo and Denki load our stuff up.

I went to my room with Mio and looked through my closet, "What should I wear?"

Mio sighed as she laid on my bed, "I don't know, depending on the audition mom would either put us in casual clothes or a dress. I think mom would say this calls for casual."

I nodded, throwing on a pair of jeans and an old Paramore shirt, "Good?"

She nodded, "How are you feeling?"

I sighed, "I'm freaking out. What if I choke on the stage and we lose the gig?"

She shrugged, "Want me to make you a puff star?"

I shook my head and pulled my yellow one from my uniform jacket, "I have one."

She raised her brow, "Dad make you one?"

I shook my head.

She was shocked, "Denki?"

I shrugged, "He was freaking out over the chapter test, I made him one and I had him write courage in another."

She smiled, "So, you have a piece of him with you, always?"

I rolled my eyes, "Oh hush, the boys might need help, let's go."

When we got out, Jiro was just arriving. She looked casual which made me feel more confident.

She sighed as checked her phone, "Okay, my dad says he's been with his client since noon, they've been checking out cover bands and so far, they've hated everyone. We go on in an hour, right after L.O.V."

I raised my brow, "L.O.V.?"

She nodded, "I've heard of them, they're mostly punk/emo, not really a party scene kind of band."

Mio looked confused, "And you guys are?"

Jiro shrugged, "We're inexperienced, sure, but Maki's got the range for some hit pop covers and we mesh pretty well, we don't seem that inexperienced according to my dad."

Bakugo jumped down from the van, "Alright, we're loaded, you losers ready?"

We all nodded.

Jiro handed Denki a paper, "Tokoyami's riding with me, who's riding with Bakugo and Denki, someone needs to give them directions."

Mio raised her hand, "I'll go with Bakugo."

Denki threw his arm around me, "She's with me."

I felt the blush and ignored Mio's wiggling brows.

Jiro nodded, "I'll text both of you the address."

I followed Denki out to his car, "How do you feel?"

He shrugged, "We're going to do great."

I sighed, "I'm afraid of choking."

He smiled as he dug in his pocket, "I'm good, I have all the courage I need."

I couldn't help but smile as he showed me the purple star.

I took my star from my pocket, "We'll do great."

The center wasn't hard to find, thankfully, I'm terrible with directions.

As the boys unloaded the equipment, I watched the last band walk out with their stuff, not too far from us. They kind of gave me the creeps.

One guy looked sick with grayish skin and chapped lips, the girl looked like a discount Harley Quinn if she was a schoolgirl and some guy who looks like a wannabe Deadpool.

"Maki," I heard Jiro, "We need to go sign in while the boys are setting up."

I nodded and followed her in.

She hugged a man with long blondish hair in a suit, "You must be Maki? I'm Jiro's Dad, Kyotoku."

I nodded, shaking his hand, "Hello, sir."

He turned to Jiro, "Alright, kid, sign in with the one with the headset and they may ask you to do more than one song."

We were confused, Jiro shook her head, "I thought it was one song."

He nodded, "I did too but today she's been asking bands to play two or three. This is what I was telling you about, kiddo, gotta always be prepared and adapt."

She nodded, "Alright, we're fine. We've got this."

I looked to Mio, scared.

She put a hand on my shoulder, "Remember the star."

I nodded.

Jiro waved us over to where the boys were setting up, "Okay, so, they might ask us for two or three songs instead of one so we'll go with Try first as we had planned. Maki, what songs do you think will be your strengths?"

I sighed, "Umm, anything from Paramore, the few Taylor Swift we've practiced, the Flyleaf songs, and Disney. Those are just a few."

She nodded, "Okay, so, we'll do Try, Teardrops on my Guitar, and the audition song, Decode."

We all nodded and finished setting up.

The woman running the event sat next to Jiro's dad, "Alright, The Interlude, I know we told Kyotoku one song but we're gonna do two at first and more if I like you."

We nodded.

She smiled, "Now, this event if for kids about your age, I'm looking for someone who can do covers of popular artists. You may begin when whenever you're ready."

I looked to Jiro as she set her keyboard for Try and she nodded, starting the intro:

Oh

Ever wonder about what he's doing?

How it all turns to lies

Sometimes I think that its better

To never ask why

Where there is desire there is gonna be a flame

Where there is flame someone's bound to get burned

But just because it burns doesn't mean you're gonna die

You've gotta get up and try, and try, and try

Gotta get up and try, and try, and try

Eh, eh, eh

I watched the woman's reaction, she seemed impressed.

I looked over to Mio who was smiling.

We played the song pretty well.

The woman smiled, "Beautiful! Please, play another."

Jiro nodded, "One, two, three…"

Drew looks at me, I fake a smile so he won't see

That I want and I'm needing everything that we should be

I'll bet she's beautiful, that girl he talks about

And she's got everything that I have to live without

Drew talks to me, I laugh 'cause it's just so funny

And I can't even see anyone when he's with me

He says he's so in love, he's finally got it right

I wonder if he knows he's all I think about I night

He's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar

She smiled with a hand over her heart, "I love Taylor Swift, that was beautiful."

Jiro looked hopeful, "Want us to play another song?"

She nodded, "Oh, yes, I'm loving this."

Jiro nodded and started the song,

How can I decide what's right?

When you're clouding up my mind

I can't win your losing fight

All the time

Nor can I ever own what's mine

When you're always taking sides

But you won't take away my pride

No, not this time

Not this time

How did we get here?

When I used to know you so well

But how did we get here?

Well, I think I know

The truth is hiding in your eyes

And it's hanging on your tongue

Just boiling in my blood

But you think that I can't see

What kind of man you are

If you're a man at all

Well, I will figure this one out

On my own

As we finished the song, even Jiro's dad looked impressed.

The woman tapped her finger on her chin, thinking, "Hmm, I think I want one more song."

We were all surprised, four songs?

Jiro looked a little wigged, "What song should we do?"

Denki shrugged, "All Around Me by Flyleaf, we may not have practiced it much but we sounded good playing it and it's the song in the video Mio took. It'll also show off our range."

We all nodded, agreeing.

My hands are searching for you

My arms are outstretched towards you

I feel on my fingertips

My tongue dances behind my lips for you

This fire runs through my being

Burning, I'm not used to seeing you

I'm alive, I'm alive

I can feel you all around me

Thickening the air I'm breathing

Holding on to what I'm feeling

Savoring this heart that's healing

When the song was over, I felt like my heart could burst. I haven't felt like this since my last performance with mom.

The woman clapped, "Oh, my, I loved it."

Jiro's dad smiled, "As did I."

She stood, walking to the stage, "Okay, I had a few more bands to see after you tomorrow, but, I think I'm going to cancel."

I couldn't help but smile.

She handed Jiro's father a paper, "This has all the info on it, Kyotoku, go over it, I think you'll see it's fair. The event is in two weeks from now, you guys will need to set up at least four hours before it starts to so a soundcheck and I will provide rooms for you to get ready in."

We all bowed, "Thank you so much."

She nodded, "I will also need to see your set list by next Friday so I can approve it. More songs by the artists you sang tonight will be alright but I'd like more variety, ten to fourteen songs, your performance will be scheduled in a two-hour block just after the start of the event and will end before we do closing ceremonies. Oh, and remember, hit songs."

We all nodded.

She smiled, bowing, "Alright, I will see you all soon. Thank you so much."

When she walked away, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

Mio ran upstage, hugging me, "Congrats kiddo! Mom would be so proud."

I sighed, "That was nerve-wracking."

Kyotoku walked to the stage, "You guys were good, my only critique is you seem to stiff, you all need to relax and feel the music more."

Jiro nodded, "We usually can but I think the pressure was on."

He nodded, "I'm sure."

Denki smiled as he took his guitar strap off, "Man, I can't believe we got this."

Kyotoku smiled, "You did and you guys are getting very well compensated for it."

We all raised our brows, "We're getting paid for this?"

He nodded, handing Jiro the paper, she seemed impressed, "2,000 yen a piece? Not bad."

My jaw dropped, "What?! Do you know how many books that'll get me?"

He nodded, "It's good pay for a small high school cover band with no experience, you're lucky to be paid at all."

Denki looked excited, "This is so cool!"

I smiled. Mom would be proud.