"They said what?" Tony yelled angrily.
When Musa left the hospital after singing to the children and noticing Bloom, Stella and Flora returning, she got to her penthouse and called Tony telling him to meet her the next morning. Musa awoke to the sound of Tony angrily banging on her front door. The minute Tony walked inside Musa had revealed the news to him.
"They said no, Tony" Musa repeated with her arms folded over her chest as she wore her dressing gown.
"Why would they do that?" Tony hissed turning to face the window looking down at the city below.
"I don't know Tony, maybe because of the way we treated them when they were here" Musa replied sarcastically.
"I didn't treat them with anything but with respect" Tony replied.
"Pot this is kettle, you're black" Musa said angrily.
"What does that supposed to mean?"
"It means that they treated you with respect and you treated them like dirt. To be fair I was not all innocent in their mistreatment but you didn't do anything to stop it, did you? You had no respect for them when Flora got attacked or when Stella got cheated on. You are supposed to care and you just fed them to the wolves."
"The wolves were you" Tony said spitefully.
"Okay fine, yes but you could have treated them better too" Musa said.
"Why didn't you beg, Musa?"
"Excuse me?"
"You could have tried better to get them to perform!"
"I tried the best I could Tony. But they were hurt so much by us. I'm surprised they didn't chase me with pitch forks."
"Did you tell them about the tour?"
"I did but-"
"Did you say that without them we could fall?"
"We?"
"I mean you, you could fall?"
"Is that all you care about? Yourself, Tony?"
Tony stuttered. "Musa, Musa baby. I care about you" Tony covered up.
"You care?"
"Yes, 100%" Tony replied.
"You just said 'we' will fall. Tony, what happens if I do not go on tour?"
"Well…..just…"
"Tony!"
"The company will fall!"
Musa stopped speaking at stared at Tony in disbelief.
"You are my favourite singer, Musa. The company has lost a tonne of money due to singers going south, some singers that you have written songs for, have failed because they were not popular enough. That was when you came along. You and The Winx brought in money that was saving this company. When you went solo, a lot more money piled in. If we get this tour deal the company can be saved and we can be back on top!"
"Wait" Musa said in disbelief. "Are you saying that the only reason why you signed me to this company as one of your singers, was because you needed me to save the company?"
"Well….I wouldn't say that" Tony said.
"Then what would you say?"
"Well….."
"You didn't hire me because you thought I was good enough at all" Musa said realising the plan all along.
"Musa…come on"
"You used me to save yourself!"
"But"
"You're fired!" Musa yelled.
"What?"
"I'm sorry, did I stutter, Tony?" Musa asked spitefully. "I said you're fired! I do not work for you anymore. I do not work for you just to clean up your own mess!"
"I own you! I have a signed contract!"
"I contract that was supposed to be re-signed last month" Musa reminded.
Tony stopped dead cold.
"That contract was not a six month contract, Tony. It was a three month contract" Musa informed. "But-"
"Ellie looked it over last night" Musa explained. "The reason why you needed me to sing at that stupid talent show was because investors saving your company were there and they wanted to see if I was worth the money to save your sorry butt!"
"No"
"You jerk! I was just a trained pet willing to do anything you asked because you bribed me with fame and stardom! So you know what? Save your own butt! You made your bed, now go lie in it. I quit and you're fired!"
"You did what?" Ellie shrieked as she stood next to Musa in the mirror was Musa got her hair done for the awards for tonight.
"I fired Tony. I quit" Musa replied.
"But why?"
"He was using me, Ellie" Musa explained. "He used me to save his company and he used the girls too. Apparently he used you too. You were promoted to manager because he couldn't afford anyone to be manager and still keep you as an assistant."
"So he lied?"
"He lied from the very beginning, Ellie" Musa said.
"So, what now?"
"You are still my manager, that doesn't change. You are paid by what I earn from my music so you work for me, not for Tony. We are going to that award ceremony, by ourselves, and get those investors to like me."
"You really think that they will fund your inter-realm tour just by yourself?" Ellie asked.
"I hope so, Ellie. But it is not about the tour anymore. It is about making people happy with my music. When I played for those kids at the hospital yesterday, I never felt more alive. They enjoyed my music and nobody else's. I just hope that I am enough to bring a smile to those kids' faces tonight."
"I am sure that you will do fine" Ellie encouraged.
"Thanks"
Ellie looked down at her phone.
"Musa, your limo is here to take you to the awards."
"Alright" Musa said standing up when the hair stylist was finished. "Let's impress some enthusiastic kids."
"It's going to start!" Stella yelled in the dorms as she ran to the couch with a bowl of popcorn.
"Why are we watching the stupid awards?" Layla groaned next to Stella.
"Musa is performing and is going to be so self-absorbed."
"I don't care. I want to see all my favourite singers and dancers win something" Stella replied.
"Did you vote, Stella?" Flora asked sitting on the opposite couch.
"I most certainly did" Stella answered. "I voted several times, actually."
"Is that even allowed" Tecna asked.
"Who knows, I just hope that they win!" Bloom walked in after Stella said that and looked a little apprehensive about what she was going to say.
"Hey, girls" Bloom said a little nervous gaining everyone's attention. "Can I ask you something?"
"What is it?" Tecna asked.
"It's about Musa"
"Go away, Bloom" Stella said turning up the television volume.
"Stella, please" Bloom said.
Stella sighed and muted the television before turning to Bloom.
"Last night, Stella, Flora and myself saw Musa sitting in the hospital waiting room singing to a bunch of little kids. She was so happy and she was singing just to make them smile."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Layla asked.
"Layla, Tecna, do you remember those little girls that ran up to us at the mall and asked for out autographs?" Bloom asked.
"Yes" they both answered.
"Well, Timmy did some searching for me and I found out that those girls are the daughters of some of the investors looking at Musa tonight."
"What?" the girls yelled.
"Yeah" Bloom said. "And it got me thinking. Musa had no agenda for playing to those kids at the hospital. She did it willingly because they were either upset or just needed something to smile at. She did it out of love and did it to make them smile. Isn't that Musa wanted out of her music?"
"Yeah" the girls replied.
"And Musa is performing for those girls we met tonight and the one thing that they want to see, is us. They want to see us. Now I'm thinking that maybe Musa was not lying to us yesterday. Three of us saw her doing something that she hadn't done since she met Tony; singing for the sake of singing. I think that she is returning to us. I think that tonight she isn't singing so that she can go on tour, I think she is going to sing just to brighten those kids' day."
"But can we all trust her?" Stella asked seriously.
"And the winner is Elf!" the announcer said on stage.
Musa was backstage in her dressing room waiting for her first song of the night. The schedule for the night was that Musa was going to sing two of her songs after the male solo singer award, and then go back on thirty minutes later, after the best female group music video award and sing her song with The Winx, except they weren't there. Musa was starting to panic a little. She had never been so nervous for a performance before, and she knew it was because she was going to sing new songs to a live audience and no one had her back to give her encouragement.
Ellie walked up behind her and saw her panic.
"Are you alright?" Ellie asked placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"No" Musa replied. "I'm up next and I'm nervous."
"Musa, don't worry about it. You will do great. Music is your thing. As long as you put a smile to children's faces, then what should you be worried about?"
"The fact that I may not be good enough to bring smiles to their faces"
"Musa, didn't you bring smiles to children's faces last night at the hospital. It was just you and a guitar and you had them dancing and smiling all night long."
"Yeah, but-"
"But nothing" Ellie interrupted. "You are going to be fine."
"Ladies and gentlemen, singing her two new songs, please welcome, Musa!"
"Good luck!" Ellie said before Musa walked out on stage.
"There she is" Tecna said as the girls and guys watched the awards at Alfea.
"She looks great" Stella complimented.
The girls nodded their heads in agreement.
The moment Musa walked out, all eyes were on her. She wore a long elegant magenta dress. It was a V neck halter dress with pleating on the bust and subtle gold flower pattern lace underneath the magenta satin drapes on the front and back. She wore gold high heel shoes and her hair was in a side bun. Riven sat on a chair furthest away from the television. Ever since he saw Musa sing to the kids last night he felt like Musa was coming back to him. He had convinced the guys to watch Musa perform just to see whether his suspicions of her old self returning was correct.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen" Musa said when she walked up to the microphone. "I hope that you are all having a wonderful night. Tonight I like to sing two brand new songs that I have written. The first song that I am going to sing is for my friends."
Stella choked on the popcorn that she was eating as the girls dropped their mouths in shock.
"I hope that they can forgive me." Musa stared out at the crowd seeing flashes from cameras.
A single spotlight shone on Musa before she took a deep breath and started her song.
"Get It Right" by Glee Cast
What have I done? I wish I could run
Away from this ship going under
Just trying to help, hurt everyone else
Now I feel the weight of the world is
On my shoulders
Chorus: What can you do when your good isn't good enough?
When all that you touch tumbles down?
'Cause my best intentions keep making a mess of things
I just wanna fix it somehow
But how many times will it take?
Oh, how many times will it take for me
To get it right?
To get it ri-igh-ight?
When the second verse began a set of drums came in and the stage was slowly revealed with dark coloured lights.
Can I start again with my faith shaken?
'Cause I can't go back and undo this
I just have to stay and face my mistakes
But if I get stronger and wiser
I'll get through this
Chorus: What can you do when your good isn't good enough?
When all that you touch tumbles down?
'Cause my best intentions keep making a mess of things
I just wanna fix it somehow
But how many times will it take?
Oh, how many times will it take for me
To get it right?
To get it ri-igh-ight?
So I'll throw up a fist
Throw a punch in the air
And accept the truth, that sometimes life isn't fair
Yeah, I'll send up a wish
Yeah, I'll send up a prayer
And finally, someone will see how much I care!
The stage was then lit up with bright white light.
What can you do when your good isn't good enough?
When all that you touch tumbles down?
'Cause my best intentions keep making a mess of things
I just wanna fix it somehow
But how many times will it take?
Oh, how many times will it take for me
To get it right?
To get it ri-igh-ight?
The crowd applauded and whistled when Musa finished singing.
"She just apologised" Helia said shocked.
"On live television" Flora added.
"In front of thousands of people and investors" Bloom said.
Everyone in the whole room fell silent. Never would they have imagined that Musa would apologise and write a song just for them.
"She really was telling the truth" Stella whispered stunned.
"The next song that I am going to sing for you tonight is dedicated to the love of my life" Musa said into the microphone. "I hope that he is feeling better and that he can find it in his heart to forgive me."
'Halo' by Bethany Joy Lenz/Galeotti I never promised you a ray of light,
I never promised there'd be sunshine every day,
I give you everything I have, the good, the bad.
Why do you put me on a pedestal,
I'm so up high that I can't see the ground below,
So help me down you've got it wrong, I don't belong there.
Chorus:
One thing is clear,
I wear a halo,
I wear a halo when you look at me,
But standing from here, you wouldn't say so
You wouldn't say so, if you were me
And I, I just wanna love you,
Oh oh I, I just wanna love you
[ Lyrics from: lyrics/b/bethany_joy_ ]
I always said that I would make mistakes,
I'm only human, and that's my saving grace,
I fall as hard as I try
So don't be blinded
See me as I really am, I have flaws and sometimes I even sin,
So pull me from that pedestal,
I don't belong there.
Chorus:
One thing is clear,
I wear a halo,
I wear a halo when you look at me,
But standing from here, you wouldn't say so
You wouldn't say so, if you were me
And I, I just wanna love you,
Oh oh I, I just wanna love you
Why you think that you know me
But In your eyes
I am something above you
It's only in your mind
Only in your mind
I wear a
I wear a
I wear a Halo
One thing is clear,
I wear a halo,
I wear a halo when you look at me,
But standing from here, you wouldn't say so
You wouldn't say so, if you were me
And I, I just wanna love you,
Oh oh I, I just wanna love you
Haaaa ha-ha halo (x9)
Once the lights dimmed after the end of her song, Musa walked off stage hearing the loud applause echo through the auditorium. She handed back her headset to the technician and walked to her dressing room to wait for her 'group' performance in half an hour. Within a few moments of Musa entering her dressing room, Ellie burst through the door in hysterics.
"Musa" Ellie cried out of breath.
"Ellie, what's wrong?" Musa asked concerned.
"The band" Ellie stuttered.
"What about them?"
"You don't have anything planned for your next performance!"
"What do you mean?"
"You have no drummer, no guitarist, nothing"
"I know" Musa said nonchalant.
"You do?" Ellie said confused.
"Yes" Musa answered. "The next performance is supposed to be my group performance and I was going to sing a song that the girls and I wrote last year when Helia broke up with Flora for his exams. Since they are not here, I organised just to have a pianist and a small orchestra."
"That is the only band you hired?"
"Yes" Musa answered.
"Oh, well then, never mind" Ellie said before walking back outside.
'The winner of the best female music video, star light!'
Musa stood back in position back stage standing by the curtain watching the people on stage. Her heart beat was increasing rapidly more than before.
"You ready?" Ellie said pulling Musa behind the curtain on stage and into position.
"They are not going to like me" Musa said worried.
"Who? The investors?"
"No" Musa said watching as the technician placed the head set back on Musa's head so that she could hear herself. "The kids. I'm worried that I won't be enough."
"Musa" Ellie began. "You are enough. They love you! So what if the girls aren't here? You have said your apology and now the ball is in their court."
"I just hope that I am enough to make them smile" Musa said.
"You are" Ellie encouraged.
Ellie walked away after that leaving Musa standing behind the centre stage curtain waiting. This time round she was not getting an introduction. This was going to be a complete surprise to the audience. Musa turned to her side and saw the orchestra set up next to her and the pianist was getting into position.
'Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our special guest entertainers' the announcer said and the curtain was raised.
"Candles" By Hey Monday
A stage of darkness shone on the stage revealing Musa in a soft purple single spot light. The violins and piano began slowly playing and Musa took a deep breath before singing.
Musa: The power lines went out
And I am all alone
But I don't really care at all
Not answering my phone
All the games you played
The promises you made
Couldn't finish what you started
Only darkness still remains
Lost sight
Couldn't see
When it was you and me
Blow the candles out
Looks like a solo tonight
I'm beginning to see the light
Blow the candles out
Looks like a solo tonight
But I think I'll be alright
All of a sudden the sound of drums and guitars began playing. The stage was lit up with bright white light blinding Musa. Musa gasped hearing the drums, she did not hire any other than violins and a piano. There were only a handful of people that would know that the song was more than an acoustic song. Musa slowly turned around to find the Winx girls up on stage. She dropped her jaw in astonishment seeing them.
They were hidden by the dark lights the entire time. Musa was in so much shock that she forgot that she was supposed to be singing; luckily her friends had remembered the song even after all this time.
Bloom: Been black and blue before
There's no need to explain
I am not the jaded kind
Playback's such a waste
Flora: You're invisible
Invisible to me
My wish is coming true
Erase the memory of your face
Musa: Lost sight
Couldn't see
When it was you and me
Everyone: Blow the candles out
Looks like a solo tonight
I'm beginning to see the light
Blow the candles out
Looks like a solo tonight
But I think I'll be alright
As Stella was singing the first half of the bridge, Musa, Flora and Bloom ran into the audience. Some of the children in the audience screamed in delight as the three of them grabbed hold the hand of a girl each and led them on stage.
Stella: One day
You will wake up
With nothing but "you're sorrys"
Musa kneeled down in front of the little girl that Musa had brought on stage and smiled at the girl. The girl was Erin, the little girl from the hospital. She began singing to the little girl in front of her.
Musa: And someday
You will get back
Everything you gave me
Everyone: Blow the candles out
Looks like a solo tonight
I'm beginning to see the light
Blow the candles out
Looks like a solo tonight
But I think I'll be alright
When the song ended the crowd stood up and gave the girls a standing ovation. The girl that Musa stood next to was squealing with her friends. Musa looked behind her and saw her friends smiling. Bloom and Stella walked over to Musa and smiled.
"But, why?" Musa asked confused.
"You are back" Bloom simply answered.
"And we missed you" Stella added.
"And we are not the only ones" Bloom said.
Musa raised her eyebrow at the girls. Bloom and Stella laughed to themselves. Bloom took hold of Musa's shoulders and forced Musa to look to her left looking at the side stage. Standing there, like it was all a dream...
"Riven" Musa whispered.
Bloom and Stella smirked to themselves before Stella shoved Musa forward. Musa didn't need another hint before she ran off stage and practically jumped into Riven's arms and cried on his shoulder. '
I guess there was no solo tonight' Musa thought with a smile. 'Because it seems like everything will be alright'