Lindsay stood the door of the bus, checking names off a list as we entered. It was pouring down rain so Cameron was holding an umbrella over her head in a very gentleman like manner.

Alex stepped on the bus and waved at Matheus. "That's everyone but Samuel," she said, glancing at her watch. "He better get here quickly or else we'll be late."

Lindsay stepped onto the bus and looked at me. "Maybe you should call Samuel, Marissa," she said, looking at me pleadingly. I nodded and called him meanwhile Lindsay was telling everyone to shut up.

It rang a few times before he answered. He sounded croaky. "Mars?" he asked.

"Sam," I said, "where are you, exactly?" I waited for an answer but he went into a fit of coughs.

"Mars, my mom thinks I'm sick. She's in the kitchen making me soup. I don't think she'll let me go."

My jaw dropped. Sam had a solo. "Sam!" I exclaimed a little too loudly, "You have to come! We need to go so meet us at the place. I'll text you the address. See you in a little bit. Bye." I hung up my phone before he could respond. "Let's go!" I yelled at the bus driver.

I was stressing out, biting my nails. If Damo hadn't been there I would've started pulling my hair out. I quickly texted Sam the address. He had better be there. We were going to sing together.

I folded up, putting my knees to my chest and wrapping my arms around them. I placed my forehead on my knees and tried to cool down. Damo comforted me, trying in vain to ease my nerves.

I wondered why I get like that. I had been performing for years but for some reason the stage made me sick. I always felt like collapsing whenever I got in front of people. I tried to keep it together; I knew everyone was watching me.

I could here Emily and Bryce whispering and McKynleigh telling them to be quiet. Ellis was saying something cynical but I usually just block her out. I'm all for sarcasm but she brings it to a whole new level.

We pulled up in front of the convention center and hurried out. Cameron held an umbrella over my head. If I wasn't on the verge of throwing up I would have thanked him. Even in my nervousness I could see Lindsay was angry at him leaving her to shelter me from the rain.

"C'mon guys!" Mr. Schue said, bouncing with excitement. His rapid movement made me literally sick. I ran out of the shelter of the umbrella and to a trash can. Micky ran after me and held my hair while I spilled my guys out. Like a true friend she had a pack of gum in her rain coat. She handed me a stick and we walked back to the group inside.

"Wow," Lindsay said, "You have the worst case of stage fright I've ever seen, Marissa. I find it helpful to take deep breaths. Here let's do them together. Hee.. Hoo.. Hee.. Hoo.." She inhaled and exhaled looking at me expectantly. I stared at her, unable to hide my astonishment. She was a piece of work but damn she had talent.

I sat down on a bench and clutched my stomach. Suddenly I saw a head full of dark dreads. I sighed, full of relief. Samuel walked in, his doting mother trotting behind him. She was short and plump and adorable. Mrs. Larson was almost the exact opposite of her son.

"I'm here!" Samuel rasped. Everyone's jaw dropped. He sounded horrible.

Lindsay instantly started going through her purse. "Here!" she cried, handing Samuel a teabag a bottle of warm water. "Does anyone have a cough drop or a piece of hard candy?" She was on the job.

"I have gum," McKynleigh offered but Lindsay shook her head.

"I might," Emily said. She delved in her purse and pulled out a bright red sucker. "Will this work?"

"Yes!" Lindsay said, grabbing it. "Here, Samuel. Drink tea and suck on this. Your voice needs to be better soon!" She grabbed his shoulders and shook him.

Samuel looked down on her with a mixture of amusement and bewilderment. He shook her off and came to sit down next to me.

"You okay?" he asked, sucking on the sucker.

I looked at him, my face giving him the answer. "I threw up before you got here," I told him miserably.

"Yeah, I can tell by your breath," he said, waving his hand in front of his nose. If looks could kill, I'd be in prison for murder. "Kidding!" he said defensively, "Sorry." I went back to staring at the linoleum floor.

"C'mon, guys, let's go to our seats," Mr. Schue said, leading the way to the doors of the auditorium. "The first performers are the Banderbelt Songbirds. I haven't heard them perform yet because they're new this year. They're armatures, but so are you so you might have some competition. Let's go in there and be good sports!" Everyone cheered and went into the auditorium.

The group came on stage. They were wearing horrid pink costumes and the girls had obnoxious hair clips in their hair. They began to sing and I inwardly groaned.

"I love the colorful clothes she wears

And the way the sunlight plays upon her hair

I hear the sound of a gentle word
On the wind that lifts her perfume through the air

I'm picking up good vibrations
She's giving me excitations
Good bop bop, good vibrations
Bop bop, excitations
Good, good, good, good vibrations"

The mixture of bright colors moving and the Beach Boys was making me sick again. I frowned and ran out of the room. God I hoped this stopped soon…