A/N: Hey guys, first up, let's cheer for the extra long update today. Secondly, I don't know if you follow my other story, Ice and Water, Fire And Keys , but I had quite a rant on the last chapter. Basically I'm a little unhappy about the silent readers I have, and how hard I work on a story and get few reviews. Now, you don't have to review at every single chapter, but leaving one once in a while would be really great. I spend alot of time on all my stories, and the reviews are truly a burst of support for me to update on time.

Now this chapter is maybe, a little warm up to the next chapter, as the next chapter is going to be massive, let me assure you. It's a critical point in the story, so do stay tuned!

Lucy

I walked up the massive spiral staircase of my school, my black backpack slung over one shoulder, my streaked blonde hair up in a side ponytail, and my tie loose. My socks were not visible, I hastily put on a pair of black ankle socks, after which I had put on my black low-cut Converse. I caught the attention of some disapproving teachers on my way up, but I couldn't bother to straighten out my appearance. I was tired as hell, after yesterday's late night practice session. My wrists were raw and aching, and my shoulders were throbbing.

The past two and a half months have been a blur. Rehearsals, interviews, photoshoots and whatnot for the competition. We had school in the morning, and almost immediately after, we had to head down to the studios for rehearsals, where our mentor would make us constantly play and play until our performance was 'rock concert with a thousand screaming fans' worthy. I came home late on many days, but they let me, as I had told them I was having 'study sessions' with my friends.

Ah, the subject of my parents. Unbelievably, they had not found out about my particpation in Project Superstar at all. Project Superstar aired on Channel FT, a channel my parents didn't subscribe too on cable, fortunately. Sometimes I felt like they knew about it, and it was just that they decided to leave me be. I haven't really been home alot these days, only coming back after 10, when everyone in the house would have gone to bed.

My relative who lived in the next town however, had found out about it. He had called to congratulate me and my parents on my success so far on the show. Thankfully, he called when my parents were out, and I was babysitting my little sister, Anne. He had left a message on the answering machine.

"Hey! No one picked up, but I wanted to congratulate little Lucy here for getting into that show on Channel FT. At first when I saw this her behind the set of drums on TV i was a little shocked! She looked like a little rockstar! You never called and told us about it at all! Anyway my best regards to Lucy. Take care, Jude and Layla. I hope Anne's fine too!"

Imagine my reaction when I heard the message over the answering machine. To say my heart was pounding would be miniscule. I think it backflipped all the way to the end of the street and came back. I quickly deleted the message. Later that day, Anne knocked over and destroyed the telephone. On accident. I think she was getting the bad vibe from the phone, considering how I was eyeing it the entire time. I made up a mental note to get her that new Barbie she had been eyeing recently.

But really, it was honestly surprising that my parents had not found out. Our picture had been on the advertisment for the show on papers and bus stands. Furthermore, we were kind of famous already. The finals were at the end of the week and we had already gathered a considerable fanbase, many of whom were from our school. Even now, as I walked the hallways, the crowd parted like Moses parting the Red Sea. Everyone gave me once overs, people I never knew before waved at me like we had been best buds our whole lives. I could hear the chatter among them quickly increase. The new attention was flattering, but sometimes I really wanted to sit by myself at lunch, not have random people asking for my number so that they could 'chat' and attempt conversation with me. I mean, I probably sound like a right bitch, but the sudden attention was a little too overwhelming if you ask me. Wendy and I shared the same sentiments, Erza, Ultear and Juvia however, seemed to be fine with it all. They were the top of the food chain in the school anyway, their status now was propelled to an equivalent as well, God? Their desks and lockers were practically worshipped. I hadn't really gotten to the point where I had letters and free sandwiches spilling out of my locker, but still, I was too much of an introvert for this. The nerd turned drummer in a band? I could make an excellent main character in a story.

So, going back to me walking to class. I was tired, I could practically feel the eyebags weighing my bottom eyelids down. I walked into my classroom, walking to the back where my desk was at. Immediately, all attention of the people in class was on me.

"Hey Lucy, what's up?"

"Yo Lucy, you wanna hang with us after school at the mall?"

"Good luck for this Saturday, I'll be tuning in to watch!"

"Lucy, you look great today!"

The last one was funny. Not. I smiled and briefly answered them, before settling down into my seat, and rushing my long overdue homework. Class began fifteen minutes later, but I was barely listening. My body was threatening to slump over the table in exhaustion. I glanced at the corner of the room, where Erza sat. She was already snoring, her scarlet bangs covering her face. Drool was already forming at the corner of her mouth. The sight of her made me feel like caving into slumber. Just as I began to let my eyelids closed. My teacher called out my name. "Lucy, please come forward to finish the equation on the board."

Life is unfair, I thought, as I got up and walked sluggishly to the board, picking up a marker and completing the equation. I recalled a question like this that I had done before, and did the sum.

"Your method is correct, Lucy, however your final answer in incorrect. Can you point out where you went wrong?"

I stared at the whiteboard, my blue handwriting blurring as I just simply stared, my mind, not really thinking. I shook my head. My teacher sighed. She got up as circled something I had done. "You multiplied it by 2a. You're supposed to divide it, have you forgotten the general formula?" she said, shaking her head. I mumbled out an incoherent apology. She motioned me to go back to my seat, as she continued with her teaching. The minute I reached my desk, I crashed into my arms, succumbing to the groggy sweet temptation of sleep.

I vaguely heard the bell go off, signalling the end of the lesson. Everyone started to clear their books and prepare for the next lesson. I was aware of someone rapping on my desk, I looked up to see my teacher's face staring down at mine. "Lucy, please get up and follow me to the staff room."

Uh oh. I'm in a hot soup of trouble. I got up and followed her to the teacher's staff room, and stood in front of her desk. I was expecting a lecture. Instead she handed me a styrofoam cup, and a mint. I looked inside the cup, to see some steaming hot coffee. I lookedat her in surprise. "Drink up the coffee, the mint keeps you fresher and alert."

"Thanks Miss, I'm sorry for falling asleep in class," I apologised. She smiled. "I know that you and Erza are in that show on TV, and I understand that it's been taxing on you both. Erza is still generally consistent in her studies, but you, Lucy..." she trailed off. I nodded, understanding what she was trying to say. I wasn't intelligent or anything, I was someone who had to work hard to get what I wanted. I had not been studying at all lately, and school had been going downhill since. I promised my parents that I would study hard for finals, but I was doing exactly the opposite, and I had lied to them. Guilt weighed down in my heart like rocks.

I think it was evident on my face, as my teacher tried to reassure me. "Lucy, what I want from my students isn't good grades or clean and shiny report cards with A's on them. I want them to go out and do what they love, to be successful. However education is still important, it gives you the backing to go far in life. Don't ever give up on school, but do try to balance school and your dreams. Time management is important Lucy. The summer holidays are soon, and I hope while you are setting out on your dreams, you are also working hard."

I swallowed, thinking through her advice thoroughly. What she said was true, I really did need to focus on my studies too. I left later, thanking her, and I walked back to class, drinking my coffee, and popping the mint in my mouth. The coffee made me more alert and the mint kept me fresh and more alive. However my mind was still on what was coming this weekend. The moment we had all been waiting for.

The Finals.

~X~

Juvia

It was Friday. The day before doomsday. Well I wouldn't call it doomsday, but it was definitely going to be crazy. The finals. We all decided to skip out on school, and head over to Erza's place for a last minute practice, and to mainly cool ourselves down. We were like a bundled blob of nervousness, we had made it far on the show, and tomorrow determined our fate, quite literally. I sounded like a cliché character on a TV show, but reality was crashing down on me really, tomorrow was make or break for us.

I rolled over in my bed, the sunlight drifting in my room. I got up, stepping out of the covers and I went to wash up and get ready. I could hear people shuffling downstairs. Great. He was awake. I groaned, hoping he wasn't drunk off his ass, like how he had came home two days ago. I walked into the small bathroom we had, hoping it wasn't a mess.

It was. I groaned, shutting and locking the door, washing away his puke on the floor and trying not to dry heave at the sight of it. I washed up, and stepped out, walking back to my room and getting dressed. I picked up my guitar case, my backpack, keys, wallet and phone as I tried to creep down the stairs without getting noticed. I manage to make it as far as the front door, when he noticed me.

"Ahh, Juvia. You're finally awake. Make me some breakfast, I'm starving," the voice that sent chills up her back said.

She turned to him with a straight face. "Didn't you already have breakfast?"

"No, why would you think that, huh?"

"I don't know, maybe it was all over the bathroom floor?" she said, rolling her eyes.

He grunted, taking a little too long to register what she had said. "Just like your mother. Is this how you speak to your father?" he said, trying to sound threatening, but failing. It was evident that he had a serious hangover.

Juvia sighed. "Look Dad, I gotta go. You can eat some cereal or toast. If you're feeling bad the medicine's in that kitchen drawer. Have a good day, and try not to go anywhere."

She could hear her father mumbling something incoherent under his breath. She tied the laces to her shoes, as she heard him saying, "Stupid girl, talks and plays that guitar to a freaking video camera, and acts like I'm the lunatic here." Ouch. That really hurt. Not. Juvia was used to her father coming home drunk the night before, having a major hangover, and taking out his bad moods on her. This wasn't his worst.

She slammed the door, and got on her bicycle. She was soon cycling away to Erza's house. The town passed by her as she cycled. The cafes were relatively empty during this time of the day- they would soon be packed when school ended and the students flocked to them. Juvia had performed at some of them with a live band for some extra cash before, when times were tough in the household.

The town eventually passed as she was met with the sight of the highway, before turning onto a small road that led to a gated community. Only the rich, like Erza's parents who were loaded, lived here. She cycled to the mansion at the end of the community, where a sprawling four storey mansion was situated. She checked herself in with the guard, before chaining her bike to the security. She grabbed her stuff and walked inside the property.

Juvia had been here many times already, in the past few months, but the property never ceased to amaze her. A straight path, where both sides we flanked with massive frontyards. In the distance she could see a little greenhouse, where she saw figures moving about inside, doing gardening work. The path became a round-about, where a giant marble fountain was set in the middle. The fountain was very Greek-style, with the bodies of two entwined woman carrying fruit baskets carved out of stone, their bodies dressed in skimpy togas. Water flowed out of the fruit baskets, and onto the tiered fountain below, which was laid with shimmering blue tiles. The front doors to the mansion were circular in shape, where she had to push the long handle to open the unlocked door.

As she stepped inside, she was greeted by a gigantic plush room, where the floor was carpeted. A giant chandelier hung from the ceiling, and on the sides were floor to ceiling windows which bathed the area in natural light. To her right she could see a massive plush sitting area, with a fireplace, and a massive television above it. The kitchens were on another large room to the left. A massive spiralling staircase led to the three floors of the house, and one to the basement.

Juvia walked past the staircase, where there was a narrow corridor that led to the pool at the back. The corridor has two rooms- the garage, where Erza's parents kept their collection of luxury cars, and the recording studio. Her parents had set up one for her in their house, seeing that their child has an interest in music. She knocked on the door and turned the handle. The girls were crashed on the couches on the studio, with Lucy on the controls, trying out some of the equipment.

"Hey, Juvia, you want something to eat?" Erza called, tapping away on her phone.

"Yes please, I'm starving. I was get out of home as soon as possible," I said, rubbing my stomach.

We got up and went to the massive kitchen. Completely done in white, with shiny and polished black granite counters. I opened a cupboard and took out a container that contained some cereal, and grabbed a bowl out of another. Erza sliced up some fruit, and we began munching away on our breakfasts.

"He came home drunk again?" Erza asked, sighing.

"Yes. And he threw up all over the bathroom," I said in disgust. Erza's pretty features scrunched up.

I guess Erza and I got along pretty well, because, we both had dysfunctional families. Hers were never here, and when they did come back, they demanded good grades and a good reputation from her. She was also treated as a spokesperson for them, when they weren't around. When important people came over, she had to speak of business for them, how they were doing, and entertain. Alot of things for a 17 year old to do.

As for me, my mum died when I was nine. She was hit by a speeding lorry, and her car was smashed, with her inside. My father could never get over her death, and became a raging alcoholic. He was laid off his job, and had to work small jobs to earn his keep. He spent it all on alcohol anyway. Once I was old enough, I worked too, to keep our house. I had managed to save enough to buy the cheapest bass in the music shop. The video camera I used when making videos was a present from my relatives.

Times were always tough at home, but ever since we formed Crush, I felt at ease, knowing there was always somewhere I could go to when things were going wrong.

We talked a bit, about the lineup and tomorrow's show, before heading back to the studio. When we entered, Ultear burst out, obviously excited. "Guys, you're not going to believe what I just found out," she started slowly. I raised an eyebrow at her, motioning her to continue.

"Maureen just texted me about the guest performances tomorrow...Electric are playing tomorrow! On the same stage!" she screamed, excited. My hand flew to my mouth. Electric? Someone please hold me. This was a dream, we would be performing on the same show with Electric! That meant we could even meet them. I had a million question that I would ask them. I turned over to see Lucy's eyes sparkling. She was obviously as excited as I was. We were die-hard fans. Ultear wasn't really into them, but she did like their music.

Erza and Wendy grinned at our reactions. We kept talking about them, until Erza clapped her hands. "Guys! This is exciting and all, but the finals are tomorrow! Keep focused!" Immediately, my nervousness increased tenfold. I didn't just have a competition to win, I also felt that we had the need to impress Electric. They would be watching. We needed to be in top condition tomorrow.

"Erza's right. Let's have one more last practice, and then maybe we can go and eat lunch outside," Lucy said, picking up her drumsticks. We all nodded and went inside the video, as Erza set up a recording from the sound board, and then hurried inside, picking up her guitar.

We played through both the songs we would be performing tomorrow. I could see how much we had improved from that session in the garage two months ago. We knew exactly what to do, the music flowed through us, and we were in sync. It was something that came with bond we all had. The thrill would be a thousand times higher, as we performed on an outdoor stage, with a hundreds in the audience.

As my fingers moved on to play power chords, I couldn't help but smile. Tomorrow night might be life changing, and I couldn't help but feel that there would be a lot more things in store for us.

O.O