HAZEL FINE SINGS ALONG (WATTYS 2022 Winner!)

Chapter 7: Two of Us

"Howdy, partner," Benji said the next morning, tipping his surfer cap like it was a cowboy hat. He was staring down at her, brown eyes twinkling. "I hear you and I are duetting today."

Hazel looked up from her blueberry muffin. She and Zoey were sitting at a table in the breakfast room where a massive buffet was set up every morning. Hazel had been so overwhelmed by the choices she'd ended up taking the muffin because it required the least amount of decision-making.

"Howdy."

"You get some rest last night?"

"Eight perfect hours."

Hazel and Zoey had skipped the celebratory dinner Benji and some of the other contestants had invited them to after they found out they'd made it the next round. There'd be time enough to party once their place in the live shows was secured.

"You?" Hazel asked.

"I wish. Dave stayed in my room last night because he's fighting with his roommate, and he snores like a drunken sailor."

"Oh, that's my duet partner," Zoey said. "Who is he again?"

Benji pointed to a standard issue white guy piling his plate high at the buffet line.

"Can he sing?" Zoey asked. "I mean, like, well?"

"I think he did all right in the group round yesterday. They were the ones with the light-up wands."

"Oh, God was that his idea? Martin was not amused."

Hazel remembered Dave, now. His group had been disorganized and pitchy, and one of them, maybe Dave, had tripped on his robe. They were the last group to be put through with Georgia arguing vigorously for them to get another chance because they're musical track had cut out halfway through. Though Martin had argued that all was fair between Wizards, he'd relented to the approval of the other contestants.

"I'm sure he won't want to be in costume today," Hazel said to Zoey. "You'll do great."

Zoey stared down at her omelet. "I wish they'd put us together. How come it's all boy-girl, anyway? JoJo Siwa got to dance with a girl on Dancing with the Stars."

"Good point," Bella said, sliding up to Benji.

"Morning, Bella," Hazel said in a friendly tone.

Bella gave her a smile that seemed genuine. "Oh, hi, Hazel. Missed you at dinner."

"I'm sure it was a blast."

"Maybe we should've gone?" Zoey said. She'd had a big case of FOMO the night before, texting Brooke, asking her if she thought they should socialize or rest. Brooke had been in the rest camp with Hazel, and Hazel liked her already.

"Totally," Bella said. "Right, Benji?"

Benji gave her an easy smile. "You both should come next time."

"Maybe," Hazel said.

"Speaking of which," Bella said. "My brother got us on the list for Alberts tonight."

Alberts was a swanky club in Hollywood where celebrities went to party when they wanted to get photographed. Hazel hadn't been there since she'd first come to LA years ago, and it had followed a typical Hollywood trajectory, making an initial splash, then sinking into obscurity, and rising like a phoenix when some of the latest crop of starlets decided it was hot again.

"Sounds great," Benji said. "Cool if Hazel and Zoey come too?"

Bella glanced at Hazel. "Yes, of course they can come. The more the merrier."