HAZEL FINE SINGS ALONG (WATTYS 2022 Winner!)

Chapter 19: And The Award Goes To

"Kate Maple!" Zoey said stretching out on her bed. "You are so lucky."

"I know, right?"

Hazel wasn't feeling very lucky, but she wanted to recapture the enthusiasm she'd felt when she'd first seen Kate that afternoon. They'd had a good day working together once Hazel felt better, but it was still awkward between them. Plus, Nick was giving off a weird energy, being super chatty and acting like he couldn't sit down. Hazel couldn't help but think that Kate wasn't going to have much trouble getting him back.

Which was fine. Fine. Hazel was fine with it. It was right there in her name.

"You've got a good mentor, too," Hazel said.

Zoey flipped her hand dismissively. "I guess. I mean he made it to the top ten, right? So that's good. I'm sure he'll have all kinds of valuable advice."

Zoey had gotten paired with Dwayne Rogers, the only other Black country singer that had ever been on the show. Hazel wished she could believe that this was some sort of coincidence, that the producers hadn't been so obvious as to simply see their race and their genre and decide that that was enough, but since this was a competition that employed Martin, she didn't have much faith. The truth was that Dwayne hadn't gone anywhere after the Sing Along, and Zoey needed all the help she could get. Hazel felt badly for her friend. She was the only person who had worse luck than her.

"How did it go today in rehearsals?" Hazel asked.

"Pretty good. I'm going to do a Maren Morris song."

"That's a good choice for you."

"Yeah, that producer, Jen, wanted me to do 'Old Town Road,' but I put my foot down."

"What the fuck?"

"Right?" Zoey twisted her hair around her finger. "That's what I said, and she actually listened. Anyway, what are you singing?"

"Julia Michael's 'Issues'".

"Ooh, I love that song."

"Me too."

"You totally sound like her."

"I wish."

There was a knock at the door. Hazel went to open it reluctantly. There were murmurs of a floor party floating around, but she just wanted to sleep.

It was Benji with a guilty look on his face and a camera crew behind him.

"What's all this?" Hazel asked as her hand went to her head. Her hair was wrapped in a towel, and she was wearing a robe. She'd spent twenty minutes under a hot shower scrubbing the day away.

"I heard you weren't feeling well earlier, and I wanted to check on you."

"Bad breakfast buffet," Hazel said, rubbing her stomach. "I'm better now.

"That's good news."

Benji pulled her into a hug while the cameraman hovered behind him, rolling. Hazel buried her face in Benji's shoulder. He smelled like the ocean, and Hazel flashed back to their night on the beach.

"Sorry about this," he said, whispering into her ear.

She squeezed him for a moment longer, then pulled away. "It's fine. Thank you for checking on me."

Benji spoke to the cameraman. "A little privacy? You got your shot, right?"

"Sure man, no problem." The camera fell from his shoulder, and he walked away.

"You want to come in?" Hazel said.

"Sure."

Benji followed her into the room, then sat down on the edge of Hazel's bed. He seemed tired, defeated.