You and Me (Plus Everyone In Between Us)

I Just Feel Uncomfortable

"I'm sorry what?" I hissed aggressively, not wanting to make a scene. My blood ran hot. Maria locked eyes with the ground, while mine went as wide as saucers.

Panic swept through me. Now I know Maria wasn't being for real right now. Right?

"I signed you up for an audition to be on Finding Solstice," Maria repeated. She clasped her hands together."Isn't this going to be fun?"

"What do you mean?"

"Come one, Ezra don't be like this," Maria huffed. "We love this show, and they're doing auditions in Toronto. This could be a chance for you to sing!"

"What the hell Maria?" I yelled. "What the ever-loving hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing!" Maria yelled back. "You are the problem here!"

I stepped back from her, eyes wide and stunned. Maria crossed her arms back at me, almost as if to challenge me.

"Because you're a pushover and you let everyone tell you what you can't do!" Maria shouted. "Maybe, just maybe, you can try something! You want to sing, I know this."

A gasp tore from my mouth. "I am not a pushover! There's no way that I could be even on this show. I'm not good enough."

Anxiety raced through me at the thought of a big crowd. People obsessed over me like they did with  Dilemma.

Suddenly the warehouse grew, extending further into the sky. It became so big now like it contained people and their dreams.

"Let's go home," I insisted, walking back from the line. "It's time to leave."

"You love to sing Ezra," Maria pleaded. "I know you do. Can you at least try?"

"I have nothing prepared," I explained. "I have no song to sing. I can't go on TV, look at me. Plus, Mom and Dad will kill me when they find out about this. You know how they feel about singing."

"If they find out," she finished. "Say you don't get in. They'll never know this audition happened and you can move on and be boring again."

"I'm not boring!" I hissed, before sighing. "What if I make it? You know they'll tell me to drop out."

"You can figure that out later," Maria said, tapping into the shallow banks of her fourteen-year-old wisdom.

It was impulsive. I couldn't imagine myself being like Dilemma. Like Andre. I don't think I could stomach hungry teenage fans obsessed with my every move. I could never win.

But what if I could? Maybe my parents could be a little more proud of me as they were proud of Emmett. I could be a singer.

"Fine," I spat.

A smile widened on her face and she clapped her hands. "Yes! I can't wait!"

We prepared to take our place in line, before turning the corner, and then the next corner, and the next one before we found the end. There were so many people. No way I would make it. There had to have been at least a hundred people here. Only forty people from all the cities would even get to go to LA.

This was going to be futile.

I was both impressed and mad at Maria for tricking me, but I would find time to get her back later. I always did.

It wasn't quiet or loud with the hum of conversation. People were already going to elaborate vocal warm-ups, tuning their guitars, and doing other stuff.

"I don't have a song!" I realized it out loud. I turned to Maria. "What should I sing?"

"Sing that one song," Maria suggested. "The one about being uncomfortable. I heard you singing it before and it sounds like it's your best one."