You and Me (Plus Everyone In Between Us)

Unsteady

I was on the stage again, lights pouring down onto my face, in-ears blasting the music into my eardrums, and a microphone gripped onto my hand. I watched as the cameras panned around me, catching a glimpse of me from every angle.

The second round is tomorrow. I couldn't believe it. This week I felt like I hadn't even made a dent. I sang "Burn" putting all my passion into my lines, going over the mini-acting lessons and saying each line with my cadence. It was very nice, and not just because I was singing it.

By the time I finished, Brian came up to me alongside a flurry of cameras.

"Amazing singing," he said calmly. "I thought you sang really well. However, I would encourage you to loosen up and just try to sing better because you are a little quiet. Just don't overcomplicate it and don't be nervous."

"Okay," I replied uneasily. He didn't have the same shine in his eyes from last time, and he looked kind of uneasy. Lennon thought that I was doing well, but she said that I probably wasn't going to win, but still made it. She told me that less was more. I thought it was nice.

By the time I finished, I spotted two figures in the corner by the drink table. I wouldn't have noticed if it was any other two people. But it was Ray and Andre.

They looked deep into some conversation. They stood close, leaning against the table in the wrapping comfort of being old friends. Andre moved closer before leaning into her ear with a whisper. Ray instantly covered her mouth with a laugh, before playfully hitting him on the shoulder.

What were they talking about? He looked pretty entranced, as his eyes stayed glued onto her.

Why did it bother me, anyway? It wasn't illegal for Andre to talk to other women. Plus, I was going to avoid him, anyway. I had lived almost eighteen years without Andre. I could do another.

They probably had something going on in between them. I was just some contestant Andre liked talking to me from time to time.

But why did Ray tell me to be careful last rehearsal? Was it of her or of Andre? Sure, he was a little weird, but I didn't think he was a bad person.

It was okay. I would stop thinking about it.

Suddenly, mid-conversation, Andre's eye trained on mine and I quickly turned away from them. I paced down the backstage area, past all the other contestants waiting for rehearsal. I found myself in the white stuffy hallway in the theatre.

Leaning against the wall, I sucked in a breath and pushed it out again. Competition nerves. The pressure would be on again.

"Ezra?" a voice called down the hallway. I turned to see Andre standing there.

Of course. Just when I was trying to avoid him. He looked the same as my last dream.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I just need a breather," I huffed. "It's okay."

"Don't be nervous," he assured, putting a hand against my shoulder. Now he stood in front of me, eyes trained downwards onto me. Or upwards. He was still kind of shorter.

"Thanks!" I sarcastically exclaimed. "I'll try not to be nervous."

"You always have to be sarcastic, don't you?" he said, smirking. "Well, if you're nervous, you can always come into the studio. It helps."

"They're closed," I told him. "We're only in there for like two hours, anyway."

"I'm talking about my studio," he reiterated. "If you come."

"Really?" I gasped.

He nodded. "I'll text you. In the meantime, don't be nervous."

"I'll try that," I sighed jokingly.

I didn't try that. In fact, I was more nervous than ever.