You and Me (Plus Everyone In Between Us)

Bad Friend

I couldn't believe I was already onstage already. This episode was already way shorter because everyone was going together.

I somehow felt unready. Me and Ray practised so many times, but I felt it wasn't enough. This week was too easy, minus my dilemma (see what I did there?).

We were up last, and that made the pressure worse. Everyone expected that we were going to bring the roof down. I hoped we could at least move it to someone.

Marco and Lina sang a surprisingly cohesive opera/pop mix of "I Wanna Dance With Somebody". Kristin and the remaining boy group sang a smooth R&B dance-pop remix of "9-5". Winona and Insomnia sang "Billie Jean". Finally, Nebula and Alex sang a pop remix of "Walking' On the Sunshine", and managed to get him into choreography.

Everyone had done so well and managed to mix their opposing styles into one big collaboration.

But I made it. I felt confident.

I felt even more confident when my in-ears counted down and the colourful lights bathed my face, as the audience went alive with cheers. We found our place together in the song right away, clicking into the verse. Once again, like in rehearsal, I came down the stairs on my heels and miraculously did not trip. I think the audience loved us. The fact I could hear the crowd from my in-ears meant they were cheering very loud. It energized me and made me want to open them up more.

I didn't even realize we had finished until we were in our ending position and the audience blasted us with cheers again. Somehow, the performance felt easy. I didn't think about everything. I just performed.

The judges loved it. Fairouz and Brain weren't disappointed in me these times. Fairouz said that I was bold and cohesive to Ray, who continued to shine with a stage presence. Brain said he was proud of us and loved the way we worked together.

I waited for Andre, who wore an all-black tuxedo and tied his locs above his head. He gave some generic feedback, but I could notice how good he looked and how much I wanted him at this exact moment.

"Is it true it was your birthday yesterday?" Andre asked, lowering his head.

Of course, he knew. He made sure to let me know yesterday.

A shy smile crept onto my face. "Yes. It was my birthday yesterday!"

Soon the audience went off in some jumbled cacophony of "Happy Birthday" all towards me. A smile spread over my face until they finished. I laughed together with Ray.

"What's your wish?" Fairouz asked.

"To win," I laughed, and everyone laughed alongside me.

"Well, if you want Ray and Ezra to make the finals, please vote for them!" Halle announced. "And a Happy Birthday to Ezra!"

I left the stage feeling giddy. That was amazing.

♩

When I was back onstage for eliminations, I didn't feel as nervous as I did. But I was nervous. Because after this, I might be in the finals. Meaning I had the chance to win the show. The thought alone made me become alight with nervousness. They just finished playing last night's recap of the show. Halle stood in between us. I stood beside Ray.

"Welcome back to Finding Solstice," Halle announced dramatically. "I am going to announce the first act going into the final round."

"Can I please have Lawless and Winona on the stage?" Halle announced, and the acts both walked up to the platforms.

So that was the boy group's name. I didn't pay attention to them honestly.

I wasn't sure who was going to make it. They weren't very memorable to me, and I kind of felt bad that we didn't talk much. Still, someone was going home.

"The act that will be returning for the finals will be," Halle began, and then the lights cut out. "None of you. I'm so sorry."

Defeat flashed across their features as they were both ushered backstage. There were still four of us left. I sucked in a breath.

"A.C and Insomnia."

Alex was the first act to have made it—the first finalist.

"Lina and Marco."

Lina was the second finalist in the competition.

"Nebula." I flinched at their name. "And Ezra."

Oh, no. Oh no.

The light poured down on my face, and it took everything in my power not to scream. Oh gosh. What I feared for happened. What if they got eliminated? What if I got eliminated? I was on autopilot when Halle asked us to step forward.

I stared at them and walked across from where I was instructed to stand so I could be closer to them. I exchanged nervous smiles with them. We were going to make it.

"The act that will be going into the finals will be," Halle began, as the audience cheered our various names and shouted.

"Ezra Thompson!" Halle announced.

I didn't register the loud cheers and the congratulations. I plastered on a smile as they began to congratulate me! I said something to Halle, but I couldn't tell you if anyone asked. I only saw Grace and Janelle being escorted off the stage.

I immediately hugged them on contact when I got backstage, feeling the warmth.

"You deserve this more, okay?" I said. "There's still one spot left. The "Sing for Your Life Challenge" is still up for grabs. You can do this, okay?"

"Okay," Janelle agreed. "We'll do this all together because we can."

"Yeah," I reassured, even if I didn't believe it.

We all sat together, watching the last of the results from the screen. Ray had made it over Insomnia, making her a second-time finalist. I wasn't surprised.

When all the eliminated acts went up to plead for people to vote them into the challenge, I prayed that Nebula would be chosen. I couldn't lose my only friends in this competition.

I couldn't lose my only friends ever.