Somebody to You

“Nervous about today?” My dad asked as me, him, and Clayton sat down to eat breakfast. Today everyone who is majoring in music performance is auditioning for a chance to work with a famous recording artist on a song.

“Very. Are you sure you can’t tell me who the artist is?” I asked him batting my eyelashes at him.

“As much as I would love to legally I can’t. You’ll just have to wait until afterwards like all of the other contestants,” He replied and I rolled my eyes.

“Is there a way I can come see her perform?” Clayton asked after taking a sip of milk.

“If you’re in my office by noon you can come in with me and they won’t question it. Just make sure you’re there no later than noon,” My dad said. After breakfast I went back into my room since I don’t have any classes today since the music department gave everyone the day off because of the contest.

“Elle and Clo are here,” My dad shouted up the stairs to me. I shouted for him to send them upstairs to my room and soon my two best friends entered the room.

“Hey beautiful,” Elle said before plopping herself on my bed.

“I thought you had class today,” I stated as I hugged both of my best friends.

“We do, but in about an hour. We just wanted to come and wish you luck and help you pick out your outfit,” Clo said sitting down in my vanity chair.

“Good because I have no idea what to wear. I want the first impression to be memorable and I also want my outfit to match the song, if that makes any sense at all,”

“What song are you singing?” Elle asked me from her spot on my bed.

“I’m singing “most girls”,” I said and they nodded their heads. We stayed up late one night coming up with a concept for a song and they left me alone to write it. I just finished the song two days ago and I love it so much that I decided to use it for my audition.

“I have an idea,” Elle said walking into my closet. Five minutes later she came out with one of my light blue skater dresses, one of my dad’s old flannels, and my black hat. She then ran out of the room and down the hall to Clayton’s room. When she came back she was holding his green jacket.

“I’ll pick out an outfit so you have options,” Clo said as she stood up and walked to my closet. When she came out she had one of my light washed jeans with holes in the knees, my orange sweater, my floppy black hat,and a choker.

“Which do you feel like wearing?” Clo asked after they had hung up their picks so they were all together so I could see it as a whole outfit. I really loved both, but I wanted to be comfortable and I knew that the one Elle picked out would be best for that. I went over and picked up Elle’s outfit and laid it on my bed.

“Thank you both so much,” I said.

“Of course. Now be sure to send us a pic before you and Gabe go on,” Clo said coming and kissing my cheek. Elle did the same and then the pair left. As they were walking out of my room Clayton walked into it.

“I get out of class at eleven so I can swing back here and pick you up if you want,” He said standing in the doorway.

“Sounds good. Be honest with me bubs, should I stick with “most girls” or pick a different song that I wrote?” I asked him knowing that he would give me the truth even if I didn’t want it.

“I think you should do a different one. You haven’t worked with this one as much as the others so if I were you I’d go with a polished one,” he said and I nodded my head, “I’ll see you later sis. Try and relax you look constipated,” He said with a chuckle before leaving. Once my dad and brother were gone I facetimed with Gibson because he wanted to wish me luck and to make sure I was feeling okay. Once I hung up with him I sighed and opened the text thread I have with Gabe and told him to come to my house ASAP so we could figure out which other song I was going to perform. Ten minutes later he was up in my room and we were going over the songs that we’re both confident playing. From the list of ten we decided on the song “The Doctor Said” that we worked on together about a three years ago.

“I have to go meet up with Clo, but I’ll see you in an hour and a half,” he said before he left. Once he was gone I took a shower and washed my hair. Once I was out I dried my body and slipped on my underwear and bra. I then blow dried my hair and curled it before putting it in a side braid. I then put on my dress and the hat. I usually don’t wear makeup, but today I put on a brassy colored eyeshadow, eyeliner, and mascara. Once I was fully ready I took a picture in my full length mirror and sent it in the group chat that Clover, Eloise, Blakely, Gabriel, Clayton, and I have. As a brother would do, Clayton instantly called me out for wearing his jacket, but I just rolled my eyes and slid my phone back into my pocket.

“Elizabug,” I heard Clayton shout after the door opened twenty minutes later.

“In here doofus,” I shouted from the kitchen where I was drinking water.

“Let’s get going then,” He said to me and I nodded my head. I picked up my purse and brought my water with me. When we got on campus her parked in the parking lot across from the music building and we both hurried into our dad’s office.

“Ready to go?” I asked him since we would have to walk across campus to get to the theatre where the competition is being held.

“Give me a sec to send off this email and then we can head over there,” He said. I looked up at the clock and saw that it was eleven forty-five. Let’s just say I freak out about being a little early and both my dad and brother knew that.

“Or I can send it later. Let’s go,” He said standing up and grabbing his suit jacket and phone. The three of us made it to the theatre in five minutes and I signed in and went backstage while my dad and brother went to sit in the audience with the rest of the music department. When I got backstage I found Gabe sitting with his guitar.

“So we’re last,” I said to him with a sigh. We were both hoping for middle, but I guess last is better than never honestly.

“It’s fine. We can knock their socks off for sure. Plus that means you’ll be fresh on their minds when they decide the winner,” He replied smiling up at me.

“How many contestants are there anyways?” I asked looking around the room.

“Luca said there are twenty total,” he said with a shrug and I nodded my head before I began to pace. Pacing keeps me sane. Pacing gives me something other than my anxiety to focus on, because if I decide to focus on my anxiety I’m falling down a rabbit hole that doesn’t lead to wonderland. No, this rabbit hole leads to pure darkness and suffocating silence. There is no life in this hole only me and I’ve been trapped in it too many times and this time it will be different.

“You good Eliza?” Gabe asked with worry taking over his facial features.

“Yeah. I just need some air right now. If I’m not back before three people before us text me,” I said before hurrying out the back door and sighing. I always do this when I perform live. My mind instantly goes to all the things that could go wrong and my anxiety skyrockets. I go through it every time and you would think that by now I would be used to it or would’ve found a way to deal with it, but nope. I decided to sit down on the bench and just talk to God. When I feel like there’s nothing I can do talking to him always calms me down.

“Can you tell me where the Lancaster theatre is?” I heard an English accent ask and without opening my eyes I informed them that the door was right behind me. Once I heard the door open and close I took a deep breath, opened my eyes, and stood up. When I walked inside I went and sat down next to Gabe and rested my head on his shoulder.

“You okay sis?”

“I’m okay Gabe,” I said to him and he nodded his head. As each act went out I became nervous. When it was our turn there was a ball of nerves in my stomach, but I took a couple deep breaths and walked out with Gabe behind me. While Gabe got settled I walked up to the microphone.

“Name please?” the same English accent from before said into the microphone. The lights were shining so bright in my eyes that I couldn’t tell who was speaking.

“Elizabeth Maine,”

“What song will you be singing for us today?” Dr. Kramer, the music department head, asked me.

“I’ll be singing an original song that I wrote with one of my best friends, Gabe. It’s titled “The Doctor Said,” I said.

“What’s it about?” Prof. Green asked.

“We wrote this song the same week that I was diagnosed with depression and an anxiety disorder. Basically I just wrote down my feels and poured my heart into it,” I explained. Before now the only people who knew about my depression and anxiety were my best friends, my dad, and my brothers. I was put on medication so thankfully I’m okay and I’m currently working on getting off of my medications. It’s a day at a time process though.

“Well I’m looking forward to hearing it Elizabeth,” The English stranger said and I nodded my head. I looked back at Gabe to make sure he was ready and I nodded my head at him for him to start. Once he started I began to sing my heart out while having flashbacks to how I was feeling at this time. Whenever I sing this song everything comes back to me and I feel like the lost and confused girl I was then. By the time we had finished the song I had tears running down my face with a smile and the crowd applauded.

“Thank you Elizabeth. We will now take some time to decide on the winner. Contestants please stay in the theatre,” Prof. Green said. When the lights came up I hurried down the stairs to where my dad and brother were standing at the edge of the stage. I hugged my dad and he gave me a tight squeeze.

“I’m so proud of you Liliah,” He said kissing the top of my head and holding me tight. My dad is the only one to call me by my middle name since that’s the name that he wanted to be my first name. Sometimes he says the full Delilah, but most of the time he just shortens it to Liliah.

“Thanks daddy,” I said letting go of him and hugging Clayton next.

“Are you okay bug?” He asked and I nodded my head as he wiped away my tears for me. Even though we fight sometimes we’re always there for each other when it really matters.

“Nice job,” Clayton said to Gabe as I stepped away from him so he could hug our best friend.

“Thank you, but it’s all because of Eliza. Her voice is perfection,” Gabe said and I rolled my eyes. The four of us stood around talking for a little bit before all the contestants were called onto the stage. Gabe went to sit with my dad and brother as I walked up the steps to the stage and went to stand on the end since I was last.

“We have a little of a dilemma. We have a tie and we can’t have one. So in order to break the tie the two contestants have ten minutes to pick and practice a new song,” Dr. Kramer said into his microphone.

“The two contestants that will be going through to this round are Tycho Harper and Elizabeth Maine. The only thing is that this round has to be covers of songs,” Prof. Green said into her microphone, “Your ten minutes start now,” She said. I went backstage and met Gabe there.

“Do you want me to do this round with you or do you have this?” He asked me.

“If I use your guitar I’d love to do this round alone. I’ve been working on Sweet Creature for the past month,” I said to him and he nodded his head as he handed me the guitar. I tuned it and began to practice. After the ten minutes passed both myself and Tycho walked onto the stage to find out who would be going first.

“Since Elizabeth was last in the previous round she’ll be going first this round,” English stranger said and I nodded my head. I hurried and got a stool from backstage and sat on it before adjusting the mic. I began to strum and sang the song that melts my heart the fastest. When I was done I thanked the judges and took the stool and guitar off with me. A couple of seconds after Thycho’s music started I heard the audience gasp. When I looked out I found Tycho standing there with wide eyes as the music continued to play. He had forgotten the lyrics. I can do one of two things. One, I could just stay back here and watch him crash and burn. Or two, I could go out there and sing a little to prompt him and get him started again. I went with the second option.

“Made friends and lost them through the years. And I've not seen the roaring fields in so long, I know I've grown. But I can't wait to go home. I’m on my way,” I said looking Tycho in his eyes.

“Driving at ninety down those country lanes,” He began and he was able to finish the rest of the song by himself while I stood backstage. Once he was finished I walked back onstage and he just hugged me.

“Thank you so much,” He whispered into my ear.

“This may be a contest, but music family is more important,” I said to him as we pulled apart. We then both turn towards the judges.

“Is everyone ready to find out who our celebrity judge is?” Dr. Kramer asked and the crowd let out a big cheer. I took in a deep breath and Tycho grabbed onto my and and began to squeeze it. There was a drum roll and then the lights that were blocking my view of this guest judge went away. In the middle seat of the judge’s table sat Harry Styles and I instantly became mortified that I had chosen to sing Sweet Creature. Upon seeing who it was all the girls in the room went wild and I sucked in air.

“First I would just like to say a good job to all of the contestants today, you all have amazing talent. But now we must focus on the two on stage, Tycho and Elizabeth,” the English St..Harry said.

“I have a question for Elizabeth,” Prof. Green said and I nodded my head, “Knowing now that Harry was the third judge would you have chosen a different song to perform?”

“I most likely would have because I would’ve been too intimidated to sing his own song to him. Right now I’m cringing on the inside hoping that I had picked a different song,” I said honestly. I know this might cost me the win, but I want to be one hundred percent honest.

“Well you can stop cringing because I thought you sang it better than I did and I’m pretty full of myself,” He said the last bit as a joke and I laughed.

“Thank you,” I said to him.

“Tycho, what was going on?” Dr. Kramer asked him.

“I’m not really sure Dr. K. I think my nerves got to me, but thank God Elizabeth was here and saved me,” He said smiling over at me.

“Which makes me wonder. Why exactly did you help him Miss. Maine?” Dr. Kramer asked me.

“I know what kind of talent Tycho has and I just couldn’t stand by and watch him stand there frozen. I knew that if I could jog his memory a bit he would pick it right up and he did. At that moment I didn’t really care about the competition. I just cared that Tycho got to showcase his talent,” I once again answered truthfully.

“Well your caring nature paid off as well as your amazing talent. Today Elizabeth Maine, you have won a writing session with Harry Styles!” Prof. Green said and I crumbled to the ground. I held my knees and began to cry in disbelief. Tycho came to hug and and I hugged him back before standing back up.

“Thank you so much,” I said to them and they nodded their heads as they headed up on stage. I gave both Prof. Green and Dr. Kramer hugs and then they walked off to talk with Tycho as Harry approached me.

“Congrats love, you won,” He said hugging me and my inner fangirl appeared and she opened the floodgates to allow my tears out .

“Thank you so much,” I said with a chuckle as I wiped away my tears. This is probably not a good look but oh well.

“You deserved it, really. Do you have twitter or instagram so I can DM you and figure out when we can get together for this session?”

“I have both,” I said and he handed me his phone which had twitter open. I typed in my username and handed back to him and he clicked follow. He then handed it back to me, but this time Instagram was open and we did the same process just as my dad and brother walked up onstage. While my dad shook Harry’s hand Clayton picked me up and spun me around.

“I’m such a proud brother,” He said as he sat me down.

“I’d hope so,” I replied as my dad and Harry joined us.

“I’m beyond proud of you kiddio,” My dad said as we fist bumped each other.

“Thanks daddio,” I replied.

“I actually have to go, but I’ll Dm you to figure out a time,” Harry said giving me one last hug.

“Before you go. Would it be okay if we got our picture taken together? I understand if not,” I replied and he laughed.

“Of course. What pose are we going for?” He asked and I thought about it. I whispered in his ear and he nodded his head. I handed my phone to my brother so he could take the picture and then I got on his back. We both agreed that he would have RBF (resting bitch face) for the picture while I stick out my tongue and am too hype for the picture. After Clay took the picture I got down and received one more hug from Harry before he left.

Notes

I hope you guys are willing to give this girl a shot at writing her first fanfic! Please comment below and tell me your thoughts on the first chapter! <3