Chapter 1

I wake up to a loud buzzing in my ear. I turn off my alarm and rub my eyes. I wake up and see the sun shining through my window. I yawn and get up. It was the first day of school, ym favorite day ever. I went to my bathroom and brush my teeth quick then went downstairs. It smelled like bacon and chocolate chip pancakes. I went to the kitchen and sure enough, that's what was there on the table.

My little brother, Thomas was already scarfing down his share. I sat down across from him and grabbed a few slices of bacon and a pancake. I drowned it in syrup and ate it up quickly. I went back upstairs and went raiding through my closet, trying to decide what to wear. I tried on a lot of outfits until I finally settled on one. Once I did my hair and make-up, I went downstairs again and got my backpack. The bus finally came and I got on board. Kids were throwing paper and I fought to get to the back.

It was only a few minutes before we got to the school. I got off the bus last and I stood there for a minute, looking at the school. It was my senior year. The last year I had to make up my mind if I wanted to let my inner star out. I always clammed up when it came to the stage.

Once I walked inside, I felt anxiety. Then I heard his voice.

"Alyse!" I turned to see my best friend Devin running down the hall toward me. I closed my eyes and cringed when he suddenly attacked me. He was my only friend in the whole school and we were almost inseperable.

"Hey, Dev." He backed away and slightly pulled his pants up. I played with his hair. "You dyed your hair black?!" That wasn't the only change either, he got snake bites and gauges.

"Yeah, I mean, senior year! I need a change." He flipped his hair over to the side and I got a better look at his hazel eyes.

I snickered. "Okay, Devin." We both walked down the hall together like we always did in the begging of school. "So how was your summer break?"

"Oh, it was awesome! California was the s**t, dude. I'm talking people everywhere! We definitely have to move there after we graduate. You can pursue your career in Hollywood." He grabbed my arm, with an excited look on his face.

I scoffed. "Dev, I can barely get on a high school stage without puking my insides out. What makes you think I could get onto a professional stage?"

"Alyse!" I turned around to see her. The same blonde haired, popular, head cheerleader that haunts my dreams come running toward me. She gave me a giant hug and I gave Devin a weird look. He gave the same look back and shrugged. "Oh, I missed you! How was your summer vacation?" She backed up and I could look into her pearly blue eyes.

"It was...good?" I gave her a weird look. "What about you...?"

"Oh, absolutely fantastic! I was in a play during July. Did you see it? It was amazing." She talked frantically and cherfully.

"Nicole!" Her friends came running down the hall and tackeld her with hugs. Devin and I awkwardly stood there, watching. Finally, seeing as they were having their girly love fest, we walked away.

"I swear to God, one day, I'm going to just beat the s**t out of her." I said as we turned down the hallway. "She thinks just because she's all miss popular she can make me jealous and she knows it works. Why the hell does she have to make me so miserable?!" I punched a locker.

"Hey, hey! Calm down." Devin held my clenched fist. "Nicole is just your pretty ex best friend that knows how to tear you down because she's jealous of you."

I stared at him in disbelief. "Sure? What is there to be jealous of?" 

"Oh come on. She has to have heard you sing and act at least once." He blocked my path before I could walk away.

I rolled my eyes. "Maybe a couple of times." I looked up into his eyes and a smile appeared on his face. "What up with the creepy smile?"

He laughed and put his arm around me and we continued to walk down the hall. "I told you, she's jealous of you. I've heard you sing a lot more than a couple of times, Aly. Your voice is probably the most beautiful thing I've ever heard. It's ten times better than Nicole's."

"Then why is she chosen for everything?" We stopped at the door to our homeroom.

"Because, Alyse. You don't get out there. When you should. You could beat her in everything." He turned the doorknob and we walked inside to a bunch of rowdy kids, either playing music on their iPods or flirting with each other.

We both sat in our normal seats we used to. Devin turned around in his to face me. "Yeah, but do you know how much pain I would have to endure because she would make sure I didn't make it bigger than her. She's already doing a fine job of it now."

"Do you know how much love you would get if you did though? Alyse, you are so talented in everything. Nicole can barely hold an octave. You are definitely trying out for the talent show this year. You'll do better than her and I'll be right there with you." He poked my face and I giggled. But then I realized what he just said.

"Wait, what? Devin, no!" I pleaded.

He just laughed and turned around in his seat when the bell rang. I put my hands over my face and fell on my desk, wanting to strangle Devin. Nicole did the talent show every year and she always did her own songs with her own dance moves. If she saw me on her stage, she would make sure my senior year was a living hell.