Hey There Delilah (Sequel to Not The Same)

Roman

"Which is why.." Liam said, then stalled. He opened his mouth, about to tell us our fate. My heart beat wildly in my chest. "We've decided that..." 

I almost didn't want to hear.

"You're both through." Liam told us. People started cheering, but I was vaguely aware. I just stared at Liam, shocked beyond belief since I thought it was over. I felt a squeeze on my hand, bringing me back to reality.

I turned to Megan, expecting her to be crying under the bright lights of this stage, but her face held the same expression as mine. Shocked; almost no emotion at all. We both stared at each other, her huge blue eyes looking into mine. It took us a few seconds before we were hugging each other, so thankful. Everyone in the audience was cheering profoundly, super happy to have made it, whereas I was the exact opposite. I was completely terrified.

"We're going to get through this." Megan whispered in my ear. I realized that she, like me, understood now. They didn't, yet. The other contestants had no idea what they had gotten themselves into. This competition is serious and scary. All day we had sat there waiting for what was to come. Everyone here looks as this as their big break. But what happens if it isn't. Everyone goes home.

Today I had tasted the reality that this contest is: I win, or I go home a loser without a father or a second chance. 

When we both finally pulled away, both with our same serious faces, everyone but the One Direction family were gone. They had been watching us. 

"Scary? Isn't it?" Simon asked from the audience. "We'll see you girls here tomorrow." Megan nodded her head.

"Come on, I wanna go." Megan started pulling my hand towards the side of the stage as everyone who once meant something to my mother, left.

"Go ahead, I'll meet up with you." I told her. She shrugged and headed off. I took the biggest breath of my life and started walking towards the biggest moment of it. I kept my eyes completely fixed on Liam, thinking that I had to do this now. I wasn't sure what I would do or say, but something needed to be said. 

Finally I was right in front of him, eyes wide. Everyone else noticed me now and watched me with curiosity. Even Liam's face was tilted questioningly. I opened my mouth to inhale again and speak, but I looked around me at all the curious faces. I looked at all of the adults, too scared to set eyes on their kids. Niall, my mom's best friend's husband. Erika, who had shared so many memories with my mom. Kiani, my mom's partner in crime. Zayn. Harry. Louis. Eleanor. Getting close to them, you can see that they're actual human beings, that they feel every emotion that we do. All of a sudden, my situation seemed so much more real with the thought that I could potentially hurt one of these people. The last adult next to Liam that I looked at was Danielle. The second I looked at her, I turned to Louis.

"There's an odd number. Who am I supposed to sing with tomorrow?" I asked him. He chuckled a little and I smiled, easing the tention. 

"You'll see. Don't worry about that, love." He smiled at me. I nodded my head and walked off, my head hung. I couldn't say what I wanted to, I'd be ruining lives. 

I guess I always just saw the X Factor as a way to get my dad back, instead of a chance to make my dreams come true. But not anymore. My mom was right, this needs to stay a secret. This needs to be purely about my dreams. I never completely understood why my mom did what she did. But now, as I walk away from the same people she did, tears running down my face, I get it. The reason we both gave up, is because sometimes, you just have to because somebody else is more important.

-------------------------The Next Day-----------------------

I set my bag down on the floor, opposite the mirror that took up most of the left wall. There's a huge dance floor in front of the mirror, I'm assuming this room is used for choreography. Two microphone stands with microphones stood in front of the mirror and to my right was a man at a piano, with sheet music that I didn't pick out.