Smiling star

Making peace

We are watching the second episode together.We maybe competiting but we hang out together sometimes.The second episode includes our EV and our practice.And they added bits of information about us and bits of our auditions.Celan and Andy auditioned together.Watching our performance,I realised we really looked like amateurs while team B performed well.We have to practice harder.

When we were practicing,Mr Fleming told us we are going to competing with the trainees of JM.It is to"expose us to competitions we would face and make us realise the seriousness of our situation".Apparently,our CEO doesn't think we are serious enough.So,he even drops by check up a lot on us.

Meanwhile,we also have to go for a photoshoot.Our agency is releasing our official accounts individually as well as team accounts.It lasted long.The photographer kept shouting ,"One more"so many times.And we had to change a lot and we kept getting the outfits mixed up.It was a bit funny too.

Mr Fleming helps out a lot.Looks like he's been to many photoshoots.The shoot took all day.We thanked the people who helped us and came back.

We were exhausted and drop down at our seats.I'm seating at the back today.Barry and Nathan is already asleep.I'm really tired but I don't feel like sleeping.I don't know what the rest are doing but Celan is playing with his phone.After a while he asks"Who's this ?"I move to look.Suddenly,I felt uneasy.It's a picture of Yuca at the fair which somehow I could not delete.
" You don't need to know".
"Ah.I get it"Celan smiled."She's ..."
"What are you talking about?"I say before he could add anything."And why are you checking my phone?".I quickly take it away.
"You took mine"he said.And I realised I brought along the wrong phone.Celan and I have similar phones so we get confused sometimes.

And then I saw that Andy and Max were also looking at me.
"What?"
Andy turned away ,slipped on his cap and went back to whatever he was doing.But Max was reaching for my phone.When he was caught,he simply said"What?"and started laughing along with Celan.But I turned up the music and closed my eyes.

For our next competition,our CEO and Mr Fleming,as usual,accompanied us to the JM complex.The JM CEO is friends with our CEO ,so he had agreed.They also have a group of trainees who would be debuting later,maybe next year or maybe earlier.
"Let's beat them"Mr Fleming enthusiastically said,almost with a grin and opened the door.There were lots of people inside,more than expected.We introduced ourselves and they did too.Here,we are not exactly team A and B,we are team Xcel and I'm glad.

There was a song and rap battle as well as dancing.Hope and Lucifer did really well with the rap.They are generally the ones praised for it.We had a smooth beginning but near the end,Max forgot the lyrics and we panicked.Andy did tell us to just skip if we forget anything so the rest of us could cover it up.Max simply made up some random words and Andy and Barry helped him.We did not want it to affect the results much as it could seriously lower our scores because the JM trainees were a challenge.Besides that,I think we nailed it.

But later we found out that the JM CEO was not very impressed with our performance.He said we were "lacking accuracy and focus".He even said if he had to put money,it'd be on team B.According to him,they know how to perform on stage.We were disappointed.But he did make some positive comments about Max's witty lyrics.
Our CEO told the JM CEO about Max's nervousness about him.
"Well,you've come a long way "the CEO told Max who seemed startled.

I didn't get what they were talking about.Max is the calm one among us,always backing us when trouble occurs.
"What do you store in your head?"Andy told me and went away when I asked.
"You don't know?"asked Celan"Max was in a mega audition program before Xcel.The CEO of JM was one of the judges and Max got harsh reviews."
"Whoa.Wait,so Andy knows!"I say.Now,I get why Andy told us to skip the part we forget and continue.

"You were smart back there",I told Max.
"You heard too?"
"Yeah.But don't worry ,you've really come a long way"I say.
"Cut it out kid"Max told me grinning.
"What are we eating today?"Barry came and asked.
"You"Nathan said.
"Ah,you have good taste",Barry smirked.
"Where's...?"Celan started asking.
"Already inside",we answer knowing it's about Andy.
"Wait,do you know what we're having today?"Barry yelled, running to Celan.
"Hey,J" Maven greeted before I climbed in.
"You were good"Taylor said too.
"Thanks".

We had another weekly evaluation.We're getting even more busy.It's like we only have time to plan and practice.And there is still not enough time. Barry and Celan have stopped hanging out with Maven.

For our EV ,we had to rearrange a song of our choice.We were not very confident with it but we did have similar assignments earlier.It was mostly about singing so I did most of the work but everyone helped and Andy had some good ideas too.

We picked"Winter wind" and team B chosed"Always".It was a little bit of a surprise when we won.It's our first win so we were very happy.But some members of the other team were not very happy.Spin kept arguing it was not fair."Just luck"he said.Most of them did congratulate us though.And it was a big encouragement