What She's Made Of (Castle)

Oppurtunities

"So Olivia, I was wondering if you would want a solo in the concert.  I was thinking of adding another song to the concert and have it be a solo.  The first person I though of for the solo, would be you." Ms. Wilkenson said.  I was shocked.  "Me?" I asked in disbelief.  "Yes, the song is 'What if I' by Jessi Vazquez or on YouTube she's known as Jessi Smiles.  I looked at her voice and yours...it was a perfect match." Ms. Wilkenson told me.  "Yes!  I would be honored!" I exclaimed.  I was so excited to do this, I had a solo!

"I was wondering if after school, up to the concert, if you could stay after for about an hour and we could practice your song? she asked.  "Um...I'd have to ask.  Could I hear the song?" I asked.  I would have to make sure with Beckett if it was okay with her.  "Of course, let me pull it up." she said is she typed a few words into her laptop.  She pulled up the song and turned up the volume.  I listened and was in love with the lyrics and this girl's voice. (Link to the song is below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QC3URbLsNKs

"What if I could call on the sun?  What if I could shine till there's nothing but love?  What if I?  What if I?" I sang quietly getting a feel for the music.  "That's beautiful." Ms. Wilkenson said quietly.  "Thanks." I said, blushing.  "Alright well, ask your mom...that's who you live with right?" Ms. Wilkenson asked.  Shit, how do I explain this.  "Yeah."  I said quickly.  I was hoping it didn't sound suspicious.  "Olivia, is there something you aren't telling me?" she asked.  "Like what?" I asked.  "Oh, never mind." she said.  I made a mental sigh of relief.

I would have to remind myself to have Beckett fix all the school paperwork over my Christmas break.  "Alright well, I don't want to keep you if your mom doesn't know where you are.  So, your done here, and I will see you tomorrow!" Ms. Wilkenson said standing up.  I stood up and grabbed my bag.  "Alright.  Thank you so much Ms. Wilkenson!" I said happily.  "I'll be waiting to hear you sing!" she said as I left the room.

I left the school immediately cringed.  Think about it this way: it is December, I live in New York, I don't really have a good coat, and I am freezing my ass off.  I tried to avoid it as I pulled my coat tighter in and sang the lyrics to 'What If I' quietly as I made my way to the precinct.  I thought about any homework I had.  Download and listen to 'Fall of The House of Usher', figure out a project for my science fair coming up with my partner Aja, do my algebra homework, and draw a outline of one of the Civil War camps.  I sure loved school (the sarcasm is so heavy it drips off my lips).

I got to the precinct about ten minutes later and saw Beckett out front.  "You left the apartment like that?!  Oh my god, you must be freezing!" she yelled as she brought me inside.  I felt the heat from inside blast me as I muttered "Only a little.".  I walked in with her and set my stuff down behind her desk.  "Oh hey, two things!" I said to Beckett.  "What?" she asked.  "Can I stay after school for the next two weeks?  And, I need you over my winter break to kinda fix all my legal shit?" I asked.  "I'm already working on the legal stuff. " She said, putting emphasis on stuff to stop my cursing.  "And why do you need to stay after school?" she asked.

"Uh, I need to practice my solo for our choir concert next Friday." I said.  "Oh, yea.  Sure.  When next Friday?" she said.  I hadn't really planned on having anyone come to the choir concert for me.  My friends Brooke and Jon were gonna come, only because they were in the Intermediate choir class and the advanced show followed.  "Liv?" Beckett asked, waving her hand in front of my face.  I snapped out of it and said "Oh!  Uh...the show starts at 5:30, but Advanced Choir doesn't go until about 6:35." I said.

"Oh alright." she said, smiling.  Crap, no people were supposed to come to things  for me, then my secret would probably be revealed.  No one knew about my previous/current situation.  Not even the teachers and principals.  If anyone other than Kate were to come to an event for me, I would be screwed.  Even if Kate came, I would still be half-screwed.  We look nothing alike.  I always said that I looked like my mom, because in reality, I did.  I couldn't really let anyone know anything until my situation and legal stuff got figured out.

I pulled my bag with me to a chair by Beckett's desk.  I opened an app on my phone and quickly downloaded my Edgar Allen Poe story.  While that was happening, I started searching Google for a science fair project.  I found something along the lines of how smell affects taste.  I opened a text to my partner and half-friend Aja.  I asked her if it looked okay and she said yea and that we can start tomorrow in study hall.

I flipped through a few more things on my phone that were not exactly relevant to what I needed to get done.  I went to my e-mail and saw an e-mail that said 'URGENT!  IN NEED OF DANCERS!'.  I opened it and read the message.  I skimmed it quickly, but what I got was that a huge pop concert was coming to Chicago and they were in need of background dancers.  The person in charge of finding dancers saw my videos on YouTube and contacted me to see if I was interested.  I would have thought of it to be a spam, but they guy, Dave Rydan, was a huge name that made dancers into sexy-pop dancing icons.

They needed a response by the end of the week so I could be flown out in two weeks to practice the routines for the pop concert that was two weeks after.  I was so in!  The concert was on New Year's Eve and there was a huge after-party.  I would be flown out the day after my choir concert and would be flown back for two days, Christmas Eve and Christmas.  Then I would be back in Chicago till the concert.  I quickly contacted the guy back and said I would be there.  He sent me back a message about five minutes later that said he would send me a full itinerary in a few days.

"Hey, Beckett?" I asked, getting her attention.  "Yeah?" she asked.  "I need to go to Chicago.  I leave next Saturday." I said.  "Woah!  For what?" she asked.  "I'm a dancer for this New Year's Eve concert in Chicago.  I leave next Saturday, get flown back here for Christmas Eve and Christmas, then after that I have to go back till the concert is over.  It's the New Year Jingle Bash." I explained.  "How long have you known this?" she asked.  "About thirty minutes.  You can't stop me.  I'm going." I said, standing my ground.  "Where are you staying?" she asked, not wanting me to go and do this.  "In a hotel, by the concert arena, on my own." I said.  "I can do this.  I have for three years. "

"Beckett?  We got a case." Ryan said coming into the hallway.  Beckett looked at me and gave me a stern look and said "We'll talk about this later.".  "There's nothing to talk about.  I'm doing it." I said as I got up and left the precinct.