Little Me [COMPLETED / UNEDITED]

The Judges

Chapter Two:

Gradually, the applause dies down. Not at all did I expect them to clap for so long.

"Raina," Demi starts. Oh my gosh, I still can't believe she's actually talking to me. How did this happen? "Raina, I think you have a great voice, and that song was perfect for you. I just think you need to work on your performance skills a little," Demi states. Psh I already knew that. I came here to sing, not dance.

"Thank you," I squeak.

Simon went next.

"Raina, I think you have great potential, and like Demi said, just work on being a bit more confident." Whew, at least he didn't compare to a mouse trying to be an elephant or use any of his other obnoxious, yet very odd, similes.

That would've been bad.

"Oh, uh, thanks."

Paulina Rubio and Kelly Rowland (who I absolutely love as well) basically say the same things. I was sweating bucketfuls for nothing. Why did I think they would hate me?

"Alrighty time to vote," Demi announces, drumming the table. "I say yes," she adds quickly.

"Yes," Paulina states.

"Yes," is Kelly's answer.

We all turn to Simon. "Well," he starts. It has no feeling in it, and I can't tell what his next words will be.

After a few moments of intense silence, my heart literally drops. He doesn't like me.

But then he opens his mouth. "Well, Raina, I guess it's a yes."

Four yes's. I stand there for a while, dumbfounded.

"You could at least thank us," Simon says. "I can easily take back--"

"NO," I yell into the microphone. The word echoes and lingers in the air. Whoops. "I mean, no. That wouldn't be necessary." Unintentionally, I add an awkward laugh.

"Ok then, well--"

"Thankyousomuch," I quickly blurt out. I need to stop being so awkward and utterly embarrassing. "I won't let you down."

"We'll see you later, okay?" Demi says, basically telling me to leave, I believe.

"Yes, sure, yup, sounds good," I say, slowly walking towards backstage. "Bye and thanks again!"

I break into a light jog toward the backstage crew because I cannot handle anymore awkwardness.

"Great job, Raina," says the stage crew guy with a name tag that said "Finn". He was tall and he had dark hair and green eyes. Light eyes and dark hair is really attractive, to be honest.

Finn seems only a couple years older than me. How did he get a job backstage of the X Factor this young?

"Thanks," I say, smiling. "You don't understand how relieved I am to get off that stage. Thank God it's over."

"Well, you still have about a dozen performances left if you get through. It's not over, Raina."

"Wow, thanks for being so optimistic. It's not like I made a fool out of myself on that stage or anything. Of course I'm so elated to do many more performances where I make everyone feel awkward." Note the sarcasm.

"Gee, no need to be all sassy. All I did was try to keep the conversation going."

"Okay, Finn, well it was nice conversing with you. I'll leave you to your geeky tech stuff so I can go to my family." I feel like I've known this kid for a while. We get along so easily.

"Bye, Raina. See you around," he says, going off in the other direction to talk to some guy.

"Bye." I turn around and run straight into my mom's arms. "MOTHER!! I WAS SPOKEN TO BY DEMI LOVATO. DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW HAPPY I AM?!?!"

"You focus on the fact that you were in the presence of Demi Lovato instead of the fact that you're going to L.A. to become a pop star? I wonder how your mind works sometimes," my mom murmurs.

"Mother, if you were to peer into my brain, you would probably think I belong to a mental asylum. But that's not the point. This is definitely the best day of my life." I twirl around once.

My dad and my sister, Eve, come over to me and give me a huge hug. They tell me I did great, but all I do is breathe really heavy and smile a lot because I cannot believe that this is actually happening to me. This was literally my dream.

And it's finally coming true.

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Author's Note: GUESS WHO WILL PLAY FINN HARRISON?

Finn Harries from JacksGap yo

Picture to the side