“If this is about the pictures of Niall and I, then you need to know that nothing even happened and-” I began to ramble.
“Hope!” Simon Cowell stopped me, “This isn’t about Niall. He called me this morning and explained everything.”
“He did?” I asked, surprised.
“Yes,” he said, nodding, “He also spoke very highly of you, your competence and your talent,” he said, letting a slight smile creep onto his face.
“So then what can I do for you?” I asked, flattered, but confused at the same time.
“I was told that you were attending Julliard in the fall,” Simon began as I bit down hard on my lip. I knew that this would come back to haunt me. “Of course, I was very impressed. But since I hired you on a whim and was told that there were some problems arising because of your presence, I decided to call Julliard to see why exactly you were chosen, except that when I called, they told me that you weren’t on file.”
I breathed in heavily as I tried to come up with something to say when the truth came fumbling out. “This is what happened. I got into Julliard last year, but decided not to go. I applied this year again, but I haven’t received a reply yet. I don’t know exactly who told you that I was going there, but I’m assuming that the information got lost in translation,” I explained.
“Why would you possibly turn down Julliard and then try to get back in of all things?” he asked in disbelief. I could tell he wasn’t buying it. I knew I couldn’t get out of this one without telling the whole story.
“My parents were music teachers,” I began, “They passed away a month before my graduation. I was asked to conduct the spring concert in their absence,” I said, quoting my principle, trying my hardest not to cry. “I didn't even get to play at my last high school band concert. After that day, those songs that I had grown to love so much, I hated. Those instruments that I had become so skilled in, I never wanted to play again. I went from going to the university of my dreams, to being scared half to death because my whole life had changed and I was no longer a kid who loved to play music, but an adult that had been forced to grow up in a night,” I looked up at him and saw compassion in his eyes, “But now... now I’m beginning to love it all over again. When the rest of the band is eating or hanging out or playing video games, I’ll go and play the songs I used to, and the funny thing is, I love playing them more than I ever did,” I said, smiling to myself.
“Tell you what,” he said, smiling at me, “I’ll call them and give you a reference.”
“No!” I said, reaching my arm out to him as he looked at me surprised. Because after all, Hope Carter hadn’t applied to Julliard, Summer Terrace had. “That wouldn’t be fair for everyone else if the most successful talent scout gave me a reference to Julliard,” I said, scratching the back of my head, hoping he would buy it.
He shook his head to himself and then looked back up to me, “You know Niall was right, you are really something.” I tried to smile as I watched him leave. I had a feeling he was going to give me a reference anyway so I ran to the elevator that would lead to my hotel room.
“What the heck am I supposed to do?” I screamed at the phone after explaining to Mss. Carol my situation.
“Just apply as Hope as well,” Mss. Carol said as if it was no big deal
“But what if hope gets in and Summer doesn’t?” I asked feeling awkward about speaking about myself in third person. “I can’t just go on being Hope forever.”
“Look, why don’t you just call Julliard as explain the situation” she said, calmly.
“I don’t think they’re going to take mistaken identity very lightly. I mean it’s one thing to play piano for a band and go by a different name, but it’s another thing to apply to Julliard under someone your not,” I said, tapping my hands against my leg.
“If he calls and they tell him that Hope Carter hasn’t applied, we’ll all have a problem on our hands,” she said, finally sounding concerned.
“So what should I do?” I asked, biting my lip.
There was a long pause, “I’ll call him,” she finally said.
“You have Simon Cowell's number?” I asked, doubtfully.
“Of course Summer, how did you think I got you this gig?” she asked, this time sounding annoyed.
“Alright, well I have to go now. We need to be at the stadium soon,” I said, sighing.
“Wait Summer, what were those pictures of you and Niall about that I saw everywhere this morning?” Mss. Carol said, I could tell she was smirking
“I have to go now,” I said hanging up. I sat there staring into space with my phone in my hand. Was saying you were someone that you really weren’t to someone that really cared about you so different than saying you were someone that you really weren’t to Julliard? If it was so different, I would think the first would be much worst. I cringed as I felt an ounce of guilt begin to seep into my stomach. I was still being myself though, wasn’t I? The only thing I was lying about was my name… which wasn’t even a lie. The situation was overall fairly acceptable, except for the fact that I was writing articles about the boys and their tour without them knowing. I went into my computer and looked at all the articles I had already written. I didn’t have to submit them. But what about my commitment to Ms. Carol and tTeens? Then there was my friendship with Niall, Harry, Louis, Zayn, ad Liam. I never intended on actually becoming close with any of them or even maybe falling for one of them. At that point, I had no idea what I was doing.
Liam’s journal: May 25, 2013
We’re on our way to Egypt now and honestly, I don’t think I could be more excited. We’ve spent the last four days in Romania and the Ukraine, which were absolutely brilliant. But when we found out that we were stopping in Egypt, we were all buzzing. The only thing I can’t stand is Hope. Let me rephrase, it’s not Hope that I can’t stand, it’s the craziness she’s causing. I don’t know why the other boys can’t see it… well, I know why Niall can’t. He’s a goner. Then there’s Harry, every time that he even looks at Hope he looks like he’s going to cry because he knows that he can’t have her. He thinks that she’s too good for him. I don’t know her very well, so I don’t think I can make that judgement. But I know Harry really well and… maybe he’s right. unfortunately I have a feeling that the craziness has only just begun.
“Look at you, you’re riding a camel!” Niall said, trying not to laugh at the panic I was in. I looked down, and gasped at my discovery… camels are a lot higher then they look. I clasped my hands tighter around the rope as if that was to give me security.
“Why am I steering?” I whined at Niall who was sitting behind me, his feet dangling beside mine. He only smirked.
“It’s not that hard,” Louis said, as he rode past me with Harry. Whoever let Louis steer was obviously not thinking.
“Yea, it’s just like riding a horse… kinda,” Zayn said, as he rode past with Liam.
“The last time I was on a horse, I was ten and I cried until I was taken off,” I admitted as the camel completely stopped and all the boys started laughing at me.
“It’s okay,” Niall said, gently as he leaned against my back, wrapping his hands around mine and pulling on one side of the rope. All of a sudden the camel began to move in the direction that I wanted to go.
“I was sure that I shouldn’t have steered,” I said, heavily.
“Niall's glad you did,” Zayn sneered. I turned my heard to catch a glance of Niall's mischievous grin and laughing eyes as he only gripped his hands tighter around mine.
“I’m not doing it,” Niall said, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Come on mate, we’ll all be there. There’s nothing to worry about,” Liam said, eyeing Niall.
“I don’t care if you’re claustrophobic, we’re making you go in that pyramid,” Louis said as if he was a general giving out orders in the lowest and loudest possible voice he could reach.
“How many people can say that they’ve actually been in a pyramid?” I asked, trying to persuade him.
“What if I have no desire to say that?” he asked, staring me down.
So, I’m not sure how, but after the boys made me leave the room, they somehow convinced Niall to come on this Pyramid excursion that was planned for the band. It might’ve been a dare, or a bet… or something else. I don’t know, I’m not a boy. But I do remember that pyramid ever so clearly. We all had our hard hats on with little flashlights attached to them. Being in that pyramid was one of the coolest things I've ever done. It was like we were in this whole new world or a time warp that had taken us back to ancient Egypt. For some odd reason that I still can't figure out, I was last as we walked single file through a small passage way that would eventually lead to a large chamber. As we slowly walked down the passage, I distinctly remember taking one step and watching as the very ground beneath me crumbled under my feet. I didn’t know what to think as I free fell through what seemed like miles of darkness.