Chapter Two: Through To Bootcamp.
|~Lily~|
I looked out onstage and watched Louis greet the judges, giving them his charming smile. I rolled my eyes, turn on the charms he may, but the voice would get him through. He had a fantastic unique voice that meant every word he sang.
"I'm Louis Tomlinson." he said, with a cheery smile. Cheryl widened her eyes, glancing at Simon beside her.
"Forgive me, but you wouldn't be related to Lily? She was on just before you, and your faces are so alike."
"Remarking resemblance," Dannii commented.
"Yeah, Lily's my sister." he said, "we came here together."
I chuckled. The music played and I could practically feel his anxiety as he raised the mic to his lips.
"Come on, Lou," Stan urged.
"You can do it!" Hannah hissed.
"That's it, baby," Mum added as his first notes sounded, clear and harmonious. My stomach churned with nerves for him.
Please let him get through!
I watched with a wide eyes and a beaming smile as he got four yeses, with Hey There Delilah.
"Looks like you're competing against your brother, then," Mum said, and her face radiated pride.
"This should be interesting!" Lottie smirked, looking sideways at Fizzy.
"Well done!" I exclaimed, gathering Louis in a hug when he walked off. "Brilliant. You were brilliant."
After we congratulated him, we went out for a celebratory dinner.
It was the nicest Nando's had ever tasted.
# ~ # ~ # ~ #
During lunch with April later that week, my phone buzzed.
"Check your email." It was Louis.
"What? Why?"
"Check it!" He sounded thrilled. I hung up, called over a waitress to ask for the wifi password and logged into my email.
My breath hitched when I saw an email waiting from The X Factor UK.
Congratulations, contestants! You have made it through the final stage of Auditions. Your audition tapes were reviewed and we cut the contestants down. You have made it through to Bootcamp. Please be in the studio at midday, Thursday 21st of May. Well done for advancing!
I slammed my milkshake down on the table, spilling it across the surface.
"Lily, you fucker-"
"April!" I prodded her arm. "April!
I made Bootcamp."
"What."
I showed her the email. She squealed and hugged me and we bought another round of milkshakes.
Louis gave me a huge hug as soon as I got home. "God! I'm so happy!" He laughed, spinning me around.
"They said they'd email us the list of song choices."
"Awesome, cool. Have you told Mum?"
"I'll tell her when she gets back from work."
"Louis, we did it." I whispered in awe. "Louis, we're going to become stars!"
"Steady on, cowgirl," he chuckled. "Only Bootcamp."
"I will not go home now," I said firmly. "I will not let this be a waste of hope and time."
I promise.
BOOTCAMP
"Louis, this is Cher. Cher, this is my brother Louis." Louis grinned, shaking her hand. At Bootcamp, I'd sought out Cher. I was glad she'd made it through.
"What song did you pick?"
"Sweet Child of Mine. You?"
"Never would have pegged you for a rock girl."
"I'm versatile," I shrugged. "What about you?"
She tapped her nose. "It's a surprise. Gotta get through Stage 1 first. I hear they eliminate like 60 people after dancing, and then after group performances."
God.
Louis' gaze had wandered and I followed it. By the X Factor poster, it landed on a blonde boy who laughed loudly at something as he mindlessly strummed his guitar.
"Who's that?" I asked through.
"Niall something," Cher obliged. "He's Irish. Fantastic accent. Great guitarist."
"You should say hello," Louis told me. "He's cute."
I snorted. "No. He's probably busy. I-"
"Louis! Mate!"
The boy that had preceded my audition, I recognised him as Harry Styles, he approached Louis loudly. "Louis, man, you made it! Great!"
"This is my sister Lily. Lily, this is Harry."
"I know you. I watched your audition. I loved it," I said.
"Thank you," he smiled, ducking his head, "I like your hair."
"I don't."
Harry tugged at one of his curls. "Swap you."
"Speaking of, there's a free dressing table over there. I'm going to do my make up. Lily?"
Cher jerked her head over to the free table. I followed her with a wave back at Harry.
I kept my eyes focused on the mirror as I tied up my hair. From the reflection, I could see Niall Something, Blondie with the guitar staring my way.
~*~
When Stage 3 rolled around, Cher, Louis, myself, Harry and Blondie were still in it. We'd fought our way through the dancing stage. I was upset to see one of the girls I'd spoken to eliminated.
Then for group performances, I was paired with nobody I knew, which sucked. An Irish girl named Rebecca, a blonde named Lucy and a pretty dark skinned girl called Louise.
We'd sung our way through that stage. Rebecca carried the group and I focused on the harmonies.
Now, Cher clutched me and said, "Lily, I'm next. I'm scared."
"Don't be." I told her. "You're awesome."
"They'll hate my piece."
"It's different. But you're different. That's why they'll love it."
Cher grinned. She was pushed out onto the stage by Dermot and I watched her sing her own little rappy version of Viva La Vida from the screen in te main room.
Nicole, the guest judge, thanked her and she ran off. I could see her, at the other side, biting her lip. Dermot comforted her.
Three performances later, Headphones Guy called for me and I walked on stage, the butterflies going mad.
I've made it this far. I'm not going home now.
"Hi, Lily," Simon said. I said my hellos, the chase was cut to and the music played. Mum gave me a thumbs up from the side.
"She's got a smile that it seems to me
reminds me of childhood memories
where everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky.
Who-oaa sweet child of mi-iine."
I sang, my voice ringing out through the arena. I have a strange voice. It's sort of thick, yet high and melodic. Louis calls it milk chocolate-y. I ran quickly off the stage, without waiting for applause, and into Cher's and Louis' arms, (may I say Louis was fantastic?) and they said well done. My stomach was cart-wheeling. Did we do okay?
We have to get through. I believe we will.
~*~
Me and Cher stepped out together for the Girls results. We were separated by a few people but we all held the same emotions.
Hope. Terror. Anxiety.
I wanted to go the Judges Houses so badly it felt like stomach ache. Nicole then smiled and gave us this speech about how we were all amazing. Who cares? Get on with it!
Then she said, "Rebecca Ferguson."
A gasp. She had been brilliant but I couldn't care less. My stomach was still doing athletics.
"Katie Waissel."
Then a few more. Not me or Cher. My hopes were beginning to get dashed when,
"Cher Lloyd." I tried not to squeal.
She covered her mouth to muffle an Oh my God.
Then the second to last name was called. Hope was dwindling. There was a long pause and then, she said,
"Lily Tomlinson."
My hand flew to my mouth. I got through! Oh My God! I was going to Judges Houses in Los Angeles!
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