Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Nishi Kaze ❯ Vol. 6, Chapter Forty-Four: Star ( Chapter 44 )

Star

*Annette*

I don't know why I'm doing this. I don't know what I'm doing. It all seemed like a good idea at the time. Let me back up some.

Three weeks ago, I spotted a pink and white flyer for a singing competition in Tokyo as I was walking to class. I froze in my tracks and backed up. I had to read over the contents many times to see if this was real. I even pinched my cheek hard. No, that was real.

Singing competition… A black and gold pen hung by the paper. My hand trembled as I reached for it. It seemed so easy. Just sign my name and I'm in. I can do it. If I wanted to, I can.

Before I knew, I had signed up for the contest. Now, I don't know what was I was thinking.

I could back out now, but why go through the trouble? This was what I wanted, right? Right? But, I can't. Who would take care of grandmother while I'm out?

“Hey Annette,” I heard someone say over my head. I looked up from my notes to see Yuki smiling at me. I gave him a little stressed smile of my own.

“Hi Yuki,” I said. The glow from his face died a little.

“What's the matter?” he asked. I blinked at him at first.

“What are you talking about?” I asked.

“You've looked like you've had something on your mind since this morning,” he pointed out. I glanced away from him.

“You can still read me after all of this time,” I muttered.

“I'm sorry?” he asked. I lifted my head to him.

“Actually,” I spoke up. “I have a slight problem.” Yuki sat down in the desk next to me.

“What is it?” he asked. I sighed as I lowered my shoulders.

“I have gotten myself in a little bit of trouble,” I confessed.

“What do you mean?”

I reached into my bag and pulled out a copy of the flyer. Yuki took it and read over it. He looked up at me with wide eyes of hope.

“This is great, Annette!” he cheered. I shook my head.

“No!” I cried. “I didn't think this through! I just did it on a whim!”

“So, this is good!” Yuki said.

“Don't you get it?” I asked. “I didn't think this over! Who's going to watch after grandma if I even win the first round?”

“Well, I will,” he volunteered. I gave him a sad smile as I patted his hand.

“Oh Yuki,” I murmured. “You are so sweet. You really are. But, you don't really grasp the reality of this situation.”

“Don't you want to do this?” he asked.

“Well… yeah…”

“And you signed up for the contest, right?”

“Of course, I did.”

“Then… why not go for it? You might not be able to ever get this chance again.”

I bit on my lower lip as my eyes lowered down to his wrist. Oh Yuki, so full of hope and promise. Shizuma and the boys must have done so much for him. No, it was all before that. I think it's all my fault. He always turned to me when he was bullied in grade school. I was practically the only friend he had up until this point. Could he trying to support me after I had done for so many years?

“And you'll help out with grandma?” I asked. He nodded once. Then, he gave me a little smile.

“That's only if you don't back out of the contest,” he replied. I smiled back at him. He always does this and it works to my amazement.

“You drive a hard bargain, son,” I said. “Alright, I take you up on your offer!”

“I knew you would.”

Today, I am downtown Tokyo about to enter a big stadium in Toshima. I have to admit, my resolve keeps swinging back and forth. I really want to do this, but I feel like that I really shouldn't. I am really to go through with this. I have my song choice so memorizing that it's almost like I wrote the lyrics myself.

Yet, I still can't chase away the uneasy feeling in my stomach. I hope grandma's okay. I told Uma about everything she needs. Even she wanted me to enter this contest.

“You have worked hard enough,” she told me when I showed her the flyer. “You need to do something for yourself for a change.”

“But what about Grandma?” I asked. “I usually am the one to…” Uma lightly patted me on the shoulder to quiet me. I looked up to see her smiling at me.

“It's okay,” she said. “I can take extra shifts. You just go.”

“But…”

“Just go.”

I didn't know what to say. I lowered my shoulders. “Just… take good care of her, okay?”

The nurse gave me a little smile. “I wouldn't have it any other way.” I gave her a little smile. It should be fine from there, right?

Then, why can't I get rid of this feeling of unease?

My fingertips touched the cold glass door when my phone rang. A puzzled look came over my face. Who's calling me this early? I hope it's not Uma. Please let Grandma be okay. Please let Grandma be okay. Please let Grandma be okay!

I took in another breath.

Calm down, idiot! It might not be something bad! Just pick up the photo. Right!

I reached into my purse and pulled out my phone.

“Hello?”

“Annette-chan!”

“Yuki?”

“That's me!”

“What's going on? Why are you calling me this early?”

“We just wanted to wish you good luck.”

“We?”

“Yeah, the boys and I. Say hi guys.”

“Hi!” I heard the guys yell in the background.

“Toyota? Katsuya? Sasuke? Dave? Shizuma?”

“Do great!” Toyota yelled.

“We're behind you all the way!” Dave yelled.

“We'll cheer you on!” Sasuke cheered.

“Shizuma,” I heard Yuki say. “Don't you have anything to say?” I heard that old demon snort in the background. Like he ever would…

“Don't blow it!” he grunted. I should there stunned. I had no idea that many people supported me at home.

“Good luck, Annette-chan!” Yuki said. With that, all of my doubt finally went to sleep as I smiled to myself on the phone.

“Thanks guys!” I whimpered. “I will do my best!”

“See you when you get home, superstar!” Yuki cheered.

“Okay.”

“Buh-bye.”

“Bye.” We hung up together. And with that, I pushed open the door and went inside. In the gymnasium, three judges sat at the table, watching me. The oldest man in the group pulled out my file.

“Annette Jefferson,” he addressed me.

“Yes sir!” I said. “Shall I begin?”

“Yes, you may,” a woman judge said. I began my dreams from there.

Race the Dream