Haley's POV

"I said I am fine! You don't need to coddle me!"

I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing as I watched dad rub his face with his hands in exasperation while trying to talk to grandad over the speakerphone. Maiko and Lindsey next to me were clearly struggling just as hard. My grandfather was being as stubborn as always. Even though I couldn't see him through the phone, I could just imagine his weathered face glaring at the receiver.

Like father, like son.

"Dad, I'm just trying to make sure you and mom are okay. I know the news says it wasn't that bad, but still. A hurricane passed through your home. You can't blame me for being worried." Grandad scoffs.

"That old fox is fine. Yelled out a string of french curse words when she realized we'd gone to the shelter for nothing, but she's fine. As am I. I may be old, but I am not senile, nor am I frail Mark. Your mother and I are fine."

"Alright dad, if you say so. Can you put mom on the phone, please?"

"Oh, fine." Grandad grumbles. "Angélique! One of the idiots you gave birth to wants you!"

"Thomas! Arrête de crier! Quel barbare!"

"I'll yell whenever I please! Don't you spout your french frou frou on me!"

"Thomas, just give me the phone and go out with your friends or something. Maybe you'll come back being less of a salaud!"

"I will!"

We could here rustling on the phone line, and then grand-mère was on the phone.

"Bonjour?" She said elegantly, as if we hadn't heard her yelling and cussing at grandad over the phone.

"Bonjour, mama. How are you?"

"Oh Mark, mon fils! I'm very good. Thank God you called, I could not take another moment of that man. He's been an absolute ogre ever since we got the all clear to go home."

"I'm still here, you know? My ears work just fine, thank you very much!"

"Bon! Maybe then you will get the message to get an attitude adjustment!"

Dad closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and started again.

"Mama, I just wanted to make sure you were both okay after the storm before I went to work."

"Oui, Mark, oui. We are well. You know it takes more than a few winds to shake these old bones of your mama."

"You got that right! Evil doesn't die that easily!"

"Would you please stop interrupting me while I am on the phone?" She yells back at grandad.

"Mama, listen, I really have to go now. I'll call you again soon, okay?"

"Okay, mon amour, it was so good to hear your voice! Remember to pray for me so I don't kill your père!"

"As if you could!"

They finally hung up the phone, and dad shook his head, muttering silently at his parents' hysterics. Maiko, Lindsey and I immediately began cracking up, and dad turned to us with a slight lift on his lips.

"I will never understand them," he told us.

We smiled and waved as he left the door with his briefcase in tow, and immediately after he left, the girls turned toward me.

"So, how are you feeling about today's audition?" Maiko asked with a scrutinizing look in her eye. "You know that if Sam makes it past the first two cuts in the auditions, and he most likely will, he's going to have to do the chemistry test with you, right?"

"I'm aware. I'm just choosing to not make a big deal out of it and just not think about it."

"Alright Hale bell, whatever floats your boat. Just remember: denial is cold hearted biatch."

I gave her the stink eye as we went to grab our things to go to the studio where auditions would be held. Lindsey looked over at me and smiled.

"We love you girl, and we just want to make sure you're not setting yourself up for more hurt than necessary." I sighed.

"I know, Linds. I know."

***

We had just arrived at the studio when Ellen called. I waved the girls inside and took the call.

"Hello?"

"Haley, hun, I know you have a lot going on today, but I need you to practice some of your album singles today. We want to go ahead and get those recorded sometime this week, so we can release them A.S.A.P. and have you as the most talked about young artist in Hollywood. Capisce?"

"Yeah, Ellen, I got it. I have some time before the guys that are auditioning have to be tested with me, so I'll get some vocals in during that time."

"Perfect, hun! I'll get back to you soon on a place and time for to go record them."

"Sounds good. Bye Ellen."

Opening the door to the studio, I saw the girls spread out on some beanbag chairs in the far left corner of the room, and I moved to join them. I spotted a guitar in a corner on my way over, and I grabbed it before sitting next to Linds.

"Are you going to serenade me? Why Haley, how thoughtful of you! You shouldn't have!" Lindsey exclaimed.

"You're hilarious, really." I tell her drily, getting a wink in return. "I have to practice at least one of the songs that I'm releasing on my album in order to get them recorded quickly, per Ellen's orders."

"Ahh, I see. The talk-o-matic strikes again." Maiko said sarcastically. "But, you don't have a ton of time, because while you were out there Cecilia said she wanted you to be there with her while the guys are performing their auditions so you guys could talk about each one. So, get to practicing!"

Hearing that, I sped up to tune the guitar and get started. The guitar had never been my strongest instrument. I had learned enough to get by, but the piano had always been my go to instrument for any performance. This song, however, made more sense with with a guitar, because I felt that it gave the lyrics a deeper feeling.

I began humming softly and letting myself get caught up in the song.

(Starving by Hailey Steinfeld- Cover)

https://youtu.be/4y0piKh9ee8

I'd written the song, funnily enough, after reading the script for The Dancing Princess. The feelings I felt Scarlet getting swept in inspired me, and this song seemed to burst out. It was one of my favorites of all the songs I'd written.

Slowly, I began finishing and letting the last notes carry out.

Yeah, something inside me has changed
I was so much younger yesterday

The music stopped and loud applause immediately followed, startling me out of the trance I'd been in. I looked around to see that all the boys that were set to audition this morning had arrived, and they were all clapping with big smiles directed my way.

"Oh Haley, what a beatiful song!" Cecilia praised, gliding over to me in a pale yellow sundress that, paired with her golden blonde hair and tanned skin, made her look like she was a bright ray of sunshine.

"Thank you! I'm glad you liked it."

"Oh I did! I loved it! It was filled with a kind of sensual energy that just brought this sing to another level. It's definitely going to be a hit."

I could feel my skin burning as a blush overtook it. It didn't help that I could feel all the male actors that had come staring at me from their gathering place on the other side of the studio. Especially one particular male that I was trying my best to ignore.

After whispering my thanks, I walked over to the chair near Cecilia to face the group of guys gathered for auditions. Cecilia smiled at me once before looking over at the guys.

"Alright​ gentlemen," she started in her sweetly southern voice that strangely conveyed equal parts sweetness and strength. "I know that you're not all here to audition for Dillon, and that's okay. Because of that, however, I want you all to write down what role you're here for on one of the name tags in front of Haley. Once you're all situated, we're going to start calling names from the stacks of resumes and headshots I have here. You'll come up, state your desired role, and we'll move your papers into piles based on those roles. We'll go from the smallest roles to Dillon. Please do not waste my time with silliness or immaturity. We have to get through all of you today in order to get the remaining female auditions tomorrow. Are there any questions before we begin?"

They were all silent, and we began took that as out cue to start.

***
I looked around at the crowd of guys as Cecilia began with the auditions after having sorted all of them into their respective roles, and I noted a few faces that looked like they were going throw up at any given moment. Those were the ones whom were most likely to not make it through their audition. They would stammer and falter through their lines, and then make an attempt at redeeming themselves that would most likely fall flat.

Was that harsh? Probably. But, it was an undeniable truth. These auditions could be brutal if the person doing them wasn't prepared. They weren't for the faint of heart.

I kept watching silently as the roles silently trickled upwards in importance, silently commenting to Cecilia when prompted what I thought of each actor. I was impressed once more by Logan as he auditioned for the role of Jackson, a supporting role, and I found out that the blonde guy that looked nothing like him was his twin who could not sing, Landon. Landon auditioned for the another role that only necessitated the capability of playing an instrument and dancing, and he blew us away with his rendition of the Beethoven Sonata Number 9 in E major.

(Beethoven Sonata No. 9 in E major, Op. 14, No. 1)

https://youtu.be/jZYE_gl3j7E

Finally, it was time for Dillon.

I had been growing steadily nervous as the hours wore on, anticipating and dreading this moment all at once. I had seen Sam earlier when we were piling resumes, of course, and I had noticed him in the periphery of my eye a lot. But now, I had to acknowledge him for real. Maybe even act with him again.

I wasn't sure all the acting skills in my arsenal could keep my emotions in check as I acted in love with him.

There were only ten contenders for Dillon's part, since the bulk of the auditions for him had happened in LA. They all acted out their scene, and three of them were gone afterwards, because Cecilia and Mathew, the casting director, didn't like how Dillon's words came from them.

Then came the music portion of their audition. The other boys sang, with a few playing some instruments, but I could tell by the expressions on Cecilia and Mathew's faces that I wasn't alone in thinking they just didn't have the it factor we needed for Dillon.

Sam's song came last.

He walked over to the microphone with a stool in one hand and a guitar in the other. Cecilia and Mathew immediately straightened up, paying closer attention to Sam the same way they did after Cecilia told him to pay close attention to Sam during his script read. When I turned too, I locked eyes with him.

"Hey everyone. So, this song is one that's pretty recent to my YouTube channel, and I thought it'd be perfect for today. It's called Say You Won't Let Go."

(Say you won't let go- James Arthur- Cover by Boyce Avenue)

https://youtu.be/Sm1bTL4bQXQ

There was a raspiness to Sam's voice as he sang the first stanza and a flawless transition to a fluid, high pitch in the chorus. It was a beautifully constructed love song that gripped our attention completely.

There was no doubt in my mind that he would go on to the chemistry test.

I was proven right as Cecilia went ahead and picked three more guys out of the lineup and left the remaining four, including Sam for the chemistry test.

"Here's how things are going to work now: we're going to have each of you read a scene in the script with Haley. It will be the same scene for each of you to make things fair. This will not, however, be a kissing scene. That's too easy. Mathew and I want to see that you can make sparks flare with Haley when doing something as simple as hugging. There needs to be a depth between you guys that will convince the audience that you have really fallen in love. If you'll each grab one of these papers in front of me, please, so we can start as soon as you can do a quick read through. Steve will be up first."

She gave me a paper as well, and I saw it was one of the scenes where Dillon and Scarlet are already dating. It was a scene where they were talking to each other about the different things that weigh on their minds to basically show how they're growing closer. Already, stage hands were moving a big loveseat a few feet away to show a close view of me with each of the male actors.

I got up, discretely wiping my sweaty hands on my shorts. At least I could go through the other three males before having to act with Sam, as Sam was chosen as last again because of alphabetical order.

Acting with Steve was like trying to coax emotions out of a wall. He was good at his lines at the beginning, but it was like being so close to me had him so nervous that he couldn't loosen up. After him was Wade, who turned out to be the exact opposite of Steve. He was a little too comfortable with putting his hands on me, even where they weren't wanted. As a result, I was the one uncomfortable, and Cecilia stopped us mid-scene to tell Wade he was dismissed.

Dane came next. He was very good at bringing the right types of emotions to his lines and showing chemistry between us, but I could tell Cecilia and Mathew weren't completely satisfied. So, I sucked in a quick breath and readied myself for Sam.

He came over to the couch, shoving some of his hair away from his forehead as he did, and he sat down next to me. I recognized the maneuver as the move he always did when he was anxious, and the thought of him being nervous somehow calmed my own.

"Okay y'all, whenever you're ready!" Cecilia called out, sounding entirely too excited for someone who looked annoyed just seconds ago.

We each had our papers in our hands, but I'd memorized what I was supposed to say after going over it two times and a half, and I was positive Sam had already memorized his in the short time he'd been sitting.

Slowly, we fixed ourselves into the proper position, which was basically us snuggled together on the couch. Sam wrapped his right arm around me, and I hesitantly put my right hand on his chest. And, what a chest it was. Clearly, Sam had taken advantage of summer training for baseball.

Broad muscle clenched under my fingers, and the divine smell of pine trees and something so undeniably male filtered through my nose.

It was the smell of Sam- the smell of home.

"Tell me something about you that no one knows," he said softly. It took me a second to realize he was starting the scene.

"I have always wanted to ride a horse, but I'm scared of them at the same time. I fear being thrown off the way I saw another girl being thrown off in a movie, so I just pretend I don't like horses." Sam chuckled.

"I never would have guessed that. And now, I'll tell you something about me." He took a deep breath. "When I was sixteen, I found out that my mother is actually alive."

I lift my head and stare into those turquoise orbs that shone with a wealth of restrained emotion. Sam was knocking this audition out of the park.

"What do you mean? Why haven't I heard anything about her?" He chuckles humorlessly.

"That would be because she's a selfish waste of space that could care less if I drop dead. I found out that she had given me up for adoption when she had me at the ripe age of twenty-five. She could have kept me. She had a steady job, a steady life. But, she didn't want the intrusion of a baby. After I found her, I actually asked her why she went through the hassle of giving birth to me in the first place. She said it would make her look bad in front of her colleagues if she went through an abortion. But, she disposed of me as soon as she got the chance, and she asked me to stay away from her family when she talked to me all those years ago."

He looks down at me with a sheen of tears glistening in his eyes.

"I was devastated, Scarlet. I went over there expecting to reunite with her and get a reasonable explanation for why she abandoned me, and all I got was that she didn't see me as enough."

I climbed on top of his lap and hugged him tightly. He put his arms around me, and for a second, I reveled in the feeling of being hugged by him. But, I let that thought go almost immediately and kept going with the last bit of the scene.

"I'm so, so sorry. I can't believe anyone could ever see you as not good enough."

"Thanks, but I'm over it. I talked to a shrink and everything. Does it hurt? Yes. But, I don't let her take over my thoughts anymore. She doesn't deserve that power."

I turned my face to his with a slight smile as my character began to try and lighten the mood.

"You know, my earlier response to your question now seems completely insignificant compared to yours."

"That's okay. I really just wanted a way to enter into a conversation where I could tell you about my mother. Or, excuse me, that woman that gave birth to me."

"Maybe so, but I think that I should tell you something else to make up for it." He laughed softly.

"Whatever makes you feel better."

I pulled away from him slightly and looked dead into his eyes, forcing myself to stay in character and see him as my boyfriend, Dillon, and not Sam.

"I fear losing you. And not in the normal way that people normally fear that kind of thing, but the achy type of fear that crawls into a part of your soul and makes you believe that if that person were to ever abandon you, they would take that part of your soul with them."

Pulling me back down into his chest, he smiled down at me.

"You don't have to ever worry about that, skittles. You're my girl. My heart goes wherever you are. It's that simple."

He kissed me softly on the top of my head, and I felt woozy with the electrifying shiver that rolled down my spine as he did.

We stayed locked in that bubble, until applause broke out in the studio. I tensed up immediately and dislodged myself from Sam. Sneaking a glance down at him, I saw him staring down at his open hands with a clenched jaw.

"Oh, that was marvelous. You two have the most wonderful on-screen chemistry, and I am just dying to see it burn through a movie production. Oh Sammy, honey, I just loved you with Haley, and Mathew agrees. I'm sorry boys, but this call has just been made. Sam is most definitely our new Dillon."

Sam's friends came running to congratulate him. I walked over to where Maiko and Lindsey were both waiting for me on their beanbags with somber expressions.

"How are you feeling about this new development?" Linds asked quietly. I sighed.

"I'm trying to get over it. Great chemistry is needed for this movie to be a success, and I know better than anyone that sparks fly when we take the stage. I just need to find a way to move on from my bitter feelings and not let it affect this movie."

"That sounds very mature. Personally, I'd just hit him with something very hard and call it a day." Maiko told us in her infinite wisdom.

"And, what will that accomplish?" Linds asks her incredulously.

"Nothing, but it sure will make her feel better."

They kept on bickering, but I tuned them out as I felt the little hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention. A hand suddenly dropped on my shoulder and turned me away from them, and I found myself face-to-face with Sam again.

Only this time, those were his eyes and his character's. And, they were filled with immense sadness and regret.

"Hey, you said we could talk today. I think we have to not just for ourselves, but also for the sake of this production. Can we go somewhere?"

I breathed deeply and responded.

"Fine, where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere, really, as long as we can actually talk. You know what, I have the perfect place. We can grab a bite to eat there and then go somewhere that hasn't seen you in far too long."

I look into his cerulean eyes framed with thick, honey blonde eyelashes, and I wonder what I have gotten myself into.

***

A/N: I finally finished this chapter! I can't believe how long it's been. I have been searching high and low for inspiration,and I finally got enough to where I could finish this in the way I intended for in the first place.

So, question for the chapter: Where do you think Sam is taking Haley? (Hint: Remember it's 2 places: 1 for food, and the other to talk).

Also, This book recently reached 10k reads, and The Secret Singer reached 1 Million reads!! Thank you so much to all of you who support this all the time. My stories shine through all of you!

Please remember to vote and comment what you think!