"I hate you. I truly hate you." I repeat for the third time.

"No, you don't." Riley hugs me once the backstage crew step away.

"Yes, I do."

"Then you shouldn't have wrote in my birthday card that you would do anything I wanted." Riley pointed out letting me go. My mom nods her head agreeing with him.

"I didn't know you would make me do this!" I yell earning a few odd looks from other people waiting to audition.

"I just wish you wore something better. No offense." My mom says to me.

"What's wrong with my outfit? I'm just going to embarrass myself. No need to get all fancy." I defend my outfit.

I'm only wearing a pair of skinny jeans, a grey oversized sweater, and my red high top Chuck Taylor's.

"You won't embarrass yourself. I bet you twenty bucks everyone will stand up and clap when you're done." Riley bets me.

"Deal!" I shake hands with him. That's twenty bucks in my pocket.

Riley begins slapping my arm repeatedly. "Look who is coming over here!"

I slap his hand away and look up. Brian Friedman is walking our way with a group of people holding a camera and a microphone. Great. He stops in front of me and sits down on my left side.

"Can you skip me?" I ask before the camera man turns on the giant camera.

Brian cracks a smile. "Why?"

"I don't want to be he-"

"She's nervous." Riley interrupts me sending me a glare.

Brian stands back up smiling. "Sure. Don't worry. I bet you'll do great."

Hah. If only you knew I'm a terrible singer.

I watch as they walk off. "I hate you."

"Number one five seven two six." Someone calls over the intercom.

"Dang it." I mumble under my breath. Why did they have to call my number? I'm not ready to go on stage.

Riley grins broadly grabbing my hand. "Come on. It's your turn."

"You'll do fine, sweetheart." Mom attempts to comfort me.

An older lady in her thirties steps up to me. "Carter Shay?" She asks holding a clipboard in her hands.

"Unfortunately." I answer.

She looks up slightly confused. "Follow me." She spins on her heel. Well, isn't she nice.

Riley, my mom, and I follow the lady backstage. Workers are running around all over the place trying to get their job done.

"So, we meet again." Brian smiles at me. I nod my head suddenly becoming really nervous. "Okay. When I tell you too, you will walk out the the middle of the stage on the red 'x'. Then just go with it. Song?" Riley hands him my cd that he brought. "Great. Good luck out there."

I look out on the stage where I am about to walk out. "I can't do this." I spin to look at Riley and my mom.

"Yes, you can. You're an amazing singer. You'll do great." My mom hugs me.

"Ready?" Brian asks me.

"Don't really have a choice, do I?" I say.

"Nope." Riley answers for me. "Go!" He pushes me.

I stumble forward on the stage where everyone can see me. Oh my! That's a lot of people. I glance behind me. I begin walking to the 'x' like I was told. I stop in front of the microphone.

"What's your name?" Simon Cowell asks in his bored voice. I haven't even started yet and he is already bored. I'm so screwed.

"Carter Shay." I speak in the microphone nervously.

"And how old are you?" Simon leans back in his chair.

"Sixteen." I answer.

"Why are you here today?" He takes a sip of his drink.

There's that one question I didn't want to answer. I'm not going to lie and say I'm here because I want too. I don't want to be here. I'm not a good singer.

"Um." I stall biting my lip nervously. "I'm being forced too." I answer honestly. From the corner of my eye, I see Riley face palm himself.

Nicole's head cocks to the side. "Forced?"

"Yeah. My best friend's birthday was last month and I gave him a card saying I'd do whatever he wanted. That was a bad idea. This was his choice." I explain getting a few laughs from the audience.

"You don't want to be here?" Simon sits up looking interested.

"Not really." I reply.

"Do you consider yourself a good singer?" Cheryl asks in her microphone.

"No." I reply quickly. "I have my reasons." I mumble remembering my thirteenth birthday.

Louis frowns. "What song will you be doing?"

Another question I didn't want to answer. "I don't know. I didn't get to pick it."

Simon barely smiles. "When you're ready."

I look over to Riley and nod. I can't believe I'm doing this. Familiar music starts. So, Riley picked Wasting Away by Tonight Alive for me.

I grab the microphone in my hand. Pretend you're home alone in your room.

"And so the sky becomes a dream. I never dreamt because I'm just too busy. Waiting for nothing and wasting away." I begin singing.

"Don't tell me its too hard

You were never there from the start

I'm not about to give this up

Giving up was never enough." I walk around the stage starting to feel the music.

"And so the sky becomes a dream

I never dreamt because I'm just too busy.

Waiting for nothing and wasting away

And so the sky it watched my dreams

Fall to pieces right in front of me

Cause I'm just too busy

Waiting for nothing and wasting away." I sing in the microphone jumping up and down like I do in my bedroom.

"And I'd never wish for anything more

Than to find what I've been looking for

And I swore to myself I wouldn't lie to myself

How could I let this happen?

So I take myself aside to take the time

To tell myself its alright

Cause you weren't there to dry my eyes." I finish singing opening my eyes.

The audience and judges stand up and begin clapping for me. Riley was right. I thought I was a terrible singer?

"I thought you said you were terrible?" Simon asks once everyone dies down.

I stand back on the 'x'. "I thought I was." I say truthfully.

"I think it's already obvious, but I say yes." Cheryl smiles at me.

"Yes." Louis agrees.

No way.

"You have a lot of talent, Ms. Shay. You're going through." Simon says.

I drop the microphone in shock. Riley runs out from the side scooping me up in a hug. I'm going through? Is that possible?

"Thank you so much!" Riley yells before pulling me back off stage. My mom pulls me in a tight hug.

"Did that really happen?" I whisper to myself.

•••••

AUTHOR'S Note:

I was going to wait. I really was, but I started writing and I really want to know what you guys think.

This will be my Louis Tomlinson fan fiction. I really hope you like it.