"Just talk into the camera like you're talking to a friend." Dermot tells me, standing behind the cameras.

I nod my head. The camera light turns red. "Hi. So, I'm at Cheryl's house for the judge's house. It's absolutely breathtaking. Cheryl has Will.I.Am to help her decide the three that will go through. I thought Cher was going to kill my arm when she saw him."

I laugh and show them the marks on my arm from Cher's nails. "She was a little excited. Um..This is so weird talking to a camera." I tell everyone behind the cameras that laugh at me. "You said to talk to it like it was my friend, but this camera does not look human."

"Okay." Dermot steps forward, but makes sure to stay out of range of the camera. "Talk to me about being here. What's your favorite thing here? Are you excited to be singing to Cheryl and Will.I.Am? How much do you want this?"

"We may have only been here for four hours, but my favorite thing to do here so far is hanging out with the other girls. They are all so talented and I'm going to hate to say goodbye at the end of the week. Cher and I are the closest out of all the girls." I answer the first question.

I cross my legs on the stool I'm sitting on. "I'm really nervous to sing in front of Cheryl and Will.I.Am. They are both very well known and talented singers. I think I'll be more nervous because it will just be the three of us, not including all of the camera crew." I motion my hand to the guys behind the cameras, who are smiling.

I run my hand through my hair thinking over the last question. "When I auditioned, I didn't want anything to do with singing. I've had an uneasy past with singing." I close my eyes and take a deep breath. "When all the judge's said yes, I started to accept that I am a good singer. Now I'm trying my hardest to stay in the competition. I want this more than anything."

I bite my lip and stare at the ground. I shouldn't have said I had an uneasy past. Now they are going to look into it. Mum will ask Riley what I was referring to and then he will end up telling her. Maybe I will get lucky and they won't put that part on television. Oh wait. I never get lucky.

"That's good enough for today." Dermot claps his hands together. "Carter, can I talk to you outside?" He places his hand on my shoulder.

I nod my head slightly. "Okay."

I jump off the stool and follow Dermot out of the room. We walk through the living room of the house to the back porch. No one is outside by the pool giving us privacy. I sit down in on of the chairs in the corner and Dermot sits next to me.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asks.

I pull my legs up on the seat. "It makes me really emotional." I wipe away a tear that escaped.

"I'm prepared to listen." Dermot smiles kindly at me.

"Can we get Cher out here? She deserves to know and I don't want to repeat myself." I ask.

"I'll go get her." He stands up and heads back inside.

I take a deep breath to calm my nerves. I'm actually going to talk to someone about my dad other than Riley. I've never done this before. I know if I don't talk to someone here about it I will go crazy. Cher deserves to know. She's my best friend.

They return in a few minutes and sits in the chairs in front of mine. Cher has changed out of her outfit from before into baggy skinny jeans and a shirt. Her hair is pulled up in a messy bun on top of her head.

"The reason I told everyone that I was a terrible singer at my audition was because when I was younger someone told me that." I start off.

"Who?" Cher asks quietly.

I look up at her. "My dad."

Cher opens her mouth, but eventually shuts it. Dermot nods his head at me to continue with my story. I can't believe I'm telling them this.

"It was my thirteenth birthday." I stare at the floor. "My mum bought me a karaoke machine because she knew my love for singing. I wanted to be a rockstar. That was my dream. That all came to an end, though."

"What happened?" Cher gets up and sits in the seat next to me.

"That night my dad come home drunk like every other night. I was used to it because he was an alcoholic. I was singing along to my karaoke machine when he walked in the living room where I was." I close my eyes, remembering that night like it was yesterday.

"Dad stumbled in the room completely drunk. He told me that I was a terrible singer and his eardrums were going to explode. He told me that I would never amount to anything because I was worthless." My voice breaks as tears stream down my face. "The next morning I threw my karaoke machine out of my bedroom window. I watched it shatter to pieces just like my dream to become a rockstar. Ever since then I gave up."

Cher wraps her arms around my shoulders and hugs me. "That's terrible! I'm so sorry!"

I hug her back with tears streaming down my face. "I'm starting to get over it."

"Don't worry we won't put this on the show. I won't tell anyone." Dermot assures me.

I nod. "Thank you. My mum doesn't even know the real reason why I gave up singing."

"Dermot, we have to catch our train back to the airport." A man walks out of the house up to us. He has a clipboard in his hands and a headset on his head.

"I'm sorry, ladies, but I have to go." Dermot follows the man back in the house.

"Does Louis know?" Cher leans back in her chair.

I shake my head and wipe my face with my hands. "No, I want to tell him when we see each other again."

"You're really strong, you know that?" Cher smiles at me.

I snort. "Yeah, right. I'm crying because of something that happened three years ago. I'm so strong." I reply, sarcastically.

Cher rolls her eyes at me. "If something like that happened to me. I wouldn't bs here like you are. I would be at home wishing I had the guts to do what you are doing."

"Really?" I whisper.

Cher nods her head vigorously. "Yes! Now let's go eat! I'm hungry." She jumps up and pulls me to my feet.

"I want to get changes first." I point to my clothes.

We walk back in the house and head up the stairs to the second floor. We pass some of the other girls in the hallway. I should probably learn their names if we will be living together for a week. I didn't really get a chance to meet them at bootcamp. Cher jumps on her bed face first as I walk over to my dresser. I pull out a pair of baggy black sweatpants and a teal loose tank top. I put a black tank top on underneath to keep everything covered. I slip on a pair of black flats that are actually slippers.

I pick up my mobile from my bed stand table. Cher's head pops up as she stares at me. I plop on my bed and scroll through my contacts for Louis's number. I want to know if he landed yet and I miss my best friend's voice.

"What are you doing?" Cher narrows her eyes.

I look up from my mobile. "Calling Louis."

"No!" Cher jumps off her bed and attacks me. She snatches the phone from my hands.

"Cher!" I reach for it.

"You can't call Louis!" She holds my mobile behind her back.

"Why not?" I stand up, advancing towards her.

Cher backs away. "You have to let him call you first."

"That's what you do when you go on your first date. Louis and I are just best friends." I try to grab my phone back.

"For now." Cher jumps over her bed to get away from me. "You will be together soon."

"Cher, give me my phone." I glare at her from across the bed.

Cher shakes her head. "No!"

I lunge across her bed and attack her. Cher let's out a small scream as we fall to the floor. I crawl on the ground and reach for my phone in her hand. She rolls away from me before I can touch it. Cher gets on her hands and knees and crawls to the door. I grab her ankle and pull her back.

"What is going on in here?" Cher and the other girls run in our room.

"Give me the phone, Cher!" I ignore them.

Cher rolls on her back and puts the phone behind her back. "No! Louis has to call you first!"

"That only works for couples!" I yell at her. I place my legs on both sides of her to pin her down.

Cher pushes my hands away with one hand. "You are practically dating already!" Cher keeps the phone behind her back.

My face turns red. "We are best friends!" I correct her.

"Just admit that you like him!" Cher pushes me off of her.

I land on my back. "Of course I like him! He is my best friend!"

Cher stands up and runs past me to the bathroom. "Not what I meant! You like him more than a friend!"

I grab her ankle to prevent her from running in the bathroom. "Give me my phone!" I latch onto her ankle.

"You didn't deny it!" Cher points out.

'So raise your glass if you are wrong

In all the right ways

All my underdogs, we will never, never be

Anything but loud and nitty gritty, dirty little freaks'

Cher answers my phone halfway through the ringtone. My eyes widen as she greets Louis on the other end. I yank Cher's leg and she falls on the ground next to me. My phone lands on the ground a few feet away and I snatch it up quickly.

"Louis?" I say into it.

"Carter? Are you okay? I heard a loud noise." Louis asks, sounding concern.

I crawl away from Cher, who is trying to grab the phone back. "Oh, Cher tripped. She's okay. Did you land in Spain?"

"Yeah we did. It's beautiful here." Louis answers. "What are you doing?"

I slap Cher's hand away with my free hand. "Just having some bonding time with Cher."

"That's great." Louis replies. "Well, I have to go. Niall is complaining that he is hungry. I'll see you in a week."

"Okay. Bye, Louis." I smile and hang up.

Cher grabs my phone and tosses it on her bed. "Awh. You're blushing!"

"Shut up, Cher!" I laugh. "That was a fun workout." I lay next to her on the floor.

"You're pretty strong." Cher compliments.

"So are you." I agree.

"You two are insane."

Cher and I look at the door to see the camera crew, Cheryl, and the other girls watching us. I exchange a look with Cher and we both burst out in a fit of giggles. I completely forgot they were in the room. I hope they didn't get this on film. Knowing my luck they probably did.

•••••

Author's Note:

Well? What is your opinion?