A Beautiful, Terrible Love by Lucky 97 (books for 9th graders txt) 📖

was envious of me? I had to be wrong. No one was jealous of me. I was a miserable little girl who lived in the country and had no friends. But, strangely, envy was plainly displayed in her face.
I straightened my posture in anger.
"Umm, I do. I JUST said that." I knew I was snapping, but I really didn't have any patience at this time for girls like her.
Sadie looked at me in surprise, Serena in newfound hate.
"Whatever, loser." She practically snarled, striding away from me, joining her cronies in the corner of the room. All of them glared at me, except for the few contestants who stood off to the side, like they didn't know what to do with themselves.
Just then, a rivalry was born. I was determined now to go through with this singing contest, like it or not. All I wanted to do was to beat Serena.
“Showtime!” Jacques strolled in. “You all ready?”
We walked out in a single file line, ready to show America all we had to give.

Chapter 6

"America, what did you think of these beautiful and amazing singers?" T he host asked energetically. A load roar followed, and I glowed with excitement. This was incredible. I felt so energized, invigorated by the people's appreciation. This was similar to when I was singing with Dex, although I was too nervous to realize that until now. The crowd, the lights, the booming waves of sound... it has started to comfort me, even.
"I'm sure you all loved them, but now it's time to pick the top two!" he smiled. In his hand he held a small rectangular card, showing it plainly for the world to see. Tension was searing through each of our bodies like fire, our nervousness plainly displayed for the world to see. Each of us wanted it badly, but with different reasons. Serena wanted it, I could tell, because she wanted to be a star. I could see how her eyes were hoping for glory, filled to the brim with amazement. Zelda wanted it because she needed the money, as she told me earlier, for her family.
I wanted it so I could beat Serena. At least, that was what I tried to tell myself. I refused to even think about Dex, denying that maybe, just maybe, I was going through all this for him. It couldn't be true.
Or was it? The unspoken question gnawed at me, eating at my heart.
"The first of the two is..." he squinted at the small card. Anxiety rippled through the audience, affecting us the most. I stared at my stilettos, trying to think of anything BUT Dex. Dex was a forbidden territory, an off-limits guy. Not to mention a playboy. He's broken so many actresses' hearts that he's been sued seven times. Why did I even feel the tiniest of sparks in my heart for him? Why couldn't I forget this hot rockstar bad boy?
"Eve Valencia!" My name was uttered from the host's mouth, and the room immediately erupted in ovation, people clapping for... me. I felt my heart jump, a tingle of warmth flowing through me. I stepped forward, my hair perfectly still, my hands clenching and unclenching instantaneously. I found... that I was happy.
Amazingly happy.
"And Zelda Waters!" Zelda stepped forward, her straight brown hair reaching her waist, her eyes brimming with tears. I felt really happy for Zelda, my eyes filling up with tears also. I knew how much she wanted, needed, it.
Serena shot me a death glare with her laser-like stares as she trumped out of the room with the other grief stricken seven. I somehow knew that I would be seeing her again soon.
Real soon.
I walked closer to Zelda, and grabbed her sweaty hand. "Congratulations," I whispered, smiling.
Zelda, however, started to frown. She pulled away, her voice tight and strained.
"You'll win, definitely. I don't need to be friends with you." I could sense the pain in her voice, the longing, and the defiance. "I just want to let you know that I will fight you to the end, and I will never give up. I need money for my family, and the only one standing in the way is you,"
"I guess this means war," I said sarcastically, annoyed at her. However, I felt sympathy towards her plight. I knew she was not usually like this, but the pressure... it could change anyone from a sweet and lovable kitten to a ferocious tiger.
"I have a surprise for you!" The host walked back on the stage after conferring with a little lady dressed in black. "It turns out that Dex..." the sound of girls screaming pierced the air and my unwilling ears. The host patiently waited for the love struck girls to stop, then continued. "Will be here in just a moment to conduct the final round."
"I'm here already," a musical voice floated to our ears, dancing around us enchantingly, leaving us hanging on his every word. Dex walked on the stage from the shadows, smiling at the overeager audience, which let out a roar that people could probably hear a mile away. He looked so incredibly handsome, with rugged jeans and a tight t-shirt that showed off his impressive muscles. Casual clothing never looked so good... what am I thinking? I quickly shooed away those troublesome thoughts and stared straight ahead, determined to not look at him, to not fall for his deadly charm. "Hello, guys and girls," he put a slight emphasis on the girls, making them stare at him and sigh in appreciation for what they saw. "For the final round, I will sing a song I plan to release to iTunes in a couple of weeks. Both of these girls," he motioned to us with one hand, not looking at us. "Will try to sing it back to us, with their own little spin added to it. Whoever does the better job will be picked as the grand prize winner. Kerry?" He signaled to the piano lady, the lights dimming, the spotlight focused on Dex's majestic figure.
There was dead silence, and then a voice.
He wove through our defenses, leaving us just as vulnerable as he was while singing his song. We were all equals, all pining for love just as he did in his song. I closed my eyes, hearing an angel, my love for Dex temporarily resurfacing, my reasonable side arguing with me to lock it away, and this time... to throw away the key. After he finished, the audience gave him a standing ovation. He bowed, his hair mussed up even more than it normally was. Every set of eyes were glued to his triumphant form, and I thought, how many times can you be amazed by Dex? It seemed endless, that we would be cheering for him forever.
I reached up to my face, and felt a single tear running down my cheek.
"Now, they will have thirty minutes to prepare." Dex said, still not looking at us, eyes only for the crowd. I walked, no, practically ran off the stage, an emotional mess. How could he do this to me every time I heard him sing? I was furious at the way he just ripped my defenses in half like it was a piece of paper, always being able to wedge through the tiniest crack in my stone wall. Sometimes, his voice would not slither in, but barge through, leaving my stonewall as rubble on the cold, hard floor. Why does it have to hurt so much?
I walked into the piano room, led by the lady I had met when I first came here. She glared at me as I walked in the room. I guess she was a desperate fan of Dex also.
"Sorry, I'm not out to steal your guy." I whispered in her ear. She blushed, then quickly left the room.
It was a very nice piano room, with rows and rows of seats, and a gleaming grand piano at the end of the room. I glided over and sat on it, touching a single key. Sound reverberated around the small room, a taste of amazing power. It seemed like this piano was for kings.
I started thinking about Dex's song, the way he sang the song, with such hope and longing, feeling the emotions he was trying to convey. His energy glowed around him, his voice stunning.
What would I have to do to be like that?
I glanced at the top of the piano, where a single piece of white paper was laid. I picked it up and glanced at it. On it was the music and lyrics.
I tried to feel Dex in my mind, tried to understand him, his voice.
"Here goes nothing," I whispered softly, and began to sing, playing the melody on the piano.
I could immediately feel myself in Dex's position, his pain and suffering in singing this song. It was a song of complete and utter heartbreak, and as I sang it, I began to feel empathy, compassion even, for the guy that broke my heart. I could easily relate to it, putting my soul in it was not hard, but I felt that the pain was even more intensified with me, for Dex did not know.
He couldn't know what it was like to be in love with someone who couldn't possibly love you back.
I heard clapping at the doorway, and I turned, beet red from embarrassment. Who discovered me?
Leaning on the door, smiling, was Dex.
"Good job,"
I couldn't say anything. Dex was talking normally. TO ME. It was truly a lot to take in.
"Thanks," I managed to choke out. He started walking towards me, and I got off the piano, my hands shaking, my heart rate jumping a mile high. What was I doing? I completely lost all my composure, watching him walk over.
Wait, I told myself, he broke your heart, Eve. Why are you going to trust him now?
I truly didn't know the answer to that question.
I stiffened a little as Dex finally reached me, tension ripping through my body. He looked at me, his red hair messy, his green eyes piercing through me.
"Eve," his voice made my name sound luxurious, like it was special. My name had never sounded so good. He took my hand gently, and raised it to his lips, kissing it softly.
WHAT DID HE JUST DO?! I whipped my hand away from him, my eyes ablaze. "Are you crazy?" I asked, furious.
"No," he said, "I'm a gentleman."
"Who just goes up to somebody they don't even know and kisses their hand? That doesn't sound very gentlemanly to me." I reprimanded, "and how did you know my name?"
"I looked it up," Dex laughed at my angry expression. "Wow, I had no idea you would react like this."
React?
What?!
He continued. "When I kissed Zelda's hand, she practically fainted." He grinned at the memory.
"And that's something to be real proud of." I muttered sarcastically.
"Sure it is." He leaned against the piano. "You should be proud I kissed your hand. You can brag to your friends about it." What friends? I mean, I could tell Sadie or Delilah, but that would be weird. And his arrogance... it annoyed me to no end.
"When I leave, I'm going to wash my hand a million times to get your smell off." I declared. "Your kiss isn't as special as you think." I added quickly, trying to leave the room. Before I did, though, Dex caught my arm.
"What's the deal?" he searched through me, eyes electrifying.
"Look," I looked at him full on. "I'm just going to tell you straight. You are a rockstar. I am a normal