A Second Reality.

Miley, Miley, Miley…

The thing with Miley is that yes she is one of my best friends. We make an ultimate team between our continuous laughs and jokes, musical talent, fashion sense, and even the way we can sometimes finish each other’s sentences. It’s strange because we didn’t click right away like Emma and I, or even Allison. Of course we got along right away, but it wasn’t an immediate connection. She performed at my birthday party that the boys also played at and that’s how we met. But it wasn’t until we sat down at the piano in my house together that we had this connection that we have. Music is a powerful thing that brings multiple different types of people together. And that’s the exact thing that brought the two of us together.

So even though I was passed the immediate shock of Miley being here. It didn’t take me long to figure out why she was here. She is going to help me sing.

And that’s what we have been doing for the past two days at home with Joe. Because Miley didn’t just come with a talent and ability to help teach me to sing, but also with the news that I made it to the next level of auditions for Camp Rock.

Plus to top it all off… she likes to call herself my “coach.” Did the boys really need to call in for backup?

I guess they did.

But the problem is, that when Miley’s not with me or with Joe, they are very close friends as well, she is with Nick. And when I mean she is with Nick… I mean she is out with Nick at Starbucks or even playing video games.

Now I’m in a pickle.

A very big one at that…

Not only is my great twin like best friend Nick practically holding onto the edge with Olivia, hanging out with Miley isn’t helping.

Or not like I’ve paid that much attention… how he talks to Allison.

Still I haven’t had too much time to ponder of this issue when Olivia has started to get on my back about how I am changing and practicing for my audition.

“EMELIA! I FIGURED IT OUT! I FIGURED IT OUT!” I heard Miley’s screams from the other bedroom.

Currently Miley was staying at my house in my older sisters room because she is at college. Works out in a way.

“What did you figure out?” I half yelled as she scrambled into my room. I’m currently lying on my bed reading Harry Potter.

“The script! There is this part in the script come on!” She grabbed my hand and pulled me from the bed pulling me onto the landing.

“What are you talking about?” I asked as she literally began to drag me down the stairs.

“I figured out exactly what you need to do. This is it. This is what’s going to set you apart,” she said pushing me onto the piano bench. She started shuffling through the music on the stand until it came to, This Is Me. “Alright now, I want you to play this and sing. But slow.”

“It’s already a slow song. And I already played piano for them. Remember? I played Who Will I Be? because I figured that’s what they wanted to hear cause it was the fast up beat song.” I shrugged.

“No no no, Emelia you don’t get it!” Miley sighed looking me in the eyes. She sat down next to me and took one of my hands. “Emelia… you know exactly how it feels to be Mitchie. You have this huge dream and this is it. This is your opening. I know what it feels like to have a dream. Yes, I had some help obviously from my dad but he could only take me part of the way. I had to prove myself. I had to show that I had this dream. The whole point of the Disney company is showing people to have dreams and to try your hardest to have them come true, because ‘a dream is a wish your heart makes.’ I know that sounds ridiculously cheesy and probably not the best thing to say, I don’t know. But I know that I see this dream inside of you when I hear you play piano. When I hear you play it brings me to that place where I know, I know you will succeed. Now I want you to stop thinking about ‘how should Mitchie sound,’ because it’s not about that. It’s about what Emelia should sound like. Yes you are in the exact same shoes Mitchie is in. But what will set you apart is how you create Mitchie. How Emelia makes Mitchie.”

I just stared at her. I don’t really understand where she is coming from. But in a way I do understand. Yes Mitchie is a character that I want to be and there is a certain way she is on paper in the script, but I have to create her. I have to create her into something that is for me and what sets my version of Mitchie different from everyone else’s. I can just be paper.

“I… I think I understand.” I nodded.

“Well let’s see if you do…” Miley motioned towards the music in front of me. I stared at it and turned towards the keys. This is my home. This is where everything makes sense.

Miley got up from the piano bench. I looked back to her. I gave her a questioning look. And she smiled back nodding for me to go on. She went back and took a seat on the staircase 20 feet away. Giving me space, because this isn’t about her, this isn’t about anyone except for me. I heard a clank of pots in the kitchen behind me through the walls reminding me of my parent’s presence.

I looked back to Miley and she gave me another reassuring smile and turned her head to look forward. She put her hands together, as if she was praying. I finally turned back to the keys.

This is it. I’ve never even thought of playing this song like this before. But I guess you have to give everything a shot.

I looked up to the music I have slaved over for almost a month now. But I feel like for some reason I don’t need it. Like it’s already in my fingertips.

Slowly I allowed my fingers to delicately touch the keys. Then taking a slow shaky breath I started to sing.

“I’ve always been the kind of girl, that hid my face. So afraid to tell the world, what I’ve got to say.” I sucked in a breath and slowly started to forget all the tips Nick, Mr. and Mrs. Jonas, Miley, Joe, and even Kevin gave me about singing, because it was like it was already in my head. “But I have this dream, bright inside of me. I’m gonna let it show, it’s time. To let you know.” I sucked in again and closed my eyes. “This is real, this is me. I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be, now. Gonna let the light, shine on me.” I slowly opened my eyes and took in a bigger breath allowing myself to get louder. “Now I’ve found, who I am. There’s no way to hold it in. No more hiding who I wanna be, this is me.”

I allowed myself to lose it into the mixture of chords on the piano, taking a little bit of extra time then probably what normally would be played. Taking it all in I breathed in again. “Do you know what it’s like? To feel so in the dark, to dream about a life where you’re the shining star.” I tried to think of nothing else besides my dream. Of all the pain I have suffered, and what these lyrics mean to me, because nothing else really matters. “Even though it seems like it’s too far away. I have to believe in myself, it’s the only way.”

After a little while I found myself having a slight smile on my face, like this is what it’s supposed to feel like. I suppressed it and continued to concentrate. From around me I could hear a few sharp intakes of breathes, but I don’t know if it was me or not from singing.

“This is real, this is me I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be, now. Gonna let the light, shine on me.” Slowly I felt water behind my eyes. I shut my eyes quickly to hide them as I still almost smiled. “Now I’ve found, who I am. There’s no way to hold it in. No more hiding who I wanna be, this is me.” I allowed my fingers to take over from here. Like this is where everything matters, where I can completely lose myself.

But soon my world between my fingertips and me was erupted. I was cut off, only in a way where it could include someone else. Where my tears finally fell and streamed down my face.

Joe’s voice is what cut through. “You’re the voice I hear inside my head, the reason that I’m singing. I need to find you, I gotta find you.” I didn’t dare turn my head but I knew he was there. His voice is the only thing that can make me feel this way. “You’re the missing piece I need, the song inside of me. I need to find you, I gotta find you.”

That was the song he sang to me by the lake. It fit perfectly, like it was meant to be there. I caught myself back and started to sing again with all the power my lungs could allow. “This is real, this is me, I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be, now. Gonna let the light, shine on me.” I finally took a quick deep breath only to hear that Joe has joined me.

“Now I’ve found who I am, there’s no way to hold it in. No more hiding who I wanna be. This is me.” We sang together only for him to go on.

“You’re the missing piece I need the song inside of me.” I heard him from behind me using the full power of his voice as well.

I began to sing above him, “this is me.”

“You’re the voice I hear inside my head the reason that I’m singing.” Joe sang countering me in my full voice.

“Now I’ve found who I am. There’s no way to hold it in. No more hiding who I wanna be.” Joe and I slowed back down lowering our voices. I was completely out of breath but somehow the final words escaped me, “this is me.”

My fingers hit the last chord and I felt completely exhausted. Every last thing was out of me and I was gasping for breath. I rested my head in my hands and wiped those final tears.

Suddenly I people on either side of me. I had arms wrapped around me and my hands were being pulled from my face. Miley on my left, Joe on my right and they were each smiling from ear to ear.

“Now miss Emelia, how did that feel?” Miley asked leaning her head closer to me.

All I could do was smile. I clutched onto Joe’s and Miley’s hands and smiled. It was one of the most amazing feelings in the world.

“Well I know that that,” Joe started. He took my chin within his fingers turning my head to look into his eyes. “That… was the beautiful voice I knew could be there.” He pulled his lips against mine for a quick moment. “And I can’t believe I got to share it.”



I found myself outside that door again. Sitting in the chair playing with my fingers, a pianist’s habit. The perfect technique with my wrist moving along my legs. I let out a shaky breath as the door opened swiftly. No time to meet a new friend, straight to the point.

“Hello Miss Allky,” was murmured throughout the table of the director, casting director, and producers. I nodded at them answering them with a hello.

Immediately the audition kicked into gear very similar to the way it was before. We had a conversation and I had to sing Who Will I Be? again. Again I played the piano and sang, but I did it more my way. Going with the theme Miley gave me. Doing it my own way.

An undertone of voices erupted once I was done.

“You are dating, Joe Jonas correct?” One of them asked after a few moments.

Yes, I knew this was coming.

“Yes, I have known him and his brothers for months. I am their keyboardist, and I am dating Joe.” I fought to put on a smile.

“That was in your resume… very impressive,” the casting director smiled happily.

“I did not say I was dating Joe in my resume.” I gritted through my smile.

They all kind of looked at me. Unsure how to take my tone.

“Well, yes of course not that it matters. But have you rehearsed with him? As in you are both auditioning for the lead roles.” Another person said, who was Matthew Diamond the director.

“Of course we have.” I didn’t know if this was an answer they were wanting or not but I felt like I should give them the truth. “I’ve also rehearsed and practiced with Kevin Jonas, Nick Jonas, Mr. and Mrs. Jonas, and Miley Cyrus.”

I don’t know if that was a good idea. They seem too happy.

“But please I don’t want this to affect my chances. I really want what I have to bring to the part to be what judges me. Not for the people I know. Yes they have helped me because I needed it and I know they are amazing people and musicians. I’m not afraid to ask people for help and I asked people I believe in and people I trust.” I said completely sure of what I was saying. Sure if something like this costs me the part, I’m happy I was honest.

They all just stared back at me.