A Second Reality.

I took a deep breath in as I sat down in the chair next to the door. I was next. I closed my eyes concentrating on my breathing and not trying to shake. My nerves were really getting to me for the first time in my life. I’ve played keyboard in front of crowds with the boys many times before. But this was totally different. This was by myself. In front of three people, literally deciding whether or not I can go onto the next level of auditions and if I am good enough, if I have talent or not. This was absolutely frightening.

“Hey,” a soft voice came next to me as I felt someone slip into the seat next to me. She must be on deck after me.

“Hi,” I smiled looking next to me. A pale girl with straight dark brown hair stared at me.

“You’re Emelia Allky!” she stammered out.

“Yeah, and why do you look familiar?” I asked curiously now looking at her and taking in her features. She had a gap between her two front teeth.

“I’m Demi Lovato…I’m on As the Bell Rings…”

“Oh my god! You are! Those are so amusing!” I giggled and she let out a smile.

“Yeah they are really fun. We made them all in about 2 weeks,” she said relaxing into her seat a little more. Without realizing it I did the same.

“That’s so cool. I am so excited because I’ve always wanted to act. My family and I would always put on Christmas shows in my Nana’s basement. Ever since I have dreamt about this day,” I smiled reminding myself why I was here.

“I know what you mean, I love doing this. Plus it’s a lot better then being at school.” Demi said with a twinge of almost disgust.

“Oh trust me, anything is better then public school,” I smiled at her and she smiled back.

“I agree, I never did well with it.” She said looking away.

“Me either,” I sighed looking at the ground.

“Is this your first audition? For anything?” Demi said looking back at me after a few seconds.

“Yeah…little bit, more like scared to death.” I said wiping my hands on my legs.

“You’ll be fine, the first stage is always the easiest. Plus you’re dating Joe Jonas, and I heard he is auditioning! So you will for sure get in to the next round,” Demi said smiling at me.

“Yeah well I hope I get passed on because I have talent, not just for who I’m dating… and yeah Joe is auditioning,” I said and Demi looked extremely excited. “You a fan?” I smiled.

“Huge fan!” She said smiling.

Before I could say anything more a woman in a sharp maroon pantsuit came out of the door next to me.

“Emelia Alky?” She said reading my name off of a clipboard in her hand. “We’ve been looking forward to seeing you.” She smiled and held the door open for me.

I slowly got up and walked toward the door. I looked back at Demi and smiled at her and mouthed ‘good luck’ and she did the same.

***

I did it. I actually did it. I sang perfectly fine, nothing extraordinary but I played piano with it perfectly, something they even told me they didn’t expect. My reading was exceptional apparently and something that they haven’t seen from someone with no experience what so ever.

I really didn’t know what came over me when I was reading for the part of Mitchie, but it just felt so natural to act and read the words. They told me that they would definitely keep in touch and to keep looking at the script. As I left the room I heard one of the men say “Where the hell has she been?” I really felt like I was on top of the world.

I decided to wait on the other side of the door for Demi. I don’t really know why I did. But something inside of me told me to. I heard her audition through the wall. As I heard her sing…my stomach fell. Her voice sounded so natural and with the songs it just flew out of her mouth almost so perfectly. But I also noticed that she was singing with the track…something I refused to do. As I listened to her read she was alright. Something I guess I have over her for the part…I guess that’s a good sign? But the funny thing is that I wanted her to do well. I want her to get casted, maybe as much I want Joe and I to get casted.

“Demi you did great! Sorry…I listened in,” I smiled and hugged her the second she came out of the door and it closed quickly behind her.

“Emelia! You waited for me?” She said sounding a bit shocked.

“Yeah of course! You did so well! I heard you sing, you are amazing Much better then me!” I said happily as we let go of each other and began to walk down the hallway back to the main room.

“You were better at reading though…I listened to yours too,” she smiled as we walked down the hallway.

“Well who cares! We both did extremely well!” I yelled grabbing her arm.

“You get really excited easily…don’t you?” Demi laughed.

“Yes, yes she does,” Joe’s voice came from behind us. We finally hit the main room where parents and many teenage boys and girls were walking around. Demi and I turned around and saw Joe leaning casually against the wall, probably waiting for me.

“Very funny, Joseph,” I taunted and he smiled.

“How did you do? I think did really well,” he said pulling me into his arms.

“I think I did really, really well!” I smiled as he smiled even bigger. “But Demi here, definitely sang better then me!” I said turning to look at Demi who looked like she was turning around to walk away. “Where are you going? Come here!” I said getting out of Joe’s grasp and grabbing her hand. “Joe this is Demi.”

“You’re on As the Bell Rings!” Joe said holding his hand out for a shake. Demi took it shyly.

“Hi,” Demi said as she shook his hand.

“Demi was seriously flawless at singing,” I said going back to Joe. He put his arm around me pulling me close.

“Really?” Joe asked looking from me to Demi.

“But Emelia was amazing at reading. Honestly, it sounded like you really were Mitchie,” Demi said gesturing to me.

“Well we are both for sure getting called back,” I smiled as Joe pulled me tight kissing my temple, I could feel him smile against my head.

“Yeah I think I did too,” Joe said and I smiled wider.

“Hey Demi, what’s your number?” I asked pulling my phone out of my pocket.

I quickly ignored the mountain of text messages and phone call notifications I had and handed Demi my phone to put her number in.

“We should hang out sometime,” I said as she handed me her phone as well.

“Definitely, it was really nice to meet you two,” Demi said taking back her phone. “Where…where are you guys staying?” She asked almost nervous to ask.

“We’re at the Hilton, on Main Street,” Joe responded. The audition we were at was in Utah. I’m still not totally sure why, but apparently all of the stages of auditions are in different states.

“Oh, my mom and are staying at the Hampton up the street,” Demi smiled awkwardly.

“Do you maybe want to get dinner tonight, then?” I asked looking from Joe to Demi.

“Yeah! That sounds great!” Joe said encouragingly.

“Yeah…that sounds really nice. You can just text me. I’ll see you guys later! It was so nice to meet you,” Demi said waving goodbye turning around.

“Bye!” Joe and I both said while I waved back at her.

“She seems really cool,” Joe said smiling turning me around in his arms.

“Oh she really is, and she is really nice.” I commented looking back at her. “I can tell she has been through a lot.”

“Yeah me too,” Joe said kissing my forehead. “We did it! Can you believe it?” Joe said too excited to keep it in any longer.

“I know! I really can’t,” I said smiling. “I really can’t stop smiling.”

“I can tell, and it’s making me smile ‘cause I love your smile so much,” Joe said kissing me lightly on the lips. “Come on, let’s find my Dad in this place.”

***

Once we got back to the hotel room that I was sharing with Joe and his Dad, I finally got to return all the phone calls and text messages I received during the audition. I still was on cloud nine and all I really wanted to do was go audition again and again. Currently, I was alone in our semi-suite. Joe’s Dad had to make some important phone calls and Joe was…well somewhere. Knowing Joe though he probably was somewhere getting food or something.

I finally took off my heels and laid down on my bed. I can’t believe I did. I finally did it, I auditioned for something I never thought I would do. And…I actually sang and wasn’t horrible. Stuff like this doesn’t happen everyday to me.

Suddenly I heard my cracked blue phone buzz on the nightstand. It wouldn’t stop buzzing and I knew it was a phone call. Who wants to talk to me now? I pretty much talked to everyone in my contacts. Well I did have to leave voicemails for some people. I freaked out when I saw it was Dan on the screen.

“Daniel!” I screamed into the phone.

“Emelia! So it went really well then?” He shouted through the phone just as excited sounding as I am.

“Yeah!” I said smiling.

“And you didn’t sing horribly?” He joked.

“No! Jerk! I sang quite decent actually. Plus Mr. Radcliffe they told me my reading was impeccable for a new comer.” I said sounding very certain.

“Oh really? Well does this mean you will work on your English accent more and come audition for Harry Potter finally?” Dan said. He has been begging for me to audition for Harry Potter for almost a year now.

“She better!” I heard Emma’s voice in the background. I smiled listening to my best friends banter through the phone. I frowned slightly remembering they were millions of miles away.

“When are you coming to visit?” I blurted out, way to go Emelia, you always know when to do that.

“When are you coming to visit?” Dan mimicked me. He knew me way to well.

“Well I would have to check my boyfriends touring schedule.” I said sternly.

“Tell your boyfriend to screw off because you need to visit us!” I heard Emma’s voice yell again.

“Yeah really, if anything he should because he owes us a thank you for introducing you two!” Dan chimed in.

“Either you guys have to come here, or I go there. We can do either easily. But you guys have the money to do so much easier then me,” I said reminding him of that factor.

“Oh whatever, we actually have to go. We have a meeting, we just wanted to respond to your voicemail,” Dan said quickly.

“Yeah, and thanks! I’ll talk to you later,” I said sitting up on the bed.

“Bye!” I heard Emma and Dan yell through the phone before I heard the click of the hang up.

They mean so much to me it’s ridiculous. I haven’t seen them in about two months. We can video chat sometimes, but it’s really not the same. We have so much fun when we are all together it is makes it hard when you just have a computer screen.

“Millie! Millie!” I heard Joe come in through the door. “Where are you?”

“In here!” I yelled as he came through the door to “our” room.

“There you are!” Joe yelled coming into the room, but stopped at the doorframe. He leaned against it and crossed his arms looking at me.

“What?” I said cocking my head at him.

“Nothing,” he said shrugging his shoulders. “Just want to remember how cute you look right now.”

“Yeah right,” I said leaning back on my hands.

“Very right.” Joe said walking towards me and stood in front of me.

“What are you going to do about it then, Mr. Jonas?” I asked as he came down on top of me. My breathing became short as I felt his breath on my lips as his face got closer to mine. I still haven’t gotten used this.

“Is this doing something about it?” He smirked making my hands give out and my back rested on the bed again. My mind was swarming. Joe was getting inside my head and I loved it and hated it at the same time. And it’s all because he just won’t kiss me.

“It…it could be,” I responded quietly out of breath. That was when Joe finally kissed me. His lips were intoxicating as pressed harder into me. I quickly placed one of my hands behind his neck and ran my fingers through the ends of his hair. I tugged on it lightly and he fell even more into me.

Buzz.

Buzz.

Buzz.

“Joe…” I said between his kisses. It was my phone vibrating. Someone was calling me. Of course I wanted to ignore it, that was my original thought.

Buzz.

Buzz.

Buzz.

“Joe…I really should get that,” I said, stupid phone for ruining perfect timing.

“No,” Joe groaned.

“Yes.” Whoever this is really owes me. Trust me they do. “Hello?” I answered slightly out of breath after I grabbed my phone. Joe began kissing my neck.

“Emelia! I just got your message! Did it really go that well?” It was Allison.

“Yeah it was great,” I giggled as Joe found a ticklish spot on my neck.

“What is going on over there?” She asked sounding very unsure.

“Nothing, but yeah it went great! I even sang pretty well. Joe, stop!” I giggled more. Now that Joe has found that spot he is going to use it to his advantage…all the time.

“Oh god…what is Joe doing to you?” Allison asked almost laughing.

“Nothing, stop Joe!” I couldn’t stop laughing.

“Oh god…” Was all Allison said.

“Sorry…Erg,” I pushed Joe off of me and I saw his smile from the corner of my eye. “Alright, so what’s up?” I asked sitting up.

“Nothing, just in boring, Michigan,” Allison laughed.

“Oh guess who I met today!” I said as I felt Joe get up behind me. He moved my shoulder length blonde hair to one said and began kissing the right side of my neck.

“Who?” She asked sounding extremely interested.

“Demi Lovato! She is the one girl in As the Bell Rings!” Joe now wrapped his arms around me pulling me close to him as he continued to kiss one spot on the back of my neck.

“That’s cool, which one is she?” Allison asked unsure.

“The one that plays guitar and sings in that one episode,” I said back.

“Oh she is really good!” She said right away, then realized what she said. “But I bet you were better!”

“Nice save!” I joked. I could tell Joe was getting antsy as he rubbed his fingers over my waist. “Hey Allison…I have to go.”

“Finally,” Joe whispered in my ear.

“Okay, I’ll talk to you later. Tell Joe I say hi!” She happily said on the other line.

“Hey Allison,” Joe said loud enough so she could hear him.

“Oh that’s why you are hanging up,” Allison laughed.

“Shut up, I’ll talk to you later,” I rolled my eyes.

“Bye you two,” Allison joked.

“Bye.” I said and as soon as I shut the phone Joe’s lips found mine again.