13) Denial.

There’s something about the way Liam’s standing on the reflective stage floor that has a big, vibrant, blue ‘X’ rebounding off the wall behind him onto the previously blank space under his feet, showing no empathy or reason to budge for the lonely boy (so, a mirror not of the screen, but of the toughest judge sitting about fifteen steps in front of him), as if he’s comfortable here, as if he’s not intimidated by these things— he’s above the ‘X’, ready to stomp out the competition show itself, really bring it home, show them all how much better he’d become in two years— that convinces the sixteen-year-old this time, he’s certain, he won’t be sent home.