A Different Beat

“How can people live in this heat?!” Angelia groaned, flapping her hands about in an attempt to cool herself from the tropical climate that Cairn was famous for. Steve was attempting to hold the camera and wipe his brow from the dripping sweat drops that were trailing down his clammy face. “And where the hell is she?”

“Calm down, Angelia! Her father told us she should be home soon.” Steve endeavoured to calm her down, but his feeble attempts were proven a waste of time. Angelia was agitated. If it wasn’t rocky outback’s or Sydney traffic, then it was a ridiculous climate that even a sun addict like herself couldn’t quite handle.

They were here for another female contestant that Angelia could tell from her picture that it wasn’t just her voice that got her noticed. She was gorgeous, with a face that reminded her of Victoria Secret model, Candice Swanepoel. Angelia was jealous of the girls’ young at heart beauty, hating herself a little for accepting a job where she would be surrounded with girls who had youthful attractiveness about them.

“Can I offer you any refreshments?” A petite woman asked, her pretty features resembling a little of the girl in the picture. She could only guess it was the mother.

“A glass of ice cold water would go down a treat,” Angelia sighed, wiping yet another coat of sweat from her upper lip and brow.

“I’m sorry my husband insisted you come down to the beach, but he’s always finding a way to show it off. This stretch you’re on belongs to him and he claimed the view here would look phenomenal on camera.” The woman looked a little embarrassed by her husband’s outrageous requests, but Angelia was use to the big shot wealthy men. Harrison Denver was no different by any means.

Speaking of the devil, the man himself was descending onto the beach wearing some crème pants and a white cotton shirt that reeked of expense.

“Good afternoon, I’m so glad you’re here!” Harrison clapped his hands with a joyous smile on his face. “You haven’t made a mistake here; my little Nicole has the voice of an angel- exactly what the music scene needs!”

“She’s only made it through this stage, she is yet to sing in the blind auditions; I mean there could be a chance that none of the judges turn for her!” Angelia told him, realising that this man was obviously his daughter’s biggest fan.

“Preposterous!” Harrison laughed, “She will have all them turning before she’s belted out the…” Harrison didn’t get to finish his sentence; instead he stumbled to the side as a young blonde pushed him away from the camera Steve was holding.

“What is this?!” Cole seethed, pointing a finger at the camera but shooting daggers at Harrison.

“Oh darling, you’re home!” Fiona smiled, relieved that Cole was finally here.

“Hi mum,” Cole quickly greeted with a smile, but like a snap, was backing glaring at her dad.

“You must be Nicole…” Angelia started but was briskly interrupted.

“It’s Cole!”

“Well Cole, my name is Angelia Meyers, the host of Golden Tone! and I am here to tell you that you have made it through to the next stage of auditions.” Angelia feigned a smile, but was secretly wishing she could just get this over and done with and leave.

“Okay, tell me something I don’t already know!” Cole rolled her eyes and crossed her arms across a floral bralet that went nicely with the light washed denim shorts that accentuated what an enviable body she had. Angelia held a distasteful frown, realising not only was she dealing with a visual reminder of her age, but a little brat as well.

“Well since you already know, are you accepting the invitation?” Angelia was growing bored and impatient now. She wanted to return to her hotel where she could receive a full body massage; not stand here and sweat off what was left of her make-up.

“Why would I audition and then not accept the invitation to the next stage?” Cole scoffed, showing her rude side that only ever reared its head when she was mad or put in a position she didn’t like. She was angry at her dad for sticking his nose in her business- it was bad enough he had to accompany her beforehand to her audition, but the interference would end now.

“So, that’s a yes?” Angelia wasn’t the brightest bulb, Cole was growing to realise.

“Yes.” Cole was bored now.

“Okay, well I guess that all is left is for you to pack because you’re heading off to Sydney!” Steve cut in, seeing the look of distress on Angelia’s face. She was ready to scream or just jump into the sea to cool off.

“I’m going to go find Oscar first.” Cole stated, turning on her heel and heading towards the house.

“We don’t have time…” Angelia looked bewildered by this girl’s attitude.

“I’m going to find my brother, end of.” Cole stormed up the beach away from the camera and her parents; but as she reached the house she began to calm down. Sometimes her father’s interference and ignorance really brought the worse out of her. Angelia may have been a nice lady, but Cole already knew she had painted a bad picture of herself to the host- she couldn’t imagine the model would bother with Cole when the camera wasn’t rolling.

Upstairs, Cole was happy to see Oscar was sitting in her room, waiting for her arrival. She ran and hugged him before taking a seat beside his burly frame. She always found the comparison between Oscar and their father hilarious. Oscar was built like any girls dream, with muscles and everything, whilst Harrison was a weedy thin man who sometimes looked malnourished.

“I hear you’re off to Sydney?” Oscar broke the silence, his sea blue eyes looking at his younger sister with concern.

“And how did you get that from up here?” Cole tried laughing, but his face held no humour.

“Dad text me as soon as they arrived. Told me they needed some filming from me, but I told him there was no point until you confirmed your ticket on that plane.”

“That was noble of you,” Cole teased, poking his arm. Oscar finally cracked a smile, but it was small.

“You sure this is the right thing for you? You know there are other ways of getting you noticed if that’s what you truly want? You don’t need to be judged by the entire population of Australia and possibly the world!” Oscar had always been protective, but Cole couldn’t admit that this competition didn’t just offer her a chance to do music, but to also get away from her life for a while. She loved her brother, but he had a habit of taking things to heart and he wouldn’t understand this feeling of claustrophobia she had in this house or this town. Ever since moving here three years ago from Britain, she hadn’t felt right.

“I’m certain this is what I want.”

“Okay, well you have my support then!” Oscar gave her another hug before starting towards her bedroom door. “Just promise to be yourself and don’t let them try a change you. I know what these shows are like and I would hate for it to take away my sister.” He didn’t even turn to look at her; he just stopped for a second before leaving through the door.

She just sat there for a moment before slipping to the floor and pulling her case from under the bed. She threw it open and stepped back.

Cole stared at the suitcase in front of her and realised that all this was actually happening. She swallowed the lump of bile in the back of her throat, dosing any insecurity that threatened to spill. She grabbed the acoustic guitar from its stand and laid it beside the case.

She was ready and she would succeed.
She wouldn’t settle for anything better than first.