Chapter Ten: The Big Finale
Rock Solid was ready to start their last song. It would be a fast one. Once again it was announced that they had written the song for the competition. Susan began singing and the audience began to rock to the music. She danced and swayed, but not as skillfully as she usually did. At one point it looked as if she might fall over, but she recovered her balance and continued singing.
The guys in Rock Solid looked dubiously at Susan, hoping that she wouldn't ruin their chances. Their music filled the theatre and at the end, they had cheers and applause. Susan stepped back from the spotlight, swaying a little.
"I hope she falls on her ugly face," Ashley spat as she watched from the wings.
But Susan managed to stay on her feet until the curtain closed.
The girls were told to wait in the wings for the judges to make their decision and to take a final bow before the winners were announced. Joey hovered over them, getting them drinks and giving hugs of appreciation. Leisha felt a strange mixture of exhaustion and hyperactivity. She couldn't have sat down even if she had wanted to, but at the same time, she wondered if her shaking knees would support her much longer.
Taylor kept chewing on her nails while trying not to bit them.
Ashley tapped her sticks nervously on anything solid nearby.
Kelly kept pacing back and forth, unable to stop moving.
In a few minutes, Cold Chill's voice could be heard addressing the audience.
"Over the past eight weeks, we have seen this competition begin with twenty of the country's top bands. Each week some were eliminated and others went on. It has certainly been a tough competition because each of these last three bands were winners in their own right. All three of them could have won this competition. But by your votes and the votes of the judges, two were chosen to come here tonight and give their very best performance on three songs. One had to be a fast song and another, a slow song. The third one was their own choice. Our judges have been conscientiously evaluating every aspect of their performances: the songs, the music, their stage presence, and originality. And our viewers have been texting in their votes as well. It has been a very close competition tonight, because both bands exceeded everyone's expectations. But only one band will win. Their prizes include a recording contract with a top national recording company, MCF Records. They will also go on a national tour as the star performers. And the winning band will receive $100,000 in cash!"
The audience cheered and screamed. More fans shouted for their band to win.
"The judges have made their final decision and will address the members of both bands. And to hear what the judges have to say, let's bring them back with a warm welcome…Nightingale!"
The girls moved onto the stage and Cold Chill showed them where to stand. The judges sat on stage behind a table.
"Let me introduce each of the judges, " Cold Chill announced, "First, we have the young lady who has had the most hit singles of any female singer in one year, Evie Brown!"
There was applause, and Cold Chill continued,
"And next, the famous producer of many top groups, including Angry Young Men and Blade: Austin Delaney!"
As the cheering died, Cold Chill announced the third judge, "And the last judge was the star of a hit TV series and won an Emmy for his Broadway performance in The Wizard of Nod…Blaine Curtis!"
The judges smiled up at the girls and Evie Brown began to speak.
"First of all, I must say that I am truly amazed at the talent that each of you has. And you not only play and sing beautifully, but you dance great, too! I thought your performance was flawless!"
Cheers emerged from the crowd as the girls thanked Evie. Next, Austin Delaney spoke.
"I was impressed last week with your original songs. But this week you went over the top and really impressed me with that dance routine. You all did it perfectly and it never interfered with the music. It was very well done!"
The girls thanked him as the audience applauded. They waited nervously for Blaine Curtis to speak. Of the three judges, he was the most critical and difficult to please.
Blaine Curtis paused dramatically before he spoke, and then he said his words slowly and carefully.
"Up until tonight, I thought you were pretty good…but not great. But tonight you convinced me that you have the stuff to be America's Top Band."
The theater thundered with applause and the girls thanked him and then stepped back onto their mark behind Cold Chill.
Rock Solid came out onto the stage. Susan was hanging onto Pete as if she couldn’t stand on her own two feet.
Evie Brown said that she thought they had a great beat and were outstanding musicians. Austin Delaney complimented the band on their original songs which were "outstanding". Then Blaine Curtis said,
"You were very good indeed, but…" and he paused, "I think if your lead singer had been a bit more sober you would've been great."
The crowd booed his remark. Blaine Curtis shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest defiantly. Susan feigned a look of disbelief as the guys looked accusingly at her.
"But your music was excellent," Curtis added and the crowd applauded.
Cold Chill waited until the applause subsided before holding up an envelope.
"In here I have the total votes for each band from the viewing audience. Both the people watching at home and the studio audience have voted for their favorite band. These votes will be added to the judges' points to determine the winner. I'll read the results now."
As he was tearing open the envelope, there was a commotion off stage. The girls turned to see a young man in the wings being restrained by two stage hands. He was shouting angrily at the stage hands to be let go.
"The total votes for Nightingale: five hundred and fifty-six thousand, two hundred and seventy-four. Total votes for Rock Solid….Five hundred and fifty-six thousand, two hundred and eighty-one! That's only a difference of six votes!"
The roar from the crowd drowned out the young man who was shouting angrily from the stage. The members of Rock Solid began to look nervously at each other. Kelly and Ashley looked at each other, asking, "Who's that guy?" but no one seemed to know who he was. Only the stage hands kept him from running onto the stage.
Cold Chill continued,
"And now the judges' votes: Nightingale: 300 points…three perfect scores! Rock Solid…290 points! The winner by 17 votes………Nightingale!!!"
The girls stood in disbelief, hands over their mouths. Then they screamed and hugged one another, jumping up and down.
The guys in Rock Solid looked at Susan angrily. Confetti showered down upon the stage as the TV show's theme music began to play in the background. The judges came up on stage to shake the hands of each band member and congratulate them. Cold Chill stepped to the fore of the stage and announced, "That's it! The people have spoken! America's Best Band is Nightingale! We'd like to thank everyone…" he continued as the music played and the audience shouted and cheered over his voice.
The girls each received a hug from the judges.
Suddenly, the young man in the wings broke free and ran onto the stage.
He stood before the guys in Rock Solid and pointed at them shouting,
"You guys stole my songs! I wrote those songs, not you! You stole them! And I'm going to sue!"
The judges looked surprised, but Blaine Curtis said, "I'm not surprised. They have never performed an original song until tonight. I was suspicious of that all evening."
The young man nodded his head and said, "I can prove those songs are mine! I have the copyrights to them!"
The TV show had gone to commercials, so none of the TV audience witnessed this shocking scene unfolding on stage. Two security guards appeared and escorted the young man off stage.
Evie Brown turned to Rock Solid and said, "Well, if he has proof then I suggest you should start looking for a good lawyer. He’ll probably sue you."
Danny turned to Susan and shouted, "You said he
gave us those song to play!"
Susan shook her head, "No, I didn't! That's not what I said!"
"Then what did you say?" asked Pete accusingly.
"I just said… I just…" she stammered, not able to think of a plausible explanation.
"You are so fired!" Danny cried and left the stage. The other guys agreed and followed him. Susan trotted after them off, shouting,
"It wasn’t my fault! It was just a misunderstanding!"
The girls in Nightingale just laughed and Kelly summed it up by saying,
"Losing her was the best thing that ever happened to us!"
"No, winning tonight has been the best thing!" Leisha replied.
When the girls finally left the stage, Taylor felt someone grab her hand. She turned to find Danny smiling at her.
“Congratulations,” he said.
“Oh, thanks! I-I’m sorry that your band didn’t win,” she apologized. He shrugged and said, “That’s okay. I think your band really deserved to win, especially after all the stuff you had to deal with. Now that the competition is over, I supposed you’ll be going home.”
Taylor waited until others passed her and she and Danny were alone.
“Yeah, we are going home for a little while. We’ll be working on new material for the national tour and the new album. What about you?”
He nodded, “Yeah, I’m going home for a while too. I need some time to think about whether I want to stay with this group. I don’t really fit in with these guys. I mean, they’re okay, but not my type of people, if you know what I mean.”
“I do,” she nodded, “In fact, I think you’re too good for them. I hope you find a band you really love playing with, and you make new friends.”
“Me, too. But I have made one new friend and I hope we can keep our new friendship going. Maybe we can get together once you get back home.”
She smiled into his eyes, “Yeah, I’d like that. Call me. You have my number.”
His eyes twinkled, “I’ll call tonight. So, bye for now.”
“Yeah,…bye.” Taylor replied as he drew her close for one last kiss.
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C. Metzinger
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