dying for a cigarette. Tahlia was surrounded by people congratulating her, including Hadley who didn’t seem to be able to take his eyes off her. Crystal was glad; it was about time Tahlia had some male attention and Hadley was such a sweet guy. Crystal noticed that Tahlia looked different tonight too; she was always beautiful but now she had an extra glow about her. She seemed to be carrying herself with more confidence than usual and she didn’t look so serious.
A nail-biting hour later they were all back on stage. The viewers, Crystal thought bitterly, probably enjoyed the way Tess deliberately built up the tension, counting down the time left with the audience before the phone lines closed. Crystal felt sick.
Please, please, please, let us win
, she prayed.
Finally, Tess was ready to reveal the results. ‘Two million of you have voted! This has been one of the closest competitions ever, with the two runners-up practically neck and neck, but there is a winner. And I can now reveal that the act in third place is—’, she paused for dramatic effect, ‘–
Northern Dreams
!’
Crystal, Belle and Tahlia gripped each other’s hands even more tightly.
‘In second place—’, she paused again.
Please let it be
@
ttitude,
Crystal prayed, ‘—is @
attitude!
So that means the winner of
Band Ambition
is
Lost Angels
!’
Crystal, Belle and Tahlia let out screams of delight and hugged each other and then it seemed as if they were hugging everyone – Tess, Dallas, Charlie, Sadie, the other acts, who were all pretending that they were happy for them although it was obvious they were disappointed, particularly the members of @ttitude. And then they were back on stage singing their winning song once again. Crystal had never felt so happy. All her life she had dreamt of this and here she was.She looked at the audience cheering them.
This is where the rest of my life starts
, she thought.
I’m going to be a singer at last and I can be with Max
.
The next week passed in a blur of interviews and photo shoots. Crystal barely had a second to think about Max and not even Belle got to see him because their hectic schedule wouldn’t allow it. Crystal and Max texted each other every day, several times a day, and he promised that as soon as he could, he would arrange to see Belle. Crystal was on a high from their success but she was desperate to be with Max. Surely there was nothing to stop them from being together now?
But she also had business on her mind. Now Lost Angels had won, Dallas was supposed to be drawing up another record deal for them to consider. After one of their many photo shoots Crystal asked Dallas about it.
‘We’ll discuss it in Ibiza.’
Crystal looked blank.
‘I’m treating you all to a week’s holiday at my pad in Ibiza,’ Dallas replied, clearly expecting Crystal to be delighted at the news. She managed to smile for his benefit, but inside all she could think was that that would mean another whole week before Max could end his relationship with Belle.
‘Dallas, thank you so much!’ Tahlia exclaimed as the three of them walked into his stunning beach house. It was easily as luxurious as his Oxfordshire mansion – white marble floors, hi-tech lighting and ultra-modern gadgets. In the living room there was an oil painting of Dallas, looking very self-important, hanging over the marble fireplace, which Crystal had to avoid looking at to stop herself from giggling; a huge bronze sculpture of a female nude, expensive-looking chairs and sofas in pale cream silk, which Crystal was afraid to sit on. And the view out of the floor-to-ceiling windows was of a turquoise infinity pool with the equally turquoise Mediterranean beyond it, forming one glittering expanse of water.
Dallas smiled. ‘I just want the three of you to relax, swim, and sunbathe. There’s a spa at the hotel up the road which you can have treatments at. Just tell them to bill me.’
‘Thanks, Dallas,’ Crystal said, echoed by
A nail-biting hour later they were all back on stage. The viewers, Crystal thought bitterly, probably enjoyed the way Tess deliberately built up the tension, counting down the time left with the audience before the phone lines closed. Crystal felt sick.
Please, please, please, let us win
, she prayed.
Finally, Tess was ready to reveal the results. ‘Two million of you have voted! This has been one of the closest competitions ever, with the two runners-up practically neck and neck, but there is a winner. And I can now reveal that the act in third place is—’, she paused for dramatic effect, ‘–
Northern Dreams
!’
Crystal, Belle and Tahlia gripped each other’s hands even more tightly.
‘In second place—’, she paused again.
Please let it be
@
ttitude,
Crystal prayed, ‘—is @
attitude!
So that means the winner of
Band Ambition
is
Lost Angels
!’
Crystal, Belle and Tahlia let out screams of delight and hugged each other and then it seemed as if they were hugging everyone – Tess, Dallas, Charlie, Sadie, the other acts, who were all pretending that they were happy for them although it was obvious they were disappointed, particularly the members of @ttitude. And then they were back on stage singing their winning song once again. Crystal had never felt so happy. All her life she had dreamt of this and here she was.She looked at the audience cheering them.
This is where the rest of my life starts
, she thought.
I’m going to be a singer at last and I can be with Max
.
The next week passed in a blur of interviews and photo shoots. Crystal barely had a second to think about Max and not even Belle got to see him because their hectic schedule wouldn’t allow it. Crystal and Max texted each other every day, several times a day, and he promised that as soon as he could, he would arrange to see Belle. Crystal was on a high from their success but she was desperate to be with Max. Surely there was nothing to stop them from being together now?
But she also had business on her mind. Now Lost Angels had won, Dallas was supposed to be drawing up another record deal for them to consider. After one of their many photo shoots Crystal asked Dallas about it.
‘We’ll discuss it in Ibiza.’
Crystal looked blank.
‘I’m treating you all to a week’s holiday at my pad in Ibiza,’ Dallas replied, clearly expecting Crystal to be delighted at the news. She managed to smile for his benefit, but inside all she could think was that that would mean another whole week before Max could end his relationship with Belle.
‘Dallas, thank you so much!’ Tahlia exclaimed as the three of them walked into his stunning beach house. It was easily as luxurious as his Oxfordshire mansion – white marble floors, hi-tech lighting and ultra-modern gadgets. In the living room there was an oil painting of Dallas, looking very self-important, hanging over the marble fireplace, which Crystal had to avoid looking at to stop herself from giggling; a huge bronze sculpture of a female nude, expensive-looking chairs and sofas in pale cream silk, which Crystal was afraid to sit on. And the view out of the floor-to-ceiling windows was of a turquoise infinity pool with the equally turquoise Mediterranean beyond it, forming one glittering expanse of water.
Dallas smiled. ‘I just want the three of you to relax, swim, and sunbathe. There’s a spa at the hotel up the road which you can have treatments at. Just tell them to bill me.’
‘Thanks, Dallas,’ Crystal said, echoed by
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