Quest For A Popstar

by Katie Hamstead

  Quest for a

  Popstar

  REALITY ROMANCE, BOOK ONE

  By Katie Hamstead

  Quest for a Popstar

  Copyright © 2018 by Katie Hamstead.

  All rights reserved.

  First Print Edition: January 2018

  Limitless Publishing, LLC

  Kailua, HI 96734

  www.limitlesspublishing.com

  Formatting: Limitless Publishing

  ISBN-13: 978-1-64034-293-4

  ISBN-10: 1-64034-293-1

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.

  Dedication

  For Lilly and Lucy,

  May you always follow your dreams.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Epilogue

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  Chapter One

  The biggest, the most extravagant talent show in the country. Thousands come out for auditions, hungry for the five minutes of fame, hoping for the chance to move on to the next round. Hearts are broken, and dreams come true. But there is only one winner of Quest for a Popstar…

  My knees quiver as the commercial blares overhead. To try to stop the shaking, I pin my hands between my knees. I hum my song over and over, hoping I won’t freeze and forget the words. All around me people sing, the noise growing louder and louder. I don’t want to add to the chaos. I’m not even sure if I’ll stay for my own audition. In high school I’d been excellent, but this is something else entirely.

  People bustle around me, filling the massive backstage room and shuffling between plastic chairs. Even with the air conditioning, hairspray thickens the air, scented sickly sweet with all the brands mixing together. I’m surprised anyone can sing in this. My throat feels coated and I’m not opening my mouth.

  A family of six kids and their mother move into the seats beside me. The older three look around my age, but the younger three seem to be early teens. Their mother appears Islander in background, but they look mixed race with softer features. They’re all gorgeous.

  They huddle together, and their mother leads them in song. Although they sing softly, their song drives all the rest of the clamor from my ears. They sound incredible! I’ve never heard such beautiful harmonies and perfectly blended voices. When they stop, the oldest son, who I’d say looks to be early twenties, glances at me, catching me staring. He scowls and looks back at his mother. The second brother and oldest daughter glance at me. I turn away. I must look like an idiot. I’m freaking out, while they’re amazing. Although most people here have no chance, they just proved some contestants can nail it. Am I that good?

  My phone buzzes. Pulling it from my handbag, I see Tom, my boyfriend, sent me a text. I open it and read.

  Tom: Hey, babe, where are you today?

  I hadn’t told him I’d come down for auditions, or anyone for that matter. So, I reply.

  Me: Not feeling good.

  Tom: Sorry, that sucks. Get some rest and I’ll cya soon.

  I slip my phone back into my bag and sigh. With people like the family beside me auditioning, I seriously doubt I’ll make the next round. Tom will never need to know.

  “Numbers six fifty to six seventy-five,” a show crew person calls out.

  I stand, being number 663, and the family stands too. I look at them again and see the number 662. Just my luck to follow an amazing act like them.

  They line us up in order backstage. I lean against the wall, trying to release some of my tension with a long breath. The feeling of butterflies dances in my belly, making me want to throw up. I hadn’t performed on a stage since high school, and never anything on this grand of a scale. I may have made leading lady my senior year in the school musical, but school is so different to this.

  “Hey.”

  I look up.

  The oldest daughter from the family—who looks about seventeen or eighteen—smiles at me. “I’m Clarissa. You nervous?”

  I force a smile. “Big time.”

  Her smile widens. “I bet you’ve heard every trick in the book—imagine them naked or in their underwear, just don’t look at anyone specifically.” She winks.

  A grin forces the corners of my lips upward. “Oh yeah.”

  “I don’t know how you do it.”

  “Do what?” I tilt my head, curious. What could I have done to draw her interest?

  “Sing solo on stage. I can only get through because I have my family around me. I’m not a solo singer.”

  I turn to face her directly, surprised by what she said. They sounded so incredible; surely she can sing well on her own. “To be honest, I’m about to run off so I don’t have to go out there. I heard you guys before, and I really don’t want to follow you. You’re amazing.”

  Her whole face lights up. “You think so?”

  “Yeah.”

  We shuffle forward, and only two acts stand between me and utter humiliation. “I think I might be sick.”

  Her oldest brother gives me another scowl, but she touches my arm. “Take deep breaths. You’ll be fine.”

  I slowly draw in a deep breath.

  “There you go. So what’s your name?”

  I raise an eyebrow. “You’re trying to distract me, aren’t you?”

  She smiles. “Is it working?”

  “Maybe.” I take another deep breath. “I’m Hailey.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Hailey. What do you do with yourself when you’re not in this panic pit?”

  I chuckle. “School. Studying for a BS in biology.”

  Her eyebrows shoot up. “Smart.”

  I shrug. “I guess I’m a bit of a nerd.”

  She chuckles. “No. Smart is different than nerd. Lucas is smart, but he’s not a nerd.” She motions at her oldest brother. “But Isaiah is neither.”

  The second brother turns to us. “Are you calling me stupid?”

  She shrugs with a smirk.

  He grabs her in a headlock. “Stop bad-mouthing me, woman.” He offers me his hand as his gaze drags up and down my body. “Isaiah.”

  I take his hand. “Hailey.”

  “I heard.” He smiles at me.

  Wow, gorgeous.

  “We’re up,” their mother says. “Good luck, guys.”

  She gives them each a kiss on the cheek as they head out to the stage.

  I shuffle up beside her to watch as they stand on the stage, talking to the celebrity judges. I catch a glimpse of Jeffrey Halloway, my mother’s teen heartthrob. I’d grown up listening to his music, a
nd the thought that he’s about to hear me sing makes me lightheaded.

  The celebrity host, a rap artist from the late nineties, speaks briefly to the mother, but when the “kids” start to perform, all focus turns to them. They perform like they’d been born for the stage. I stand in awe, but sick about my own performance after them. Their rich harmonies reverberate through my body, making me shudder. When they finish, I clap eagerly, knowing they’ll be shoo-ins.

  And they are.

  The audience cheers as they leave the stage. Isaiah waves and blows a kiss.

  “You’re up.” A stagehand motions for me to head out.

  I take a deep breath, dreading the response to me after that performance.

  I approach the microphone and the audience falls silent. I clear my throat, so nervous my head spins. “I’m Hailey Becker, and I’ll be singing—”

  “Tell us a little about yourself,” one of the male judges, Lance, an ex-boy band member, says from behind their black desk right in front of me.

  I just want to sing and get it over with, but with the cameras pointed at me, I swallow hard and answer. “I’m twenty, and in my third year of my degree.”

  “Studying what?”

  “Biology.”

  The four judges exchange smirks.

  “I’ll ah…I’ll be singing “My Lagan Love.”” I clear my throat again, eager to be done. I sing a cappella, my voice resonating around me through the speakers. The Celtic melody shows off my upper range well, and is so rarely sung I knew it would grab attention, even if the higher notes make me nervous. I just need to relax. If I don’t tense, my voice won’t suffer. I hit every note perfectly, to my surprise, even the high notes I’d squeaked out on occasion. The song on its own is beautiful, so I hope I do it justice. When I finish, no one applauds. The judges stare at me, their jaws hanging.

  Officially freaked out, I step back from the mic to leave.

  Then the female judge, ’80s sensation Drusilla, stands, clapping with tears in her eyes. I freeze as the other judges do the same, and soon the whole crowd is on their feet applauding me. Drusilla leans over to speak into her mic. “Amazing. It’s been a long time since a voice moved me to tears. You’re in.”

  “I’m…” I glance between each of them. “Can you say that again?”

  Everyone laughs, and Lance says, “You’re in, sweetheart.”

  A short squeal escapes my lips. “Thank you! Oh my gosh! You’re serious?”

  “We’ll see you in the next round.”

  I laugh. “Thank you.”

  I hurry off the stage before I make more of an idiot of myself. One of the crew hands me an envelope with the details for the next round, and confirms my phone number and email address. As I turn to leave, I find myself face to face with a grinning Clarissa.

  “You were great.”

  “Thank you,” I say, glancing around, not seeing her family. “You guys were awesome.”

  She giggles. “Come get a bite to eat with us. We’ll all be heading to the next round together, and I was thinking you could come with us.”

  I look down at the envelope in my hand. The next round is in L.A. I’ll have to take time off my schooling and work…I chew my lip. “I’m not sure if I’ll go. I honestly didn’t expect to get in.”

  Her jaw falls open. “Are you kidding? You have to go. Your voice gave me chills. Even my brothers were impressed, and they don’t think anyone sings well at these things.”

  “Someone has to sing well. This is the fifth season.”

  Her dark eyes sparkle. “I know! Seriously, you’re coming with me.”

  She latches onto my arm and tugs me along behind her through the crowded lobby. Outside, her family waits under a huge blue flag. She waves, pulling me right to them. “She agreed to come with us.”

  The younger sister grasps my other arm. “I’m Lydia. You have a pretty voice.”

  “Thank you.” I smile, despite my discomfort.

  Their mother offers me her hand. “I’m Kessa. You’ve already met Clarissa, but this is Lucas.” She gestures to her oldest son, then points down the line by age. “Isaiah, Levi, Arnie, and Lydia.”

  Isaiah winks at me. I glance away, my cheeks warming.

  “So, Hailey,” Kessa says. “We would love for you to join us.”

  I clutch my handbag. I’d spent the last of my money on my bus fare. “I couldn’t intrude.”

  “It wouldn’t be intruding, we invited you.” Clarissa clings to my arm.

  “I…ah…”

  “She’s probably broke,” Lucas says. “She’s a student who came here by herself. I doubt anyone even knows she’s here.”

  I stare at the ground, certain I’d turned bright red.

  “You’re mean,” Clarissa says.

  Kessa rests her hand on my shoulder. “I’ll pay. What’s one extra mouth when I’m already paying for the equivalent of twenty with these boys?”

  The fifteen-year-old, Levi, rolls his eyes.

  “Ah…” But before I can protest further, Clarissa drags me along with them.

  They lead me to a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, where Clarissa and Lydia sit me between them. Isaiah slips into the chair facing me and winks. Lucas reaches over from beside Lydia and slaps him across the head.

  “Boys,” Kessa says in a stern tone.

  I glance at Lucas, who plucks up a menu to hide his face.

  “Don’t mind them,” Clarissa says. “They’re always fighting. Mom says it’s because she had them too close together.”

  “No, it’s because Isaiah’s a dick,” Lucas mutters.

  “And Lucas is a huge nerd.” Isaiah smirks.

  “That’s enough,” Kessa says in a scolding tone. “We have a guest with us, so let’s play nice, shall we?”

  Isaiah winks at me again and picks up his menu.

  We order, and as we wait, Levi asks me, “So where did you go to high school?”

  “East Valley High.”

  He grins. “I know where that is. You don’t live far from us then.”

  “Where do you go?”

  “I’m still in middle school. I don’t start high school until August.”

  “He’ll be going to Midland, like us.” Isaiah motions to himself and Clarissa.

  “Oh wow, you guys do live close to where I grew up.” I glance at Lucas, wondering why he hadn’t gone to the same school.

  “Lucas went too,” Clarissa says, noticing my glance. “Isaiah doesn’t like to admit it.”

  “I don’t either,” Lucas grumbles.

  “I’ll be graduating in May,” Clarissa says. “You should come.”

  I smile. She barely knows me. “I’ll see where I am with exams.”

  “Oh yeah, exams.” She pats my arm. “Lucas is getting his bachelor’s in May. It’s all kinda getting crazy. We doubted whether we should audition or not, but we decided, since the wild card city landed here this year, to go for it.”

  “It paid off,” I say.

  She giggles. “I know! Can you believe it?”

  “You guys are pretty amazing.”

  “Hard work,” Lucas mumbles. “Gets ya every time.”

  “I’d say talent plays a big part,” Isaiah responds.

  Clarissa rolls her eyes. “Anyway, we should all fly out together.”

  I look into her eyes. I like her, and I prefer the prospect of going with someone than going alone. “I’d like that.”

  She squeezes my arm. “Mom will book all of us together. You can come over and we’ll enter the show’s tickets in as one big group.”

  Kessa smiles. “It would be nice to have you.”

  “You’re freaking her out,” Lucas interjects.

  Clarissa elbows him. “No, we’re not. She’s cool.”

  “Yeah.” Isaiah leans forward. “You should come with us.”

  My cheeks warm as his gaze lingers on my face.

  When the waitress sets down the complimentary bread, Isaiah plucks up a piece. He stares at me as I grab on
e, and bites into his at the same time as I take a bite of mine.

  Clarissa clears her throat. “So, how long have you been singing?”

  I shrug. “Through middle school and high school, but I never thought much of it. When I heard they were doing live auditions here this year, I figured I’d give it a try, but I didn’t expect anything of it.”

  “I’m glad you came.” She pats my arm. “You have a beautiful voice.”

  Lydia tugs my sleeve. “Do you have any brothers and sisters?”

  The conversation continues, and although Isaiah stares at me the whole time, I find myself relaxing with them. Although quite intense and overly friendly, they’re enjoyable to be around.

  As we finish our meals, I lean back, groaning. “I’m stuffed. Thank you so much, Kessa.”

  “Anytime, doll.”

  Hmm, doll. She just gave me a pet name.

  “You should come over to our place,” Clarissa says.

  I shake my head. “I need to get home.”

  “Not now.” Clarissa giggles. “Sometime this week, before we go. You can come over to help book everything.”

  “Yeah, you should.” Isaiah hooks his foot around my ankle. I swallow, feeling uneasy.

  Another foot flies out and kicks his away. I glance across and find Lucas glaring at him.

  “Maybe Tuesday?” I say, looking at Clarissa.

  “Perfect.” She offers her hand for my phone. I dig it out of my handbag and hand it to her. She enters her name and number then jumps. “Oh! Someone’s calling you.”

  She gives it back to me and I see Tom’s name. “Oh.” I answer it. “Hey.”

  “Where are you?” Tom asks me shortly.

  “Um, what?”

  “Where. Are. You? I came by your apartment and your roommate said you’ve been gone most of the day. You said you were sick.”

  “I, ah…” I clear my throat. “Yeah, I um…I lied.”

  A long pause hangs over the line. “What?”

  “I went down to the Quest for a Popstar auditions.”

  Another pause. “What?”