Sitting outside Chuckie’s Burgers, I stuffed a handful of fries into my mouth. People went up the escalator near our table, Tayla watching me with a smirk. Taking a bite of my cheeseburger, I sighed happily. “This is the best,” I said. “Ending a long day with my best friends, a show, and a game.”

“Plus Mr. Smith is letting you retake the quiz,” Tayla added, taking one of my fries.

“Meaning I can stay on the team and my parents might not kill me.” Tayla rolled her eyes as I took a sip of my chocolate shake before turning towards Jae. A big smile was on her face as she looked through her three bags of clothes while scrolling on her phone. I couldn’t tell what she was most excited about: shopping or seeing Lady Topaz. As much as I wanted to go to the football game, Jae being so happy was nice. ‘Sides, I really did love shows. That’s why every year, I made sure to attend—

“Serena?” I flinched, Tayla waving her hand in front of my face. “Earth to Serena, do you copy?”

“Not at all,” I said.

Tayla sighed while shaking her head. “I asked if you saw The Harmonia Festival announcement?”

“A…oh! You mean the date? Yeah, Auria showed me.” I took another bite of my burger. “December’s gonna be awesome! You going this year?”

“That’s what I was about to ask you,” Tayla said with a laugh. “I will if you do.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for anything! Maybe someone will finally cover one of Ellie’s songs.”

“You say that every year. Remember when we watched that cover of Jump and you said it was bad?”

“‘Cause it was! She didn’t have any of Ellie’s passion or moves.”

Shaking her head, Tayla rested it on her right hand. “Honestly, I doubt someone will cover one of her songs after what happened to her.”

I crossed my arms. “That’s more reason for someone—”

“It’s time!” Jae said suddenly, jumping up.

I barely had time to grab my milkshake before she started dragging me across the mall. Sighing with a chuckle, I glanced back to see if Tayla was following before squinting. Mixed in with the shoppers was a familiar cartoon wolf backpack. “Is that—?”

“Is something wrong?” Tayla said, catching up. The backpack disappeared into the crowd, and I shook my head with a sigh.

It wasn’t like I was gonna be able to chase it down anyway.

Jae pulled me into a small crowd before a small stage, tossing three bucks into a black bucket before letting go. Shaking my arm out, I felt Tayla move beside me as loud music started. A deep bass shook the floor, the crowd and Jae screaming. Lights flashed as the girl from the video walked on stage. Sparkling mask on her smiling face, she twirled in her shiny hot pink dress and began to sing.

The song was fast and had a good beat with a sorta Latin feel. Lady Topaz danced and sang around the stage, the audience clapping along. At different parts, Jae would throw her arm in the air and cheer. “I think this is Queen by Blanca Espina,” Tayla whispered to me. I nodded while moving along. I could kinda see why Jae liked Lady Topaz so much. While her singing and dancing were okay, her outfit was cute, and she knew how to put on a show.

As the song came to an end, the crowd cheered, Lady Topaz’s smile growing. “Welcome, everyone,” she said. “To-To—”

“Paz!” Jae and the crowd shouted.

“Now, my next song requires a little wardrobe adjustment. And I did make a promise to my loyal fans.”

Oohs and aahs filled the area. “This is it!” Jae said, clutching my arm. Slow as syrup, Lady Topaz removed her sparkly mask to reveal her face.

Her very familiar face.

“She’s that bully!” I said, pointing at her.

A few glares were shot at me, Tayla quickly pushing my arm down with a nervous chuckle. “I knew it,” Jae said, smile growing. “I knew it was her.”

“You know her?” Tayla said, even though it wasn’t surprising. JAHS’s gossip queen knew everyone.

“Lady Topaz is Mira Oliveira, a junior at our school. She’s, like, real close with Iris Adamos.”

Now that was surprising. But Iris was way better than Lady Bully.

“Now with that reveal,” Mira said, throwing her mask offstage, “let’s go on with the show.” The crowd cheered. “Also, students of ‘you know where,’ make sure you vote for me in The Harmonia Festival qualifiers on December 11. Let’s send Lady Topaz to Crawford Stadium!” The crowd cheered even louder. Mood slightly ruined, I glanced at Jae before pulling out my phone, another cover song starting.

--------

The show went on for thirty minutes. I yawned as Mira sang another cover song, Jae clapping along. I wanted to enjoy it for her sake, but it was hard ‘cause of who Mira was. So instead, I scrolled through my phone and thought of how much funner the football game was gonna be. Just like how much better The Harmonia Festival would be if someone covered one of Ellie’s songs. But no one could match her. She was amazing! I would’ve given anything to had been born early enough to attend her Crawford Stadium show. To watch her sing Shine live and cheer her on from the crowd. Then, she would come to the edge of the stage and point at me. I’d reach my hand to her, she’d smile and say,

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“You!”

Blinking, I was back in Heartsgrove Mall. Instead of Ellie, Mira stood on the stage pointing into the crowd. No, she was pointing at…me? I looked around, everyone’s eyes on me, before seeing my hand raised.

Oh. Crap.

Before I could speak, I was pushed through the crowd. It was worse than the school hallway one minute to class. By the time I was on stage, my arms ached. I couldn’t see Tayla or Jae at all in the fifty pairs of eyes glaring at me.

I thought I was gonna faint.

“Let’s give a big hand to our volunteer,” Mira said, a few people clapping. A boy handed me a mic as she skipped next to me, flowery perfume making my nose itch. “So, what’s your name, where’re you from?”

“Se-Serena Starr from Heartsgrove,” I stuttered.

“A local! Well, Serena, I hope you’re ready to sing not just to our audience but all the people at home.”

“People at…” I spun towards her, “…this is being streamed?”

“Of course!” Turning around, she lowered her mic and smirked. “So, try not to embarrass yourself too badly, Little Miss Hero.” My nerves and frustration grew as she twirled back around, a fake smile on her face. “Our friend here is going to help me sing a pretty difficult song. Let’s cheer her on. To-To-Paz!” A third of the crowd echoed her. “Now, Miss Serena, do you know the song Shine by Ellie Stella?”

Did I?

“Better than anyone,” I said, a few people giggling.

“Let’s see about that,” Mira said, a small smirk on her face. “Hit it!”

The music I knew all too well started, and Mira sang the first line. She danced around the stage with me trying to keep up, eyes on her. There were people staring. There was probably more watching online. But Shine was my song!

And Lady Topaz AKA Mira Oliveira was singing it all wrong!

After finishing the line, she pointed at me. I sang the second part, doing the dance moves I’d seen Ellie do hundreds of times. A twirl, a clap, and a kick! Mira jumped back in, a frown on her face as we sang the chorus.

Definitely wasn’t a real fan.

Soon, Mira, the crowd, everything faded away. All I saw were the lights and stage. All I heard was the music. It was like singing in my bedroom but different. It was like that morning in Auria’s room but different. My heart was pounding, the lights were bright, and the music was loud along with my voice. It was…

It was so much fun!

As I finished the second chorus, the music faded away. It was then, as I stood there panting, that I noticed the crowd again.

The crowd that was staring, mouths hanging open.

Mira skipped in front of me. “That was…great,” she said shakily. “Let’s move on to our last number.”

The mic boy escorted me off the stage as Mira went on with the show. I quickly moved through the crowd trying to find my friends. “Serena, over here!” I heard Jae call. Seeing her waving hand, I rushed over, both girls standing with huge smiles on their faces. “That was, like, amazing! I had no idea you could sing. Did you, Tayla?”

She shook her head. “Not like that, anyway,” she said. “How do you feel?”

Before I could say anything, someone tapped my shoulder. I turned, three girls smiling behind me. “Nice job,” one said. “Do you have a channel? I’ll subscribe.”

“I—” I tried to say when more people came over, focused on me more than the show. I wasn’t sure what to do; the closest I’d even experienced to it was when my team crowded me after I shot the winning goal at one of my soccer games.

The game!

“Guys, we gotta leave,” I tried to say, but it was drowned out by the show, the cheers, and the six people surrounding me, Tayla and Jae being pushed back. Someone grabbed my arm, and I tried to yank it away when I heard a familiar whisper.

“Follow me; I’ll get you out.”

Glancing to my left, I gasped. Holding my arm was the little boy from that morning. I nodded and motioned for the others to follow. The boy pulled me through the crowd before we reached the escalators, the girls arriving a second later. “That was scary,” Tayla said with a shiver.

The boy looked around before turning. “This way,” he said. “You need to leave the mall before the show ends.”

I looked at the other two, and we nodded. With many twists and turns, we followed him through the crowds, out a practically empty exit, and to the corner of Heartsgrove Mall and Main Street. Once he stopped, Jae collapsed onto the curb. “Finally,” she groaned.

I chuckled and turned back to our savior. “Thanks for that,” I said. “You really saved me back there…um…”

“Marcus. Marcus Romano,” he said. “And I suppose I’m returning a favor.”

Tayla looked between us with a frown. “This is the kid I was talking ‘bout at lunch,” I said. “The one Mira was bullying.” Tayla slowly nodded before I turned back to Marcus. “I’m surprised you were watching her show. After this morning, you’re still a Lady Topaz fan?”

“Absolutely not!” he said with a huff. “I was there for…reasons.” He glanced away, arms crossed. “Trying to scope out the enemy.”

“Enemy?”

He shook his head and turned back towards me. “Are you planning on performing at The Harmonia Festival?”

“What?” I said in shock, jumping back. “No way; that was the first time I ever sang on a stage.”

“Really?” Marcus said, frown growing. “Didn’t seem like it.” Pulling out a phone in wolf casing, he pressed it a few times and held it up. “See?” On the screen was Mira’s stream; more specifically, it was me singing Shine while Mira stood in the back like a deer in headlights. My voice was coming out the speakers. The first time I truly heard myself sing.

I wasn’t half bad.

“You said you were from here,” Marcus said, pulling his hand back. “May I assume you and Mira attend the same school?” I glanced at Jae, who nodded. “So, you’d be competing against her…you should try out for the festival.”

He was serious.

“I…you really wanna get back at her for this morning, huh?” I said with a chuckle.

“She’s the reason I can’t try out for the festival.”

Huh? “You wouldn’t had been able to, anyway; it’s for high schoolers and college students.”

“Last I checked, 9th Grade was in high school.”

That day was just full of surprises.

“But before my band even had its first performance, Mira attacked us. She wrote comments on our videos and sent us messages that we’d never make it as artists. This went on for weeks, and we fell apart.”

“She really is a bully,” Tayla muttered.

“I’ve seen her do it to others. Saying nasty things and putting them down just so she could rise. Until today.” Marcus stepped closer to me. “You outshone her.”

“I did?” I said, rubbing my head. “She did look annoyed, huh?”

“After today, she’ll likely work harder to win,” Marcus said. “However, I believe with more training, you could outshine her again. You could defeat her and represent your school at The Harmonia Festival. I know it’s a lot, but will you consider it?”

Darn right, it was a lot! But was that something I really could do? Could I sing in The Harmonia Festival on Crawford Stadium’s stage. Did I want to?

“Do it, Serena,” Jae said, jumping up and grabbing my hand. “You’d kill it at the festival.”

I laughed, still in disbelief at all that had happened. “If I did, I’d have to fight Lady Topaz at the qualifiers.”

“So? That’ll make it more interesting. But I would, like, support you since we’re friends.”

“As would I,” Tayla said, taking my other hand. “You looked like you were having fun up there. The most fun I’ve ever seen you have.” She grinned. “You have what it takes, Serena, but it’s up to you.” I looked between my friends and Marcus and closed my eyes.

Ten minutes before, I’d sung and danced on a stage before a bunch of strangers. But I didn’t faint. I didn’t run and cry like before; I had fun. Singing and dancing on stage was a lot of fun. It was warm, loud, and bright…brighter than a star. Maybe I could shine like the stars in the same way as Ellie. Maybe I could…no, I would.

I wanted to be just like her!

“I’ll do it!” I said. “I’m gonna sing and dance on the same stage as Ellie Stella! At The Harmonia Festival.” Marcus let out a breath as Jae hugged me, Tayla laughing. Excitement spread through me as my spinning thoughts landed on one.

I was gonna shine like the stars.