I haven't even gone on stage yet and already my nerves are getting to me.

I should've assumed that this was going to happen; I've heard it's normal for quite a number of people. Of course, my only real experience when it came to singing was either in the shower or in front of my bedroom mirror using a hairbrush for a microphone.

But here I was. Waiting in a hallway of the Excel Center in London, practicing my song over and over again, trying to make sure it was as close to perfect as it could possibly be. Should I cut a couple parts out, change a couple words here and there...?

Mumbing to myself, I sang a little part of the song again, then pondered if I should change the little bit I felt I should change. 'They aren't that big, so...' I tilted my head down just to make sure. 'Yeah, I probably should. It's not like too many people are gonna notice.'

Well, hopefully.

I noticed another girl in the same hallway, a couple feet down from me. She was probably attempting the same thing as me; perfecting her song last minute.

"It's getting to all  of us, isn't it?" I thought aloud, to which she turned to look in my direction, giving me a lopsided smile.

"Guess so," she replied. "You nervous too?"

I nodded vigorously. "You have no idea," I chucked, shaking my head with a grin. By this time I'd approached her and we were only about a foot apart.

The girl, who looked to be about my age, give or take a year or so, reached her arm out. "I'm Stacey," she told me.

I grasped her hand in mind and gave it a gentle shake. "Elise."

She and I then decided to simply slump against the wall and sit on the floor. "So how old are you?" I questioned, trying not to be awkward.

"Nineteen," she responded.

"Shut up, you are not!" I grinned. "You could look as old as me!"

Stacey laughed at this, giving me a toothy smile. "Well how old are you, then?" she brought the question back to me.

I bit my lip. "I just turned twenty-four about a month ago," the answer came out.

Her jaw dropped a little. "Nuh-uh, you look way too young!" she spat out.

"That's what everyone says!" I laughed.

For the next ten or twenty minutes, I sat and talked with Stacey, who I found out I had a lot in common with. If both of us made it to the finals, I could definitely see her becoming a good friend of mine. Though sometime afterwards, her name and number were called to head backstage.

"Tell me how you do," I squeezed her shoulders with a smile, which she returned.

"Count on it," the girl answered, flashing me the peace sign before taking off towards the doors to the stage.

It had been about another twenty minutes and Stacey still hadn't come back. My guess was that she still was waiting, considering the vast amount of people that were still here for their chance. For the time being, I'd resumed practicing my song, verse by verse.

Of course, I eventually decided on getting something to drink so my voice didn't wear out. I'd found a little concession stand a few hallways down, but when I reached into the pocket of my jeans, I'd remembered- and forgot- one important thing.

"Shit," I muttered. I'd forgotten my wallet.

Rolling my eyes in annoyance, I started to turn and head back to find a water fountain if I could, but a voice stopped me.

"You want me to get you something?"

My head tilted back around to meet the eyes of a guy- an attractive guy- with soft, dark brown eyes that matched his hair, which was styled up in an afro. A kind smile graced his perfectly chisled face, accented by a faint five-o-clock shadow. He was wearing a slightly low-cut v-neck shirt, brown jacket, and blue jeans, with a sash tied around the waist. I had to try extremely hard not to stare at him too much for too long.

Snapping out of it, I shook my head a little. "No, no, it's alright. You don't have to," I tried to respond, but he grinned wider.

"I insist," he told me. "Go ahead."

Once more I felt like turning pink. I blindly grabbed the nearest beverage in reach- which happened to be a bottle of strawberry tea, and the male across from me set a couple bills on the counter in return.

"Th-Thanks," I tried not to stutter but failed, taking a gulp of my drink.

He smiled again. "Not a problem."

During this time, I decided to sit on the stool next to him. "So... you singing, too?" I tried starting a conversation as best as I could.

"Yeah, I just really hope it works out for me," he replied, drumming his fingers on the counter. "If it doesn't, then it's back to the pub gigs for me."

"At least you get gigs," I retorted, to which he chuckled. "I'm serious though, the most I get to do is sing to myself in the mirror and only imagine what singing in front of people is like."

He rested his chin on his hand. "It's still a start," he assured me. "And you've gotta start from somewhere."

I nodded, a small smile starting to grow on my face.

After a couple seconds, he pinched the bridge of his nose, almost in frustration. "My god, where are my manners; I haven't even introduced myself yet," he groaned, which got me to laugh a little. Like Stacey did before, he extended his hand out to me with that same grin. "I'm Jamie Archer."

God, his smile was infectuous. "I'm Elise McCready," I replied, taking his outstreched hand.

"Elise!" My name was said right after I'd said it, but not by Jamie. Turning around, I noticed Stacey in the hallway waving me over. She was grinning from ear to ear.

"She's probably gotta spill to me how she did up there," I told my new acquaintance, hopping off the stool. "But maybe I'll run into you later?"

He nodded. "Absolutely," Patting my shoulder and shooing me off, Jamie called back to me, "Good luck, when you go on stage!"

I waved back to him, then scurried over to my friend, who literally pounced on me when I made it to her.

"I got four yes's!" she exclaimed, jumping up and down as I smiled and screamed with her. "I'm going to bootcamp!"

I pulled her into a hug. "I knew you could do it!" I told her happily.

"And you're gonna do just as good, I guarantee it," she took my hands and swung my arms back and forth in time with hers.

"If you say so," I drawled, but ended up laughing as Stacey and I began squealing again.

Fifteen more minutes later, my name and number were finally called. Stacey accompained me backstage to the wings, and to my surprise, I saw a now familiar face sitting on one of the black boxes, singing under his breath.

Jamie.

"Isn't that the guy you were talking to earlier?" My friend asked me. I swore I heard a hint of teasing in her voice.

I decided to humor her. "Yes, yes it is," I answered.

"Ohhh," she drawled in my ear, to which I playfully shoved her.

A voice from behind us then called Jamie over, saying that he was on next. He hopped off the box, passing by me, but pausing.

"You're on right after me, apparently," he told me. "So good luck."

I grinned. "Right now I should be saying that to you."

He gave me that same grin back, giving me a thumbs-up before taking a deep breath and starting up the stairs to the main stage.

The girl to my right nudged me and I shoved her again. "Quit it!" I groaned in her ear. She simply laughed.

There were a few people gathered over by the monitors, so I decided to drag Stacey over by them and watch Jamie's performance. Even on stage, as nervous as I was pretty sure he was, he smiled and kept his cool.

"My name's Jamie Archer," he started when Simon asked his name, "But everyone knows me as Jamie Afro."

I chuckled.

"And how old are you, Jamie?" Simon asked him another question.

He answered right away, "Thirty-three."

FUCK GODDAMN SHIT BOLLOCKS-

"So, he's... what, nine years older than you?" Stacey asked aloud, couting on her fingers.

I pouted, biting my lip with a grumble, but she didn't notice. Instead, she continued, "That's not too bad. Actually, not bad at all. My parents have a nine year age difference between them."

THERE IS HOPE.

During all this, I'd failed to keep my focus on Jamie, but heard the opening riff to one of my favorite songs through the speakers- 'Sex On Fire' by Kings of Leon. Was that his song?

I stared intently at the screen, watching him play to the delight of the crowd, waiting for when he opened his mouth to sing.

And when he did...

"Lay where you're laying, oh, don't make a sound... 'cause I know that they're watching, yeah, they're watching... all the commotion, and all the kiddy-like play... well it had people talking, yeah, they're talking..."

Oh. My. God.

"One, two, three, and, you... yeah, your sex is on fire... whoa, oh, oh..."

Oh. My. Sweet. God.

"Well, hot as a fever, the rattling bones... I could just taste it, oh, just taste it... if it's not forever, oh, it's just for the night... but I think we're the greatest, we're the greatest..."

Oh. My. Dear. Sweet. God.

"One, two, three! You... yeah, your sex is on fire... whoa, oh oh... one, two, one two three and, you... yeah, your sex is on fire... whoa, oh, oh... consumed... with what's to transpire... whoa, oh, oh..."

He. Was. Incredible.

Don't believe me? Even Simon had starting singing along with the crowd!

And they were currently going insane. Purely nuts.

Honestly? I would be too. On the inside, I was. I was screaming and cheering like crazy. But on the outside, while I only had an ear-to-ear grin, I clapped fervently. And I resumed doing so when I saw him emerge with four yes's.

"Elise?" My name was called. "You're up next."

Stacey squeezed my hands. "Good luck, you'll do great," she told me.

I smiled, returning the gesture and heading over to the stairs, where Jamie was currently coming

down from.

"Where did that come from?" I asked him as soon as he'd approached me. "That was absolutely amazing!"

He smiled and laughed, patting my shoulders. "Well, thank you!" he chuckled. "But I should probably tell you 'good luck' now, huh?"

"Probably," I shrugged with a little grin.

Jamie had kept his hands on my shoulders, then like Stacey had done with my hands, he gave them a little squeeze. "Good luck," he said.

All I did was nod to him, returning the smile he'd given me, then walked up the stairs, onto the stage.

The lights were almost blinding. 'Stay focused, Elise,' I'd reminded myself for the millionth time at the last minute. 'You can do this.'

"Hello there," Simon was the first to speak to me.

"Hello," I responded, a smile working its way onto my face.

The main judge spoke to me again. "What's your name, dear?"

"I'm Elise McCready," I answered.

"And how old are you?"

"I-I'm twenty-four."

Throughout all of this, I tried so very hard not to stutter or trip over my words. I had to keep calm. This was it.

Simon placed the pen he was holding on the table in front of him. "And what song will you be singing for us, Elise?"

I bit my lip, that tiny grin still making its way up. "I'll sing 'Take It Off' by The Donnas," I mustered. I thought I heard some of the girls in the audience cheer.

After I received the 'okay' from Simon, the music started up. The familiar guitar riff I had heard every practice in my head.

It was time.

"I'm on my second drink, but I've had a few before... I'm trying hard to think, and I think that I want you on the floor, uh-huh... yeah, on the floor, go on and take it off... you gotta shake it off, baby, for me... come on and break me off... 'cause I get what I want, and I like what I see..."

Only a couple seconds after I'd opened my mouth and starting singing, the crowd was already cheering. Some of the girls in the back were even on their feet clapping and dancing.

"Need your love one, two, three... stop staring at my B-Cup, don't waste time, just give it to me... come on, baby, just give me up, come on... just give it up, go on and take it off... you gotta shake it off, baby, for me... come on and break me off... 'cause I get what I want, and I like what I see..."

By now, everything had become natural again. I was swaying lightly to the beat of the drums, getting into the song and getting the crowd to join in on the fun. 

"Forget the application... you're the right guy for the task... let me take you on vacation... just do it, you don't have to ask... go on and take it off... you gotta shake it off, baby, for me... come on and break me off... 'cause I get what I want, and I like what I see... take it off... take it off, baby for me... take it off... take it off, baby for me..."

As the guitar died down, I finally noticed the results of my performance.

The entire audience was on their feet, clapping, cheering, screaming for me. Even Danni and Cheryl were standing and clapping!

Unfortunately, everything they said to me was drowned out in my ears, until I heard the words from Simon- "Well now, we're gonna vote."

From Louis Walsh?

"Elise, it was incredible. Of course, yes."

From Danni Minogue?

"Absolutely. Yes."

From Cheryl Cole?

"I loved it, Elise. I can't NOT say yes."

And from Simon Cowell?

"Well, Elise... you've got four yes's."

Yes, I almost screamed.

"Thank you so much, all of you," I told them with an ear-to-ear smile as the crowd cheered ear-deafening screams once more.

Simon nodded at me with a grin. "We'll see you at Bootcamp. Good job."

I didn't even make it halfway down the stairs when I was pulled by someone into a hug. My eyes closed right away, so I hugged them back with a smile, expecting it to be Stacey...

...But when I felt the fabric of a jacket on my arms and a thin v-neck shirt on my cheek, I smiled even wider.

"You were incredible, Elise," his voice reached my ear. I could hear the smile in his voice.

I was still screaming on the inside from my performance, but this just added to it.

I was going to X Factor Bootcamp.

But for now, let me just continue hugging Jamie Archer.