The crowd got bigger as night drew on. I haven't seen Ashton in almost an hour now. I assume he's been backstage with the other bands and getting ready to play soon because after all, this will start in a few minutes or so.

Shawn had left his shift from the bar not so long ago because he had to start fixing himself up and his equipment. Sarah on the other hand came back in a new outfit and hairdo to sit next to me by the bar. We talked for a while until she got a call and started going crazy around the place looking for some guy named Johnson to take over the shift in the bar. She fled away and I haven't seen her since.

So it all leads back to me.. All alone at a bar with a half full bottle of beer and not a joy to spare on my face.

From the corner of my eye I saw someone come up to the bar. I didn't pay much attention to them and pulled out my phone to look at the time. 11:05.

"Excuse me.." A deep voice asked from the male that stepped in next to me. I turned around and felt my eyes grow in interest with how breath taking he actually was.

"Y-yeah?" I uttered, mentally punching myself for sounding like that.

He chuckled at my stuttering, his voice was deep and his smile grew wide.

"Sorry but.. Is there a bartender around here?" He chuckled, brown eyes sparkling at me.

I looked around and remembered that Sarah still wasn't back with Johnson to take over.

"That's what I'd like to know." I giggled.

When I looked back at the guy, I noticed he had walked past me and over to the entrance of the bar. I watched him with caution and curiosity. I even took the urge to look around and see if anyone else was noticing what he was doing.

"Would you like something?" He turned back to me, smiling as he prepared himself a drink.

I quickly shook my head. "Uh.. That's okay." I smiled putting up my bottle. "I'm good."

"If you say so." He chuckled, looking back down in front of him where he was finishing his drink.

"Uh.. Are you sure you could be doing that?" I asked.

He turned around with his drink prepared in his hand and smiled. "I'm sure they wouldn't mind."

I looked at him skeptically. "Are you Jake?"

He laughed with what I said, shaking his head the next moment. "My name's Matthew." He took a sip from drink. "And you are..?"

"Zoey." I smiled.

He put his drink down once he stood in front of me, arms resting on the bar's countertop. "Nice to meet you, Zoey." He chuckled. "So.. Can I ask? What is a girl like you doing here all alone?"

I rolled my eyes, smiling towards his question. "I'm not alone and I came here because my cousin made me."

"Well where is she now?" He smirked looking down at me and slowly biting his lower lip.

"He is actually backstage." I corrected him. "He's playing tonight with his band."

"Oh really?" He grew surprised. "What's your cousin's band?"

I thought about it for a moment. I remember Ash mentioning the name on the car ride here. "Um.. 21?" I finally answered.

He furrowed his eyebrows, pondering over the name. "Are they new?"

I nodded my head. "Yeah, tonight's their first gig."

21 was the name. I now remember Ashton telling me that they picked that because it was the day they started their band, July 21st. and they had nothing else planned.

"Well," He paused to grab his drink and hold it up. "Cheers, to 21." He chuckled.

I smiled nonstop around this guy. Holding up my drink too, we clicked them together. "To 21."

We cheered and set our drinks down. He didn't stop staring at me and before I could ask him why, he started speaking again.

"How come I've never seen you before?" He asked.

I set down my drink besides me. "Oh, I just moved in with my cousin a few days ago from Washington to go to college here."

"And you couldn't get a dorm?" He chuckled, prying his eyes at me.

"It's a complicated story." I giggled looking back down.

"So.. College girl, I see.." He cooed moments after.

I couldn't find the ability to look him straight in the eyes. He was far more than attractive and I feel like if I look at him I'll start smiling like an idiot.

"Barely. There's still time before I start and in the mean time.. I'll be stuck with my cousin and no job." I stated in a joke, hoping he'll laugh along too but instead he didn't.

"You're looking for a job?" He questioned growing more interested in the conversation.

I looked down nervously and nodded. A job was something I was hoping to get before school started so I can make something for myself and maybe buy a car somehow so I wouldn't need to have Ashton drive me to and from the school three days a week.

"Well, I think you're in luck, Zoey." He chuckled. "I have a music shop that needs some new employees? Are you interested?" He arched a brow.

"You have your own music shop?" I asked reassuringly. He must be filthy rich if he has a music shop.. And something tells me it's not just one.

"Eight hundred and forty-six. And well, they're still technically my father's until I'm old enough." He smirked proudly. "They're all over the world." He paused.

My eyes widened with the amount he mentioned. "What are you? The junior version of Donald Trump?" I chuckled.

"No.. But close.." He smirked, laughing a little in the end. I joined in for the laugh. "My father, actually, is pretty big in the music industry."

"Oh really? What's his name?" I furrowed my eyebrows.

He looked down and sighed before responding. "Uh.. Michael Espinosa."

I remained looking at him with lost eyes until I ended up shrugging my shoulders. He seemed a little disappointed with the reaction he got from me. "Sorry, doesn't ring a bell?" I shook my head.

Matthew sighed then smiled a little in the end. "Well, not to brag or anything but he's the head founder of Capital Records."

My eyes widened with what he was telling me. That's pretty impressive to have your father be something so big like that. "Oh.. That's cool." I smiled.

It wasn't long before he changed subjects once again. "Yeah.. So.. The job? Do you want it?" He asked.

I didn't have to think twice about it. It was the perfect job for sure, well only job, therefore it, makes it perfect. "Yes!" I spoke excitedly, smiling at Matthew as he grabbed a napkin from nearby and pulled a pen out from the front pocket of his jacket. Quickly, he started scribbling down some information on it.

"Is Monday okay for you to start?" He arches a brow.

My eyes widened as he finished his question. "Already?" I sounded shocked. Monday is just the day after tomorrow. "Shouldn't I go through an interview or something?"

He smiled up at me before leaning his arms back against the countertop of the bar. "Are you a murderer?" He asked.

"No?" I furrowed my eyebrows and ended up in small laughes.

"Do you do, or sell drugs?" He asked.

"No and no." I couldn't stop smiling. He's such a dork.

His hands slammed the surface of the bar before his smile grew wider on his face. "Well Miss Zoey, you've got the job." He chuckled. "Is that what you wanted?"

I rolled my eyes, grabbing the napkin he was handing me and looking at what he wrote down. It was the name of the shop, it's address, and two numbers.

Matthew had moved out of the bar with his drink and sat back down on the stool next to me. I was about to ask him what the second number was but he beat me to it once he saw the face I was making towards it.

"The second one is mine." He smirked pointing his finger at it.

I looked up at him to see him bring his drink closer to his lips, eyes still looking forward ahead at the stage. "For emergency." He smirked, shrugging his shoulders before making contact with the glass and drinking from it.

I remained smiling at him, thanking this stranger for all he's done for me already. This is a big step. A job! Finally, something good is going to come out of this whole change.

"Thank you." I smiled.

He looked back at me with his soft smile. "You don't have to thank me, Zoey." He chuckled. "Its me who should be thanking you. After all, you're the one who'll be helping me."

He turned back around and at that same moment the lights started to dim down. My attention was brought back to the center stage where a huge crowd of people started huddling around it. I guess the show has begun.

And so has mine.

-

A couple of hours had passed and a total of 11 bands have started to play. Ashton's band was number 12, the last one tonight. It's been a while.. most of the crowd had been gone by now, including Matthew, and it's only a quarter past midnight. I guess it's true what Ashton was telling me that being the last one to play is really bad. But I still feel like they have a pretty good chance of getting something out of it tonight.

Sarah had joined me a few moments after Matthew left which was down by the 10th band to play. Apparently Johnson couldn't make it tonight and she had to find last minute replacement who went by the name Digger.. Yeah.. It was a pretty interesting night for sure.

But none of that matters anymore. I have Sarah now to relax with me and listen to some music played by my cousin and her brother including their friends.

"Again, I'm so sorry I left you alone for so long." Sarah spoke during our silence.

I looked back at her to only smile. "It's okay, you were doing your job. I understand."

She smiled back, slightly chuckling as she looked back. "I hope they do well tonight."

"Of course they will." I smiled.

"I don't know.." She continued to look around the place. "There's hardly no one from the record labels around and if they are.. They all seem so bored."

"That's probably because after Up Sensation and their horrible slow song about breaking up started playing, they all feel asleep." I joked and managed to take a small smile from her. "Don't worry, the guys will bring them back up."

"I hope the Lord hears what you're saying." She sighed.

There was a small moment left that both Sarah and I spent on quietly laughing about her joke before the announcer came back on stage.

"Alright, alright, alright!" He spoke cheerfully to the room that wasn't nearly half as full as it was when the first band performed. "Now who's ready to really have some fun?" He questioned.

Nobody, and I mean nobody cheered. There were a few claps and that was from Sarah and me but we slowly stopped once we saw we were the only ones making the noise.

"Um.. Okay then.." He continued looking out into the crowd, smiling awkwardly at the rest of us. "Our last performance is sure to kick up your enthusiasm and have you feeling like you're in your twenties again. Well.. for some of us." He joked. "Give it up for.. 21!" He exclaimed as he got off the stage and the black curtains opened.

They were all there. Ashton was to my right holding his white electric guitar. Shawn was a little more off to the side from him holding the base. In the middle was that guy from the other night.. Cameron, behind the drums. Then lastly, there was Jack. He was right next to Ashton but only on my left side while holding a black guitar. They all looked good. I'd be surprised if they didn't win this thing.. Girls love a band full of good looking guys. They got this.. I know it.

I watched Jack nodded his head three times in a rhythm to the guys while tapping his foot. The next thing I knew the room blasted with music, good music, that had me wanting to get on my feet.

I looked over at Sarah and she was filled with enthusiasm, moving her head along with the beat. I did the same and for a while we stayed like that. Then he started singing...

I felt like I had been completely hypnotized by his voice. It was deep, a little raspy even. It didn't sound like Jack at all.

"Come on!" Sarah pulled me off my seat, dragging me closer to the stage where she immediately started jumping. A small crowd soon gathered up around us in which really brought the attention to the few executives that were still here.

Shawn started to sing the next verse and already my eyes were drawn back to Jack. He was playing his guitar with passion, biting his bottom lip in concentration to the beat of the music they were creating. He looked great doing that.. But what am I saying? Do I even remember what he did to me last time we spoke. He stubborn and bipolar, I. can't stand that! I can't stand him!

In nearly the 4 minutes that have passed by with us jumping and dancing around, their song has come to an end. With the few people that were cheering, Sarah and I made sure we made the most noise yet. I was so proud of Ashton. I've never seen him play before and this was just epic. It shows he loves what he does and he's great at it too. All of them are. I know it's just enough to get them noticed. They brought the best music of the night.

They said their thank you's and waved their goodbyes all of which concluded in them heading backstage and the announcer coming back on.

Sarah slightly leaned in closer to my side. "This is it.." She shrieked excitedly. "He's going to announce tonight's top three!"

"Top three!" I looked at her. "I thought there was only one winner and that was the one who gets the record deal?"

Sarah looked at me for a moment before busting out in laughs. Did I say something funny?

"No silly, you got it all wrong." She giggled, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Out of the twelve bands that played tonight, they pick the top three the record executives liked the most. Then.. from those three, they'll be asked to return to the next gig in another month and perform against three more bands picked from another gig that took place somewhere else. From there, they'll do the same thing and pick two from each side and then those four will be asked to go to yet another gig in another month and they'll reduce it again to two where they'll compete in the finals and then the winner gets a record deal." She explained. "Plus a tour and a big, big check."

My eyes widened with what she was telling me. I had it all completely wrong! No wonder Ashton wants this so bad.

"How big?" I asked out of curiosity.

Sarah's eyes widened as she spoke. "50 million dollars."

My jaw dropped to the floor.. "50 million?"

She nodded her head. I mentally cursed to myself. That's more than my parent's make in 5 year! And this is all just handed to them for playing some music!

"It's big, I know." She paused. "They all want this so badly."

"Yeah, I don't blame them." I replied.

"It's a long journey, but I know they'll get it. They have to. Look at how lively this place got when they were playing? That didn't happen tonight.."

I looked at Sarah with wandering eyes. It was true what she said.. Every bit of it. They have to win this.

"And your final three are.." The announcer paused to open the envelope. In the meantime, Sarah and I spotted the guys over besides the stage where they waited impatiently for their name to be read.

I felt my heart starting to pound faster. I couldn't imagine it was any more than theirs. My lips became dry, hands trembling as Sarah closed her eyes and mouthed a prayer.

"Up Sensation," He paused, "Deen Castle," He paused again. "And finally.. Uptown!"

The room filled with cheers while my heart seemed to stop. It felt as if the room went completely silent as I turned to face Sarah. She turned pale white from shock, almost like I imagine myself this instant, how I imagine the guys.

They.. Lost...