"Tremors down my spine, Felt it for the hundredth time .When I'm trapped and I can not fly and you don't own me " - Take me over by Peking duck ft. SAFIA

"Here's to the final three, may we all get exactly what we want" Mason raised his glass in a cheer and everyone else clinked their glasses and took a sip.

The only one missing was Ruth...

After that elimination I am pretty saw my heart broke a bit. Ruth had been one of the kindest people I had met in this journey and thank we had added each other on all social media before she left back for Texas otherwise I would feel like I would be bawling right now - even though I had been sobbing the minute they announced the results partly because I was relieved the other because I was devastated.

Ruth was the closest thing I had to a friend in a long time.

I felt stirred my water with my straw and was staring absently into space when Mason walked over and kissed me in the cheek "you okay?" He asked me wrapping his arm around my shoulder. "Yeah I guess.. whatcha doing over here?" I asked playfully and I watched him roll his eyes "Tally and Ryan have been flirting all night. It's really weird and disturbing" I really wanted to remind him that he did sleep with her but I refrained.

"So... final week huh?" I began but honestly I was scared because this next week would be the grand decider and I was feeling ill about that. "Marley, I have a question for you" Mason started turning me to face him, his eyes becoming serious "you know either way  we will most likely be in New York if either one of us wins and no matter who it is... I want you to live in the city too, to be with me" I was shocked, I mean we had known each other for a little more than a month. But it wasn't implausible... i have always wanted out of New Mexico and here was the chance. Mason reached into his back pocket and pulled out his keys, why he had them I didn't know. I watched him take off a key and place it in my hand "this is my spare key... I have only known you a little while but I want you to have it, just in case" he looked embarrassed but I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him gently. "Your are too good to be true" I smiled and his face mirrored mine and in that moment I knew:

We were going to be okay.

----://---/:/--:/--

"THIS IS NOT OKAY!"

It was four days until the finale and I was siting in the music room with my mentor having a breakdown. "These lyrics suck and three songs! Plus the group number!? I can't do this" I flopped onto the floor, my multi coloured dress fanning out in all directions. I placed my head in my hands and began to cry just because of  the sheer stress.

Before I had seen Tallulah lying in the middle of the other music room, boots on the floor and hair splaying out while she read about fifty different sheets of music and telling me to leave me alone when she spotted me at the threshold. While the Emeralds all looks exhausted with their hair unbrushed and dark circles under their eyes while they all argued over song choice and beats.

We were going a bit mad.

I was becoming frustrated with my music choices. We had our group performance, our song choice, our written composition and our modern rendition of a song. I seriously was about to lose my mind. For some reason my mind began to drift, perhaps I was exhausted but my mind began to drift all the way back to prom.

Oh prom, I remembered the stark difference between my junior and senior prom, the lights, the music, my dress and my company. For some reason these two opposing memories stirred up something and I picked up my own and began to write down words, feelings and emotions.

I wasn't leaving anything out this time.

---/---/--

Well it might have been obvious but Ruth did go home.

This chapter might be short but I feel like Spotlight will end soon and I really want this journey to be extended as long as I can.