At the musical competition

It's the day of the music competition at school. In begins in an hour and I'm already at the gym, sitting in the front row all the way to the right. Anyone who sees me here may think that I'm here to compete, but anyone who knows me should know that I have no musical talent whatsoever.

I was the first person to arrive, so I watch as everybody enters. First, there is Kristy and her two best friends. Everyone knows them. I guess her friends are possibilities

Next is a girl with wavy brown hair. She comes in with a guy a recognize as Cason Edwards. He's somewhat popular, tall and muscular with light hair. As far as I know, he's still dating Brynlee. Why would he be here with that other girl? He sits in the back row and she comes to the front to sit.

The next four people that come in are some of the nerdy musicians that always come to this stuff. There's Tasha, Leah, Rick, and John. They all sit in the front row.

Next, Joe comes in with his girlfriend, Tessa Jones. She has straight blonde hair, she more on the short side. They both sit in the front row as well.

Lastly comes Sierra Mattson. She's the principal's daughter. She's tan with dark hair. She sits in the front row.

Mr. Markus enters and walks to the front of the gym with a microphone. "Hello, students. Thank you all for coming. Everyone that is signed up, I will call your names one by one. Anyone who isn't signed up, but would like to participate may go to the back of the room and see Miss Lisa." He says, "first up is Kristy, Lyla, and Taylor." They walk up to him and he hands them the microphone. They all sing together. None of them are her.

Mr. Markus gets the microphone back. "Next up is Jane." He says and the girl that came in with Cason gets up from her seat and walks up to him.

He holds the microphone out to her and she hesitantly takes. She puts it below her mouth and looks down at the floor as she begins singing.

"Do you ever feel like breaking down?
Do you ever feel out of place?
Like somehow you just don't belong
And no one understands you

"Do you ever want to run away?
Do you lock yourself in your room?
With the radio turned up
So that no one hears you screaming

"No you don't know what it's like
When nothing feels alright
You don't know what it's like to be like me
To be hurt
To feel lost
To feel left out in the dark
To be kicked when you're down
To feel like you've been pushed around
To be on the edge of breaking down
And no one there to save you
No you don't know what it's like
Welcome to my life

"Do you want to be someone else?
Are you sick of feeling so left out?
Are you desperate to find something more before your life is over?

"Are you stuck inside a world you hate?
Are you sick of everyone around?
With the big fake smiles and stupid lies
But deep inside you're bleeding

"No you don't know what it's like
When nothing feels alright
You don't know what it's like to be like me
To be hurt
To feel lost
To be left out in the dark
To be kicked when you're down
To feel like you've been pushed around
To be on the edge of breaking down
And no one's there to save you
No you don't know what it's like
Welcome to my life

"No one ever lied straight to your face
No one ever stabbed you in the back
You might think I'm happy
But I'm not gonna be okay
Everybody always gave you what you wanted
You never had to work it was always there
You don't know what it's like
What it's like

"To be hurt
To feel lost
To be left out in the dark
To be kicked when you're down
To feel like you've been pushed around
To be on the edge of breaking down
And no one's there to save you
No you don't know what it's like
What it's like

"To be hurt
To feel lost
To be left out in the dark
To be kicked when you're down
To feel like you've been pushed around
To be on the edge of breaking down
And no ones there to save you
No you don't know what it's like
Welcome to my life
Welcome to my life
Welcome to my life"

Wow! That's her. I know it. I found her and her name is Jane. But is she dating Cason?

She walks back to her seat -which I now realize is three away from mine. She sits down.

The rest of the competition breezes by and I barely even listen to the other kids. I'm too busy replaying her singing in my head.

When it's over, I see her get up and start walking over to Cason, who is just sitting there on his phone. Now's my chance. "Jane, can I talk to you?" She turns around and looks straight at me with her dark green beautiful eyes.

"Do I know you?" She pauses, "wait, aren't you Cameron?" I nod. "Hold on." She turns back toward Cason. "Cason, can you wait for me?"

"Fine, but you only get five minutes." He says.

She faces me again. "Okay, Cameron, what did you want to talk to be about?"

"Umm well I wanted to know if you and Cason are, you know, dating... Because, uh, if you are, he isn't treating you right and-" she cuts me off.

"No. We're not dating. He's my jerk of a brother who my mom had to pay twenty bucks to drive me here and back." She laughs, but it sounds somewhat painful and definitely forced. "Although, if I don't hurry up, he might leave without me." She turns to go.

I grab her arm. "Please, Jane. Just listen."

She rolls her eyes, "fine."

"Okay," I begin. "This may sound totally weird and biased, but it's the truth. I think I'm in love with you."

She snorts, "how?"

"We'll I used to come to school early everyday to hear you sing. I never knew who you were, so I couldn't talk to you. I came here today in hopes of finding out who you are."

She starts crying. "Nobody's ever said anything like that to me before. You know that song I sang?" I nod. I remember ever word and how it sounded when she sang it. "Well I felt like almost every word applied to me."

We talk for a couple more minutes, then I walk her outside to her brother. She looks around the parking lot for a couple seconds, then she comes to the conclusion: "he left without me." She says, sounding on the verge of tears again.

"It's okay, I'll drive you home."

She smiles. "Thank you."

We walk hand in hand to my car and I drive her home.