Aunt Mary's words kept repeating themselves in my head. "Are you serious? A celebrity singing with a servant? That's ridiculous!" I may have done excruciating chores inside her house, but that did not make me a servant. I was still a normal human being, just like everybody else. After I finished doing the chores that Aunt Mary told me to complete, she told me to fold four loads of laundry. It was quite disgusting having to sort out who's underwear was who's. But after a few months of living with them, somehow I knew what clothes belonged to who.

As I was folding Isabelle's clothes, I felt my phone vibrate in my left pocket, and I pulled it out. It was a text from Vanessa.

Vanessie 💖

Vanessa: So, what did she say?

Serena: wdym?

Vanessa: you know, about the auditions?

Serena: Oh, right. I asked her about it, she said, and I quote, 'A celebrity singing with a servant? That's ridiculous!'

Vanessa: I swear, I would punch her in the face if she said that to me. 😡 I'm sorry she's not letting you audition.😟

Serena: It's alright, I'm just upset. She's letting Alexa audition, and she can't even sing! And, she's having me help her with getting prepared for her audition. It's so unfair!

Vanessa: Damn right, it's unfair. I wish I could do something to help.

Serena: No, there's nothing. But, thanks. I guess I'll have to dream about singing with Aidan in my dreams.

I put down my phone and continued folding the laundry, but I didn't do it as good as I was expected to. All I could think about was Aidan onstage singing with another girl, or worse, Ashley. Ashley had been taking singing lessons for years, and there was no doubt in my mind that she was going to audition for this contest. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket again, and I saw that it was another notification, but this time, it was from Instagram, telling me that Aidan was doing another Livestream.

I looked at my bedroom door and closed it slightly, leaving little room for someone to peek in. I joined the Livestream and grabbed my AirPods so I could listen to it without worrying that my aunt and cousins would hear Aidan's voice. He was sitting in his cozy garage with his guitar in his lap, and he started singing 4th of July.

"Sometimes, I fall victim to a past part of me. They're still sitting up there with you on that tree, Tears in your eyes. You were so happy, said forever you'd love me," he sang into his microphone stand. Just hearing Aidan singing made me feel slightly better about not being able to audition. But, there was still that part of me that wanted to wow him with my voice.

When he finished playing, he scrolled through the comments, and I quickly typed in how much I loved that song. "Thank you, SereneCinderella. I'm glad you enjoyed it!" He smiled, his cheeks becoming a bright pink. He looked so adorable, and my heart started to flutter once again. He called out my username again. I think he's trying to make me blush. Aidan kept scrolling through the comments, and he answered a few people's questions. Most of them were about the contest and what song he was working on.

"I've already mentioned this before. But, the auditions will be held this Friday in River Wren High auditorium. I look forward to seeing if you have what it takes to sing with me," he answered, giving us that beautiful smile. "Serena! Are the loads of laundry folded yet?" Aunt Mary called from the living room.

"Not yet, Aunt Mary, but I'm almost done," I answered, quickly exiting the Livestream and stuffing my phone underneath my pillow. "Can you feel that?" Aunt Mary called out again. "What?" I asked. She let out a small laugh, and I started to grow nervous. "I'm choking you from a distance, CHOKING YOU! Get that laundry done! Otherwise, I'll choke you for real!" she threatened.