Prologue

David Cook exasperated a sigh of relief. Who would've thought that the judges would actually give in to the wannabe rocker from Missouri? Now here he was, in top 24. No one could have predicted, not even himself, that he would make it this far.
He stood in the general area where everyone else waited anxiously to find out what was next. 23 people in the room, including himself, and the last one was just about to arrive.
It was like a bolt of electricity just struck him there and then. The door opened, and it was as if an angel was walking right into the room. She had long black hair, not too straight and not too curly, and her piercing eyes just drew all the attention away from the room. 'Who is this girl??' he thought to himself.

Jessica Sanders was perhaps one of the most confused people on Earth right now. Yes, she was delighted that she had gotten into top 24, but she dreaded the reaction she would get from her very unsupportive boyfriend. She had never expected to make it into top 24 in the first place, and the dilemma she faced now was not helping.
"Top 24??? You mean you actually made it to top 24???" she could hear his voice over the phone. She only managed to choke out a 'yes'. "Geez, Jessica, and all this time i thought that our relationship was more important than some stupid reality show," his painful words voices over the receiver.
"Please, dont be like that," she pleaded, sounding as honest as she could ,"you know you mean the world to me, please dont let this set us back."
"You know what sucks, Jess. I actually thought that you would care more about me this time."
"It's not like that, and you know it. Even I didnt predict that i could make it to top 24. I didnt want this, Billy." But secretly in her mind she did, with all her heart. Singing was the only thing left for her, and was possibly the only solace she could find in the world. She loved singing, but he didnt understand. She loved singing more than she loved him, but she didnt want it to break them apart. "Dont be like that, Billy."
The conversation dragged on for the whole night, with Billy constantly accusing his girlfriend of leaving everything behind just for her selfish needs. In the end he gave in, he made an agreement with her. "As long as you dont make it to Top 12, then we're still together."


Chapter 1

Jessica Sanders wasnt exactly the creme de la creme of the group, or at least she tried not to be. She never wanted to stand out in particular, and originally did not have any intention of making it to top 12. Her selflessness made her hold back. Her intent on making her relationship last made her not want to do well. She tried not to do her best when singing. She tried her hardest not to reveal that magnificent voice she knew she had. Her arrangements were ordinary, and there was nothing special in particular about her performances. Needless to say she was not exactly favored among the judges.
David Cook had noticed this about the brunette. He noticed how she never really put much effort in her performances. He noticed how she always seemed to hold back in terms of her voice. But he knew that there was definitely something special about this girl. He just had this natural eye for talent, and, no, he was definitely not going to make this last any longer.
"Hey you," he said casually to the girl sitting on the couch, hooked up on her iPod.
"What? Me?" she replied as she unplugged her earphones.
"Why do you always hold back?" he said, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "What do you mean?" said the slightly confused brunette.
"...during your performances....why do you always hold back?"
She was speechless. No one had asked her that question during the 3 weeks she was here. She knew exactly what he was talking about. But she wasnt about to get personal at this stage, not when she knew she would be going home any moment.
"None of your business," she replied coldly and walked out of the room.

She was furious. Who did this guy think he was anyway? Just walking in and acting as if he knew everything. But she did consider his words for a moment. What exactly was she holding back for? She was in one of the most highly viewed shows in America and this was practically an opportunity of a lifetime. Was it really worth it? Giving up everything just for this guy that didnt even care about her?

She sent a text message the next day. "Billy, it's over."

No, she wasnt about to let some useless bum make her give up on what she loved doing the most.