Big Time Read Online Free Page B

Big Time
Book: Big Time Read Online Free
Author: Tom; Ryan
Tags: JUV026000, JUV039060, JUV031040
Pages:
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say at the same time.
    â€œThat’s all great advice,” I tell them. “I’m just not sure I really want to sing anymore, is all.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about?” asks Mom. “Of course you do! You’ve been singing since you could barely walk, and you talked about this Big Time audition for months.”
    â€œYeah, and look how that turned out,” I say. “No offense, guys, but I don’t really want to talk about this anymore. Is it okay if I go hang out in my room? I just want to be alone for a while.”
    â€œOf course you can, sweetie,” says Dad.
    â€œTake the flowers with you,” says Mom. “They’ll help cheer you up.”
    I grab the vase and bring it upstairs to my room, placing it on my dresser and stopping for a minute to stare at the old album covers I have stuck on my wall. Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline and Marla Belle Munro stare out at me, all big hair and bright eyes and wide smiles, hanging on to microphones like their lives depend on it. I wonder if anyone ever told them they were boring, that they lacked stage presence. Somehow I doubt it.
    I grab my laptop from my desk and flop onto my bed. I notice right away that I have a friend request and a new message. It’s from Poppy.
    Hey you! Hopefully this is Gerri Jones from the Big Time auditions, otherwise ignore this message because I’ll sound like a crazy person! How did your audition go? I asked a production assistant in the waiting area, but she told me they couldn’t give me any info about other contestants. Guess what? I made it! I’m flying to Toronto in a week for sudden-death round. Eek! Anyway, holla at me when you have a minute. Kisses! Poppy.
    I’m not surprised that Poppy made it. Not only does she have a killer voice, but she’s got me beat hands down when it comes to stage presence. I’m sure she was able to waltz into the audition room and shine that big smile at the judges and convince them that she’s got what it takes for Big Time, maybe even to go all the way. I’m not jealous, exactly. I’m really happy for Poppy, but I can’t help wishing I had her star quality. I guess some of us are born for the stage and some of us aren’t.
    I send her back a quick note, congratulating her and telling her my own news. She replies almost instantly.
    They don’t know what they’re missing, Gerri. You’ll just have to come back next year and show them how wrong they were. Wish me luck and promise you’ll meet me for coffee when I get back to town. It’ll probably be sooner than later haha! Xoxo. P.
    I’m supposed to call my friend Meg and fill her in on how the audition went, but I don’t feel like going over everything yet again. Instead I just lie on my bed, staring at the ceiling. I know my parents are right, that real musicians work really hard to be good at what they do. The thing is, I’ve been watching Big Time religiously since I was seven years old, and I know enough to realize that when someone comes in with enough raw talent, the judges will snatch them up and teach them how to work hard and get where they need to go. I’ve been waiting patiently for the day I became old enough to audition, preparing for the moment when I’d finally get to prove myself, and now that moment has come and gone. I’ve missed my big opportunity.
    Now Poppy’s about to be whisked away to Toronto, to the stage I’ve imagined walking onto for years, and I’m at home in my room. It was nice of Maria Tillerman to give me some words of encouragement, but I know I’ll never try out for Big Time again. I’d have to be able to show up next year and convince them that I’m a totally different person. It doesn’t matter how much practicing I do between now and then, I’m never going to be what they want me to be.

Chapter Five
    Meg comes running up to my locker the next morning before
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