Rewind With A Superstar System-Chapter 49: Semi-Finals (3)

<🎧 Song Recommendation: Daddy Issues (Remix) by The Neighborhood, Syd>

...

The arena remained dark, and the gigantic led screens lighted up with a video of a house covered in massive flames while rain poured down. You could hear a little girl screaming.

The scene shifted to a dimly lit room. Celine sat in a velvet chair. She looked down at a collection of old, scorched photographs on the table in front of her. She touched one and gave a small, downcast smile.

"Oh... I remember that one," she whispered and her expression quickly turned solemn. "That was the day I lost them all. My mother, my twin brother, and my younger sister... they didn’t make it out. The fire was too fast. Only my father and I survived."

The screen changed to show a series of pictures taken in a hospital room. A man lay in a bed, surrounded by beeping monitors and a maze of clear tubes. He looked like a shell of the man from the fire footage.

"My dad survived the accident, but not in the way anyone would want. He entered a Persistent Vegetative State. It’s been twelve years. He’s been moved to a Long-Term Acute Care facility. He’s alive, technically, but every single day is a battle for him..."

The camera returned to Celine in the dark room. "That was the moment I chose music. It was the only way I could talk to him when he couldn’t answer back. I sang to him every day in that ward."

The music in the background picked up speed, becoming more rhythmic as the screen showed clips of her auditions. It showed her in the dance studio and how much effort she always gave in.

"People think we’re all here for the fame," she said, looking directly into the lens. "Others say it’s just about passion. But I didn’t come here with a choice. I know it sounds selfish, but my only dream is to make enough money so my father can stay alive. The bills are piling up and the medical insurance is cutting us off next month. They told me... they’ll have to pull the plug if I can’t pay the bill. He is all I have left in this world. I can’t imagine a life where I can’t go to that room and hold his hand."

The interviewer’s voice came from off-camera, asking if she felt any fear.

Celine didn’t hesitate. "My only fear is losing my dad. I’m not afraid of the stage. I’m not afraid of the judges. I’m only afraid of the silence that will come if I fail him. I have to win."

The final shot was of Celine standing in the hospital room, leaning down to kiss the forehead of the sleeping man. The screen slowly faded to black as the sad instrumental music lingered.

Backstage, Von looked over at Celine, who was sitting at the other end. She looked calm, almost too calm.

’How convenient to have such a background,’ Von thought to himself. ’I’m not buying it.’

He felt a wave of saltiness wash over him. He could see the crew members nearby wiping their eyes, and he knew the audience at home was probably doing the same. Celine had just secured the sympathy vote, and it made his stomach turn. But he quickly forced himself to focus. The screen was about to show his story.

Von realized that he had no idea what his segment would look like. Unlike the others, he had been very careful to keep his past a secret.

He had realized it would do him more harm than good if he was to reveal too much. So Von had opted to be reluctant in sharing information.

The soundtrack for his segment started, this time more energetic.

"I’m Von Varley," his voice-over said confidently.

The screen showed several photos of a very different Von... well, photoshopped ones. He was wearing an academic gown, standing in front of the University of Miami logo. He looked like a high-level intellectual, a student of the mind who had suddenly decided to walk away from his books to chase the spotlight.

"I’m a Psychology student from the University of Miami," the voice-over continued.

The interviewer asked how he ended up on the show.

"Being on this show has been a dream since I was young," Von said on screen. "And my sister... she was the one who gave me that final push to be here."

"Uh... she said I could sing. And it turned out I can." Von had answered after being asked how his sister encouraged him.

The screen then showed a montage of his journey through the rounds. It showed his first audition, and then a side-by-side clip of his performance of To Fade Away. The contrast was shocking. His voice had improved so much in such a short time that it didn’t even sound like the same person. It looked like a miracle of growth.

The interviewer asked the question everyone wanted to know: "Do you have a secret to this improvement? What advice would you give to others who want to be as good as you?"

Von looked relaxed on screen. "Regarding the improvement, I believe practice makes perfect. Others can do the same if they just put in the work. Also, you can never give up on your dreams, no matter how far away they seem."

The irony hit the audience immediately. The show cut to several clips of Von’s absence in rehearsals and sleeping until late in the afternoon.

Backstage, Von slightly face-palmed. ’They’re doing it on purpose.’ It irritated him how bad the show wanted to set him up.

The segment ended with Von looking directly into the camera. "I’m here to win. And for reasons I won’t disclose, that is the only option I have entering this show."

As the screen faded, Von felt a pit in his stomach. His part was short. It had no soul compared to Celine’s. He wondered if he had made a huge mistake by not making up a sob story of his own.

The lights in the arena stayed dark for a few more seconds. Then, Michael walked back onto the stage with his wide smile.