Music Meets Prose: The Audition (Part 3)

Music Meets Prose is our weekly bite-size prose feature on fictional stories inspired by real life behind-the-scenes events in the music industry. Our first prose is The Audition - a three-part short story. Look out for our prose features every Friday.

The Audition

Written by Bemi

Abstract artwork by Zaahira

Click here for Part 1 and 2.

Part 3 (the final part) after the cut.

I could feel his eyes piercing through my inner core, searching for any ounce of scruples he believed was somewhere inside of me. He wanted me to make a choice, the right choice. I would make the right choice for me. 

My eyes were fixed on the paper, as though it were my golden ticket to stardom. Without remorse, I snatched it from his hand. As I walked away from him, I knew the relationship was over. Even if it was not over, I did not deserve Mike. He was a good man and was better off with a good girl. I was no longer his good girl.

I had tried to break into the music industry the right way and failed at every attempt. A different approach, albeit the wrong one, may finally open the doors I had banged on countless times.  Even if the vicious cycle of past failures were repeated, it would be okay, at least I strived. 

The career clock ticked faster for females in the music industry than their male counterparts. Record labels preferred to sign artists, especially women in their teenage years, hence they can grow with their younger fan base. I was already twenty years old and unsigned! My career could not wait for love, something had to give - sacrifices had to be made. Love is all around us and was not dependent on just one soulmate. If I missed love now, I was still young, it would come again! I consoled and convinced myself that I had made the right choice for me ….and for Mike.

Had I known back then that I was making a critical life-changing decision, perhaps the outcome would have been different. Fast-forward ten years later, I was headlining concerts and selling millions of albums, but never found true love again – it was one bad relationship after another. 

Everyday, I reminisced about my past relationship with Mike. Out of curiosity I hired a private investigator to find him – perhaps for closure. The investigation revealed Mike had finished top of his class in law school at an Ivy League University, made partner at a prestigious law firm in New York City and was now married with children. 

I wondered if he ever thought of me in a loving way or just hated me every time he saw me on television or heard my music play….I hope he forgave me….

If someone had seen me looking through surveillance pictures of an ex-boyfriend with his family, it would have appeared creepy to find me glaring at each picture with a smile on my face, rather than shred or burn them. Love was all I felt for him. I still loved him, albeit from a distance – I had no reason to hate him as I was the transgressor. I loved that he was happy, even though he had found happiness with another.

Many thanks to our volunteer illustrator Zaahira. Look out for another 3-part short story next Friday (September 26).