Page 19 of Protecting Hailey

“All right, let’s get you set up. You’re up in ten minutes,” announced the producer just before exiting the room.

Ten minutes? That wasn’t much time.

I pushed away from the table and walked to the bathroom. I blew my nose, washed my hands, and stared into the mirror. Despite my makeup artist's best efforts, I had bags under my eyes and the tip of my nose was red. It would have to do.

Come on, Hailey. You’ve worked too hard for this moment. Go out there and own it!

I inhaled deeply, taking fortifying breaths. Then three quick breaths. Adrenaline raced through my veins as I pumped myself up. And just like that, I no longer felt tired. I knew the rush of performing would take over. I just hoped it lasted for the entire performance.

“Are you ready?” Christian asked behind me. I looked up into the mirror. He stood waiting for me. There was concern in his eyes. I wasn’t sure if he was worried that some fan would run out from the audience, or he was worried about the performance. But somehow it was comforting.

I nodded. “Yes, I’m ready.”

Walking through the hallway, the audience’s cheers reached us and I smiled. I’d dreamed of this moment since I was a little girl and watched Harriet King on my tablet. I practiced a few breathing exercises as the band set up on the studio floor.

Ingrid snapped pictures beside me, and I smiled.

“I’m going to go live on Insta when you perform,” she said, and I nodded.

Despite my nerves, I soaked it all in. The humming anticipation of the audience, the backstage crew, and my mother’s beaming face. I was living my dream. Nothing could ruin this for me, especially not a cold.

Maria walked up beside me with a clipboard in hand. “The music will start as soon as you get on the floor. Ready?”

“Yes,” I said confidently.

“Great. Harriet will call you out in just a few minutes.” She said something into her headset and then pointed to the stage director next to the curtains.

“And now,” Harriet’s booming voice roared through the mic. “Help me welcome this year’s America’s Fresh New Artist winner to the stage.” The crowd went wild and my heart leaped out of my chest. “Here to perform her hit song live is… Hailey!”

I ran onto the studio floor, passed the drummer and my guitarist, and grabbed the microphone waiting for me at center stage. The music started, and I moved along with it. The dance steps took over my body just as they had in rehearsal.

I spotted Christian and my mother standing in front, and Ingrid was there too, recording with her phone.

I took a deep breath and sang the first line. Popping my wrist up in the air, I belted out the second line, nearly forgetting that there was a track playing over my voice until that track skipped. The words were garbled and then repeated.

I tripped over my feet for a second and resumed singing. But there was tension in the air. The audience had noticed. Some covered their mouths with their hands while others turned to their neighbor, whispering in their ear.

My mother waved her hand for me to continue, and I did. The show must go on. I picked up the lyrics and sang them aloud. I danced and danced until the very last note when I stood perfectly still, except for my chest that rose and fell with each labored breath.

The applause startled me, but I felt better. It was over. I had survived, and maybe only the studio audience had noticed that tiny blip in the beginning. Either way, I was going to take this up with the producer as soon as I saw her.

“And we’re off the air for commercial,” the stage director shouted. I waved goodbye to the audience, pointing to those who stood up, acknowledging how much their support meant to me, and then I walked off the floor toward the hallway in search of the producer.

“Maria,” I called when I saw her speaking to two other people in a circle. She turned around and tucked her hair behind her ear. “What happened?” I asked.

“I’m so sorry, Hailey. That’s never happened before. I’m looking into it, but I don’t have an answer for you right now.”

Really? The only time the track messes up and it happens to me? I blew out a frustrated breath, but nodded. “All right. I’ll just go out there and explain to Harriet and the audience that I’m not feeling a hundred percent, but I’d love to come back again when I’ve kicked this cold. I’m sure they’ll understand.”

Maria tapped her pen against the clipboard. “Um… about that,” she smiled awkwardly. “We have this new segment that’s a big hit with the audience. It’s like an interactive game. We scheduled it right after the commercial. So, we won’t have time for a sit-down with you and Harriet. Not today. But you can come back another time. I’ll work it out with Frankie.”

Someone called her name, and she held up her hand. “I’ll be right there. Sorry, Hailey. Got to go. Great job out there!” And then she turned and walked away.

I closed my eyes, breathing through a surge of frustration. Let it go, Hailey. It wasn’t a big deal. It’s not the end of the world.

Frankie rushed over to me and hugged me. “How are you doing, baby?”

“I’m a little upset I won’t be sitting down with Harriet,” I said.

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