Page 26 of The Spotlight Effect

“Yeah, it’s fine. Let’s get you girls home. Your day with us is about to end and we have a time to be back,” Grayson says.

On the way back, Grayson isn’t the somewhat fun and bearable Grayson anymore, he’s just existing and tense. It reminds me of what it was like when things went down with my mom and dad before Stephan and Aaliyah came into Mom’s life. What happened with Griffin really destroyed our family. Sometimes, things are still just as chaotic as they were before.

I guess we both have issues.

TRUTH

ALEXIA

Today, I’m on a mission. I didn’t have time yesterday, but today, I’m finding out what song Lia submitted and why Grayson said it was emotional. He is fucking delusional if he thinks she can even write music. Let alone sing. She can act butnotsing.

Plus, Lia acted really funny when Noah asked her about her song, she should know what inspired her song.

This is all super weird.

I grab my MacBook Air and go up to the Golden Starwebsite. The first thing to show up is the announcement of Lia winning the sweepstakes and a link to see her song. Perfect! I click on it, and it takes me to the lyrics, except it's not her lyrics.They’re mine.I get off the bed, go to my bag and grab my song then go back to bed.

I flip to page ten, finding the song I titled “Dramatic” and start comparing it to Lia’s entry, and it’s the exact same.

I don’t want to make this complicated

I’m already feeling so divested

Everyone keeps telling me to get over it but I’m drowning in my tears

I don’t want to be dramatic but

Word for word,it’smysong. The wind is taken from me as I keep reading to confirm. This song means so much more to me. It’s about Griffin and my dad and what happened to me. Us. I’m still healing, but this song really got me through it. I can’t believe she did this.

I slam my computer and grab my songbook and storm to Lia’s room, with hot anger filled in me. I’m boiling with no remorse.

“How could you!” I yell, bursting into her room. Astrid and Mom both turn to me.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” Mom asks, gently coming over to me.

“This piece of shit stole my fucking song.” I slam my songbook in front of her. “You not only stole my music from me, but you stolethissong from me. I showed you this song and cried on your bed; you know the importance of this song,” I say, as tears run down my face.

“Lexi… I…” she starts.

“NO! You really do just care about getting to Hollywood. I know it’s your dream but this… This isn’t the way,” I say and grab my book.

“Alexia,” Mom says.

“I would have never done this to you,” I tell her.

I feel gutted right now, like I can’t breathe. I don’t want to be here anymore.

I want to go home. Even if they found out, I don’t care about the prize anymore.

“You never do anything with your music anyway, so I suggested she do something,” Astrid says. I don’t have any words left. This angers me so much I honestly can’t talk. I turn around and slap Astrid square across the face before stomping out.

Fucking bitches.

“Lexi,I know you don’t want to see me, but I wanted to tell you I called and told them about me stealing your work. Mom is making Astrid go home. Please, if they offer, take the prize, I’m sorry,” I hear Lia tell me on the other side of my door.

This doesn’t make me feel better. I’d feel better if she fell into a volcano or something but alas, she doesn’t.

“Go away!” I yell at her.

---