---

Editor Note: The images used for this story were purchased and used under royalty-free license* from iStockphoto.com . ~Sephrena
Author Note: Please email me at AngelJediGirl (at) gmail (dot) com before posting this story to any other site. Posting to a pay site is prohibited.

Author Note: Many of the songs that Sarah sings are "inspired" by real life songs. I'm not a songwriter, but I can tell a story. A special thanks should be given to the artists that helped shape the music that is Sarah Carerra. Embedded in this chapter are the songs that inspired this part of the concert for you to enjoy if you wish to. They are here to give you an idea of what Sarah's songs sound like.

Comments and suggestions are also welcome at the above email address.

*  *  *

Sarah Carerra Book 3: Concerto in A-

Chapter 3.25 - Home of the Wildcats

The time was fast approaching for the concert to begin. I was nervously pacing in my bus. I had been assuring myself all day that nobody would see the similarity between Sarah and me, but I was still worried. It was extremely unlikely that anyone would see Sarah and think of me, but it was not impossible. Emily and Ethan had assured me that I would be fine, but it didn't make me feel any better. Especially since the next time I left this bus it would be without the wig.

"We're ready," Amy said from the couch. I had already changed and removed the wig, so I nodded, and nervously headed for the door to the bus. There was no crowd waiting for me to exit now. Everyone was already in their seats in the auditorium. I walked over to the door that led into the auditorium. The noise of the crowd echoed into the backstage area, starting a burn within my heart, the rush that always gave me the strength I needed to step out in front of a crowd. I didn't often do that without the wig on, but today was one of those days.

One of the sound techs handed me a microphone. It wasn't Sarah's - the one I always used while on stage. But I nodded in thanks and then moved forward once again. The students were talking amongst themselves, waiting for something to happen. When I stepped into view many of them quieted down. The rest did the same when I started to speak.

"Welcome, everybody!" I said into the microphone, causing a cheer to echo throughout the room. "Are you guys excited to see Sarah?" They roared again in approval, just like I expected them to.

"For those of you that don't know me," I continued. "My name is Megan Campbell. I am a junior at this school, and I'm also one of Sarah's personal assistants. I'm honored to welcome one of my best friends to the school to sing for us today, and I know that she is excited for the opportunity."

Another loud cheer echoed throughout the crowd and I waited for it to die down before I could continue. "Sarah will be on stage in about an hour," I told the crowd. "But first please welcome Poptacular!"

This time the cheer from the crowd was drowned by the instruments of the band that had opened for me on my tour. This would be the last time they performed with Sarah, which made it a sad day. But as I walked off stage and handed the microphone back to the sound tech I knew they would be appreciated.

I stayed backstage and watched Poptacular perform for the first time. Usually I was backstage getting ready or doing something with my band. I'd heard them play their set many times, but I had never had a chance to watch them in person. Once their set was over I returned to my bus to get ready.

It was my turn now.

* * *

Darkness covered the stage as I approached. The crowd had settled into a hush when the lights in the auditorium had faded to black. Anticipation was rampant in the air. Music started to play. The crowd started to scream. I moved into position. The countdown started in my ear two seconds after it appeared on the large screen behind me. The students and teachers in the audience were louder than I had ever heard them before.

When Stacy's drums and Connor's bass boomed into the darkness the crowd went into a frenzy. I could barely hear the music coming from my earpiece over the roar of the crowd as Jason joined them. Then, with a burst of light around the auditorium the concert began in earnest. Somehow, somewhere, the crowd managed to increase their volume again.

I looked out on the crowd as I sang song after song for them. This was the 14th time that I'd performed this concert, but as I watched my fellow students react to my presence I was astounded by their behavior more than any other fans I had met before. Some of the big jocks who had been mean to me since I had first come to school as Megan were acting like little schoolgirls when I approached the edge of the stage near them. A few of the cheerleaders they ran with were looking up at in me in awe. Other students were looking at me with adoration. For the first time in a long time everybody was staring at me, and nobody was giving me dirty looks.

Despite how much I felt like this concert wasn't a "true" concert like the others I had performed on this tour, I certainly had a lot of fun performing it. I loved being able to captivate my peers. I enjoyed being able to control their emotions. I had more power over my schoolmates than anyone else I knew. And I reveled in it.

All too soon I found myself singing 'Goodbye' to them. The end of the concert was close at hand, and with it the loss of my power over them. But even if I wasn't wearing the wig I now knew what it felt like to control them. There was no one at this school who could approach me now and believe he or she had power over me, because I knew the truth. Every single one of them would do anything for me right now.

After the lights had dimmed and I had rushed to change into my final dress for the encore I felt a different kind of power start to build inside of me. I had been waiting all day for this moment. Actually, I had waited all week for this.

As I rushed back to my spot on stage I was handed Sparkle, and I only had enough time to pull the strap over my head before the lights came back on. The crowd went wild once more as I appeared wearing a dress that was very familiar to them. But before I gave them the final song of the concert, there was one more thing I needed to do.

"It's been an honor to perform for you this afternoon," I told them when they had calmed down enough for me to continue. "Before I leave you today, I have a very special song that I want to share. My band and I only put the finishing touches on it two days ago. Do you guys want to hear a brand new song?"

The cheer that followed my question was not unexpected, but I smiled at their reaction. I wasn't singing this song for them. I was singing it for one person and to that one person. One person who was staring up at me in wonder from his seat near the front of the auditorium. His friends were gathered around him, but he only had eyes for me.

"I wrote this song for somebody very special in my life," I told the crowd. "My brother has been having a hard time the last couple of weeks. Trouble with some kids at school, trouble with his girlfriend. I watched as he suffered. I watched as he tried to hide his pain. He deserves better. I hope that this song will help him realize that things will improve."

I paused for a moment. Then I looked directly at Austin as I spoke again. "Your Time Will Come."

The band anticipated me perfectly and the beat of Stacy's drums joined Connor and Jason's strums as they accompanied my own guitar into the intro of the song I had written last Saturday.

As the intro came to a close the band fell silent as I continued to play, and I started singing about how hard it can be when somebody else takes away something that he really wanted. They take the opportunities that should have been Austin's. The band joined me again with a soft melody as I sang about it happening again under different circumstances.

We slowly built up toward the chorus when I looked straight at Austin once more and sang about how much I believed in him, and how I would always stand by him no matter what happened. Then, as I sang "Your Time Will Come" for the first time we burst into the high-paced chorus.

The auditorium fell into near silence again with only my guitar and voice piercing the quiet as I sang about how hard it was to push forward. But the band joined me earlier than they had in the first verse when I switched to singing about how we were getting stronger and how we could find new things they couldn't take from us. There were other ways to get what we wanted, and we had the power to get what we deserved.

We ramped back into the chorus once more declaring that the future would be ours. The band and I then moved into an interlude where we continued to play, but I wasn't singing. The strength of the song continued to reverberate around the auditorium, filling the holes in the hearts of everyone that had lost something they really wanted.

Then, with a steadfast tone I moved into the part of the song where I told anyone who was listening that it was time to make a stand. That it was time to fight for what we wanted. It was time to get what we deserved and we were going to do everything in our power to get what we had been working to achieve.

We moved into the final chorus immediately and I sang it with as much determination as I could. I wanted everyone in the auditorium to know that they deserved what they fought for and I wanted them to fight. But as I sang the last "Your Time Will Come" I was looking Austin in the eyes once more. Even from the stage I could see the tear streak down his cheek.

As I finished singing the band and I continued playing the song. I let the power of the music invade the auditorium. I let it intertwine with the hearts and desires of my schoolmates. For nearly a full minute the band and I stood on that stage playing, letting the song seep into their lives and drive them forward.

With a final drumroll the song came to an end. The crowd burst into a roar louder than I had felt in a long time.

And I had to discreetly wipe away the tear that escaped me.

* * *

It was just as hectic after the concert as it had been before it. I returned to the bus to change back into Megan once again, and then I mingled with the crowd at the Star Party while we waited for 'Sarah' to arrive. Then I discretely snuck out so that Sarah would actually arrive. The whole time I was doing my best to make sure that as many people as possible would see both Sarah and Megan in the same general vicinity. We were never together, but I hoped that having both of our faces in their memories would be enough to help persuade them we were both here at the same time. It seemed to be working.

When I came back out from the bus to head for the Star Party I was surprised at the number of people who had gathered outside the fence nearby. Looking around I noticed that it was more than just the students who hadn't been invited to the Party. With school ended for the day, there were younger children and parents there looking for a chance to meet me. I smiled and waved, wishing I had time to spend with them. But I had a lot of people waiting for me, and I couldn't disappoint them.

Cole and Mason led me back toward the Star Party, and I was apprehensive as I followed them. The last time I had spent time at a Star Party with people who I knew and who did not know my secret, Paul had recognized me. He had seen right through my disguise. I was worried that one or more of my classmates would be able to do the same thing. It was unlikely, since most of the people at the party were not my closest friends, but there were some who knew me quite well, like Jane.

But all thoughts of worry left my mind as I entered the tent again. A loud cheer spread throughout the crowd, and I felt another rush of emotions as I began to interact with my schoolmates once again. Everyone got to meet me. Austin's friends were in awe, the people I had invited myself were beside themselves, and even Mr. Benson and Principal Hall were agog at the way people were reacting to me. Other than my friends and staff, they were the only two people in the room who knew who Sarah really was, and even they didn’t comprehend the difference before now.

"You are amazing, Sarah," Mr. Benson commented when he got his turn with me. "I'm truly sorry for what I put you through. I never should have insisted that you stay in the class. Although, I would like to offer you an invitation to come back and work with us from time to time. Having someone like Sarah in the class would be very beneficial to the other students."

I smiled at him. It was nice to receive an apology. And despite my reticence to return, I nodded. "I would be honored," I told him. I might no longer be a member of the class, but that didn't mean I wanted to see the chorus fail.

He nodded, and I moved on. There were many people at this Star Party, and I had an obligation to meet with each one of them.

"Hi, Jane," I greeted my friend a while later as she approached me. "It's nice to finally meet you."

She was shocked and more than a little confused, by the expression on her face. "You know who I am?" she asked.

"Of course," I replied. "Megan has told me all about you, and I thought you might want to know that I've set up a meeting with you and my record company. They would love to hear one of your demos."

Her mouth dropped and she stood there wide-eyed and speechless for a moment! I smiled back at her. She deserved the chance to be successful, and I had the power to make it happen.

"Th...Thank you!" she finally blurted and spontaneously hugged me. "I don't know what to say!"

"Don't say anything," I told her. "You deserve it. Talk to Megan and she will set up the details. Okay?"

"Okay," she replied. I talked with her a while longer, but it was obvious that she was still shell-shocked.

I talked to a number of other students who were also excited, but for different reasons. Some of them were just excited to meet me. Others were in awe that I was actually talking to them. It wasn't anything unfamiliar to me, and I was happy to bring smiles to their faces.

Even Jared Lumbart and the cheerleader he brought as a date didn’t dampen the mood of the party. It was nice to see Jared smile at me for once, even if he didn’t know that he was doing it. He looked so much better without a scowl on his face.

Overall it was one of the most enjoyable Star Parties that I'd hosted. For me, it was very revealing - I saw a different side to many of my schoolmates. It was a side they normally kept hidden, but which they couldn't contain when they met Sarah.

The crowd was still hanging out on the other side of the fence when I returned to my bus. If anything, it had grown larger during the time that I was gone. I felt sorry that I wouldn't be able to meet with any of them, but logistically it would be a nightmare, or so Mason told me as he directed me onto the bus. I waved as much as I could anyway before I stepped aboard.

Inside I found the one person I hadn't had a chance to talk to during the Star Party. I didn't have to say anything. He just got up from the couch where he had been sitting, walked over to me, and wrapped his arms around me. I knew that he had been crying, and I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed.

We stood like that for a few minutes before Austin finally let go of me and looked into my eyes.

"Thank you," he said.

"You're welcome, Austin," I replied. I gazed at him, noticing for the first time how much older he seemed. Gone was the 14-year-old boy whom I knew so well. In his place was a strong young man. I didn't know when the change had occurred, but I smiled at him anyway. He was growing up faster than he should have to. Part of that was my fault, because of all the attention that Sarah was receiving. But another part of it came from the events of the past couple of weeks. He had faced more adversity than I thought he should have to, but he was weathering it well.

There were so many things that I wanted to tell him. There were so many things that I thought he needed to know. But I couldn't find any words. I had told him everything in the song I had written for him.

Instead, all I could do was wrap him in another hug.

* * *

* * *
Want more Sarah Carerra?
Book 1: I Am A Rock Star is now available for the Kindle! Click here for more information. Become a fan of Sarah Carerra by joining her on Facebook or Twitter by clicking the buttons below.
   

If you've read book 1 I'd love it if you shared your opinions with others. Review the Kindle version at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006IZG49M. :)