Chapter 61: Confession

The day of the competition had finally arrived. The school campus buzzed with energy as students gathered in clusters, chatting and taking selfies. Excitement hung in the air like static before a storm. A sleek white van stood in the school parking lot, waiting for the band. Its engine hummed softly, almost as if it, too, was anticipating the event. "With all our practice, I know we're good to go," Mr. Alfred said as he gave the band a confident thumbs-up, his voice a steady anchor amid the noise. The past few weeks had been nothing short of grueling. Endless rehearsals left them drained but sharper than ever. Every note, every rhythm had been drilled to near perfection. The stress, the pressure, the hunger to impress, it had all forged a unity between the band members that hadn't been there before. Yet no one pushed harder than Jace. He was the one who showed up before everyone else and stayed behind after everyone left. The one who skipped meals and slept with lyrics running through his head. He wasn't just battling the usual pre-performance jitters, he was wrestling a deeply rooted fear. A fear that had its claws in his chest every time he neared the stage. Despite several rehearsals being held on the actual school stage to help him acclimate, he simply couldn't bring himself to step into the spotlight. Just the thought of standing in front of an audience, of being seen and watched, triggered an overwhelming wave of anxiety that left him breathless. Eventually, a compromise had been reached: Jace would sing from behind the stage curtain. It wasn't ideal, but it was the only way he could participate without shutting down. It had taken a lot of convincing and even more patience, especially after one particular rehearsal when he'd nearly had a panic attack mid-song. He still remembered the way the walls seemed to close in, the way his heart had pounded like a war drum, the way the microphone slipped from his sweaty hand. "Are you okay?" Jason had asked then, his voice full of concern as he gently patted Jace's shoulder. "Yeah, yeah, I'm good," Jace had replied, forcing a small laugh that didn't reach his eyes. "I need to use the toilet." The others had exchanged worried glances, but he waved them off. "You guys should stop looking at me like that," he added, smirking. "It's not like I'm going to die or something. I just want to go and ease myself." He had lightly patted Jason's arm and turned toward the hallway. Just then, a familiar voice called his name. "Jace." He turned, only to see Dorah stepping out of the studio. Her eyes searched his face. He groaned internally. "Oh please, I know that look. Don't give me that face," he said, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Dorah smiled too, but it didn't reach her eyes. She was worried. "You should go back inside. I'll be back soon, okay?" he added gently. She nodded slowly. "Okay." As she turned and walked back inside, Jace exhaled deeply, the weight of everything pressing on his chest again. He slid his hands into his pockets and walked down the corridor. Inside the restroom, he splashed cold water on his face, staring at his reflection in the mirror. He barely recognized the guy staring back, tired eyes, tense jaw, and a mountain of pressure resting on his shoulders. After relieving himself, he stepped out, distracted by his thoughts only to bump into someone. His phone slipped from his hand and hit the floor with a thud. "Seriously, look where you're going, dude!" snapped a sharp voice. He blinked and looked up to find Madison glaring at him. Jace bent down to retrieve his phone and winced. A fresh crack now decorated the screen. "Maybe you should use the time you spend ranting to learn some manners," he muttered, inspecting the damage. "Damn," he cursed quietly, then looked up at her, annoyance clear on his face. "What?" Maddie asked, folding her arms. But her eyes flickered, nervous. "I've been meaning to talk to you these past few days," Jace said, stepping toward her, his tone quieter now but laced with purpose. Maddie's eyes widened slightly, and she took a step back. "Talk to me about what?" she asked, pretending not to understand, but her voice had already tightened. "Why did you do it?" he asked, stopping just in front of her. "Do what?" "Don't play dumb. You know exactly what I'm talking about." "What makes you think I'll even talk to you about it? Do you think Ronald would take it easy on you if he saw you cornering me like this?" Jace's lips curled into a smirk. "I don't know about that. But I do know he definitely won't spare you once he finds out you're the one who took those pictures of Dorah and Jason. You know better than to play with him." Her composure slipped. "What... What are you talking about?" she stammered. "I was there the day you took those photos. I even have the evidence on my phone." He raised it slightly. "If you've had the evidence all this time, why haven't you shown Ronald yet?" Jace narrowed his eyes. "Because I want to hear it from you. I want to know why you did it before I decide what to do. Or maybe I should just post it on the school website like you did with Dorah's picture?" Her face drained of color. She lunged for his phone, but he stepped back effortlessly. "Tell me why you did it. Maybe I'll reconsider." "What?" she hissed. "You guys made a huge mistake messing with me. I warned you all to stay away from Dorah. I told you she wasn't who she pretends to be." "Is she the only one?" she continued, her voice rising. "Why does it always have to be her? What do you even see in her? You all follow her around like lost puppies!" Her voice cracked, her anger spiraling. "I hate her so much. She gets everything.... everything! Ronald doesn't even see anyone else when she's in the room. Why can't he see me?" Jace froze, shocked by the rawness of her confession. "I hate her. And I'm not the only one," she added bitterly. Jace took a cautious step forward. "What do you mean you're not the only one?" She gave a twisted smile. "Go ask Helena." "Wait… Helena? Are you saying she was involved?" "Of course she was. That whole bumping into her act? Planned. She came up with the idea, and I carried it out." "Wow," Jace muttered, disgust creeping into his voice. "You're both unbelievable." "You say that like you're surprised," Maddie snapped. "But what choice did I have? You think this is just about jealousy? It's not. It's about being seen. About not being invisible while someone else shines like a damn star." "And your solution was to ruin her life? To humiliate her?" Her expression wavered. "At least then, someone would notice me." Jace swallowed the lump in his throat. "You don't get noticed by tearing others down, Maddie. You just lose more of yourself in the process." For a fleeting second, she looked like she might cry. Her lip trembled, and her eyes shimmered. But then the mask returned. "You wouldn't understand." "No, maybe I wouldn't," Jace said softly. "But Ronald will. And if you don't tell him the truth, I will. You have until the end of the day." "You wouldn't dare." "Try me," he replied calmly. "I'm done watching people get hurt because of someone else's insecurity." She stared at him for a long moment before finally muttering, "Fine. I'll talk to them." "Good. For your information, I have no picture on my phone. I just think that's the only way to get you to talk. And Maddie… get some help. For real. This isn't the way." Without another word, she turned and walked off, her footsteps fading down the hall. Jace remained frozen for a few seconds, then let out a long, slow breath. His heart was racing, but not from fear, this time, it was from confrontation. He pulled out his cracked phone, the fracture staring back at him like a silent reminder of everything that had just happened. Just then, a message popped up on the screen. Ronald: "Where are you? We're about to leave!" Jace quickly typed back: "On my way." He shoved the phone into his pocket, rolled his shoulders, and began walking ready for the competition, but more than that, ready to stop running from what mattered.