A BLINK INTO THE FUTURE

Cami stared at him relentlessly while Josh was busy holding hands with someone else. She got out of the class and rushed to the restroom to hide her barging tears. She tried to convince herself not to cry but her inside was screaming like a howling storm. She looked into the bathroom mirror banging her clenched fist rapidly on the sink. 

 - "Why can't I be pretty enough for him? Why did you make me so ugly?" 

Cami wailed helplessly. She felt a clench in her heart that she used to feel every time she saw him entering the classes late, riding his bicycle after school or doing a science project together. But this time it was different. This time it didn't create any happiness. Rather it was like a quicksand that was engulfing her into the dungeon of sadness. She put her hands on her temple to calm herself, to get this all out of her head. She was literally digging her nails into the palms to transform her mental pain into semi circular physical scars. 

Cami wiped her tears and glanced at her watch. It was already 5 in the afternoon. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It was almost time for the results. She splashed some water into her face to look less miserable. 

Cami got out of the restroom when she heard June was calling her out, 

 -"Hey, Cam!! Check your phone, it's already 5... " 

 June was looking way too excited. On the other hand Cami replied her quietly -" Calm down, it's only 5, they are not going to publish the results before 5:30." June could see the despair in Cami's eyes.

-" What's wrong? Are you worrying about the results?" 

- "No," Cami sounded pretty distracted. I'm not worried June, I'm just feeling exhausted with everything that's happening around me." 

June noticed Josh on the other end of the hallway standing in front of his locker with some other high school punks, probably talking about some stupid party they had last night. 

-"Cam, is that jerk face bothering you again? Tell me and I'll knock him down right now."She already started to make a fist. Cami giggled a little in her head at her best friend's reaction. 

 - "No, no. He didn't do anything. Let's not ruin the day talking about him, okay! And besides, it's probably my fault. He has always liked Valerie." Cami tried to stop that conversation right away. 

 - "Are you kidding me? It was never your fault. He isn't worthy of you, Cam. You think he likes Valerie!! He doesn't like anyone. He's just a piece of crap only eyeing for his advantage. Trust me, one day you'll throw your platinum records at his face from your private jet." 

 - "Okay okay ", Cami grinned, "We'll see about that. Let's just not get too carried away." 

Cami picked her songwriting book from her locker. She could literally hear her palpitations. She wanted to get into that show so badly. It was a competition for young and aspiring songwriters, fighting for the record labels to officially take their first step into the music industry. She rummaged through the pages to calm her adrenaline rush by looking at her songs. 

 - "It's already 5 past ten and you are still not checking the website. They are going to publish the results anytime." June babbled everything on one breath. 

 - "You are getting way too excited sweetie. Let's go to the bus station. They have opened a new refreshment store there. Maybe the free fro yo sample they are giving can cool you down."She took June's hand and dragged her out from the school. 

Cami pretended not to notice Josh and Valerie in the front gate walking together home. She turned the other way and locked her eyes at the afternoon sun ray drenched reddish cloud. Suddenly she felt a warm feeling inside her heart about something she didn't understand. 

 - "Cam, your mom still doesnt want you to be a songwriter?" June broke the silence. 

 -"No, she still believes I'm not exactly the perfect cut out for this industry. And I should choose something more practical as my career. She doesn't want to sit on some uncertain mountain of worries. She thinks art is well enough for hobbies but not good enough for taking it up as a profession." 

 - "But you are so good at this Cam. I'm pretty sure your mom is going to understand that someday." June tried to cheer her a little bit. "You know what!! I can see it, I can see it all. Five years from now she'll be the first person to accompany you in your world tours." June smirked like a shining light slitting through a cracked glass.

Cami nodded her head with a doubtful smile. She loved to hear about all these fantasies June created in her head. Cami used to believe in fantasies too. She had a fantasy of a normal family life but her parents got divorced when she was nine. She fantasized about Josh and he broke her dream castle within a blink of an eye. She dreamt of being a songwriter but until now she got rejected two times in a row in that songwriters’ battle. So fantasies didn't take a stop at Cami's station. But when June babbled about the successful career Cami might have someday, she couldn't cease her imagination to paint a picturesque view of that. This was the third time Cami participated in that songwriters’ battle. And this time she wanted to get in at any cost. 

Cami's chain of thoughts was interrupted by the notification bell of her cellphone. She unlocked her cell and the time was exactly 5:30. Her heart was beating so loud even June could hear it. She opened the website to check the list of selected songwriters. 

 - "Did you find it? Did you find it?" June was almost peeking over Cami's shoulder to check the results. 

-" No need to peek anymore. I didn't get in.", Cami said patiently. June snatched the phone from her hand to check the results again. She continued babbling about their crappy judgement and how Cami definitely deserved a place but Cami could hardly pay attention to her. She felt devastated inside. It was the third time she was rejected from songwriters’ battle. She thought maybe her mom was right. Maybe she wasn't meant to be a songwriter. Maybe this battle was never her to win. A little drop of tear rolled down her cheek.               

-"I'm telling you Cam, the whole judgment panel is corrupted, you are one of the best songwriters I've ever listened to, believe me. Let me get you some free fro-yo to cheer you up",June went to the refreshment station to uplift Cami's confidence that was completely shattered into pieces just a few moments ago. 

"When did everything get so complex" Cami absent-mindedly asked herself. She drowned so deeply in her thoughts she didn't even notice someone was calling her from behind. Suddenly she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to find out who it was. 

 - "You are Cami, right?" An elegant woman in her mid thirties was smiling at Cami. She was looking at her with a strange but warm stare Cami couldn't possibly explain. Cami was a bit surprised at first. She tried to reminisce her from the back of her memory but she definitely knew she never encountered that woman. 

 -"How do you know my name?" Cami asked her with astonishment. 

 -"No big deal. It's written in your backpack." She then handed out a red paper wrapped package and said - " My debut album just entered the charts of billboard top 10 and to celebrate this success our whole team wanted to give away some of the audio cds to some young musical talents like you." 

Cami took the package.She laughed at her fate. "I just got rejected for the third time in a songwriting audition and a stranger thinks I'm worthy for a free cd. Woah!!. What a day!! ,her head voice was shouting in despair. While opening the wrap she continued asking her sarcastically -"And I assume you considered me a worthy musician just by looking at my guitar case." 

 - "No, I've known it all along." She smirked a bit. Cami twitched her eyebrows at her reply. She unwrapped the package and inside it there was an audio cd. She took it out to take a look at it. Her eyes completely froze as soon as she glanced at the album cover. It was Cami's childhood picture sitting on the swing set in her old house, her dad bought her when she was five. It was the only picture she saved it carefully in her journal that reminded her of old days. The album was named 'Cami Cooper' with luminous red cursive font. Eighteen songs were listed on the back of the audio cd with a beautiful picture of that woman standing in front of her. Cami was completely bewildered by the situation. She stared at the woman with utmost surprise. She wanted to ask her a lot of questions but she couldn't utter a single word. This time the woman handed her a note and said "Open it Cami, you didn't lose the battle." Cami took it from her. She was still awestruck. She opened the note, it said, "Just check the website once more at 5:45." Cami unlocked her cell phone. It was perfectly 5:45 in that clock. And to her surprise she could see a new notification was blinking at the top corner of her cell screen. She quickly clicked on it. It was the songwriters' battle. The website notified about publishing five more names who got direct chance to work with a renowned record label for their extraordinary talent in songwriting. This was a new surprise from the show organizers for this year to inspire young talents. She hurriedly clicked on the list and there it was. Cami couldn't believe her eyes. She got in. She finally got in. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She was so perplexed with the situation she didn't understand a bit about what was exactly happening. Cami suddenly noticed the first song of that album. It was named "Far away dreams"-the song Cami entered in this year's songwriters’ battle. She couldn't belive any of the stuff that happened in last 10 minutes. Cami took the audio cd and hold it firmly to her chest. Suddenly she could hear June's voice telling her -" Here's your fro yo girl. Now cheer up a bit. You have got a lot of songs to write. You have got the perfect elements of heartbreak to write a hit. By the way who's that lady talking to you? " June pointed at the woman. Cami grinned at her and said "I didn't lose the battle.", she handed June the new published list on her phone. June hugged Cami so tight, she was practically squeezed in her loving arms. With the corner of her eye she peeked at the fainted shadow of her future self, walking away, disappearing little by little, hopefully into the future.