The following Wednesday, Lenore had decided to sing something she’d written, a’capella. She hadn’t let anyone see it either. She figured if Clay wanted to know exactly how she was feeling, the little song she’d written would definitely tell him.
She walked out on the stage, a determined stride in her step, that almost went unnoticed – Simon and Clay both acknowledged it silently.
Lenore eyed everyone, as though daring them to challenge her, then sang without stopping until the very end.
I hate you (I hate you) You left me here Scared and all alone I hate you (I hate you) No one left who understands The one who does is so far away I hate you (I hate you) Nobody knows what I’m going through Especially not you I hate you (I hate you) Can’t explain how it feels To have happiness ripped out from under you I hate you (I hate you) Oh, I hate you!
Lenore finished, then stood there nervously waiting for everyone’s reaction.
Ryan was the first to applaud, thus starting the audience applause and cheers. While the audience went nuts, everyone else was stunned by the words in her song. They couldn’t believe a sweet little girl, like Lenore, was hurt enough to hate.
Simon was the first to speak for a change. “I, for one, am absolutely stunned by the lyrics in your song; which I’m assuming you wrote yourself,” he began. “Why you wrote such harsh lyrics is beyond me.”
Lenore could feel her eyes brimming with tears, as she scribbled him a quick note, and handed it to Ryan.
Ryan read what she’d written, then hugged her, before reading her message aloud. “She says, Clay asked how I felt,” he told everyone. “This is how I feel. Sorry….”
Paula smiled at her. “There’s not need to apologize for how you feel, Sweetie. Everyone’s allowed to feel the way you do. I know I would if I were in your shoes.”
“Dawg, I like the tone of it all,” Randy stated. “You made it express the anger you feel, but without sounding to peed off.”
“Yes, your voice was different, and still quite nice,” Simon agreed. “The lyrics were just a bit shocking, that’s all. But keep up the good work.”
Lenore nodded, then disappeared backstage to hide so that she could cry in private. She wasn’t seen again until it was time to leave, and Trenyce had been voted off by the American public.
It was a quiet ride back to the mansion, as no one spoke a word. None of them knew what to say to Lenore about the song she’d written and sung.
On the Saturday, following Wednesday’s results show, the top eleven American Idol finalists were all in the recording studio. They were recording songs for the American Idol CD that they were getting to make. And, as usual, Lenore got to tag along with them.
Lenore sat on a chair in the one back corner, out of everyone’s way. While sitting there, she thought of something and tried to get her brother’s attention. She had no such luck, so she got up and went over and tugged on Clay’s sleeve.
Clay turned to see who had yanked on his shirtsleeve. “Lenore, go sit down,” he told her, not even bothering to find out what it was she wanted. When she didn’t go, he took her hand and lead her back to the chair he’d sat her in earlier. “Do not get in the way. We’re very busy.” He then left her again, and went back to where everyone else stood.
Lenore went over to Ruben this time, who looked down and smiled at her.
“Hey,” Ruben smiled. “What’s up?”
Lenore handed him her notebook, which said, How come I don’t gets to sing? I sing too!
Ruben handed her back her notebook and shrugged. “I dunno. Maybe because you aren’t actually a contestant.”
Lenore scowled, then stomped back to her chair disappointedly. She sat there quietly for a while, listening to her discman and colouring a picture. It was while Clay was getting ready for his turn, that she had to go to the bathroom. She scribbled a message on a blank page, then went over to bug her brother again.
Clay looked down at her, and before he could say a word, had a message thrust in his face.
I HAFTA PEE! Lenore had written.
Clay handed the note back to her. “Follow the hall to the end, turn right, and it’s the fourth door on your left. Make sure you go left as soon as you step out of this room.”
Aren’t you going to take me? Lenore wrote. I might get lost.
“No you won’t. And I have to sing right now,” Clay replied. “And don’t take forever. Come straight back when you’re done!”
Lenore sighed heavily, then, following her brother’s instructions, headed for the bathroom.
After going to the bathroom, she stood in the hallway she was in and looked around curiously. She’d never been in a studio before. It was while standing there, that she thought she heard A.J. and Brian singing. So, instead of going right to head back to her brother, she went left instead. She kept following the sound of their voices, until she’d no clue as to where she was.
While Lenore was yet again on a Backstreet Boys hunt, Clay was wandering the halls for her. He’d gotten worried when twenty minutes had gone by and she still hadn’t returned.
Lenore had just about reached the source of the voices, when she heard her brother call her name.
“Lenore!”
Lenore turned about to look at him.
“Just where do you think you’re going?” Clay demanded, not at all happy.
Heard Brian and A.J. Lenore explained on her notebook. Thought I could find them.
Unknown to them, a blond head had poked out a door.
“A.J. AGAIN!” Clay fumed. “And now Brian too! Lenore Parker!”
Sorry. Lenore scribbled sheepishly.
“Sorry won’t cut it this time! I’m sick of you taking off to find A.J.!”
And Brian. Lenore reminded him.
Clay glared at her. “I don’t care who else you were looking for! This has to stop! And it’s stopping right now!”
But I wanna find ‘em! Lenore protested. An’ you won’t listen to me!
Clay grit his teeth together. “No Backstreet Boys CDs for a month! And don’t you dare scream!”
Lenore’s jaw dropped in shocked, and she screamed without knowing it. What she did know, was that her brother’s hand hit her bottom pretty hard and fast. She started to sob, and as her brother dragged her down the hall, she could’ve sworn she saw Nick watching them…
Nick Carter had peeked out into the hallway when he heard shouting. He was surprised to find someone arguing with a little girl, who didn’t appear to talk. He’d wanted to get the other guys, so that they could go meet her, but was too transfixed by the argument to move. After he’d seen the girl get spanked, he turned to go and get the other guys.
“Nick! Get in here!” Kevin yelled.
Nick went over to where the other Boys were. “Hey, guys,” he began. “There was a little girl in the hall trying to find us….”
“Yeah, sure Frack,” Brian laughed.
“No! Seriously!” Nick argued. “She was looking for Brian and A.J. Seems she heard them singing.”
“Is she still out there?” Kevin asked.
“I dunno. Whoever found her was pretty mad that she’d taken off to find A.J. again,” Nick stated. “I guess she was arguing with the guy, ‘cause he spanked her when she screamed.”
“Why’d she scream?” Howie wanted to know.
“He told her she couldn’t listen to our CDs for a month,” Nick said.
“Ouch,” A.J. piped up. “I’m assuming she’s a big fan, if this isn’t the first time she’s gone looking for me.”
“Did you catch their names, Nick?” Kevin queried.
“I didn’t catch his, but hers is Lenore Parker,” Nick told them.
Before leaving the studio that day, Lenore gave her letter for A.J. and Brian, to the woman at the front desk. She’d managed to do it without her brother knowing too. She had also managed to find an envelope to put it in. Seems luck was suddenly on her side for a few short minutes.
The Boys received her letter just as they were leaving. The woman at the front desk had called hem over, and handed the letter to A.J., as his name was the biggest on the envelope. They read it in the car, and refused to believe the girl who’d written the letter was really Clay’s little sister. There was just no way the Lenore Parker who’d left the letter for them, and the Lenore Parker Nick had seen in the hall, were the same little girl. There was just no way.
