Let’s start all over again,shall we?

Chapter 278 Yearning for a Kiss

Once Maggie wrapped up her performance, her eyes were teary.

Not because of anything else but because tragedies tend to hit close to home.

She couldn’t shake off memories of her past life with Nathael and the lingering what–ifs of this one.

Mixing up feelings of relictance, excitement, and a dash of sweetness, it all boiled down to a sad soup.

Grace was dabbing her eyes back in the dressing room, and even Danielle seemed a bit misty–eyed.

“Maggie, you nailed it out there. I’m so moved, I could cry, Grace chimed in.

Danielle nodded along, adding, “Seriously, you aced it. You’re gonna get top marks for sure.”

“Thanks, Ms. Joyton, thanks, Grace. I’ll catch you guys in the audience seats later, Maggie murmured sofily.

“Sure thing. Once they announce the scores, you can bounce if you’ve got stuff to do,” Grace replied.

Sierra stayed quiet, her gaze fixed on Nathael’s Twitter feed, lost in her world.

Before they realised it, Maggie was next, ready to face the judges‘ feedback.

With a grin, the host piped up, “Any guesses on your score, Maggie?”

Maggie said, “Well, what do you think, Mr. Surrez?”

“If it were up to me, I’d toss you an eleven, with an extra point just to boost your ego,” the host quipped

back.

The room erupted in laughter, and Maggie couldn’t help but smile too.

The camera shifted to the judges below the stage, capturing their mixed reactions. Some showered her praise, while a couple seemed to find faults in every nook and cranny.

Maggie glanced at the two critics, recalling their lukewarm feedback from the first round, It felt like one of them had a bone to pick with the Pierces, and the other might’ve had some ties she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

all boiled

a few subtle hints for improvement, it was mostly a shower of compliments. It was clear what

the roof, both inside and outside the venue,” the host exclaimed, peering at the latest stats

inside and outside the venue! That’s a staggering number! Bagging the top spot in the group and sailing straight through to the

host’s rundown of the votes for the other two

Yearning for a Kiss

duke it out with

to bump into Sierra backstage, who seemed to be lingering there as if

cold glare, her hand clenched tightly at her side. “Don’t go thinking those

smile, her tone light. “Ah well, gotta give credit where it’s

reply left Sierra fuming, feeling like she was punching

across.

Maggie. But mark my words, I’m gonna come out on top! The championship trophy is as good as mine!” Sierra’s eyes blazed with determination, her voice

off thoughts of the two judges up

the Pierces and the Camerons had teamed up, hell–bent on propelling Sierra to the championship spot, hence

Maggie, she couldn’t

in the competition could be rigged, hiding some sneaky tricks up

she swiftly

as

a favour and look into any fishy business with the song selection for the university competition? Particularly, see if there’s anything

get on it ASAP, Lucas replied, his

on the competition, Lucas wasted no time. He accessed the backstage system and

It looks like most folks‘ songs are randomly picked, but is it yours? Not so much. Here’s the proof,” he explained, sending a code snippet to Maggie’s phone as

why she got stuck with one

asked,

preselected. She’s got ‘Waltz in G Major,” Lucas

brief pause, Maggie spoke softly, “Help

not pick a similar piece for her? That way, she gets to feel what it’s like without

Yearning for a Kiss

of thought. Maggie nodded in agreement. If the competition wasn’t playing fair, they

now seemed

waltz.

been honing in on perfecting just one, undoubtedly making her

bring her