Jess stared at her sister, her eyes huge. 

"W-what?" Courtney choked out, a look of sheer disbelief passing over her features. 

The man chuckled, his old face wrinkling with his emotions "You heard me," he said.

Courtney slowly looked at her older sister, who was tearing up in happiness for her younger sister.

The man smiled "Courtney Taint, would you like to attend Pinewood Academy?"

2 Hours Earlier

"How do I look?" Jess asked, doing a little twirl in front of her Father and sister. She had picked out a knee length midnight blue dress, with long lace sleeves. Her brown hair was pulled back in a low bun. 

"You look incredible," Courtney breathed. Their Father nodded in agreement. 

"So do you, Court," Jess winked at her sister. Who gushed.  Courtney had picked out a black cocktail dress with a slit up the side. Her brown locks were down around her shoulders and curled slightly.

"You girls ready?" Their Dad asked, nodding towards the door. 

It was that time of year again. The 25th Annual Winter Showcase in their town. It was hosted by Pinewood Academy themselves. All the Juniors and Seniors were asked to perform the pieces they had been working on since the beginning of the year. People from towns all across the state came to the Showcase to watch the amazing talents from Pinewood. People sometimes paid thousands of dollars to get seats in the VIP section of the massive Auditorium in the Academy. It was a state-of-the-art performing center donated by some of the greatest names in music. 

This'll be the first time Jess would perform on the stage, with a new piece she had been vocally training for all year. Courtney had no doubt that she would be amazing. She had to be. It was in their blood. 

Courtney sent a little smile up towards the night sky at their Mom. Hoping she was watching them with pride. Lydia Taint was always so proud of her girls. 

"I'm so nervous, my stomach is doing flips," Jess laughed as they piled into their BMW. 

"Why are you nervous? You're gonna crush it!" Courtney smiled at her. Their Dad remained quiet, like usual. 

Pulling up to the Academy was always a sight to see. It was a massive stone building, with spiral pillars pointing to the sky. The Victorian Style Mansion was absolutely beautiful. With a long driveway lined with statues from decades of the school being open. Legend has it, that it used to belong to the richest man in all of North America. And passed it down to his wife who had shared a love of music, eventually opening it as a college for the arts. It now belonged to the Dean himself, Chris McLean. 

Their dad pulled up to the front of the Academy, where a fancy-dressed man walked over and opened their doors for them. 

"Hello Ms. Taint," he nodded at Jess, who blushed slightly. 

"Hello Adrian," she cooed. Courtney raised a brow at their behavior but shrugged it off as their Dad tossed the kid their keys

"Take good care of her," their Father ordered strictly. Adrian gulped and nodded

"Yes sir," he said, getting into their car and driving it towards the valet parking. 

The Taints all walked up the stone steps and through the stained glass doors of the Academy. They were greeted by tons of press taking pictures of the event, and the students walking in. A shorter, cute blonde girl was standing separately from the rest of them. Snapping pictures with the camera around her neck of the beautiful architecture of the building. 

The girl looked up from her camera just in time to see the Taints walk by

"Hey Jess!" The girl waved at Jess, who smiled big and waved back

"Hey Skye," Jess smiled. 

Courtney looked over and watched at the girl-Skye- walked over to another guy about her age and leaned into him. Talking into his ear, as she showed him the pictures on her camera. 

The guy laughed a little, and Courtney found herself struck by his eyes. They were the bright teal she had ever seen. He had black hair, pushed back from his forehead. A few piercings lined his ears. He had a jawline that could cut diamonds. 

He noticed her looked at him and smirked, nodding a little. 

Courtney swallowed hard and quickly looked away leaning into her sister

"Who is that?" she whispered, nodding towards the guy who had gone back to speaking to Skye. 

"Oh, that's Duncan Evans, he's a freshmen and works on the school paper with Skye," Jess said. Courtney nodded and bit her lip

Duncan Evans huh? 

The Academy was known for it's beautiful one of a kind buildings. But nothing compared to the Auditorium. It was built to look like a theater you would find in New York City. Big red curtains, maple wood floors, rows and rows of leather seats lined with red satin. Huge glass chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting shadows across the dimly lit room.

Hundreds of people were already sitting in the nosebleed seats, but because they were VIP, Courtney found herself sitting next to her Father in the second row, next to the isle.

"Good luck Jessy!" Courtney called to her sister, who was walking towards the backstage to begin warming up. Jess sent her a nervous smile before disappearing behind the red curtain.

"Harvard has one of, if not the, greatest medical programs in all of the world. One of my very good friends just graduated from there last year and he's already a top cardiologist in his town. He just moved to New York City the other month," Courtney's father rambled on and on as they waited for the Showcase to start. 

"Wow," Courtney mumbled, her voice unamused. 

Her dad slowly looked over at her unamused face and let out a sigh. Courtney looked at him

"I just don't want you to disappoint me," he said.

Courtney took that like a slap to the face, her face falling "Dad-"

"I'm sorry to interrupt," came a voice of a man who rushed over to them. Courtney looked up, and gasped as she instantly recognized the man.

Chris McLean was standing over them, the Dean of the Academy.

"Mr. McLean-" she started, but he shook his head

"Uh.. There's an emergency backstage, and Jessica Taint has requested to speak to you," Mr. McLean said, he seemed to be sweating. 

Courtney's eyes bugged, as she looked around "Me?" she asked in disbelief. 

"This is ridiculous!" their Father snapped "I'm Jessica's Father, I'm the one who-"

"No!" Chris snapped, Courtney's eyes widened, as she looked at her Father's angry face

'I'm sorry Mr. Taint, but Jessica specifically asked for her sister, Courtney, and refuses to speak to anyone else," Chris said. 

Courtney looked around, people were starting to stare, and she caught the eyes of Duncan Evans backstage, who was still smirking at her. He nodded his head a little towards the other side of the stage

Go. She needs you

Courtney nodded at Chris McLean and slowly stood up, making her way down the isle and walking up the ebony stairs. She pushed the curtains out of the way and gazed amazed at all the students warming up with their talents. Some were practicing with their instruments, some were dancing in their expensive costumes. Some were painting beautiful pictures across canvases. 

I belong with them

"This way, Ms. Taint," Chris nodded towards the hall. Courtney followed him, until they stopped in front of a private bathroom. 

"She's in here?" Courtney asked, raising a brow. Chris nodded and motioned for her to go inside. 

Courtney slowly pushed open the door to the bathroom and looked around. Gorgeous murals covered the walls, it was a mock of the bathrooms you'd see in Paris. With paintings on the ceiling. Even the bathrooms had glass chandeliers. With a huge mirror in front of the marble sinks.

And standing there, slouched over the sink way on the far end, was her sister. Her head hung low, sweat was all down her arms, she looked as pale as snow

"Oh my... What's going on, Jess?" Courtney rushed over, gently putting a hand on her sister's burning shoulder. 

Jess looked at her in the mirror, shaking her head "I have no idea.. One second I was warming up, the next I was in here throwing up everything I ate today," 

"Do you want me to get you some water? Maybe some tums?" Courtney asked, beginning to walk to the door.

Jess grabbed her sister's shoulder roughly, causing her to stop. 

"No," she said. "I don't think I can perform,"

Courtney gasped "But Jess, it's the-"

"Showcase. Yeah, I know. It fucking sucks... But... I was thinking.." Jess swallowed hard and smiled weakly "That you could perform for me,"

Courtney's face drained of all color. She stiffened, and blinked "W-what? Jess... No.. I can't,"

"Yes you can," Jess breathed, holding her sister's face in her hands "This is your chance. Go out there and prove everyone wrong. Take my spot,"

"But I don't even have my violin!" Courtney argued. Her knees had gone week. There was no way her sister was asking her to do this right now.

"You don't need your violin. You still have an incredible instrument without it," Jess pointed to Courtney's mouth "Your voice,"

"I don't sing. I play. You know this," Courtney whispered. Jess looked into her sister's beautiful brown eyes

"Courtney... Please," Jess pleaded. Courtney let out a shaky breath. 

"Don't do it for me," Jess whispered "Do it for Mom,"

Those words were like a jolt through her body. Courtney raised her eyes to her sister's blue ones, and nodded. Feeling strong

"Okay. For Mom," she whispered

Jess smiled, her pale face warm "For Mom,"

It was like it happened in slow motion. Courtney walked out of the bathroom, her head held high. She moved with purpose. Her high heels clicking on the floor as she went backstage again. 

"I'm Courtney Taint, and I'm going to be performing in my sister's place, Jessica Taint," Courtney nodded at the man behind the piano, who had a headset to his ear. He looked at Chris McLean who nodded at him. 

"It's alright DJ," Chris said to the guy. DJ nodded and smiled warmly at Courtney 

"Sing your heart out, Court," DJ laughed, and motioned for them to raise the curtains.

Courtney gasped as the large red curtains slowly rose towards the ceiling, and she flinched when a harsh spotlight was shining right on her. 

The crowd seemed much large when she was standing on stage. She saw her Father's eyes widen, as he nearly fell forward and out of his chair. 

DJ nodded at her, and he began to play the soft keys to the song Jessica had picked to perform. 

Courtney looked at the microphone and slowly closed her eyes

"I dreamed a dream in time gone by,

When hope was high and life worth living,

I dreamed that love would never die,

I dreamed that God would be forgiving,

But I was young and unafraid,

And dreams were made and used and wasted,

There was no ransom to be paid,

No song unsung no wine untasted 

But the tigers come at night, 

With their voices soft as thunder,

As they tear your hope apart,

As they turn your dream to shame"

Courtney never opened her eyes, as she heard the orchestra in the background all play to her voice

"And still I dream she'll come to me,

That we'll live the years together,

But their are dreams that cannot be,

And there are storms we cannot weather,

I had a dream my life would be,

So different from this hell I'm living,

So different now that what it seems,"

Courtney now understood why Jess had picked this song. Jess wasn't singing this for herself.

She had been singing it for their Mother

"But life,

Has killed the dream,

I dream,"

As the rumbling of instruments slowly came to a stop, Courtney could hear herself breathing hard into the microphone. As the song finally ended, she opened her eyes.

And the crowd started applauding. People were wiping tears from their eyes, she saw people slowly start to stand, and clap for her. And it didn't stop until the entire room was erupted with her standing ovation.

With weak knees, Courtney slowly bowed. And when she came back up, she watched as her Father left the auditorium, slamming the door in his wake.

Courtney could only smile, as she looked up towards the ceiling, tears in her eyes

For you, Mom

Courtney slowly walked off stage, still in a haze of what had just happened.

Arms engulfed her from behind, and Courtney gasped

"That was extraordinary!" Jess cheered. Courtney laughed and hugged her big sister back just as tight

"I couldn't have done it without you," Courtney whispered

"Um, Ms. Taint?" Chris McLean cleared his throat, the two broke apart from their embrace to see Chris standing in front of them, with a much older man standing beside him. 

Jess visibly stiffened, and she stood up straighter "Mr. Pinewood," she said, bowing at him. The old man, laughed

"Ms. Taint, no need to bow. For, it is your sister I should be bowing for," he said. 

Courtney gasped, "For me?" she squeaked out. 

Mr. Pinewood nodded, a big smile on his face "That was incredible. You Taint girls are all so incredibly talented. You got that from Lydia,"

Jess smiled "You knew our Mother?" she asked. Mr. Pinewood nodded. He then slowly looked at Courtney, and stepped forward

"Now, we don't usually do this... In fact, I don't believe this has happened in over 50 years... But... I'm here to ask you, if you'd do the honors of joining our Academy," Mr. Pinewood said.

Courtney felt lightheaded, and Jessica gasped out loud. Her hands flying to her mouth

Courtney slowly looked at her older sister, who had begun to tear up

"W-what?" Courtney stuttered. The old man chuckled

"Would you like to attend Pinewood Academy?" he repeated

Courtney began to sob "Yes!" she screamed "Yes I would!"

(A/N- Artwork done by the incredibly talented @hellela  )