Elyssa Sparks' POV:

So we get this huge list of songs we can choose from, and it's landed us in a dilemma: Which to sing? This list spans many genres and artists.

Lillian says we ought to select something lesser-known, as the popular and better known songs are more likely to be covered many times and it's hard to dazzle in them.

She's right, but pretty much everything on this list is quite well-known.

Jade feels we should choose something with lots of moments as it will help us shine.

She's right as well. But we're still confused. Many suggestions are made, but none of them stick.

Suddenly, a light bulb goes off in my head.

I say, "Guys, I have an idea. It may or may not work, but we could try..."

Jake says, "Go ahead..."

I reply nervously, "I was thinking maybe we could watch all of our auditions, so we know each others' strengths and can play to them..."

There's silence. I'm afraid it's not going to end when Jake replies enthusiastically, "I love it!"

Everyone nods in consent, and we approach the desk named 'Help' and ask if they have our audition videos.

A couple of minutes later, we're seated in front of a large screen and our auditions are playing.

Emmett was the first of us to audition. We watch him nervously walk in and introduce himself.

Then he starts singing, and even I'm marveling at how good he sounds. True, he's shaking from nervousness, but his voice shows his nervousness a little. Only a little.

Em did audition very well.

I'm next. I expect to kind of cringe a little, but that couldn't be further from the truth.

Even I'm taken aback by my audition. I know I auditioned well, but I didn't expect myself to sound this good!

The second I start beatboxing, Jake lets out a little "Oh!"

I remember being very nervous, but the butterflies in my stomach seem to have fluttered away, my voice, motions and expressions showing absolutely no sign of that.

When my audition ends, Jake pauses the video and applauds. Everyone follows suit, and hoots and cheers follow.

I stare with my mouth gaping wide open. At least until Cole pushes my jaw back into place and smiles. I burst out laughing, and soon, everyone's laughing their heads off...

We manage to compose ourselves enough to watch the others' auditions.

J Square is next. They sing a pretty laudable version of 'Who You Are' by Jessie J.

Jade's breezy and light voice is well complemented by Jake's rich and deep voice, and the result is astonishingly good.

When their audition ends, I can't help clapping. Everyone follows suit. Jade gives a small smile and Jake's grinning from ear to ear.

Kristen, Cole and Zöe are next. They sing a pretty tight version of 'Love Runs Out' by OneRepublic.

But I can't shake off the feeling that they look somewhat familiar.

For starters, Cole looks like how Scott Hoying would look if he had brown hair and green eyes. He sings a little lower than Scott usually does, though...

Kristen is harder to spot, but does look like Kirstin Maldonado with blue eyes. Her stature also is exactly like Kirstie's.

Her makeup is made up to make her face look different, but I have an eye for what people look like without makeup, well, mostly everyone...

Her face is (without the makeup) exactly like Kirstin's.

And, Zöe's brown eyes are just like Valerie Tyler's, but that's where the similarities stop. Her reddish-orange hair could as well be a wig, though...

Well, I guess I've been fangirling too much recently!

Anyways, last, and certainly not the least, is Lillian. She confidently walks up onto the stage, takes her place and sings 'Moves Like Jagger' by Maroon 5 with a lot of verve.

She doesn't sound like a 45-year-old; if I were to close my eyes and hear her sing, her voice would sound much younger, maybe even my age!

When the auditions end, it's pretty clear that everyone here is quite talented...

But we're still confused...

When I suggest 'Bang Bang' by Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj, everyone agrees, well, everyone other than Em.

When I ask him why he doesn't want us to perform 'Bang Bang', he replies that it's a 'girls-only song', to which Cole gives him a death glare until he agrees. In the meanwhile, Jake's laughing his head off upon seeing their expressions.

We arrange it and practice a bit, but I feel like something's missing. After a couple of minutes of this, Zöe suggests we perform it A Cappella style.

She brushes away Jade's quizzical stare and explains that we might as well do it 'cause we've got three beatboxers: one, 'obviously' me; two, herself (she did do it in their audition); and three, Cole, who, as it turns out, can also beatbox pretty well.

Jade's still unconvinced, so we take five minutes off and come up with a small piece; everyone's now satisfied.

Lillian adds that now we have plenty of scope to stand out from the others and dazzle.

Everyone agrees.

We practice a lot. Practice. Practice. Practice.

Soon, we're pretty thorough...

Now, another dilemma: which song to perform as the second song? We're again going through the list when Em points out a song to me.

I can't help showing the others the song.

Except for Kristen and Cole, everyone's convinced we ought to perform it.

Zöe convinces them soon.

We practice...

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A.N.:

Try guessing which song they chose as their second song before moving on...

Also, the picture at the top of the page is Zöe's picture as described...

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