Chapter Text
Email Transcript from the RSS Casting Team to Rosemeadow High School’s Principal
Subject: Rosemeadow Star Singers Season 6 Invitation
Dear RHS Principal, Jake Sterling and Hailey Austin,
Hi there, the Rosemeadow Star Singers (RSS) Casting Team noticed RHS’s music club has recently won the band competition. We were highly impressed by the vocal performance and stage chemistry displayed by the singers: Jake Sterling and Hailey Austin.
We believe they have potential to be the next upcoming stars in Season 6 of RSS, and would like to formally invite both students to participate. Their strong vocal ability, engaging stage charisma and natural chemistry would make them excellent additions to this season’s lineup.
We look forward to welcoming you to this year’s RSS season.
Best Regards,
RSS Casting Team
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After winning the band’s competition, the Music Freaks Rosemeadow High School’s still unnamed band has exploded online.
Jake suddenly has thousands of followers across his social media accounts, with fancams and edits made of him.
Heck, Jake even has daily fan accounts, dedicated to reporting anything about him as if he is a celebrity. They share screenshots, short clips and updates all about him.
And he’s not the only one. As soon as the band competition video went live online, the rest of the music club members also gained popularity. The video spread across social media like wildfire.
But Jake, being the lead singer, is the most mesmerising one. Everyone loved Jake.
His followers compliment his stunning voice and powerful stage presence. He has the kind of energy that everyone is inexplicably drawn to like a best friend.
Sunshine personified.
Milly had texted him: the simp has simps now L
Jake laughs out loud at the message before glancing at his rapidly growing follower count.
When he crossed a thousand followers just two days after the band competition performance was uploaded online, his first thought was simply just-
Damn.
Then, he spent the whole night scrolling through everyone’s comments.
@KPiano07: Wait he’s actually a good singer wtf, we found a hidden gem. Time to gatekeep
@Victoriarbf: help I can’t stop replaying his band’s performance on loop
@DailyJakeSterling: GUYS!! I found the place Jake is in the photo! TeaLime café. Our king has good taste.
Were some comments weirder than others? Yes, a little.
Did reading all the nice compliments from internet strangers fill his ego? Absolutely.
One comment in particular caught his eye.
@Miyaaxx: love your voice in that duet <3 was wondering if you plan to do covers?
Jake stares at the screen. Then reads it again, and again.
That innocent request strikes him a little more than he expected. Jake spends the next hour replaying the comment in his head like a broken recorder.
People think his singing is good. People want to hear him more.
And isn’t that just his biggest wish since he was a kid back then? His heart sparkles.
So after untangling his earpieces and spending a good five minutes awkwardly balancing his phone upright on his dishevelled bed, Jake takes a deep breath and presses the record button.
The room is quiet except for the faint hum of his ceiling fan.
With a trembling hand holding the earpiece microphone, he sings to the camera. Just him alone in his room, with a scuffed setup on blue blankets.
No stage. No crowd.
When he finishes recording, Jake yawns, uploads the video on his social media and instantly collapses onto his bed. Within minutes, he falls asleep.
When he wakes up, his phone notifications are crowded with countless likes and new followers. Jake’s tired eyes slowly grew wide as he scrolls through an endless stream of positive comments and encouragement. A smile tugs his lips.
His grin widens when he sees the best singer he knows — who just so happens to be his music club president — has also left a like.
Two weeks later, Jake and Hailey gets called to the principal’s office.
The principal’s office feels unnervingly quiet, with fluorescent lights humming above them. Coffee and parchment scents hang in the air.
He tries to keep his cool, leaning casually against the wall. Hailey, on the other hand, is trembling way worse next to him. Before he can pat her shoulder to calm her nerves, Hailey starts panic-whispering and rambling to him.
“Did I do something wrong? Did I get us into detention? But I don’t remember breaking any school rules…”
Jake offers a hopefully encouraging smile. But with the principal sitting behind her desk, stern maroon eyes staring straight through him like a piercing sword, Jake is bracing for the worst.
The principal types on her laptop, “I’m forwarding you two an email. Do consider joining, I think it’ll be a great learning opportunity.” Jake narrows his eyes as the principal turns her laptop.
Jake squints and skims through the email in a daze. His jaw drops. As he re-reads it again to check he isn’t being delusional, he hears Hailey gasp.
They are both offered to join the singing survival show – RSS.
‘Rosemeadow Star Singers’ or RSS as most call it, is an episodic series of vocal performances by 30 youth contestants, judged and eliminated by guest celebrity judges and the audience. It aims to support young, up-and-coming talents.
Legends were born on its brilliant stage, with its mix of iridescent lighting and music arrangements.
It’s a place where you get teamed with your fellow contestants, spend hours laughing, practicing together and chatting in the dorms.
And when your teammate gets eliminated, you break down crying, offer meaningless comfort and watch them pack their luggage to leave.
Heartwarming and heartbreaking. For Jake, it’s a sensational show.
The RSS wants both Jake and Hailey to participate in the next season for their strong vocal performance, bright personalities and chemistry as seen from their recent band competition victory.
Jake remembers waiting in front of the television every weekend for the next episode to drop live. His mom would prepare a bowl of chips, while Jake bounced in his seat and watched contestants sing their hearts out.
When the episode ended on a mischievous cliffhanger, Jake groaned and wanted to bang his head against the sofa cushions.
If Hailey hasn’t been waving her hand in front of his face, Jake would have fainted out of his reverie.
“This is legit right? It’s not a scam email?” Jake feels breathless. Both Hailey and the principal shoot him narrowed eyes.
“It is official,” the principal folds her arms calmly, “I strongly encourage both of you to join. It would make the school very proud.”
Jake does not hesitate.
“I want to,” Jake blurts out impulsively.
Opportunities like this only came once in a blue moon. It will be a new, fun, bucket list experience that he would brag about years into the future.
This season’s theme song recently got released too. And Jake has already memorised all the lyrics.
He could do what he loved, showcase it to the world in front of a real audience. And he wouldn’t even be alone. He’d be there with his best friend-
Jake suddenly freezes.
Wait… Hailey!
He turns to face her. She’s busy fiddling with her bracelets with furrowed uncertain eyebrows.
“Uh, only if Hailey wants to as well,” Jake adds hastily.
Hailey gives a small smile and mumbles, “Can I think about it?”
“Of course,” The principal nods, “Let me know your answer by the end of this week.”
They both thank her. As soon as they leave the room, Hailey lets out a large sigh of relief.
“Thank goodness it wasn’t anything bad.”
“Yeah,” Jake awkwardly agrees, his mind still in disbelief. He hums a little tune and Hailey’s eyes sharpen. “Isn’t that this season’s theme song?”
“Damn, you recognise it,” Jake nudges her arm, “You must be a bigger fan than me.”
He notices Hailey blushing a rosy colour and smiles.
“You watched RSS?” Jake asks.
“Since I was young,” Hailey’s breath quickens, “I can’t believe they chose… us. Of all people.”
“Don’t say that, we are pretty good.” Jake thinks back to all the positive comments his social media has been getting. Hailey laughs and Jake turns to face her.
“Do you want to join? I don’t want to force you or anything.”
Hailey falls silent. She opens the email on her phone.
“I would love to,” she admits softly, “But I’ll obviously need to check with my parents. We would be away for two months for all the filming.”
Hailey glances on the floor, her voice so soft Jake has to lower his head to hear her.
“I’m also scared what people will think of me… and my singing performance.”
Jake freezes and looks straight into her eyes, “Trust me, you're incredible. They chose us for a good reason. They saw your talent.”
Hailey still does not look convinced.
Jake pulls out his phone from his pocket and opens Hailey’s public Gachagram profile, clicking on her latest post where she did a song cover.
“Look, 2000 people liked your song cover. These 2000 people took time to listen to you. And look at the comments! They love you.”
Jake scrolls through all the encouraging comments for Hailey to read.
Her face is ridden with conflict and insecurities as her eyes darts around the screen. Jake frowns.
Teasing and banter has always worked between the two of them to lower their guard.
Jake shoots her a quick wink, “Worst case scenario, you become a meme.” Hailey’s blush spread across her cheeks. It’s the most liveliness Jake has seen her since hearing about the RSS invitation. She lightly punches his arm.
“Hey! I mean it!” Jake swats her hand away, “Besides, I’ll be there with you. We’ll crush this competition.”
“So confident, Sterling. But you do know only one of us can win, right?” Hailey’s eyes fill with challenge.
“All the more reason to join, right Austin? Hey! Maybe we could duet again, but this time on a big fancy stage.” His excitement is bubbling, recalling several comments asking him if he was going to duet with Hailey again.
Hailey finally gives him a genuine smile, “I’ll ask my parents.”
Jake jumps out of joy, eyes wide. The giddiness must be getting to him.
By the end of the month, Jake and Hailey have agreed. Their parents approved everything and signed all the necessary contracts.
Now, they are settling comfortably in the passenger seats of the RSS production van. White, pristine and equipped with tons of mounted cameras. Front, left and right to capture their reactions.
It was 3am — an ungodly time to wake up.
The sky is still dark with several stars blinking. Streetlights act as a guiding halo in the darkness of empty roads. There is a profound stillness in the air, as the filming staff make final adjustments to the cameras in the car.
Jake glances at his reflection in the car windows. It stares back. Wide eyes, nervous smile. His leg keeps bouncing uncontrollably.
Today would be the start of their RSS journey. They would travel to the filming stage venue for the first RSS round – a solo singing performance. The top 10 highest scoring contestants would become team leaders for the second group round.
Jake’s heart flutters with nervousness and exhilaration.
He and Hailey are officially contestants!
As the staff help put their luggage into the van, which makes Jake feel like a VIP, Hailey pokes at the camera attached to the seat in front of her.
“It’s kinda creepy.”
Jake chuckles, turning to see her bubbly smile as she relaxes to lie back on the chair. Her hair is still elegantly messy from the early morning wake-up. She tries to stifle a yawn. Cute.
He opens his phone out of boredom while waiting. The music club members have sent him well-wishes, encouragement and memes in their group chat.
A notification suddenly dings on his phone – a new follower on his Gachagram. Jake blinks.
Huh… he has yet to publicly announce the news, even though the contract had already allowed him to.
An idea glows in his head.
He switches to the camera app and leans towards a very sleepy Hailey.
“Say cheese, princess,” Jake flashes a peace sign.
Hailey scoffs at the nickname, glancing at Jake with an endearing expression. She rubs her eyes and gives a radiant smile.
Jake feels his heart skip a beat. Weird.
The camera snaps.
“Are you gonna send that to your mom?” Hailey leans closer to peek at his phone screen.
Jake mischievously smiles as he opens his Gachagram account, typing away, “Nah, you’ll see.”
The car trunk finally slams shut outside, and the driver climbs in, “We’re ready to set off, the drive will take around five hours. Ready?”
Jake glances at Hailey. She's already looking at him, soft and bright. He smiles back.
“I can’t wait.”
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@jakegotbars Gachagram Account
Image: Selfie of Jake and Hailey sitting inside the RSS van, with the sky dark outside. Jake flashes a peace sign at the camera. Hailey grins behind him, mirroring his peace sign above his head to give him playful bunny ears. They’re both smiling.
Caption: come watch us steal your hearts in RSS <3
Tagged People: @haileyharmony @RSS.official
Comments:
@rosexclovers: is that jake?? like THE JAKE IN RSS?? Congrats!
@millythreateningyou: LESGGO JAILEY!! YALL BETTER WIN 🔥🔥🔥
↳ @Diana_music: they look cute tgt but we shouldn’t ship them 😭 they might be uncomfortable
↳ @postonlovescake: girlie… I’m going to hold your hand when I say this, but that’s their friend