Choosing America's Next Superstar

by Jeff Erno

  “We didn’t do anything with him. I swear.”

  “Corey, have you shown this to anyone else?”

  Corey looked down toward the ground, unsure of how to answer.

  “Please, Corey, I have to know….”

  “There’s another boy, but I can’t say who he is. He’s been meeting Reuben in his room every night since we got here.”

  She folded up the note and handed it back to Corey. “Hold onto that, and guard it with your life,” she whispered. “Listen to me, Corey. Don’t worry about Reuben. I’ll make sure you and Jimmy get a fair shot in the competition. Just concentrate on delivering your performances, because if you screw up, there’s no way I can save you. You know that Reuben has a lot of sway. He’s the one who first started this show. He thinks of it as his baby, and sometimes he acts like he has more power than he really does.”

  “Well, what’s going to happen? Are we gonna have to worry about him retaliating against us? What if he does? It’s not like I can do anything about it. I can’t even go to the media….”

  She shook her head. “Don’t go to the media. Like I said, just focus on your own performance, and I’ll make sure Reuben doesn’t hurt you.”

  “Thank you,” Corey said.

  “I’ve got to go now. Good luck tomorrow.” She stepped closer to Corey, holding out her arms to hug him. “You just hang in there. I know you’ll do great.”

  BOTH Corey and Jimmy gave flawless performances the next day, but they had to wait for their results. During this round of elimination, the contestants were not immediately given feedback. When Corey took the stage, he tried not to look at Reuben, and he had no idea what impression any of the judges had of his presentation. When he was finished, he took a seat in the auditorium and waited for Jimmy.

  It was a long day, one of the most grueling of Corey’s life. Sitting there waiting and worrying was horrendous. He hated the fact that the judges waited until all the contestants had sung before rendering their decision. After Jimmy’s song, the two sat together. All they could do was wait.

  After the last performance of the day, at seven o’clock that evening, the judges posted their results. The one hundred contestants were divided into five groups of twenty, and each group was sent to wait in a separate room. Two of the groups would make it through to the Top Forty, the other three groups would go home.

  Corey and Jimmy did not end up in the same group.

  “Crap!” Corey whispered.

  “It’ll be okay,” Jimmy said. “There are two groups that will make it. Hopefully they’re our groups.”

  Tristan and Teri ended up in a group together, but it was not the same group as Jimmy or Corey. This meant that at least one member of their foursome would be cut, possibly two. If Corey’s and Jimmy’s groups made it through, then Teri and Tristan would not. If Teri and Tristan were saved, then either Jimmy or Corey would have to go. Worst-case scenario would be that all three of their groups were cut.

  Corey and Jimmy hugged before heading to their rooms. He knew that when they saw each other again they’d either be ecstatically happy or terribly disappointed. It was a horrifying feeling. As Corey sat in the corner, anxiously awaiting his fate, he prayed that Jimmy would make it. If Jimmy were cut, it’d be awful. Corey actually was more concerned about Jimmy than he was about himself. He knew that Jimmy would be able to go on without him, but he wasn’t sure if the reverse was true.

  Although it was less than an hour wait, it seemed an eternity. The four judges went to each of the rooms, delivering their verdict. The members of Corey’s group looked at one another when they heard shouting and cheering coming from one of the other rooms. Apparently the judges had already delivered their results to that room, and it sounded favorable. Corey prayed that the shouting they heard was coming from Jimmy’s group.

  At last the door opened, and the judges stepped into their room. All the contestants were seated on the floor, looking up at the judges expectantly. It was Krystal who spoke.

  “Well, first of all, I want to tell all of you that you should all be very proud. To have made it this far—into the Top One Hundred—is an accomplishment in and of itself. Unfortunately, we have the unpleasant task of choosing only forty people from this sea of amazing talent. The worst part of our job is delivering our verdict when it’s time to make these very difficult cuts.

  “So I’m going to just put you out of your misery and tell you… you made it through! You’re in the Top Forty!”

  The entire room erupted in uproarious cheers. The contestants were on their feet, pumping their fists in the air, hugging one another, many of them crying tears of joy. One of Corey’s fellow contestants grabbed him and pulled him into a tight bear hug, even though Corey barely knew him.

  “Please come downstairs to the conference room, where you can meet the other half of the America’s Next Superstar Top Forty.”

  Everyone began racing out of the room, and as Corey stepped into the hallway, he immediately saw Tristan. He was standing with his arm around Teri, and they both were crying. Tristan looked at Corey and shook his head. They hadn’t made it. Corey stepped over to them. “I’m so sorry,” he said.

  “Hey,” Teri said, “this isn’t the time for you to be sorry. You should be celebrating! You’re in the Top Forty.”

  “I know, but I’m sad. I’m gonna miss you guys so much….”

  “Corey,” Tristan said, as he stepped closer, “thanks for everything. I knew you’d make it.”

  “Tristan, are you gonna be okay?” There were tears streaming down the young boy’s cheeks.

  Tristan nodded. “I am now. To be honest, I’m glad it’s over.”

  Corey grabbed hold of him and hugged him tightly. He then embraced Teri. “We have to stay in touch,” Corey said. “We have to promise each other….”

  “Corey, go on and win,” Teri said. “You deserve it. We should be the ones worried about you forgetting us after you’re rich and famous.”

  They all hugged one more time, and then Corey pulled away. “I have to go. I’m supposed to go downstairs, and I don’t even know yet if Jimmy made it.”

  Teri just smiled at him.

  “You know something?”

  “Just go,” she said.

  Corey smiled. Jimmy must have been in the other group that made it through, but his friends did not want to spoil the surprise. “I love you guys!” Corey said as he turned and dashed down the hall. He couldn’t wait for the elevator, so he took the stairs, three at a time.

  When he dashed into the conference room, he began scanning the crowd—the much smaller group of only forty. At last he saw the cowboy hat. “Jimmy!” he shouted.

  Jimmy turned and raced toward him. “Oh my gosh! I thought you didn’t make it! All these people came in, and you weren’t here….”

  Corey jumped into his arms, squeezing him tightly. “We made it! We both made it!”

  “WE’VE only got one more round,” Jimmy whispered, nuzzling his face against Corey’s cheek.

  “They’ve got to cut sixteen people,” Corey said. “What if we’ve made it this far only to be eliminated in the final round?”

  “You can’t think that way. It ain’t gonna happen,” Jimmy said. He slid his hand down the center of Corey’s back, resting it finally against his bottom. Jimmy liked the feel of the smooth, tight-fitting fabric of Corey’s dress slacks. “You looked so sexy up there when you were singing.”

  “Oh really?” Corey said. His voice was soft and breathy, as if he were gasping for air. “I was sexy then, but not now?”

  “Even more now,” Jimmy said. He reached up and loosened Corey’s tie, pulling it off, then proceeded to undo the top two buttons of his shirt.

  “Sing that song for me,” Corey pleaded. “That one you sang our first night.”

  “‘Your Man’?”

  “Yes… please.”

  Jimmy continued unbuttoning the shirt, leaning in to plant sweet kisses on Corey’s pouty lips between each button.


  “Baby, lock the door and turn the lights down low…,” he crooned.

  “Mmm… your voice. Your sexy, deep voice.”

  Jimmy only sang the first couple lines of the lyrics. His mouth was soon too busy with other tasks. Very gradually he inched his way down Corey’s smooth chest, concentrating first on his right nipple, then the left. Corey whimpered as Jimmy grazed the sensitive nubs with his teeth. By the time the last button was free, Jimmy was on his knees, at eye level with Corey’s waist, and it seemed only logical he shift his attention to the business at hand.

  As he unfastened Corey’s belt and unzipped his fly, Corey steadied himself by grabbing hold of Jimmy’s shoulders. First the pants slid down Corey’s thighs, followed quickly by his boxer briefs. Jimmy’s pulse quickened as he savored the sight and smell of Corey’s hardness. Unable to restrain himself any longer, he dove for it, devouring it in one ravenous gulp. As his mouth surrounded the pulsing hard-on, Jimmy moaned, enjoying the smoothness of the skin and the musky smell that wafted into his nostrils.

  “Oh, God,” Corey cried, trembling slightly.

  Jimmy began to suck, slowly bobbing up and down, laving Corey’s manhood with his tongue. Corey only allowed him to continue for a few strokes and then pulled out. “Jimmy, please… you’ll make me come.”

  Jimmy grinned devilishly and looked up at him. “Ain’t that the idea?”

  “I want… Jimmy, I want you to make love to me.”

  Jimmy remained there in his kneeling position for a few seconds, looking directly into Corey’s eyes. “Baby, are you sure?”

  “I’m ready,” Corey said. “I don’t want to wait any longer.”

  Jimmy pushed himself up so he was standing directly in front of his lover. “Corey,” he whispered, “I love you too,” and then he pulled him into his embrace, delivering the most passionate kiss of his life.

  And they made love.

  Chapter Ten

  IT WAS the last day of the elimination rounds. All of the performances had been given, the judges had made their decisions, and now the remaining forty contestants had to wait for the results. They gathered in the auditorium by the hotel and waited for their names to be called. One by one they were summoned to a back office where the judges would render their decision.

  Out of forty contestants, only twelve males and twelve females would make it through. Jimmy surmised that the odds were not in his favor. He’d known from the beginning that he was not Reuben’s favorite. He knew the competition was fierce. Although he hated to lose, mainly because he didn’t want to disappoint his brother Charlie, he was ready to go home.

  He’d be going home one way or the other after the results. If he made it through, he’d have to travel to Hollywood in three months to compete in the nationwide contest. If not, it’d be over, and he would at least be able to be proud of how far he’d gotten.

  Over the previous three days, the contestants each had to give one final performance before the judges. It was extremely formal, and they all had spent hours rehearsing. Jimmy’s song had been well-received. The judges seemed to love it—most of them anyway.

  But Jimmy suspected that at this stage of the competition it was not really about the talent of the contestants. It was not about any one performance. It was about putting together a group of twenty-four performers who would blend together in a way that created an entertaining reality show. It was about balance. They’d select a variety of musical styles. They’d stack the top twenty-four with a balanced racial and ethnic mix. They’d try to represent several different regions of the country.

  Jimmy was the only remaining male contestant that predominantly sang country western. He was the only contestant from Kentucky. Those were his positives. But on the other hand, he was in an age group that was overrepresented. There were three Southern opponents that also had thick accents. He was not a shoe-in by any means.

  Corey, on the other hand, had a better shot. He was undeniably a heartthrob. He had that adorable, cherubic face. He sang beautiful love songs and ballads, and was a great dancer. He had a broad market appeal, and there really wasn’t any other contestant remaining in the competition that was likely to rival him. Corey was also the only contestant remaining from the Great Lakes region. Jimmy had a lot more hope for Corey than he did for himself.

  And if Corey went on without him, Jimmy would not be bitter. He’d be thrilled for his boyfriend. Yes, he considered Corey his boyfriend now, and he couldn’t even imagine how painful it was going to be to say goodbye to him tomorrow. That night, three days ago, when they made love for the first time, had been a milestone for both of them. They’d embarked upon new territory, and each of them had shared with the other a part of himself that had previously been reserved.

  Jimmy felt no remorse. He’d saved himself for the right person, and he knew that Corey was that special someone. Corey was the one who fulfilled him. Corey was the one who made his heart swell, who made him wonder how he’d ever lived prior to meeting him. And no matter what happened in the competition, Corey was Jimmy’s superstar.

  As they sat there in the auditorium, Jimmy glanced around to make sure no cameras were nearby, then reached down to take hold of his boyfriend’s hand. Leaning over, he whispered in Corey’s ear, “I love you so much.”

  Corey squeezed his hand and turned to face him, his eyes brimming with tears. “God, Jimmy, what the fuck am I gonna do without you? I can’t go for three months without you! I love you so much.”

  “Corey Dunham!” They heard Corey’s name announced, and Jimmy released his hand. Corey’s was the first name called.

  “This is it,” Corey said. “Wish me luck.”

  “Break a leg,” Jimmy said.

  As Corey exited the auditorium, Jimmy could do nothing but sit there and wait. “Please God, let him get through.” It seemed like forever as the seconds ticked by. Jimmy kept his head bowed, not daring to look up. Finally, ten minutes later, the doors at the front of the auditorium swung open, and Corey raced through.

  “I made it!” he shouted. The remaining contestants rose and applauded.

  Jimmy rushed over and hugged him, squeezing him so tightly that he literally lifted him off the ground. Corey squealed excitedly. “Oh my God, Jimmy. I made it! I really made it!”

  Jimmy wanted more than anything to kiss him. Tears of joy streamed down both their faces. “You better call your mom,” Jimmy said. “She’s gonna be so proud.”

  “You’ll be next,” Corey assured him. “If I made it, you will for sure.”

  Jimmy smiled at him sweetly. “It’s okay, even if I don’t, I’m so happy for you.”

  “You will,” Corey insisted.

  They waited until the next contestant was called back, and then the two of them stepped outside so that Corey could have some privacy. He called his mother and told her the exciting news, then Megan.

  “I better get back in,” Jimmy said, “in case they call me next.”

  They didn’t end up calling Jimmy right away, though. For the next two hours he sat there, waiting as the judges made their way through the forty contestants. He witnessed a lot of elated faces walk through the door and several contestants that were heartbroken. Regardless of what the outcome was, there were tears—either tears of joy or disappointment.

  Jimmy was trying to count the number of male contestants who’d made it through. He knew there were at least six. That left only four slots, and there were seven other male contestants who’d not yet been called. It was just before four o’clock when he got called.

  He stood up, and Corey grabbed hold of him, hugging him tightly. “I love you,” he whispered. Jimmy looked up to see a camera in his face. He smiled sheepishly, though unashamed of the affection and support Corey offered.

  “I love you too,” he whispered.

  As Jimmy walked through the door, he stepped into a long hallway. They must have reconstructed the stage area in order to create a corridor through which the contestants had to enter and exit.
He imagined it was to add to the drama while they were filming. Whatever their reasoning, Jimmy felt like a dead man walking as he made his way down the long hallway.

  At the end of the hall, he had to go through a doorway. It was a large oak door, and as Jimmy tentatively pushed it open, the first thing he saw was Krystal’s smiling face.

  “Jimmy Sawyer,” she said cheerfully, “come on in and have a seat.”

  Jimmy stepped over to the chair and sat down. All of a sudden he felt like a teenager who’d been called to the principal’s office. He smiled at Krystal and then glanced at each of the other three judges.

  Reuben had a smug look on his face, and Jimmy could only imagine what he was thinking. In all honesty, he didn’t care what that jerk thought of him. Even being in the same room with the man was almost more than Jimmy could stand. But it was Reuben who began the conversation.

  “Jimmy,” he said, clearing his throat. “Unfortunately, we are down to the very end, and we have to make some very important and often difficult decisions. Only the best of the best are chosen as our Top Twenty-four, and it is our responsibility to ensure that the American public is afforded the opportunity to vote for those who are truly the best.

  “In my opinion, you are not one of those chosen few. In fact, I don’t think you even come close to the caliber of talent that we are looking for—”

  “But we all do not share Reuben’s opinion,” Tyler interrupted. The long-haired rocker leaned over and looked Reuben in the eye. “Some of us can appreciate talent when we hear it.”

  “And thankfully we operate as a democracy,” Krystal said. “Reuben has his opinion, but he is only one vote. Jimmy, I was impressed with you from the moment I heard your audition. You have not once stumbled. You’ve delivered time and again, the most spectacular performances—songs that have given me goose pimples and have brought tears to my eyes.”

  “Jimmy,” Raymond began, “Dawg, you got it! There is absolutely no question, you are in it to win it!”