tough competition.â
âWe just wanted to wish everyone good luck,â Aly said.
âI think things are going to start in a few minutes,â AJ said. âOur manager, Jim, said there will be news crews covering this tonight. So do your best!â
The sisters headed back to their seats in the theater.
âThatâs amazing that Claire was able to recreate her song without her notebook,â Aly said.
âIâm not surprised,â AJ replied. âWhen I write a song, it stays with me, you know? I think Claire just needed to find some confidence in herself. Iâm glad we could help. Although . . .â
âI know what youâre thinking,â Aly said. âEven though Claire has a song, her notebook is still missing. And one of the contestants had to have taken it.â
âRight,â AJ said, sighing. âI just wonât feel right until this is all settled.â
But there was no time to play detective; the competition was about to begin. A news reporter was waiting for Aly and AJ when they returned to their seats.
âSo how will you judge the finalists today?â she asked them.
âWeâre looking for a well-rounded songwriter,â AJ replied. âSomeone with great lyrics but who can also create melodies and beats.â
âAnd weâre going to perform a song from the winner at our concert,â Aly added. âSo it has to be a song that speaks to us and who we are, too.â
âItâs going to be a tough choice,â AJ said. âAll of the contestants are great.â
Jim walked up. âWeâll have to wrap this up,â he said. âThe judgingâs about to start.â
The reporter left just as Henry took the stage.
âI really liked the love song he sang last time,â Aly whispered. AJ nodded.
Henry sang into the mic as taped music played in the background. It was another love song, and it sounded a lot like his first song.
âHmmm,â AJ said, writing in her notebook. âNot bad. But I wonder if Henry can do anything else?â
Austin took the stage next. He didnât look nervous, like he had backstage. He had great positive energy, and he flirted with AJ once again as he sang. The song had a crisp rock beat and catchy lyrics about hanging out in the summertime.
âAustinâs back to his old tricks,â Aly teased when he left the stage.
âMaybe, but that song was hot,â AJ said.
Bree came out, wearing a tank top, peasant skirt, and clutching her guitar. Her curly hair bounced wildly around her face as she played and sang.
âIâm taking my act on the road.
Donât know when Iâll be home again . . .â
âNice,â AJ said.
Aly nodded. âAgreed. But not so original, maybe. It kind of sounded like a Rolling Stones song.â
Then it was Claireâs turn. She sang a song called âCrush,â about a girl who had a crush on a boy in kindergarten, and then dates him in high school. She seemed more confident onstage, and her singing voice was louder this time.
âThatâs awesome!â Aly said when Claire was done.
âWay,â AJ agreed. âI can so imagine us singing that.â
While Claireâs song was cheerful, Amberâs was a lot darker. She got up close to the mic, her voice droning as she sang.
âDark, dark, dark.
The lonely pits of my heart . . .â
âCool,â AJ remarked. âBut could you imagine us singing that?â
âI honestly donât know,â Aly answered. âI mean, we donât always sing happy songs.â
âYeah, but that was downright depressing,â AJ pointed out.
Josh was the last finalist to perform. Like Henry, he sang to taped music in the background. He sang âLove Letter,â a clever song about a boy who sends a love letter to the girl he secretly likes, but the wrong girl gets it, and they end up falling in love instead.
Aly and AJ