This is Real . . .

**This is Real . . .** is the thirty-ninth chapter of Zak Saturday's Immortal Love Life. It was first published on February 8, 2016.

## Chapter

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**Sarah's POV**
It was dinner time. Our whole family was gathered in the dining room. We got our food on our plates and began eating.
“Mom, Dad, I was wondering if I could ask you something,” I said.
“Of course, Sarah,” Mom said. “What is it?”
“Well, you all know how much I love music, right?”
“Oh, yes,” Dad said. “We hear you listening to music every day as loud as it can be.”
“So do I,” Mom said.
“I know.”
“Well, anyway,” I said. “I was wondering if I could try to become a singer? You know, like, meet with a music producer and see whether or not he’ll give me a record deal?”
“No,” Dad said immediately.
“Cj,” Mom said.
“No, Raylee. I’m not going to have my daughter expose herself like that as young as she is.”
“Well, may I remind you, she’s not just your daughter.”
“Unfortunately, no, she isn’t.”
Mom rolled her eyes and turned back to me. “Sarah, as much as I would like to see you have your dream at becoming a singer, you have stage fright. I wouldn’t want you to embarrass yourself if you’re too afraid to sing.”
“I know, Mom,” I said. “But I’m working on it. Zak taught me a way to—”
“Oh,” Dad interrupted. “Zak’s helping you.”
“Cj, shut up, before I make you,” Mom said. “Continue, Sarah.”
“Zak taught me a way to be able to handle my stage fright.”
“And does it work?”
“It did with him.”
“Ok. But what about anybody else?”
I hesitated. “Umm . . . I haven’t really tried with anybody else.”
Mom sighed. “Sarah, you need to try in front of a whole crowd first, ok? Prove to me that you can handle it.”
“Ok. But what crowd?”
“Selena told me that our school is having a talent show in a couple weeks,” Zack said. “You can sign up for that.”
I thought about it for a moment. “Ok. I guess I could try that.”
“Can’t you wait until you’re much older?” Dad asked. “You’re just too young right now.”
“Cj,” Mom said.
“Dad, I feel like my only chance is now or never,” I said. “And I’m trying this now.”
“It’s not that I don’t want you to follow your dreams, Sarah,” he said. “But with a dream like that, a lot of girls your age who have that end up losing it all before they’re twenty.”
“I won’t be one of them, Dad. I promise.”
Mom smiled. “That’s the spirit. But, Sarah, you don’t have to win the contest, you just need to be able to sing in front of a lot of people.”
“I know, Mom. And thanks.”
Dad sighed and stood up from the table. “Well, then, good luck.”
He walked over to his liquor cabinet, grabbed out a couple bottles of whiskey, and left the room.
Mom sighed.
“Did Nick ever drink?” I asked.
“Very rarely after he met me,” she replied. “But when he did drink, he was actually much more dangerous than your father is. Mostly because he was an Immortal.”
I looked over at Emily sitting in her high chair, enjoying her food.
“You’d think he’d learn something for what he did,” I said.
“He did,” Mom said. “Only to never drive drunk, especially with his kids in the car with him. That’s just the best thing I could hope for right now. But he needs to stop drinking all together. Do you think you can write a song for him to stop?”
“I’ll work on one.”
“Let’s hope it works,” Zack said.
“Yeah.”

The next day, Selena showed me the sign-up sheet for the talent contest.
“Here you go,” she said. “Now all you have to do is fill out your information.”
“Thanks, Selena,” I said.
“You’re welcome.”
I looked over the names of who had already signed up and stopped when I saw one name.
“Oh,” I said. “You—”
“It’s ok, Sarah,” Selena said. “I’ve already done this before. Now it’s your turn.”
“I don’t want to compete against my best friend.”
“Neither do I. But I can sign myself out—”
“No, don’t do that. If I have to lose to anyone, I’d much rather it be you than anyone else.”
She smiled. “I feel the same way.”
I grabbed the pen and began signing my name.
“Oh, look at that,” a girl’s voice said. “Looks like Sarah’s signing herself up for the talent show. Do you even have any talent, Sarah?”
I gritted my teeth and turned to face her. “I have more talent than you, Wendy.”
“We’ll see about that.”
She and her posy walked past us, but not before sneering at me.
Wendy. She was the most stupidest bitch in the whole school. She wears way too much makeup; clothes that show way too much skin, causing most of the boys to fall head-over-heels for her, but they’re all perverts anyway.
I’ve always hated her. She picks on me the most, but I can handle it. But the worst thing of all? She’s my dad’s boss’s daughter, and he’s an asshole too. Sometimes we have to go to their house for special dinners and I really hate it. So does my mom and Zack.
But we’re also on the same cheerleading squad.
I know, I know. Selena’s the head cheerleader, so why is the person we hate the most on the team with us? Well, because as much of a bitch as she is, she’s good at cheering, and it wouldn’t be fair not to have her on the team just because we hate her, though my friends disagree. I kind of do too, but I convinced Selena to let her stay on team. But believe me, if Selena wasn’t the head cheerleader and she was, neither me nor my friends would be on the squad at all.
“She’s such a bitch,” I said.
“I know,” Selena agreed. “And she signed up for the talent show contest.”
“She always does.”
“With a different talent every year. And look at what she’s doing.”
I looked at her talent on the sign-up sheet: singing.
“Shit,” I cursed.
“I know,” Selena said. “You’re a better singer than she is, Sarah. And you’re going to prove it.”
“You’re damn right I will.”
I signed my name and talent and put the sheet back.
I think I’m more confident about this than I was yesterday. I guess competition really does get your adrenaline pumping.
It’s on now.

Yeah, short chapter.
Anyway, no one guessed my last quiz, but the answer to it was: **Fly to your Heart, by Selena Gomez.**
I will have the song posted on my wiki if you want to listen to it.
Please review **here**.

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## Character Appearances

### Main Characters

* Sarah Hollinger
* Zack Hollinger
* Raylee Hollinger
* Zak Saturday (mentioned)

### Minor Characters

* Selena
* Wendy
* Emily Hollinger
* Cj Hollinger
* Nick (mentioned)