Chapter 126 - TV Broadcasting of Public Performance

/"I know am a bit complicated

so thank you for the wait

I know am a lil conceited

But you're the reason we made it"/

"Man, dat boi can sing!" Tayaw just made it into the second round and the barber who cut Tayaw's hair earlier in the evening is currently watching Tayaw's second song in his living room.

"Babe, you know him? You don't watch music shows." The barber's wife asked.

"Nah. But I cut his hair today. I got a picture of him too and now Imma put it on the window. Good lookin mofckuh." 

---

Jericho, New York

Charlotte walked in the bedroom of her son, Lee with Lee's clothes she just folded. She however found something strange.

"What are you guys watching?" Charlotte asked when she realized that Lee is not the only person in his bedroom. 

Her two daughters and her son, who are rarely in the same room together, are currently watching something in the Lee's TV.

"Mom! It's Tayaw!" Lee said, admiration apparent in his gaze to the television. 

Charlotte does not have good eyes but her ears are sensitive enough to hear someone singing in the television so she joined her children to watch. "It doesn't look lik-… hm? It is him! Ooh, He can sing!" Claire said in surprise. 

She did not recognize Tayaw at first because she only saw Tayaw wear loose sweatshirts and loose cotton sweat pants. Tonight however, Tayaw is wearing a three-piece suit, a fancy hat, and huge aviator sunglasses; and is currently playing the piano while singing. The contrast of the context that Tayaw is currently in was almost unimaginable for her.

/"I won't ever let you down, down, down

But when I do, you won't be on the ground

You picking me up when I'm down

I'm glad that it's you I found…"/

Tayaw soon finished his song and the four heard the crowd on TV give a huge round of applause.

"Mom, he's so cool!" Lee exclaimed and clapped softly. 

"I didn't know he's a singer. He must be famous?" Charlotte asked. 

"I don't know. Tayaw just told me this morning that I should watch something tonight. Hehe. He didn't say he's gonna be in it." Lee said.

Charlotte hearing that understood why Lee is watching the TV instead of his usual use for the thing to play video games. She is however curious as to why her son is not fighting with her daughters already especially since they are in his space. 

While the host of the program interviewed Tayaw, "Hmm. He's hot…" Charlotte suddenly heard her eldest daughter utter. She looked at her daughter and did not like the sultry gaze her daughter is giving to Tayaw on the TV. 

Holly, currently a sophomore at a community college, was one of the 'cool girls' in her high school but she paid for it with her grades. Charlotte would not want to admit it to her children, but she was once just like Holly. She however does not like that Holly made the same mistakes she did in her younger years. 

"Ugh, there she goes again." Lexi, the second daughter said in repulsion at Holly's attitude, and she opened her laptop, resuming her reading.

Unlike Holly, Lexi is what would be considered an overachiever in school. Straight A student and would have no problems getting to a good university or college in the future. She is the perfect daughter.

"Honey, he's a lot older than you. Drop it." Charlotte reprimanded Holly.

"No, he's not." Lee remarked.

"What's that honey?" Charlotte asked, half annoyed and half curious at Lee's interruption.

Unlike Charlotte and the other neighbors who are wary of Tayaw, Lee visits Tayaw every day since Tayaw's visit to their home, making Lee the most informed about Tayaw.

"He said he's 18. Holly is 19. Tayaw is younger." Lee explained simply.

"See, mom? He's perfect." Holly said smugly.

Charlotte became even more annoyed because Holly's expression is also the one, she used to make when she was younger at her own parents. 

"So? He doesn't go to school. He's a good singer, but there are better guys out there." Charlotte insisted on teaching Holly a lesson.

"Still, he's rich. His house is bigger than ours." Lee interrupted again.

"Thank you, Lee! I don't know why you're helping me today, but thanks." Holly said, getting smugger by the moment. 

"Honey, why don't you go to your room?" Holly said, having enough of Lee's unintended 'sabotaging'.

"This IS my room... whatever." Lee rolled his eyes and went walked out of his room. 

"He might be a spoiled kid, honey. I don't want you dating jerks like him." Charlotte said.

"Hmm. I don't think he's a spoiled brat, mom." Lexi, who was silent, replaced Lee.

"See? Mom. I have a shot." Holly, feeling the upper hand insisted. 

The next moment, however, Holly felt betrayal.

"AHAHAHAHAHA! OH... Oh. That! That is funny! No. He's out of your league. Drop it." Lexi followed up, laughing the hardest they have ever seen in a while.

"What does a loser like you know?" Holly could only say. 

"Oh, I don't know. I know more than what you know now when I was 13. Anyway~! I looked up the name he used in the show. Look at this…" Lexi passed her laptop to Charlotte and Holly. 

"Isaac Yawat… September Ninth… Sorrento Film Festival Best Director… Songwriter known for hits like …" Charlotte read the sparse Wikipedia page of Tayaw.

Charlotte felt Tayaw become more respectable in her eyes. Even though she loves Holly unconditionally, she knows that Tayaw is indeed way out of Holly's league. 

"OH honey… Go ahead. Give it a shot. He might like you." Charlotte's reprimanding mood earlier suddenly transformed into a supportive one. If Tayaw is a good man, Charlotte wants Holly to have him. 

Holly, on the other hand, is still speechless as she read Tayaw's Wikipedia page over and over again. Charlotte, Lexi and Holly fell silent as they mindlessly watched the next performer on TV. 

"MOM! Tayaw is not a spoiled jerk!" Lee, who they thought went somewhere, suddenly barged back in the room.

The indignation on his face made Charlotte feel guilty about the words that Lee overheard.

"I didn't mean it honey. But tell me, honey, am I so wrong?" Charlotte wanted Lee to calm down so she gave Lee the chance to explain.

"He let me talk to his parents online! His mom is a high school teacher and his dad repairs cars… They're great people!" Lee said.

This piece of information blew the ladies' minds even more, Charlotte especially. 

"Ooh, I'm sorry honey." Charlotte said. Lee, hearing the rare apology from Charlotte calmed down immediately.

"And YOU! Don't date him! He's a good guy!" Lee however was not done however and told off Holly.

Holly, seeing Lee this emotional for the first time, was not able to come up with something to say back.

"Ooh... Looks like Lee has a crush on a boy ~" Lexi on the other hand, decided to tease Lee.

"I like girls! But I like Tayaw too… Why don't you date him?" Lee said in defense and unintentionally made Lexi blush with his suggestion.

Seeing Lexi blush, Charlotte felt relieved that Lexi is not a lesbian. Charlotte is not a homophobe but she still prefers it if Lexi is a 'proper' woman. 

"So, this is where you all are." A man said as he walked in Lee's bedroom.

"Peter, honey, you're done with the rest of the laundry?" Charlotte asked.

"Yeah. What's going on? I heard Lee yell." Frank asked.

"Well, we were just talking about the new neighbor…" Charlotte started explaining. 

"MOM! SHH! It's decision time for the three finalists. I hope Tayaw goes through." Lexi, who was given the pass to shush her parents, interrupted. 

---

/"The third and last act going to the finals is… ISAAC!" One of the judges announced and the crowd erupted in cheers. Tayaw subtly pumped his left fist as if he was not expecting it, and gave the last person eliminated in the round, a consoling hug./

"YEAH! I told you B! Ain't no way dat lil b*tch gon be the one!" The customer who was with Tayaw earlier in the barbershop exclaimed.

"Yo, chill G'. That's a JUVENILE right there… Of course he ain't gon be better." The customer's friend said. 

The two and their two other neighborhood friends are currently watching the 'Music Night at the Apollo'. Sunday nights should be sports nights for the group of friends but because no major sports started their season yet, they have no sports to watch. The customer, finding out that Tayaw is going to play, called his friends to watch the show together. 

"Ain't gon lie, I don't like his music. But he gon win for sure." Another friend remarked.

"Fo' sho'. The guitar AND the piano? That's a modern maestro right there." The customer agreed.

"B, you forgot he got PIPES! Brother can sing the phonebook." Another friend added. 

"'Dis overkill, man. Ain't no way he ain't famous. He be like Corey Hill playin' college ball. Shiiit." Another friend said in sympathy towards the other acts beside Tayaw.

"Anyway. 'Dis mof.u.c.kuh GOOD. 'Na mean? Like, superstar GOOD." The customer concluded. 

---

Apollo Theater

"Contestants, please proceed to the backstage and prepare for your final stage. Congratulations." The announcer instructed Tayaw and the two other acts. 

"Man, who is he, really?" contestant 3, who was eliminated in the second round, said to Contestant 7 as they saw Tayaw return with the other finalists in the waiting room. 

"I don't know. But he has to be famous, right? Maybe famous in the internet." Contestant 7 replied.

"Maybe, but if he's a professional, there's no way the he's be on the show, right? I mean, they said he's 18, right? Maybe he's an amateur with pro skills." Contestant 3 rambled. 

"Maybe. But I'm glad he ain't gon' be back if he wins." Contestant 7 said.