After that first award for Best Supp Actor, the award show went by in a blur. Oer another, more awards were being given out to different movies. I few weeks before the voting ended, Dad and Warner Bros had scaled up the promotions of [The Perks of Being a Wallflower] and [Echoes of You] signifitly. I personally didn't think we had any a major category when a masterpiece like [Brokeback Mountain] was right there, but Warner Bros was adamant. They had just wo Picture st year for [Million Dolr Baby] and wao repeat that feat this year.

  Usually, when a movie is promoted so much, even if it doesn't win a major award, it ends up taking home a teical award or two, which was exactly what happened here.

  "The Oscar for Best ematography goes to Leonard Sterling for [The Perks of Being a Wallflower]."

  As soon as that was announced, I was on my feet, g hard as Leonard ran up from the back of the theater to accept his award. On his way to the stage, he stopped by my seat and exged a quick hug with me before tinuing up.

  I was thrilled about his win. Leonard was retively inexperienced, but he brought something fresh to the film by crafting a visually stunning movie. He chose to shoot on film stock rather than digital, and the grainy look of the final product perfectly plemehe movie's 1990s setting. Leonard had devoted an immense amount of time to each shot, and bined with the storyb Stephen Chbosky had meticulously dohe result was a beautifully shot film. So I wasn't surprised we won this one.

  The only surprise was that Leonard beat some legendary ematographers like Wally Pfister, Emmanuel Lubezki, and Dion Beebe—artists whose names alone could attract actors to projects even if the director was unknown.

  "Thank you to Troy Armitage and Stephen Chbosky for trustih their film," Leonard began his speech.

  I used to think all those 'thank yous' were excessive, and that people like Harvey Weinstein and Steven Spielberg—thanked relentlessly at every award show—were overhyped. But now I realized how good it feels to be the ohanked for someone else's success.

  The award that caught me off guard was for Best Film Editing.

  "And the oes to Mary Jo Markey for [The Perks of Being a Wallflower]."

  I shot to my feet again, appuding another win for our film. This was the sed victory that genuinely surprised me. Best Film Editing is often seen as a sotion prize for Best Picture because many believe the real magic of filmmaking happens in the editing room, not o.

  Mary was an old friend of Chbosky's. I agreed to let her take on the role because I'd seen her previous work, and I strongly believed that the film's storyb pyed a crucial role in enhang the editing. Mary implemented fast cuts based on Chbosky's suggestions, creating a tightly paced movie that never dragged. The climax—Charlie's breakdown—was edited so masterfully that it probably ched her the award.

  As she walked toward the front, I hugged her as well before retaking my seat.She finished her speech after thanking a ton of people, including me, when a beautiful woman discreetly approached and said, "Troy. It's time."

  I turo Rihanna and said, "See you in a bit."

  She nodded in uanding as I got up and followed the woman. On the way, I waved to my family—Mum, Dad, and Evan, who were sitting just a feay from us. The ercial break had just begun, so it made sehey'd use this moment to get me ready for the part of the show. As soon as I stood, a smartly dressed man appeared and took my seat—the seat filler, whose job was to ehe Oscars didn't look empty to viewers at home.

  A useless job, but a job heless. Shaking my head to clear ihoughts, I focused on the segment of the show where I'd be the main attra.

  (Break)

  "Oh my God! I'm so excited! I've never been this excited for the Oscars before!" Patty said, practically boung. "What wouldn't I give to be there in person to see Troy perform live?"

  Cire nodded along. "I know! He hasn't done any certs we could attend. I've wao see him perform in person for so long. I'd have spent all my savings and even dipped into my college fund to fly to Los Angeles if that were an option. The only time he performed live after [Billy Elliot] was with Rihanna in London, and that wasn't even announced in advance."

  "Shhh!" Patty shushed her friend, her attention locked oV s. "It's back!"

  There was no annou, no buildup—just the iic opening music of "Blinding Lights" as the lights iire hall dimmed. A single spotlight shone brightly behind Troy, who stood at the batrance of the theater. The light framed his silhouette in the darkness like a bea.

  Every guest in the hall turo catch a glimpse of the teen star who had shaken the musidustry with just one album. As the music swelled, Troy began walking forward. He had sed his bck tux for an open beige jacket over a bck T-shirt, paired with jeans and—Crocs.

  "Is he wearing Crocs at the Oscars?!" Patty excimed, incredulous. It was ohing to wear them casually at home, but it was something else eo wear them on an iional stage watched by hundreds of millions of people.

  "He was wearing dress shoes before," Cire pointed out. "He must've ged into them, just like the rest of his outfit."

  Their versation was cut short as Troy began to sing.

  ~: I've been tryna call

  I've been on my own for long enough

  Maybe you show me how to love, maybe

  I'm going through withdrawals

  You don't even have to do too much

  You turn me on with just a touch, baby :~

  Troy's vocals were as strong as they had ever been—no noticeable difference from his record album. By this point, he had reached the stage, and wherever he moved, people in the audieood up, seemingly in awe of his voice. By the time he reached the frohe stage, the entire audience was on their feet, appuding as if they were at a cert rather than a high-css formal event like the Oscars.

  "Is the voice pre-recorded?" Cire asked skeptically. "Because he souly the same as he did on the album."

  Patty could only shrug, uo answer.

  Just then, Troy reached the stage, and this time he wasn't alone. A whole array of backup dancers, both male and female, emerged and surrounded him from all sides, creating a truly memorable se. The entire group, including Troy, performed an eborate dance routine—all while Troy tio sing fwlessly.

  ~:I said, ooh, I'm blinded by the lights

  No, I 't sleep until I feel your touch

  I said, ooh, I'm drowning in the night

  Oh, when I'm like this, you're the orust

  Hey, hey, hey! :~

  As that part of the song eroy spread his arms wide. Two girls behind him stepped forward, each taking a sleeve of his jacket and pulling it off pletely, revealing that the bck T-shirt underh was actually a tank top. It showcased his defined arms—impressive for someone his age.

  A group of boys then brought forth a giant drum, simir to the one he pyed in the movie. Troy quickly grabbed two drumsticks and began pying. The orchestra behind him seamlessly transitioned from the music of "Blinding Lights" to "Radioactive."

  In an instant, Troy transformed his vocals from a polished pop sound to a gritty rock tone. Each beat of the drum resohrough the hall, holding the entire audience spellbound. By the end of the song, even the most traditional and reserved attendees were singing along with Troy.

  ~: Woah-oh, woah

  I'm radioactive, radioactive

  Woah-oh, woah

  I'm radioactive, radioactive :~

  Then came the final song of the night. A group of guys dragged a piano onto the stage. During this, Troy disappeared for a few seds. Wheurned, he was wearing a pin white short-sleeve shirt over the light blue faded jeans from before—and, of course, his infamous Crocs.

  ~: 'Cause all of me, loves all of you,

  Love your curves and all yes,

  All your perfect imperfes :~

  The opening owerful as ever. This time, there were no backup dancers or eborate chraphy. Instead, Troy sat at the piano, opting for a stripped-down performah no apanying instruments. This acoustic version of the song created su intimate aional atmosphere that Patty couldn't help but feel deeply moved by it.

  ~: I give you all of me

  And you give me all of you. :~

  This final song was markedly different from the first two. While the first olished pop trad the sed a hard rothem, the st was a tender love bald. It effortlessly showcased Troy's vocal mastery and his ability to traverse multiple musires with ease.

  As "All of Me" came to a close, the entire hall rose to their feet in thunderous appuse for what was undeniably a well-deserved performance. After hearing the range and quality of the three songs, Patty was increasingly vihat Troy had been singing live. Surely the audience, filled with seasoned professionals, would have noticed if he weren't, right? But even if it had been pre-recorded, it didn't matter to her. Troy had created some iients with his musid the standing ovation from the crowd only reinforced the merit of his performance.

  When he firoy bowed politely to the audience before heading backstage.

  "Ladies alemen," a male voinounced, "please wele our wo guests presenting the awards for Best inal Song a inal Score: Emma Watson and Jamie Bell."

  To Patty's surprise, two of Troy's co-stars stepped onto the stage.

  "Whoa," she excimed. "They're having Ron and Hermione give him the award?"

  "Makes sense," Cire replied. "If he is the guaranteed winner, it's poetic to have the presenters be people who know him personally."

  Jamie Bell spoke first, taking the microphone. "When I first met Troy seven years ago, I hated his guts. He'd won the lead role in [Billy Elliot]—a role I was also peting for. At that time, I was sure I could've do better than him. I even po make the shoot as difficult for him as possible. But all of that went out the window once I got to know him. Troy is the best friend anyone could ask for, and he's impossible to hate. He's the kind of guy who'd help you out, even if he barely knew you."

  The audience appuded politely as Jamie ed up the introdu of his friend.

  Emma Watson took over. "When I first met Troy, [The Sixth Sense] had just been released, and he was already huge. Wherever we went, whoever we met, everyoed as if they already knew him. Yet, none of that ever ged him as a person. The Troy I met and fell in love with when I was nine is still the same guy today. The only difference is that, besides being an actor and a dear friend, he's now also a singer, dancer, musi, and producer. Anything I'm fetting, Jamie?" she asked rhetorically.

  The audience ughed and responded with polite appuse.

  Jamie then opehe envelope in his hand and grinned. "I know I don't actually have to do it this way since we all know the winner, but I've wao do this for a long time, so please indulge me."

  The crowd chuckled, and Emma shook her head fondly at Jamie's antics.

  "And the Oscar for Best inal Song goes to Troy Armitage for 'All of Me.'"

  "Yes!" Patty excimed, standing up. "I k! I knew he'd win for 'All of Me.' That's my favorite song of his."

  "It was obvious that the old fogies would go for the bald," Cire noted. "Although I like Radioactive more."

  Troy, still his casual white shirt and jeans, walked out from backstage. He hugged his two friends one by oarting with Jamie and then Emma. A young woman standing beside Jamie handed him the Oscar, which he passed to Troy.

  With the statuette in hand, Troy stepped up to the mic at ter stage, while Emma and Jamie took a few steps back.

  "First of all, thank you to whoever decided to have Emma and Jamie present this award to me," Troy began, gng back at his friends. "Thank you both for those toug words just now."

  He turned back to the audiehank you to the members of the Academy for this honor, though I hardly think I'm the best musi. I've only just started, and there are so many talented people out there who deserve this more than I do."

  The audieed in appuse at his humble statement.

  "I'd also like to thank one person without whom I wouldn't be standing here: Evan Spader, my brother in all but blood. It was his idea to make [Echoes of You]. So, brother, this award is as much yours as it is mine."

  The camera pao Evan in the audience, capturing his touched expression before returning to Troy.

  "I want to thank my parents, who have supported me ever since I was a kid; Dougs Saunders, who helped me produce these amazing songs; and our incredible sound mixing and engineering team—I'll thank you all personally as soon as this show is over. Thank you, Stephen Daldry, for making this movie such a beautiful piece of art. To our cast and crew—Emily, Rihanna, and so many others—you've made this journey unfettable.

  "Lastly, I want to thank all the amazing musis who came before me and inspired me to write my own songs. Thank you."

  Troy bowed slightly as the audieed into another round of appuse.

  The woman who had handed Jamie the statuette guided Troy backstage as Emma and Jamie resumed speaking into the mic.

  Emma began, "Music is magi itself. It defies logid has the power to calm us or invigorate us."

  Jamie tinued, "Background scores in movies py an essential role in veying a story without the need for words."

  Emma nodded and added, "Here are the nominees for Best inal Score:

  Brokeback Mountain – Gustavo Santaol

  The stant Gardener – Alberto Iglesias

  Memoirs of a Geisha – John Williams

  Echoes of You – Troy Armitage

  Pride & Prejudice – Dario Marianelli."

  This was the moment Patty had been anxiously awaiting and could barely tain her excitement for.

  "He won't win this," Cire said matter-of-factly. "Everyone already knew he was going to win at least one award. They're not giving him another."

  "Yeah, but the musi [Echoes of You] is so good!" Patty protested, though deep down she feared her friend might be right.

  Just then, Jamie Bell opehe envelope taining the name of the winner.

  ___________________________________

  Visit my Pat reon to read ahead, or participate in free polls about the story.

  Link: (dot)pat reon(dot)/fableweaver