Brandon's POV
The moment the host called our band's name, I stopped breathing.
"The winners of this year's SoundForge Music Contest are… The Beach Boys!"
For a heartbeat, I didn't move.
Did I hear that right?
Was it us?
My mind went blank. I just stood there, frozen, staring into the stage lights.
The sound hit me seconds later — a tidal wave of screams, applause, and cheers that shook the air.
It was happening.
We won.
We actually won.
Oliver grabbed me by the shoulders, shaking me like he was trying to wake me up from a dream.
"Bro! We did it! We freaking did it!"
Jason was yelling somewhere behind him, Pete jumped so high his guitar strap nearly snapped, and Mr. Pat was clapping his hands in disbelief. The stage lights burst into gold beams, and confetti started to rain from above — white, silver, and gold flakes spiraling through the air like blessings.
