Starlet

19. Collin

The next day, I take my check and try to go to Marcus. But he's not here. Nobody is. I talk to a guard and realize they are all on vacation. Must be nice. I guess I'll wait until they get back to cash my check. I can't even go to dance class without them. This is dumb. I need to figure out how to make doors.

I do nothing but fish and study lines all weekend. I make over 8k by myself. Then I grocery shop and spend 500g a night. I turn it into at least 2.5k the next day. At the end of the weekend I make just over 15k. I'm proud of myself.

They come back on Sunday night, so I go to aerial on Monday. There's only 2 weeks left. Marcus gave me a doctor's note. It must be convenient being a doctor. Tre cashes my check for me. They seem preoccupied and don't say much. But that's fine.

The day of the auditions, Dipak summons me up to his office. Him, Marcus, and Omar are in it.

Omar smiles at me when I sit. "I need to get your classes ready. Any classes you want?"

"Doors. And in the morning please."

"Dance is over. We can do that. I'll put you in doors, circles, herbs, and specialties. That'll be good. You'll be in class from 8am to noon. Then you have lunch. Did you want to continue practicing the aerial in the theater?"

"Yes, but can I pick a time later? I don't know how much of a break I'll need. And I'll need to practice as well."

"That's fine. I'll put it from 3:30 to 4:30 now. Let us know if you want it changed."

"Thank you."

"My pleasure, anything you want to ask?"

"No. I don't want to be late for the auditions."

Dipak nods. "I talked to Andy this morning. Bayden wants to put you as an understudy for a main role. Would that be too much for you? I have concerns. You've only been in the theater for 1 play, and you're young."

"Understudy or a minor role would be amazing. I can do it."

"Alright. Let me know if you have any issues."

"Of course."

"Have fun and good luck."

I run out smiling. I run over to my house and swing on my new swing on the porch. Thora decided we needed a 2-person swing. I study the lines 1 last time.

Then a cute boy walks up. "Hi, I'm Collin. I live a few paths over."

"Hi Colin. I'm Whisp. I guess you know where I live." I smile at him. "Have a seat."

He looks all flustered, then sits on the swing with me. "What are you doing tonight?"

"Auditioning." I hold up the lines.

"I saw you in the last play. You did well."

"Thank you. I'm trying out again."

"I bet you'll get a good part."

I smile and look down. "I will try my best."

"So you really like theater?"

"Yes. Theater and dance. What do you like?"

"I figured out this year that I kind of like teaching. I tested out the reading for the castle tests. So I've been tutoring others and I like it. You don't go there though?"

"I have a castle tutors. I work with the tutors over there instead of at school."

"That must be why nobody is ever here."

"Oh. The morning was my dance lessons. Then, in the afternoon, I'm at the magic school. I practice aerial after that. Play stuff last."

"You definitely have a full schedule and I don't know what aerial is. Maybe you can show me sometime."

I nod fast. "How long are you in school during the days?"

"Until 3."

"I dance aerial in the theater at 3:30. It's only me in there. You can watch it sometime... Only during the week though."

Andy walks up on the porch. "Auditions didn't move or change times."

"OH." I jump around for a second and grab my lines. "I'm sorry. I have to go. Time sped up on me. I never even asked what you needed. Can I... Did you?"

He laughs. "I'll come see you dance in a few days. I'll talk to you then. Good luck at your audition."

I smile big. "Thank you, Collin."

Bayden looks at me as we walk in. "Nice of you to join us."

"Sorry." I plop in my normal seat. I want to tell Silvia. She knows everyone at the school. She'll know who he is and everything.

"We have a lot trying out and not enough time to run the whole scene. We are only doing the first set of the audition lines."

I can't help but make an "Ugh" noise. The first set of audition lines are so boring.

Oh well. Nothing I can do about it. The first 2 get up on the stage and audition. They don't do any of the acting. They seem really stiff. The 2nd set does better, but it's almost like they secretly hate each other. The 3rd set might as well have read the lines off the paper. Then Andy gets a turn. He goes up and sits on the stage. It's supposed to happen on the beach. So he's pretending to sit on the beach and look at the water. A girl comes up and does the lines with him. She refuses to sit but doesn't do badly with the lines. She won't sit or get close to him though. I find that odd.

Bayden apparently does too, and I think he's getting annoyed. "WHISP GO READ WITH ANDY." It sounds more like a warning than a friendly invitation to audition.

I jump straight the hell up. I run up to the middle of the stage and pull myself up on it. I hear people start laughing. I don't care. I run behind the side curtain and throw my shoes. I'm not wearing shoes on a damn beach. Then I find my shoes. It'll be more real if I'm carrying them. I mess up my hair a bit. And walk out pretending to walk on the beach. Andy's watched me the whole time, and he's got his eyebrow up. I pretend to walk on the beach and see him sitting there. I look back and think about leaving him. But he seems upset.

Scene.

Nicole walks along to the beach to see Zeke sitting alone. Obviously upset. She turns away and thinks about leaving. But instead she takes a deep breath and walks over to him.

Nicole: 'Hi.'

Zeke: Messing with a seashell, looks up. 'Oh, hi.'

Nicole: 'I'm, uh, I'm, uh, well...'

Zeke (helping) 'Nicole?'

Nicole: 'Right, Nicole. That's me. That's my name, Nicole.(fast, nervous rambling)Actually, it's my aunt's name. She lives far away. I know you're not supposed to be named after someone until they're dead, but my cousin's named Rosie, after my grandmother, who is dead, and my Aunt's really pushy, so my parents made an exception. Don't think it's actually illegal or anything. Can I sit?' Nicole sits beside Zeke.

I try to sit by him and apparently misjudge the distance to the floor or where my ass is. I end up falling right on his lap. He tries not to laugh and moves me over. I don't know what to do. I keep going.

'You seem a bit upset. Thought you might like some company. Or maybe I'm the upset 1 that needs the company.'

Zeke 'You want a drink?'

Nicole 'Sure.'

Zeke hands her his coconut. 'Here, it's pretty good. I haven't had any yet.'

Nicole 'Thanks.' takes a sip.

Zeke 'I lied. I tried it. I don't know why I said I didn't. I don't have anything, you know, contagious. I just... I'm sorry.' Looks down and shakes his head.

Nicole: 'It's okay. I lie sometimes, like when I'm really nervous.'

Zeke 'Really? Me too.' Awkward silence. 'Oh, here, I made this for you.' Zeke hands Nicole something. 'It's just a bracelet made of grass and seashells. I know, it's stupid.'

Nicole: Looking at it, smiling. 'No, it's nice. People don't usually do nice things, you know, for strangers.'

Zeke: 'You're not a stranger. I mean, not really. I know that your grandmother's dead and that you have a pushy aunt and, well, you're drinking my drink. So, that's more like friends, right?

Nicole: (nervous smile) 'Right, friends.' Takes a sip of the coconut then hands it to Zeke. He takes a sip. They share a smile.

We look at each other and smile, and we are about to lose it. I have almost got tears coming out of my eyes already. Andy rubs his eyes and doesn't say anything or move.

Bayden looks at us. "End scene."

We lose it.

Bayden nods. "What happened?"

"I fell in his lap." I laugh even harder.

Andy wipes his eyes.

"I'm surprised you 2 held that together. Are either of you hurt?"

I blurt out. "At least I asked if I could sit first."

"Well, I didn't think you meant there."

We lose it again.

"You're not hurt. Get down. Next up is Helen and Leo."

We go back to our spots. I watch Leo go up and sit where Andy was. Leo is sexy. He's got long hair. I love long hair. Then Helen comes out like I did. She's carrying her shoes. She stole my idea. I give her a dirty look and Andy's friend starts laughing. Then the whole group looks at me and chuckles. Assholes.

Sexy Leo seems like he does good. The girl just is stupid. She stumbles on the lines. Has no personality. Then sits like 6 feet away from him. Maybe she's scared of boys. That's honestly what it looks like. Then she refuses to take the coconut prop. Maybe because she's to far away. I have no idea what's going on really. The scene ends somehow. They aren't even looking at each other.

"WHISP GO ACT WITH LEO."

I jump up again. That's not good. All I want to do is sit on his lap. I go over and come out pretending to walk down the beach. This time I manage not to fall. But I do sit so close to him. We're touching. Then I nearly stab my eye with the straw because I can't stop staring at him. He notices winks at me. He's so sexy. I can't help but smile at the end of the scene.

Andy and his friend group laughs. Bayden nods. "What happened that time?"

I rub my eye and Leo answers, "She stabbed herself in the eye with the straw."

"Yea I'm not surprised, she was definitely focused on something else." Andy's group cracks up laughing. "Whisp, stay up there. Act the scene with Ben."

I get up and walk back to the curtain.

16 times running the scene later... He seriously makes me run it with all the boys.

"Good now, Whisp, I want you to run with Leo and Andy again. Then you'll be done."

"Ok."

I get through it with no problems. I don't even stare at Leo the last time. I think I'm done. Then Bayden makes Andy get up on stage and run it with all the girls. At least he just had to sit there. I had to get up and down from the floor 20 times.

Andy runs the scene with Lynn last. She does really well. There was a couple that did good though.