“Good morning everyone, please take a seat in the first few rows.” Deanna, the summer programs coordinator, instructed. “As most of you know I’m Deanna and this is my assistant Erik. Welcome to the Academy’s Summer Program. Thank you all for being here bright and early, and on time. We have a lot to go over today as to what we will be working on this summer.”
Ashley listened intently from her seat as she spoke.
“Now I know that most of you are used to the ranking system where your parts co-inside with what grade you are in but here you’re all on a level playing ground. That means just because you stared in a show during the year if a freshman is more prepared they get the part. Each one of you were hand selected as the best if your grades and all have the potential to succeed.”
Ashley looked around a little as Deanne continued. She didn’t know many of the others who were in the summer program. After being the lucky one chosen to take over the lead in the Spring show she wasn’t very well liked either. Word had got out that AJ had come to the show and of course rumors didn’t trail that far behind. People said everything from giving her the role was just a way to get AJ to shell out money or even better that he had already gave money in return for her scoring the lead. She tried to ignore them but it frustrated her when she knew how hard she was working. She wanted people to realize that she was there on her own with no help from anyone.
“Today you will each be going through a series of auditions to see where you would best be placed. We will divide you into three groups and will rotate so each of you will have a chance to sing, learn and relay a dance routine and recite a scene. We are also looking at how well and how fast you can memorize. Memorization is key to succeeding as a lead in the summer program. We do two shows at a time for a total of six throughout the summer so it does get intense but we all have strong faith that you all can handle it.”
“With that said let’s begin.” The man to Deanna’s left jumped in.
They took the next few moments to sort them into groups. Ashley first had her dance audition followed by acting and lastly singing.
The whole time Ashley was auditioning there were two girls in the front row that Ashley couldn’t help but notice. She knew they were seniors and friends with Meghan, the girl who’s part she took over in the last play, but she had never officially spoke to them. The whole time she was auditioning or off by herself running lines they were glaring at her.
She tried not to be intimidated by their glares but the girls were beginning to bug her.
“She’s really good.” Stephanie whispered to Elaine as Ashley went up for her turn to sing.
“Too good.” She whispered back. “We can’t let her keep this up, she’s the reason Meghan isn’t here this summer.”
“There’s not much that we can do about it. No matter what anyone says about her she doesn’t falter. I thought those rumors would at least slow her down a little, but she didn’t seem to care.”
“Excellent job, Ashley.” Deanna said as he finished.
“It was a nice try Steph, really, but those were baby steps. We need something that will really break her, I just don’t know what yet.” Elaine looked up from her seat as Ashley walked by, giving her a fake smile.
Ashley ignored her and continued to the other side of the room to take a seat. She had finished all of her auditions for the day and was hoping there wasn’t much more left to do. As much as she wanted to be there, knowing that no one else felt the same way put a damper on her excitement. She rolled her eyes when she looked up to find Stephanie and Elaine approaching her. They sat in the row in front of her and turned to face her.
“What do you want?” Ashley said unenthused at their smiling faces.
“You did really good today. I have to give it to you, I don’t know how you do it.” Elaine started.
“What are you talking about?”
“I know I wouldn’t be able to handle getting up there knowing that no one wanted me here or that they all thought I paid my way in.” Stephanie continued.
Ashley rolled her eyes not wanting to say anything to add fuel to their fire.
“I mean it must be great coming from a family that can buy you anything you want. So just out of curiosity exactly how much does this program cost if you aren’t good enough to make it in on your own?” Elaine raised an eyebrow.
“Why don’t you go look at your parent’s check books and then get back to me, I’d love to know too.” She smirked at their stale expressions refusing to let them get the best of her. She was beginning to grow tired of all of these rumors and people talking about her. “You know I must be doing something right for you guys to keep trying to sike me out like this. But don’t get too intimidated, I’ll try not to steal all your thunder.”
“Intimidated? Yeah right.” Elaine rolled her eyes. “We’re just letting you know what we heard, so get over yourself.”
“What you heard or what you made up? You guys lie so much I think you’re starting to forget what’s real.”
“We didn’t make up anything.” Stephanie lied.
“See there you go again. You know at first I wasn’t sure why I even wanted to stay in the program when all of you guys hate me, but you guys just reminded me why.” She glared at them unmoved by their words. “So you can talk about me and hate me all you want, but come show time I’ll shut you up.”
Stephanie and Elaine looked on in shock as Ashley got up and walked away from them.
“What a little bitch. If it we’re possible to hate her even more then I already did, I would.” Stephanie said.
“You know what, let her have her little summer, that just gives us more time to come up with something really good when school starts. Besides there’s no fun in breaking her down in front of just fifty people when we can do it with the whole school.” Elaine grinned. “We just have to wait for her guard to be down.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
im hoping to write another chapter today but im not sure if Ill get in done in time before I go out to dinner with my family but there will be another chapter up soon sorry this one is a little short...
happy holidays everyone and for those who celebrate christmas have an amazing day tomorrow!
happy holidays everyone and for those who celebrate christmas have an amazing day tomorrow!
Chapter End Notes:
ive been asking around to those who i talk to online if there is anything that you would really like to see happen before the end of the story(no worries theres still a good amount left im just trying to outline it) but if theres something that you would absolutely love to see let me know and Ill see if I can work it in! your input is important to me. THANKS GUYS!
