Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month)
Reflection
In language arts class, we got to write our very own novel! This was very fantastic because there weren't very many limits, we got to let our imagination wander! I think it was a great experience for me to get the opportunity to write my own novel. I also learned the basic elements of a story, and how the plot should go! I wonder, what is the best way to end a novel? I loved feeling what it's like to be a real writer.I can connect this to the world because many people are authors, whether it is professional, or just writing in a journal. Either way, they are expressing their feeling and emotions through a story. I will always remember writing my own book!
Read my entire novel below!!!
Big News
Words couldn't explain how I was feeling when I heard the news. This was something that I had been waiting for for 16 years. Something that I thought was impossible. Something that seemed too magical to ever become reality. But now, here I am, in the place I think to be the greatest place on Earth. New York City. The Big Apple. The city that lives behind the quote, “If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.”
Everything here is beyond perfect. The Breathtaking skyscrapers, the streets full of life and passion, and most of all... Broadway.
As a child, I always imagined myself on that vast stage. The cheering crowd, the elaborate costumes, it all seemed so unreal to me. My dream is.. Or was, to star in a Broadway production. It seems too unreachable because I have a fear of rejection. I'm always too afraid to put myself out there, or take any risks. It's almost like there's an eight ton boulder standing in my way.. and no matter how hard I try to get around it.. I just can't.
"Lola! Come see the view from the dining room!" Exclaimed my mom, Jen, as she gazed out the window. She's the whole reason for the move in the first place. Thanks to a generous job offer as a set supervisor, we are now 4,000 miles away from our old home in a small town called Eastwood.
I am so eternally grateful for this. Eastwood was the worst town ever. There was just no life there. It's the best feeling to finally be out of it. Also, my mom needed the higher salary. Ever since my dad left us, we've been struggling to stay on our feet.
"Ok!" I skipped and joined my mom at the glass window.
"Are you excited about your first day at school tomorrow?" She asked with a hint of curiosity in her tone.
"Well, I'll admit, I'm a little nervous. But I'm sure it's nothing I can't handle."
"Hey, you'll do great. I'm sure you'll have lot of friends in no time." Mom put a hand on my shoulder, showing me that she will support me through this whole journey. As we stood, gazing out the window in awe, the doorbell rang. I looked at my mother, who had a puzzled expression on her face.
"Well that's odd. I wonder who that could be." She said as she began crossing toward the door, which I noticed was very nice, with golden fixtures.
When my mom opened the door, there stood what seemed to be a mother and daughter, holding a pie. The young girl, who looked to be about my age, was very beautiful. She had hazel eyes with dirty blonde hair, and wore jeans with a peach-colored blouse.
Her mother had blonde hair as well, and wore a navy blue dress with brown sandals.
"Hi! We heard we had new neighbors, and we just couldn't resist. We baked you a pie!" Exclaimed the lady in the navy blue dress.
My mom, with a delighted expression on her face, began to reply.
"Wow! This is so wonderful! Thank you! My name is Jen, and this is my daughter, Lola." My mom shook the woman's hand with a sweet smile.
"Its nice to meet you. I'm Elle, and this is my daughter, Abagail."
"We'll its nice to know we have such great neighbors! Would you both care to join us for dinner?" Asked my mother. I wish she didn't say this, I was looking forward to just relaxing tonight. I wasn't really in the mood to have company. Elle smiled with thankfulness in her eyes, then began to speak.
"Well, thank you so much for the offer, but Abagail has lots of homework tonight, and I have tons of work to do as well! But we'll definitely have to get together another time"
"Alright! Well it was really nice meeting you guys. Thanks so much for the pie!" My mother exclaimed with those quirky little hand gestures she always does. They are very strange... but somehow, I never get tired of them. Elle began walking backwards.
"Your welcome! It was nice meeting you, too." They both waved, and my mom shut the door. She then looked at me.
"Well, they seem nice."
"Yes, very." It was getting kind of late, so I decided to eat a quick dinner then go to bed. Although, I was nowhere near tired... I knew I’d be getting no sleep tonight.
I settled on a quesadilla, with warm cheese and chips on the side. After dinner, I decided to have a slice of pie for dessert. To my surprise, it was very delicious. They baked the crust to a perfect, flaky gold and brown. This distracted me for a few short minutes, but this wasn’t enough to diminish the thought of what could be in store for tomorrow. The first day of school. When my mom asked me how I felt, I told her I was fine. But inside, I was slowly slipping further and further into a black hole of fear and worry that seemed like it would never end.
The Beginning
It was a ringing in my ears. The sounds became faster and more irritating every time they occured. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP BEEP.
My alarm sounded at 6am sharp. I squinted my eyes and quickly shut it off. I knew that today was my first real day in New York. The day that my new life would finally begin.
I quickly began searching through my closet for a nice outfit to wear. I hadn't done very much shopping lately, so my choices were limited.
Butterflies swarmed through my stomach as I began discarding any outfit that didn't meet my standards. I finally decided on a peach pink scarf, a leather jacket, and a pair of jeans. Not too festive, but I didn't want to get too carried away. When I skipped to the kitchen, my mom had already started breakfast.
"Good morning, sweetie! You look beautiful!" I smiled.
"Thanks, mom.
I quickly ate the scrambled eggs and bacon my mother prepared. That morning seemed to fly by.
Before I knew it, there I was. Standing by the large doors into the school. It suddenly struck me that this school would take place inside. Eastwood was nothing but sunny days, so our campus was always outdoors. Well, this will be different, I thought to myself. I looked around, and took in the scenery. Yellow and orange fall leaves gracefully swam through the air. The sky looked gray, as if it were about to rain.
"Lola! Lola!" A voice sounded behind me. I an anxiously turned around, curious to see who would already know my name. It was Abagial, the nice girl that made us pie the day before.
"Oh,hi!" I said, stumbling for words. Abagial began to speak.
"I was hoping I could show you around campus. Do we have any classes together?" I handed her my schedule, and she began happily reading it, with a hint of hope in her eyes.
"Hey! We have just about every class together, except history! That's so cool!" Abagial exclaimed.
"Yeah, that's great!" I replied. Just then, a loud bell sounded. I followed Abagial all the way across the hall to a classroom door. We both entered, and Abagial took her seat. Unsure of what to do, I awkwardly stood there, wishing someone would tell me where I was supposed to go. A tall woman, who appeared to be the teacher, began to speak.
"You must be Lola." She shook my hand. "I'm Mrs. Gizmo."
"Hi, it's nice to meet you." I replied. I looked at the classroom, and realized there was only one seat open, next to a blonde girl that was writing in a notebook. She had piercing, green eyes, and dark red lips. Mrs. Gizmo spoke.
"You may have a seat next to Kat." Her hand gestured to the blonde girl. I started walking to the empty chair, getting many strange looks from the other students. Kat looked at me and fire burned in her eyes.
It was as if I had done something terribly wrong. I sat down, and set my navy blue back pack on the ground. I watched as she wrote "Kat Parker" in her notebook. That class seemed to last ages. Kat made me feel so uncomfortable. I couldn't wait for 1st period to just be over. When it finally ended and I packed up all my belongings, I found my locker and started setting it up. I looked to my right, and notice Abagail walking toward me, joined by a boy. He looked quite well built, and had wavy brown hair that flipped just the right way. He looked at Abagail and smiled with a dimple. He wore dark jeans, and a blue t-shirt that brought out his crystal clear blue eyes. Suddenly, I noticed I was staring, so I quickly looked away.
"Lola, this is Chase. Chase, this is Lola." Abagail said. I turned around and smiled at chase.
"Hi." Hi? Really? That's the best you could think of? I thought to myself.
"Hey! So how do you like the school?" Chase Asked with a smile.
"Oh, it's pretty good. But do you guys know who Kat is?" All light dropped from Abagail's expression.
"Kat Parker?" I remembered watching her write that name in her book.
"Yeah! That's the one! Do you know her?" I said with wonder in my tone.
"Know her? She's the queen of the school. She gets everything she wants, no matter what the circumstance is. She acts like she is just so much better than everyone. Why? Did she do something to you?" Abagail replied. I recalled what happened in class.
"Well, no, not really. She just didn't seem so thrilled that I sat next to her."
"Don't worry about it, she does that to everyone. Trust me, it's nothing personal." Chase sympathized.
I hoped they were right, because I didn't want to spend the rest of the year getting dirty looks from Kat. I couldn't believe that I already had an enemy, and it was only second period. Walking to my second class, I dropped my papers, and they flew everywhere. Really? I thought to myself as I awkwardly squatted to pick them up.
“ Oh look! It's the new girl!” Sounded an unfamiliar voice. Even though I didn't recognize it, There was no doubt in my mind who was behind me. Kat. In the corner of my eye, I spotted a leather boot, that kicked my papers, spreading them even wider across the hallway floor.
" Ha. What a loser.” Kat said. She shot me a hateful glance, then gracefully walked away, being followed by her “friends”. I'm sure they only hung around her because they were scared of what she was capable of.
When I finally collected and re-organized my documents, I quickly walked to my next class, and arrived a few minutes late. After a few lessons about Shakespeare and some quizzes, it was finally lunchtime.
I walked through the bustling hall. When I arrived at my destination, I scanned the cafeteria, in hope to find Abagail and Chase. When I saw them at a table, joined by a few people I’ve never seen before, I unsurely headed towards them. Abagial smiled.
“Hey Lola!” She said.
“Hi, mind if I sit?” I asked.
“No, please!” She gestured her hand toward an empty seat beside her.
I was so glad that I had met such nice people, that let me sit with them. I couldn't imagine what this school would be like if everyone was like Kat Parker. Just the thought of her gave me chills.
“So, what do you do?” Chase asked me curiously. Unsure of what he meant, I cocked my head.
“What do you mean?” I replied.
“ Come on,” he started, “Everyone does something. What do you do?
Sports, art?” I began to better understand what he was asking.
“ Oh, well, I have always been Interested in acting and Broadway, but I know it’s stupid…” My voice began to drift. Chase looked surprised.
“What! That's not stupid at all. Do you have any experience?”
“Yeah. I've taken classes before, and been in some plays. Why?” I asked chase as he took a bite of the muffin he was holding.
“Broadway is putting on a junior production of Beauty and the Beast. Auditions are in a few weeks. You should audition with me.”
I was slightly surprised when he said he would be auditioning. He just didn’t strike me as the acting type. As I considered his offer, I remembered how I freeze when I'm in front of people. There was no way I would audition for Broadway with such fear.
“Well, I don't know If I should, I mean I've always dreamed of being on Broadway. It's just I've always been really scared of being…” Chase began interrupting me.
“ Come on! You have to do it. It's your dream, Lola. And I would be there, doing it with you. Please.” I looked into his eyes, and
suddenly became lost. I began to forget all the reasons I had said no in the first place. It all became so simple, like there was no way I could refuse.
“Ok I'll do it.” I blurted before I even thought about what I was
going to say.
“Great!” Chase exclaimed, We'll have to start practicing. Meet me today after school? My place. I'll give you the address later.” I became overjoyed that he was inviting me over to his house.
“Ok!” I said with a smile. I started looking forward to after school.
I hadn't acted in a while, and It would be great to start up again.
“This is going to be great! I’m sure you guys will get in.” Said
Abagail. Her assurance made me feel slightly more confident. The rest of that school day seemed to fly by. Once the final bell rang, I met up with Lola and Chase, and he gave me his address.
"You can come anytime after 3:30."
"Ok. Sounds great!" I replied.
My mom was working, So Abagail's mother drove me home. When I got there, like any other average mom, my mother gave me a quiz about my whole day.
"Did you make any friends?" She asked with a hop in her step.
"Yeah! Our neighbor, Abagail, was really nice to me today. She let me sit with her and her friends at lunch." My mother smiled.
"Well, that's great! Sounds like you had a pretty perfect day!"
Perfect? I recalled the Kat incident. The images of her harsh stare filled my mind. But I didn't bother mentioning this to my mom, she had her new job, and I didn't want to bother her with any of my problems. I also remembered what Chase said about auditioning for the show. I was nervous about what my mother would think, but I was going to have to tell her sooner or later.
"Hey, mom, guess what?" I asked her, unsure of myself.
"Yes, Lola?" she asked as she began washing the dishes in the sink.
"I met a new friend, named Chase. I mentioned to him that I liked acting. When I told him, he insisted that I auditioned with him for the junior show, Beauty and the Beast on Broadway in a few weeks. And, um, I sorta agreed to it..."
"Honey, that's great!" I was relived by her delighted expression. She continued.
"I was hoping you would take up acting again soon! You're so great at it. And Broadway? That's so amazing! I'm so proud of you, sweetie."
Then, she put down the dish she was washing, dried off her hands, then came over to the stool I was sitting on by the counter. She gave me a warm, reassuring hug. I was surprised at how shocked she was that I would be auditioning. I mean, I know I haven't acted in a while, but I didn't think it was that long. I guess she's just proud that I'm Finally chasing my dream, despite my fear of rejection. Sure, I'm scared. Did I say scared? I meant terrified. But I'm not going to let fear rule my life. I can't. I won't.
Understandings
It was 3:30, so I decided to leave for Chase's house. Reading off the small paper of directions he gave me, I finally arrived at his home.
It was beautiful, really. Tall, green trees lined his long driveway. There was a pathway leading to his door, and I started walking, following the windy pattern. I stopped at the entrance, and rang the door bell.
I was shocked at who answered the door. It was Kat.
"Chase? What's the new girl doing here?" Kat asked with a disgusted expression on her flawless face.
Chase walked up to the door frame.
"Hey, Lola! Come on in."
I accepted his offer and walked into the house. I felt very strange, being there with Kat. I kept wondering why she was here, but I thought it would be too rude to ask. After a few awkward moments, I finally asked the question that was burning inside me.
"So, Kat, what brings you here?" I asked as I played with the strings on my hoodie.
"What do you expect? That I can't spend some quality time with my boyfriend?"
BOYFRIEND?! I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Kat, and Chase? A couple? Why hadn't he mentioned this earlier? And how could someone so sweet and caring, be with someone so mean, and stuck-up? So many thoughts swarmed like bees through my mind. I was glad when Chase finally said something to break the akward silence.
"Sorry, Lola. Kat needed someone to practice with. She's auditioning with Brad, but he's sick today."
I suddenly became confused.
"Well, why aren't you both auditioning together? I mean you are..." It was difficult for me to let the word slip out of my mouth. "... Dating."
Kat stood there with a pleased expression on her face. She could sense the fact that I was jealous.
Chase began answering my question.
"It's just that Kat agreed to partnering with Brad, before I decided I would be auditioning."
It suddenly struck me that this meant I was Chase's second choice. He didn't really want to audition with me, he just didn't have much time to find anyone else.
Kat grabbed a brown, leather purse and headed toward the exit.
"Well, I better get going. My mom wants me home by 4:00."
But before she left, she gave Chase a long, passionate kiss on the lips. This was probably one of the most strange situations I've ever been in.
When she finally stopped, she walked to the door, then, when Chase wasn't paying attention, shot me a hateful stare. I could tell she was telling me to stay away.
But, how could I? After all, we were going to be rehearsing our audition almost every day for the next few weeks.
Days of Worry
A couple of weeks rapidly went by. It was always the same routine. Wake up, go to school, practice at Chase's house, go back home, and sleep. Rehearsing with Chase was always the best part of my day. He was always so kind, and not to mention, an amazing actor.
All the lines just flew right out of him, like he wasn't even reading off a script, he was just saying what he truly felt. I hoped he thought the same thing about me.
I mean, he always told me I was doing a good job, but I'm not sure if he actually meant it.
Even after all this time, it still surprises me that Chase and Kat are in a relationship. I even talked to Abagail about it, and she said she didn't get it either.
She has been such a great friend lately. She always came over on the weekends, and we would watch movies together and talk.
But each and every day, the auditions were nearing closer and closer. My anxiousness was unreal. I knew that there was no way I could back out now.
My mom seemed pretty excited about it. Everyday she would ask me questions like, “How was practice?”
“Are you guys doing well?”
“How’s Chase doing?”
My mom LOVED Chase. Almost to the point where it was very strange. He came over a few times, and she just wouldn’t stop talking to him. Then, whenever he left, she would ask me when he could come over again. Chase thinks it’s funny, but I think it’s weird.
Since there are only three days left until audition day, I am extremely nervous. There are so many “What if?”’s I can think of. It makes me wonder, if we don’t make it in, will Chase think it’s my fault? Will it make him wish he could have auditioned with Kat instead, and then maybe he would have had a better chance? But the thing that haunts me the most is the possibility that one of us can make it in and the other won’t. What if him and Kat get the lead roles? That will just prove even more that she is in many ways better than me. One of those ways being that she is dating Chase.
I know she uses that as a weapon to make me feel small. She gives me these looks that just drive me insane. Normally, I’d just ignore her and pretend like she doesn’t exist. But since she comes over to Chase’s often, and I’m there almost every day due to rehearsals, that’s a hard thing to accomplish.
“Lola? Lola? Are you ok?”
I regained my vision to find myself in Chase’s living room, holding a script. Was I really that deep in thought?
“It’s your line.” Chase explained with a slight chuckle.
“Oh, sorry. I guess I was just... distracted.”
But really, I was just thinking of the slight Chance that we might actually make it in the show. That we could become professionals and be on Broadway. Just the thought of it gave me shivers.
I shook all thoughts out of my mind, and began saying the next line, highlighted in orange sharpie.
After practice, we ate a snack and laughed together about something that happened at school earlier in the day. But soon after, Chase took on a more serious tone and began to speak.
“So, auditions are in a few days. I just want to let you know that no matter what happens, I had a lot of fun being with you these past couple of weeks. If we don’t make the part, know that you are an amazing actress, and I’m sure that you will be on Broadway someday.”
He smiled. I was so touched by what he had just said. It was so sweet of him to say such nice things about me. Soon, I realized I had to think of something nice to say back, so I quickly thought up a response.
“Chase, I had an amazing time too. And I know that you will get the male role. I mean, how couldn’t you? You’re perfect. You say every line with such emotion and passion, that I don’t see any way that they wouldn’t be dying to have you in their show.”
“Thanks, Lola. I really appreciate that.”
On the short drive home, I couldn’t help but smiling the entire way. He made me feel so special and important. Although I was unbearably terrified to audition in front of hundreds of people, I felt like having him with me would help me to get through it. I knew that he would be there for me.
The Facts
“Lola, what’s the answer?” Questioned my math teacher.
“Oh, it’s 36.” I replied.
I assume I was correct because he continued the lesson without a word. The bell rang, which meant it was lunch. I always cherished this quality time with Chase and Abagail.
I gathered my books and put them in my aqua backpack. As I left the classroom, I overheard a conversation between Kat and her “friends”.
“What do you mean? I already have the part.”
“Huh? How can you just know that you have it. What if Lola does.”
“My uncle works in the studio. He can make them Choose a certain person as a role, which will be me.”
She smiled that evil grin. I could’t believe what I was hearing. She was going to trick her way into the show? This was so unfair. I quickly dropped my thoughts and continued listening to the conversation as I attempted to blend in, hoping they didn’t notice I was there.
“I’ll get Chase the lead too. That way, it can just be me and him. He has been spending way too much time with that other girl lately.”
I realized she was talking about me. Why did she care how much time I was spending with him?
I ran all the way to the cafeteria, holding news I could barely stand. I had to tell Chase what she was doing. Then, it struck me.
What if he didn’t believe me? He was dating the girl, he must have had some trust in her. I couldn’t tell him. I had to keep this information locked inside me. Even though it hurt me to do this, I had to accept the fact that I wasn’t going to get a part in this showcase. Kat was.
I recollected myself and calmly sat down next to Abagail at the lunch table.
“Is something wrong?” She asked with a concerned expression.
“Nope. nothing.” I faked a smile and acted as if everything was fine. But I could tell Abagail knew something wasn’t right. Even I couldn’t trick myself. I stared down at the table and noticed a slight light change. A shadow was cast across the brown stone. I realized someone else had sat down at the table, so I looked up curiously. Perfect. Kat picked today to have a lovely lunch with her boyfriend.
“Hey, Chase!” She exclaimed.
“Hey.” He replied as he put his arm around her shoulder.
I couldn’t even look at her. It hurt too much to see the stealer of my dreams. The thief of my inspiration. This was so completely unfair. It was more than unfair. This was unjust.
I can’t just stand by and watch Kat take everything I’ve been working for straight out of my grasp.
Her innocent little face was all a lie. It was merely masking what was truly beneath it. Hate. Cheat.
I realized I was getting a little too steamed, so I tried to take my mind off the subject. I quickly shook away the thought and began listening to the conversation taking place between Abagail, Chase, and... Kat.
“So, guys. Auditions are in two days! You Nervous?” Kat’s perky little attitude irritated me. Chase had no idea what she was doing to me.
“Nah, We’ll be fine.” Chase insured. He flashed me a smile. I couldn’t help but give a sweet smile back. I could tell this disturbed Kat.
Strangely, this gave me a sense of pride.
“Yeah, well, Brad and I aren’t scared either. We’re gonna kill it.”
She gave me a very harsh look. The same harsh look she gave me the day we first met, when I sat next to her in class. This sent shivers down my spine.
“Yeah. I wonder if your uncle thinks so too.”
I couldn’t believe I let this slip out of my mouth. I looked at Chase, and he looked puzzled. Abagail was so caught up in a book she was reading that I’m pretty sure she wasn’t even listening.
“I don’t even know what you’re talking about.” She said without even a hint of a lie in her voice. She must be a pretty good actress, because Chase seemed to ignore everything that was happening.
“Oh, whatever.” I muttered with a weak tone.
I could tell that Chase could sense the intenseness in the air, because he attempted to change the subject, by bringing up some science assignment. He already knew when it was due, he had asked me a few days ago. I appreciated the fact that he did this, because things were getting slightly too extreme.
The Day
I opened my eyes. I knew that today was the day. The day that everything would change. The day I would be crushed. It was the day of auditions.
If it were up to me, I would just quit. I mean, what’s the point of trying if you know you will fail?
The thought of Kat’s smile sickened me. She knew that she would get the part. I just wish things could be how they were before I heard what Kat was doing. I had hope, I had dreams, and just the slightest thought that just maybe... I could be in a Broadway show.
But it doesn’t matter anymore, because any dream I had is completely ruined, thanks to Kat. I couldn’t even think about her, it made me feel like I was nothing. Just something taking up space in this world. Worthless.
How was she doing this to me? Before we met, I was such a joyful person. She has so much power over me.. She can change my emotion anytime she feels like it.
I looked at the clock and realized I had been thinking for over 20 minutes, so I snapped out of it and got out of bed. I was trying to avoid the thought of auditions, but that ended the moment my mother greeted me. She made me pancakes, and spelt out “Good luck, sweetie!” in chocolate chips. Really? I thought to myself.
She will be so disappointed when I don’t get in. I looked at the ground in sorrow. She must have sensed my unhappiness, because she looked at me with concern.
“What, you don’t want pancakes?” She asked. I smiled that she was so worried about the pancakes.
“No, mom. Their great. Thank You.”
“Are you ok? You don’t seem like yourself. is something wrong?”
“I’m fine. Just nervous I guess.”
The rest of the morning, I faked a smile to avoid any more questions about my mood. I was glad it was Saturday, because I don’t think I could have faced school today.
Chase told me to meet him at his house around 11:00, because the auditions were at 12:00, and he wanted us to go together. It was 10:30, so I quickly got ready then left for his house.
When I arrived, He seemed so excited. It hurt me to watch. I didn’t want him to be let down. But there was nothing I could do. He would soon be just as disappointed as I was. There was no way of stopping it.
I swear I was on the verge of breaking something when Kat walked out of the bathroom. It seemed as if she was everywhere I went.
“Oh, Yeah. She came by to wish us luck.” Kat smiled that smile that kills me every time. I shivered.
“Yeah... us.” I muttered. I remembered what Kat said about getting Chase the lead. This meant they would be spending even more time together. Well, that’s just great.
Finally, in what seemed like 3 decades, Kat left.
“Geez, finally” Chase said.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He was happy that Kat left? I couldn’t help but smile at this. He must have caught my grin, because he smiled at me back.
“Ha-Ha. What do you mean? Why are you happy that she left?’
“I don’t know. She has just been really getting at me lately. I’ve been thinking about breaking up with her.” This made my jaw drop.
“Seriously?” I asked.
“Seriously.” Chase took a few steps closer to me.
I looked at the clock. It was 11:45, so we had to go soon. By this time, Chase was standing just inches from me.
“Um, we have to go.” I said quietly.
“Oh yeah.” He said quickly. Chase turned around, grabbed his keys, then left.
As he turned around to leave, I couldn’t help but let out a delightful smile. I think I saw the corners of his mouth life up too. This made my heart skip a beat.
Shatter
Bright. The lights were blinding. I could barely see a thing. I squinted my eyes shut and stared out into the vast crowd. Kat sat next to Brad, looking more pleased than ever. Of course she was. She had just landed the role every actress dreams of. Honestly, her audition wasn’t even that impressive. Sure, she was good, but not great.
“Alright, please begin at Act 3, Scene 2.”
The moment we started, it was as if we were the characters. I wasn’t even playing a part, I was just saying my true emotions. I think the reason for this may be the fact that I have feelings for Chase, and by the way he was acting, I could tell he felt the same way too.
Up until now, my dream seemed too unreachable because I had a fear of rejection. I was always too afraid to put myself out there, or take any risks. It was almost like there was an eight-ton boulder standing in my way... and no matter how hard I tried to get around it, I just couldn’t. But not anymore. I have shattered this boulder. Now, I can walk past it... and see what lies beyond in the beautiful forest we call life. And I couldn’t wait to finally begin living it.
Before I knew it... Chase’s lips were touching mine. Of course, it was in the script... but to me, it meant something much more. When we pulled apart and the scene ended, there were tears forming in the judge’s eyes.
Tears were forming in Kat’s eyes to, but something tells me that watching her boyfriend kissing another girl was the cause of that. Strangely, I felt a slight amount of sympathy for her. Watching my boyfriend with another girl wouldn’t make me all that thrilled either.
When I glanced at Chase, he had the same look on his face that he had when I saw him for the first time. It was that joyful smile that couldn’t be copied. It was a smile I had never seen anyone posses before. Only Chase can shine such a bright light with such little effort. This made me gleam from inside out. Seeing him so happy multiplied my joy by 100%. I loved seeing his beautiful smile. I’m really gonna miss that smile when he’s out at play practice and I’m at home.
“Thank you. Next is Julia Wright and Robert Young.”
Chase and I exited the stage with joyful hearts full of hope. Or at least he was full of hope. I wish I could be as clueless as he was. Clueless of the fact that Kat was going to steal the lead role...
Abagail came running back stage, looking full of delight. I began laughing.
“What are you doing? You’re not supposed to be back here! Your’e gonna get in trouble!”
“I don’t care!” She exclaimed. “I just couldn’t wait to congratulate my two best friends at such an amazing job! You two have such passion! Those directors would be idiots to not give you guys the leads. Oh my. I’m so proud!”
She grabbed us both into a warm group hug. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Kat talking with a man. They seemed to be fighting. She said something quietly, yet viciously.
“But you promised!”
“Kat, I know.. but when something like this happen-”
He was cut off when Kat let out a cry, then ran away. I ignored what just happened, because it was really none of my worry.
The man shook his head then walked away.
“Lola, you were so amazing. You seriously blew me away. You really came to life out there!”
Chase then gave me a hug.
I was facing Abagail, and she gave me a suspicious wink. This made me hold back my laughter as Chase held me so tightly. This made me feel safe and secure.
I felt so proud that I had finally overcome my fear. I now feel like I can do anything. That boulder is finally out of my way. My life will be different now. I know it will. Even though my dream won’t come true yet, that doesn’t mean it never will. Maybe I’m just not ready yet. That’s ok.
To celebrate, me, Abagail, and Chase went out to dinner at a fancy restaurant called “C.F. Mangs.” It was really nice to spend time with both of them. I hadn’t seen Abagail outside of school in a while, and I really missed her. she was so funny and exciting to be around!
Honestly, being with them was probably one of the best night of my life. Not only was being with my best friends amazing, but just knowing that I had overcome one of my biggest fears in life made me feel on top of the world. It was great that I was experiencing this feeling with two of my favorite people in the whole world.
“I’ll be right back guys. Just give me a few minutes.”
This confused me, I had no idea what he coud be doing in the middle of a parking lot.
When he left, I couldn’t help but ask Abagail what was going on.
“He’s breaking up with Kat. He asked her to meet him here. It’s about time they broke up! She is so rude.”
“Tell me about it.” I said with a wink.
I then realized she got her and Chase the lead roles.. she would sure regret doing that after what’s about to happen. This made me worried.
After a few minutes that seemed like days, Chase finally came back. Abagail was glowing with sympathy.
“How’d it go?” She asked.
“Well, Kat is really mad. she wishes that we never met, and she hates me. But you know, I did what I had to do.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re okay.” Abagail replied as she took a sip of her pink lemonade. We both hugged Chase. He grinned.
Break- Through
I knew that today was the day that the results of the cast would be posted. Did I even bother to check? Nope. There was no point, seeing the paper with the bold text would just make me feel even worse.
While walking up to the main enterance of the school, I passed the large crowd gathered around the glass window. It was so tempting to take a peek at the cast, but I saved myself. I couldn’t bare to see Kat’s name up on that board.
The moment I entered the door, a girl I never even met began talking to me.
“Congrats, you deserve it.” She smiled, then walked away.
Then, a few moments later, another boy greeted me.
“Hey, That’s so awesome! Congrats.”
I ignored these comments, but by the fourth “Congrats”, I was getting a little suspicious. I then quickly changed directions to go back to the list. My heart was beating faster than it ever had before. My feet were moving at a pace I didn’t even know I was capable of. I could see that glass window in the distance. My feet sped up even more. My mind was spinning with all the possibilities. Could it be that I was in the show? Not the lead, maybe just a background part?
I arrived at the list and scanned the paper with eager eyes. It read....
BEAST... CHASE RILEY
BEAUTY(BELL)... LOLA ROSE
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I had done it! I was the lead in a broadway musical! But how could this be? Kat was supposed to be given the role.
I quickly remembered the conversation she had with her uncle just the previous day. It all makes sense! He refused to give her the role, and that was why she was so upset.
The corners of my mouth rose higher than they ever had before. I was so thrilled that my dream was coming true. Just a few months ago, I was afraid of putting myself into the real world. I was unsure of who I was. I was too fearful of being who I truly am. But that’s not me anymore. I am so much more confident in myself. I now feel like I can conquer anything.
My excitement level rose even higher when I noticed Chase running towards me with cheerful eyes. He hugged me so tightly, then lifted me off the ground and spun me around carelessly. I let out a giggle.
“We did it, Lola! We are the leads in a Broadway production! Doesn’t this feel amazing!?”
“So amazing.” I replied with another hug.
..
Happy Endings
1 Year Later...
“Oh my gosh... your Lola Rose! Can I please get a picture with you?!”
I smiled at the young girl.
“Yes, of course.”
Ever since I’ve been starring in broadway productions, and several movies as well, I have been being recognized a lot lately. I feels so spectacular to be living my dream.
The day the results of Beauty the a Beast were posted, Chase asked me out on a date.
Ever since then, we have been having a great time together. He gets me, and I get him.
My life isn’t perfect, but it’s just about as close as it gets.
I am living freely, joyfully, and most of all... Fearless.
Words couldn't explain how I was feeling when I heard the news. This was something that I had been waiting for for 16 years. Something that I thought was impossible. Something that seemed too magical to ever become reality. But now, here I am, in the place I think to be the greatest place on Earth. New York City. The Big Apple. The city that lives behind the quote, “If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.”
Everything here is beyond perfect. The Breathtaking skyscrapers, the streets full of life and passion, and most of all... Broadway.
As a child, I always imagined myself on that vast stage. The cheering crowd, the elaborate costumes, it all seemed so unreal to me. My dream is.. Or was, to star in a Broadway production. It seems too unreachable because I have a fear of rejection. I'm always too afraid to put myself out there, or take any risks. It's almost like there's an eight ton boulder standing in my way.. and no matter how hard I try to get around it.. I just can't.
"Lola! Come see the view from the dining room!" Exclaimed my mom, Jen, as she gazed out the window. She's the whole reason for the move in the first place. Thanks to a generous job offer as a set supervisor, we are now 4,000 miles away from our old home in a small town called Eastwood.
I am so eternally grateful for this. Eastwood was the worst town ever. There was just no life there. It's the best feeling to finally be out of it. Also, my mom needed the higher salary. Ever since my dad left us, we've been struggling to stay on our feet.
"Ok!" I skipped and joined my mom at the glass window.
"Are you excited about your first day at school tomorrow?" She asked with a hint of curiosity in her tone.
"Well, I'll admit, I'm a little nervous. But I'm sure it's nothing I can't handle."
"Hey, you'll do great. I'm sure you'll have lot of friends in no time." Mom put a hand on my shoulder, showing me that she will support me through this whole journey. As we stood, gazing out the window in awe, the doorbell rang. I looked at my mother, who had a puzzled expression on her face.
"Well that's odd. I wonder who that could be." She said as she began crossing toward the door, which I noticed was very nice, with golden fixtures.
When my mom opened the door, there stood what seemed to be a mother and daughter, holding a pie. The young girl, who looked to be about my age, was very beautiful. She had hazel eyes with dirty blonde hair, and wore jeans with a peach-colored blouse.
Her mother had blonde hair as well, and wore a navy blue dress with brown sandals.
"Hi! We heard we had new neighbors, and we just couldn't resist. We baked you a pie!" Exclaimed the lady in the navy blue dress.
My mom, with a delighted expression on her face, began to reply.
"Wow! This is so wonderful! Thank you! My name is Jen, and this is my daughter, Lola." My mom shook the woman's hand with a sweet smile.
"Its nice to meet you. I'm Elle, and this is my daughter, Abagail."
"We'll its nice to know we have such great neighbors! Would you both care to join us for dinner?" Asked my mother. I wish she didn't say this, I was looking forward to just relaxing tonight. I wasn't really in the mood to have company. Elle smiled with thankfulness in her eyes, then began to speak.
"Well, thank you so much for the offer, but Abagail has lots of homework tonight, and I have tons of work to do as well! But we'll definitely have to get together another time"
"Alright! Well it was really nice meeting you guys. Thanks so much for the pie!" My mother exclaimed with those quirky little hand gestures she always does. They are very strange... but somehow, I never get tired of them. Elle began walking backwards.
"Your welcome! It was nice meeting you, too." They both waved, and my mom shut the door. She then looked at me.
"Well, they seem nice."
"Yes, very." It was getting kind of late, so I decided to eat a quick dinner then go to bed. Although, I was nowhere near tired... I knew I’d be getting no sleep tonight.
I settled on a quesadilla, with warm cheese and chips on the side. After dinner, I decided to have a slice of pie for dessert. To my surprise, it was very delicious. They baked the crust to a perfect, flaky gold and brown. This distracted me for a few short minutes, but this wasn’t enough to diminish the thought of what could be in store for tomorrow. The first day of school. When my mom asked me how I felt, I told her I was fine. But inside, I was slowly slipping further and further into a black hole of fear and worry that seemed like it would never end.
The Beginning
It was a ringing in my ears. The sounds became faster and more irritating every time they occured. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP BEEP.
My alarm sounded at 6am sharp. I squinted my eyes and quickly shut it off. I knew that today was my first real day in New York. The day that my new life would finally begin.
I quickly began searching through my closet for a nice outfit to wear. I hadn't done very much shopping lately, so my choices were limited.
Butterflies swarmed through my stomach as I began discarding any outfit that didn't meet my standards. I finally decided on a peach pink scarf, a leather jacket, and a pair of jeans. Not too festive, but I didn't want to get too carried away. When I skipped to the kitchen, my mom had already started breakfast.
"Good morning, sweetie! You look beautiful!" I smiled.
"Thanks, mom.
I quickly ate the scrambled eggs and bacon my mother prepared. That morning seemed to fly by.
Before I knew it, there I was. Standing by the large doors into the school. It suddenly struck me that this school would take place inside. Eastwood was nothing but sunny days, so our campus was always outdoors. Well, this will be different, I thought to myself. I looked around, and took in the scenery. Yellow and orange fall leaves gracefully swam through the air. The sky looked gray, as if it were about to rain.
"Lola! Lola!" A voice sounded behind me. I an anxiously turned around, curious to see who would already know my name. It was Abagial, the nice girl that made us pie the day before.
"Oh,hi!" I said, stumbling for words. Abagial began to speak.
"I was hoping I could show you around campus. Do we have any classes together?" I handed her my schedule, and she began happily reading it, with a hint of hope in her eyes.
"Hey! We have just about every class together, except history! That's so cool!" Abagial exclaimed.
"Yeah, that's great!" I replied. Just then, a loud bell sounded. I followed Abagial all the way across the hall to a classroom door. We both entered, and Abagial took her seat. Unsure of what to do, I awkwardly stood there, wishing someone would tell me where I was supposed to go. A tall woman, who appeared to be the teacher, began to speak.
"You must be Lola." She shook my hand. "I'm Mrs. Gizmo."
"Hi, it's nice to meet you." I replied. I looked at the classroom, and realized there was only one seat open, next to a blonde girl that was writing in a notebook. She had piercing, green eyes, and dark red lips. Mrs. Gizmo spoke.
"You may have a seat next to Kat." Her hand gestured to the blonde girl. I started walking to the empty chair, getting many strange looks from the other students. Kat looked at me and fire burned in her eyes.
It was as if I had done something terribly wrong. I sat down, and set my navy blue back pack on the ground. I watched as she wrote "Kat Parker" in her notebook. That class seemed to last ages. Kat made me feel so uncomfortable. I couldn't wait for 1st period to just be over. When it finally ended and I packed up all my belongings, I found my locker and started setting it up. I looked to my right, and notice Abagail walking toward me, joined by a boy. He looked quite well built, and had wavy brown hair that flipped just the right way. He looked at Abagail and smiled with a dimple. He wore dark jeans, and a blue t-shirt that brought out his crystal clear blue eyes. Suddenly, I noticed I was staring, so I quickly looked away.
"Lola, this is Chase. Chase, this is Lola." Abagail said. I turned around and smiled at chase.
"Hi." Hi? Really? That's the best you could think of? I thought to myself.
"Hey! So how do you like the school?" Chase Asked with a smile.
"Oh, it's pretty good. But do you guys know who Kat is?" All light dropped from Abagail's expression.
"Kat Parker?" I remembered watching her write that name in her book.
"Yeah! That's the one! Do you know her?" I said with wonder in my tone.
"Know her? She's the queen of the school. She gets everything she wants, no matter what the circumstance is. She acts like she is just so much better than everyone. Why? Did she do something to you?" Abagail replied. I recalled what happened in class.
"Well, no, not really. She just didn't seem so thrilled that I sat next to her."
"Don't worry about it, she does that to everyone. Trust me, it's nothing personal." Chase sympathized.
I hoped they were right, because I didn't want to spend the rest of the year getting dirty looks from Kat. I couldn't believe that I already had an enemy, and it was only second period. Walking to my second class, I dropped my papers, and they flew everywhere. Really? I thought to myself as I awkwardly squatted to pick them up.
“ Oh look! It's the new girl!” Sounded an unfamiliar voice. Even though I didn't recognize it, There was no doubt in my mind who was behind me. Kat. In the corner of my eye, I spotted a leather boot, that kicked my papers, spreading them even wider across the hallway floor.
" Ha. What a loser.” Kat said. She shot me a hateful glance, then gracefully walked away, being followed by her “friends”. I'm sure they only hung around her because they were scared of what she was capable of.
When I finally collected and re-organized my documents, I quickly walked to my next class, and arrived a few minutes late. After a few lessons about Shakespeare and some quizzes, it was finally lunchtime.
I walked through the bustling hall. When I arrived at my destination, I scanned the cafeteria, in hope to find Abagail and Chase. When I saw them at a table, joined by a few people I’ve never seen before, I unsurely headed towards them. Abagial smiled.
“Hey Lola!” She said.
“Hi, mind if I sit?” I asked.
“No, please!” She gestured her hand toward an empty seat beside her.
I was so glad that I had met such nice people, that let me sit with them. I couldn't imagine what this school would be like if everyone was like Kat Parker. Just the thought of her gave me chills.
“So, what do you do?” Chase asked me curiously. Unsure of what he meant, I cocked my head.
“What do you mean?” I replied.
“ Come on,” he started, “Everyone does something. What do you do?
Sports, art?” I began to better understand what he was asking.
“ Oh, well, I have always been Interested in acting and Broadway, but I know it’s stupid…” My voice began to drift. Chase looked surprised.
“What! That's not stupid at all. Do you have any experience?”
“Yeah. I've taken classes before, and been in some plays. Why?” I asked chase as he took a bite of the muffin he was holding.
“Broadway is putting on a junior production of Beauty and the Beast. Auditions are in a few weeks. You should audition with me.”
I was slightly surprised when he said he would be auditioning. He just didn’t strike me as the acting type. As I considered his offer, I remembered how I freeze when I'm in front of people. There was no way I would audition for Broadway with such fear.
“Well, I don't know If I should, I mean I've always dreamed of being on Broadway. It's just I've always been really scared of being…” Chase began interrupting me.
“ Come on! You have to do it. It's your dream, Lola. And I would be there, doing it with you. Please.” I looked into his eyes, and
suddenly became lost. I began to forget all the reasons I had said no in the first place. It all became so simple, like there was no way I could refuse.
“Ok I'll do it.” I blurted before I even thought about what I was
going to say.
“Great!” Chase exclaimed, We'll have to start practicing. Meet me today after school? My place. I'll give you the address later.” I became overjoyed that he was inviting me over to his house.
“Ok!” I said with a smile. I started looking forward to after school.
I hadn't acted in a while, and It would be great to start up again.
“This is going to be great! I’m sure you guys will get in.” Said
Abagail. Her assurance made me feel slightly more confident. The rest of that school day seemed to fly by. Once the final bell rang, I met up with Lola and Chase, and he gave me his address.
"You can come anytime after 3:30."
"Ok. Sounds great!" I replied.
My mom was working, So Abagail's mother drove me home. When I got there, like any other average mom, my mother gave me a quiz about my whole day.
"Did you make any friends?" She asked with a hop in her step.
"Yeah! Our neighbor, Abagail, was really nice to me today. She let me sit with her and her friends at lunch." My mother smiled.
"Well, that's great! Sounds like you had a pretty perfect day!"
Perfect? I recalled the Kat incident. The images of her harsh stare filled my mind. But I didn't bother mentioning this to my mom, she had her new job, and I didn't want to bother her with any of my problems. I also remembered what Chase said about auditioning for the show. I was nervous about what my mother would think, but I was going to have to tell her sooner or later.
"Hey, mom, guess what?" I asked her, unsure of myself.
"Yes, Lola?" she asked as she began washing the dishes in the sink.
"I met a new friend, named Chase. I mentioned to him that I liked acting. When I told him, he insisted that I auditioned with him for the junior show, Beauty and the Beast on Broadway in a few weeks. And, um, I sorta agreed to it..."
"Honey, that's great!" I was relived by her delighted expression. She continued.
"I was hoping you would take up acting again soon! You're so great at it. And Broadway? That's so amazing! I'm so proud of you, sweetie."
Then, she put down the dish she was washing, dried off her hands, then came over to the stool I was sitting on by the counter. She gave me a warm, reassuring hug. I was surprised at how shocked she was that I would be auditioning. I mean, I know I haven't acted in a while, but I didn't think it was that long. I guess she's just proud that I'm Finally chasing my dream, despite my fear of rejection. Sure, I'm scared. Did I say scared? I meant terrified. But I'm not going to let fear rule my life. I can't. I won't.
Understandings
It was 3:30, so I decided to leave for Chase's house. Reading off the small paper of directions he gave me, I finally arrived at his home.
It was beautiful, really. Tall, green trees lined his long driveway. There was a pathway leading to his door, and I started walking, following the windy pattern. I stopped at the entrance, and rang the door bell.
I was shocked at who answered the door. It was Kat.
"Chase? What's the new girl doing here?" Kat asked with a disgusted expression on her flawless face.
Chase walked up to the door frame.
"Hey, Lola! Come on in."
I accepted his offer and walked into the house. I felt very strange, being there with Kat. I kept wondering why she was here, but I thought it would be too rude to ask. After a few awkward moments, I finally asked the question that was burning inside me.
"So, Kat, what brings you here?" I asked as I played with the strings on my hoodie.
"What do you expect? That I can't spend some quality time with my boyfriend?"
BOYFRIEND?! I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Kat, and Chase? A couple? Why hadn't he mentioned this earlier? And how could someone so sweet and caring, be with someone so mean, and stuck-up? So many thoughts swarmed like bees through my mind. I was glad when Chase finally said something to break the akward silence.
"Sorry, Lola. Kat needed someone to practice with. She's auditioning with Brad, but he's sick today."
I suddenly became confused.
"Well, why aren't you both auditioning together? I mean you are..." It was difficult for me to let the word slip out of my mouth. "... Dating."
Kat stood there with a pleased expression on her face. She could sense the fact that I was jealous.
Chase began answering my question.
"It's just that Kat agreed to partnering with Brad, before I decided I would be auditioning."
It suddenly struck me that this meant I was Chase's second choice. He didn't really want to audition with me, he just didn't have much time to find anyone else.
Kat grabbed a brown, leather purse and headed toward the exit.
"Well, I better get going. My mom wants me home by 4:00."
But before she left, she gave Chase a long, passionate kiss on the lips. This was probably one of the most strange situations I've ever been in.
When she finally stopped, she walked to the door, then, when Chase wasn't paying attention, shot me a hateful stare. I could tell she was telling me to stay away.
But, how could I? After all, we were going to be rehearsing our audition almost every day for the next few weeks.
Days of Worry
A couple of weeks rapidly went by. It was always the same routine. Wake up, go to school, practice at Chase's house, go back home, and sleep. Rehearsing with Chase was always the best part of my day. He was always so kind, and not to mention, an amazing actor.
All the lines just flew right out of him, like he wasn't even reading off a script, he was just saying what he truly felt. I hoped he thought the same thing about me.
I mean, he always told me I was doing a good job, but I'm not sure if he actually meant it.
Even after all this time, it still surprises me that Chase and Kat are in a relationship. I even talked to Abagail about it, and she said she didn't get it either.
She has been such a great friend lately. She always came over on the weekends, and we would watch movies together and talk.
But each and every day, the auditions were nearing closer and closer. My anxiousness was unreal. I knew that there was no way I could back out now.
My mom seemed pretty excited about it. Everyday she would ask me questions like, “How was practice?”
“Are you guys doing well?”
“How’s Chase doing?”
My mom LOVED Chase. Almost to the point where it was very strange. He came over a few times, and she just wouldn’t stop talking to him. Then, whenever he left, she would ask me when he could come over again. Chase thinks it’s funny, but I think it’s weird.
Since there are only three days left until audition day, I am extremely nervous. There are so many “What if?”’s I can think of. It makes me wonder, if we don’t make it in, will Chase think it’s my fault? Will it make him wish he could have auditioned with Kat instead, and then maybe he would have had a better chance? But the thing that haunts me the most is the possibility that one of us can make it in and the other won’t. What if him and Kat get the lead roles? That will just prove even more that she is in many ways better than me. One of those ways being that she is dating Chase.
I know she uses that as a weapon to make me feel small. She gives me these looks that just drive me insane. Normally, I’d just ignore her and pretend like she doesn’t exist. But since she comes over to Chase’s often, and I’m there almost every day due to rehearsals, that’s a hard thing to accomplish.
“Lola? Lola? Are you ok?”
I regained my vision to find myself in Chase’s living room, holding a script. Was I really that deep in thought?
“It’s your line.” Chase explained with a slight chuckle.
“Oh, sorry. I guess I was just... distracted.”
But really, I was just thinking of the slight Chance that we might actually make it in the show. That we could become professionals and be on Broadway. Just the thought of it gave me shivers.
I shook all thoughts out of my mind, and began saying the next line, highlighted in orange sharpie.
After practice, we ate a snack and laughed together about something that happened at school earlier in the day. But soon after, Chase took on a more serious tone and began to speak.
“So, auditions are in a few days. I just want to let you know that no matter what happens, I had a lot of fun being with you these past couple of weeks. If we don’t make the part, know that you are an amazing actress, and I’m sure that you will be on Broadway someday.”
He smiled. I was so touched by what he had just said. It was so sweet of him to say such nice things about me. Soon, I realized I had to think of something nice to say back, so I quickly thought up a response.
“Chase, I had an amazing time too. And I know that you will get the male role. I mean, how couldn’t you? You’re perfect. You say every line with such emotion and passion, that I don’t see any way that they wouldn’t be dying to have you in their show.”
“Thanks, Lola. I really appreciate that.”
On the short drive home, I couldn’t help but smiling the entire way. He made me feel so special and important. Although I was unbearably terrified to audition in front of hundreds of people, I felt like having him with me would help me to get through it. I knew that he would be there for me.
The Facts
“Lola, what’s the answer?” Questioned my math teacher.
“Oh, it’s 36.” I replied.
I assume I was correct because he continued the lesson without a word. The bell rang, which meant it was lunch. I always cherished this quality time with Chase and Abagail.
I gathered my books and put them in my aqua backpack. As I left the classroom, I overheard a conversation between Kat and her “friends”.
“What do you mean? I already have the part.”
“Huh? How can you just know that you have it. What if Lola does.”
“My uncle works in the studio. He can make them Choose a certain person as a role, which will be me.”
She smiled that evil grin. I could’t believe what I was hearing. She was going to trick her way into the show? This was so unfair. I quickly dropped my thoughts and continued listening to the conversation as I attempted to blend in, hoping they didn’t notice I was there.
“I’ll get Chase the lead too. That way, it can just be me and him. He has been spending way too much time with that other girl lately.”
I realized she was talking about me. Why did she care how much time I was spending with him?
I ran all the way to the cafeteria, holding news I could barely stand. I had to tell Chase what she was doing. Then, it struck me.
What if he didn’t believe me? He was dating the girl, he must have had some trust in her. I couldn’t tell him. I had to keep this information locked inside me. Even though it hurt me to do this, I had to accept the fact that I wasn’t going to get a part in this showcase. Kat was.
I recollected myself and calmly sat down next to Abagail at the lunch table.
“Is something wrong?” She asked with a concerned expression.
“Nope. nothing.” I faked a smile and acted as if everything was fine. But I could tell Abagail knew something wasn’t right. Even I couldn’t trick myself. I stared down at the table and noticed a slight light change. A shadow was cast across the brown stone. I realized someone else had sat down at the table, so I looked up curiously. Perfect. Kat picked today to have a lovely lunch with her boyfriend.
“Hey, Chase!” She exclaimed.
“Hey.” He replied as he put his arm around her shoulder.
I couldn’t even look at her. It hurt too much to see the stealer of my dreams. The thief of my inspiration. This was so completely unfair. It was more than unfair. This was unjust.
I can’t just stand by and watch Kat take everything I’ve been working for straight out of my grasp.
Her innocent little face was all a lie. It was merely masking what was truly beneath it. Hate. Cheat.
I realized I was getting a little too steamed, so I tried to take my mind off the subject. I quickly shook away the thought and began listening to the conversation taking place between Abagail, Chase, and... Kat.
“So, guys. Auditions are in two days! You Nervous?” Kat’s perky little attitude irritated me. Chase had no idea what she was doing to me.
“Nah, We’ll be fine.” Chase insured. He flashed me a smile. I couldn’t help but give a sweet smile back. I could tell this disturbed Kat.
Strangely, this gave me a sense of pride.
“Yeah, well, Brad and I aren’t scared either. We’re gonna kill it.”
She gave me a very harsh look. The same harsh look she gave me the day we first met, when I sat next to her in class. This sent shivers down my spine.
“Yeah. I wonder if your uncle thinks so too.”
I couldn’t believe I let this slip out of my mouth. I looked at Chase, and he looked puzzled. Abagail was so caught up in a book she was reading that I’m pretty sure she wasn’t even listening.
“I don’t even know what you’re talking about.” She said without even a hint of a lie in her voice. She must be a pretty good actress, because Chase seemed to ignore everything that was happening.
“Oh, whatever.” I muttered with a weak tone.
I could tell that Chase could sense the intenseness in the air, because he attempted to change the subject, by bringing up some science assignment. He already knew when it was due, he had asked me a few days ago. I appreciated the fact that he did this, because things were getting slightly too extreme.
The Day
I opened my eyes. I knew that today was the day. The day that everything would change. The day I would be crushed. It was the day of auditions.
If it were up to me, I would just quit. I mean, what’s the point of trying if you know you will fail?
The thought of Kat’s smile sickened me. She knew that she would get the part. I just wish things could be how they were before I heard what Kat was doing. I had hope, I had dreams, and just the slightest thought that just maybe... I could be in a Broadway show.
But it doesn’t matter anymore, because any dream I had is completely ruined, thanks to Kat. I couldn’t even think about her, it made me feel like I was nothing. Just something taking up space in this world. Worthless.
How was she doing this to me? Before we met, I was such a joyful person. She has so much power over me.. She can change my emotion anytime she feels like it.
I looked at the clock and realized I had been thinking for over 20 minutes, so I snapped out of it and got out of bed. I was trying to avoid the thought of auditions, but that ended the moment my mother greeted me. She made me pancakes, and spelt out “Good luck, sweetie!” in chocolate chips. Really? I thought to myself.
She will be so disappointed when I don’t get in. I looked at the ground in sorrow. She must have sensed my unhappiness, because she looked at me with concern.
“What, you don’t want pancakes?” She asked. I smiled that she was so worried about the pancakes.
“No, mom. Their great. Thank You.”
“Are you ok? You don’t seem like yourself. is something wrong?”
“I’m fine. Just nervous I guess.”
The rest of the morning, I faked a smile to avoid any more questions about my mood. I was glad it was Saturday, because I don’t think I could have faced school today.
Chase told me to meet him at his house around 11:00, because the auditions were at 12:00, and he wanted us to go together. It was 10:30, so I quickly got ready then left for his house.
When I arrived, He seemed so excited. It hurt me to watch. I didn’t want him to be let down. But there was nothing I could do. He would soon be just as disappointed as I was. There was no way of stopping it.
I swear I was on the verge of breaking something when Kat walked out of the bathroom. It seemed as if she was everywhere I went.
“Oh, Yeah. She came by to wish us luck.” Kat smiled that smile that kills me every time. I shivered.
“Yeah... us.” I muttered. I remembered what Kat said about getting Chase the lead. This meant they would be spending even more time together. Well, that’s just great.
Finally, in what seemed like 3 decades, Kat left.
“Geez, finally” Chase said.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He was happy that Kat left? I couldn’t help but smile at this. He must have caught my grin, because he smiled at me back.
“Ha-Ha. What do you mean? Why are you happy that she left?’
“I don’t know. She has just been really getting at me lately. I’ve been thinking about breaking up with her.” This made my jaw drop.
“Seriously?” I asked.
“Seriously.” Chase took a few steps closer to me.
I looked at the clock. It was 11:45, so we had to go soon. By this time, Chase was standing just inches from me.
“Um, we have to go.” I said quietly.
“Oh yeah.” He said quickly. Chase turned around, grabbed his keys, then left.
As he turned around to leave, I couldn’t help but let out a delightful smile. I think I saw the corners of his mouth life up too. This made my heart skip a beat.
Shatter
Bright. The lights were blinding. I could barely see a thing. I squinted my eyes shut and stared out into the vast crowd. Kat sat next to Brad, looking more pleased than ever. Of course she was. She had just landed the role every actress dreams of. Honestly, her audition wasn’t even that impressive. Sure, she was good, but not great.
“Alright, please begin at Act 3, Scene 2.”
The moment we started, it was as if we were the characters. I wasn’t even playing a part, I was just saying my true emotions. I think the reason for this may be the fact that I have feelings for Chase, and by the way he was acting, I could tell he felt the same way too.
Up until now, my dream seemed too unreachable because I had a fear of rejection. I was always too afraid to put myself out there, or take any risks. It was almost like there was an eight-ton boulder standing in my way... and no matter how hard I tried to get around it, I just couldn’t. But not anymore. I have shattered this boulder. Now, I can walk past it... and see what lies beyond in the beautiful forest we call life. And I couldn’t wait to finally begin living it.
Before I knew it... Chase’s lips were touching mine. Of course, it was in the script... but to me, it meant something much more. When we pulled apart and the scene ended, there were tears forming in the judge’s eyes.
Tears were forming in Kat’s eyes to, but something tells me that watching her boyfriend kissing another girl was the cause of that. Strangely, I felt a slight amount of sympathy for her. Watching my boyfriend with another girl wouldn’t make me all that thrilled either.
When I glanced at Chase, he had the same look on his face that he had when I saw him for the first time. It was that joyful smile that couldn’t be copied. It was a smile I had never seen anyone posses before. Only Chase can shine such a bright light with such little effort. This made me gleam from inside out. Seeing him so happy multiplied my joy by 100%. I loved seeing his beautiful smile. I’m really gonna miss that smile when he’s out at play practice and I’m at home.
“Thank you. Next is Julia Wright and Robert Young.”
Chase and I exited the stage with joyful hearts full of hope. Or at least he was full of hope. I wish I could be as clueless as he was. Clueless of the fact that Kat was going to steal the lead role...
Abagail came running back stage, looking full of delight. I began laughing.
“What are you doing? You’re not supposed to be back here! Your’e gonna get in trouble!”
“I don’t care!” She exclaimed. “I just couldn’t wait to congratulate my two best friends at such an amazing job! You two have such passion! Those directors would be idiots to not give you guys the leads. Oh my. I’m so proud!”
She grabbed us both into a warm group hug. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Kat talking with a man. They seemed to be fighting. She said something quietly, yet viciously.
“But you promised!”
“Kat, I know.. but when something like this happen-”
He was cut off when Kat let out a cry, then ran away. I ignored what just happened, because it was really none of my worry.
The man shook his head then walked away.
“Lola, you were so amazing. You seriously blew me away. You really came to life out there!”
Chase then gave me a hug.
I was facing Abagail, and she gave me a suspicious wink. This made me hold back my laughter as Chase held me so tightly. This made me feel safe and secure.
I felt so proud that I had finally overcome my fear. I now feel like I can do anything. That boulder is finally out of my way. My life will be different now. I know it will. Even though my dream won’t come true yet, that doesn’t mean it never will. Maybe I’m just not ready yet. That’s ok.
To celebrate, me, Abagail, and Chase went out to dinner at a fancy restaurant called “C.F. Mangs.” It was really nice to spend time with both of them. I hadn’t seen Abagail outside of school in a while, and I really missed her. she was so funny and exciting to be around!
Honestly, being with them was probably one of the best night of my life. Not only was being with my best friends amazing, but just knowing that I had overcome one of my biggest fears in life made me feel on top of the world. It was great that I was experiencing this feeling with two of my favorite people in the whole world.
“I’ll be right back guys. Just give me a few minutes.”
This confused me, I had no idea what he coud be doing in the middle of a parking lot.
When he left, I couldn’t help but ask Abagail what was going on.
“He’s breaking up with Kat. He asked her to meet him here. It’s about time they broke up! She is so rude.”
“Tell me about it.” I said with a wink.
I then realized she got her and Chase the lead roles.. she would sure regret doing that after what’s about to happen. This made me worried.
After a few minutes that seemed like days, Chase finally came back. Abagail was glowing with sympathy.
“How’d it go?” She asked.
“Well, Kat is really mad. she wishes that we never met, and she hates me. But you know, I did what I had to do.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re okay.” Abagail replied as she took a sip of her pink lemonade. We both hugged Chase. He grinned.
Break- Through
I knew that today was the day that the results of the cast would be posted. Did I even bother to check? Nope. There was no point, seeing the paper with the bold text would just make me feel even worse.
While walking up to the main enterance of the school, I passed the large crowd gathered around the glass window. It was so tempting to take a peek at the cast, but I saved myself. I couldn’t bare to see Kat’s name up on that board.
The moment I entered the door, a girl I never even met began talking to me.
“Congrats, you deserve it.” She smiled, then walked away.
Then, a few moments later, another boy greeted me.
“Hey, That’s so awesome! Congrats.”
I ignored these comments, but by the fourth “Congrats”, I was getting a little suspicious. I then quickly changed directions to go back to the list. My heart was beating faster than it ever had before. My feet were moving at a pace I didn’t even know I was capable of. I could see that glass window in the distance. My feet sped up even more. My mind was spinning with all the possibilities. Could it be that I was in the show? Not the lead, maybe just a background part?
I arrived at the list and scanned the paper with eager eyes. It read....
BEAST... CHASE RILEY
BEAUTY(BELL)... LOLA ROSE
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I had done it! I was the lead in a broadway musical! But how could this be? Kat was supposed to be given the role.
I quickly remembered the conversation she had with her uncle just the previous day. It all makes sense! He refused to give her the role, and that was why she was so upset.
The corners of my mouth rose higher than they ever had before. I was so thrilled that my dream was coming true. Just a few months ago, I was afraid of putting myself into the real world. I was unsure of who I was. I was too fearful of being who I truly am. But that’s not me anymore. I am so much more confident in myself. I now feel like I can conquer anything.
My excitement level rose even higher when I noticed Chase running towards me with cheerful eyes. He hugged me so tightly, then lifted me off the ground and spun me around carelessly. I let out a giggle.
“We did it, Lola! We are the leads in a Broadway production! Doesn’t this feel amazing!?”
“So amazing.” I replied with another hug.
..
Happy Endings
1 Year Later...
“Oh my gosh... your Lola Rose! Can I please get a picture with you?!”
I smiled at the young girl.
“Yes, of course.”
Ever since I’ve been starring in broadway productions, and several movies as well, I have been being recognized a lot lately. I feels so spectacular to be living my dream.
The day the results of Beauty the a Beast were posted, Chase asked me out on a date.
Ever since then, we have been having a great time together. He gets me, and I get him.
My life isn’t perfect, but it’s just about as close as it gets.
I am living freely, joyfully, and most of all... Fearless.