Miss Jefferson

Chapter 23

My audition was tomorrow, and I was nervous beyond belief.

Jasmine tried to make me feel better by coming over and watching a movie with me.

She wanted to watch something scary, and I stupidly obliged her.

She turned on "It".

I have never hated my best friend more in my entire life.

What's worse, she left at around ten p.m., and I was left all alone in the dark, seeing clowns and balloons in every shadow.

I held out by myself from 10:00-10:04, but after that, I just couldn't take it anymore.

I pulled out my phone and made a distress call.

"Oak. Get over here right now."

"What? What's the matter?"

"I let Jazzy talk me into watching "It" and I'm severely regretting my decision."

"Just watch a Disney movie or something."

"No, I need you to come over here. Are you out of rehearsal?"

"Yeah, I just got out. I'm a little ways away, though. How bad do you need me to come?"

"Very. Bad. Please?" I pleaded.

He laughed. "Okay, I'm on my way."

"Bless you." I hung up and curled into a ball in the corner.

"There are no clowns in my house. There are no clowns in my house." I repeated the saying to myself over and over again.

After another thirty seconds of panicking, I turned on my phone and decided to play some music.

Opening Spotify up, I saw one of the newest musical albums released was Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812.

I pressed play on the first song, and was greeted by a strange noise.

It took me a little while to discover that the noise was an accordion.

When I'd finished listening to the musical, I was lying on the floor, in tears.

I heard my front door open. "Jada?"

"I'm over here." I said, loudly, so he could hear me.

"Jada?" He knelt down beside me. "You okay?"

"I hate you."

He laughed. "First you need me, and now you hate me? What'd I do?"

"You told me to listen to Great Comet. I did, and now I hate you."

"Too sad for you?"

"Andrey won't forgive Natasha's mistake! And Pierre loves Natasha, but he's married to Héléne, so he can't go and marry someone else! He and Héléne don't love each other anyway, though. It was an arranged marriage."

"Is that why you're mad?" He asked, helping me up off the floor.

"I'm also mad that Anatole isn't dead, and that Balaga doesn't get more attention."

"Balaga's just for fun." He said.

I rolled my eyes at the joke. "It was really good, but I'm still angry with you."

"And I'm still in love with you."

"Cliche."

"What was your favorite song?"

I scoffed. "Oh, 'Charming', without a doubt. Amber Gray's voice is a work of art. And that part that begins at 1:25?"

He laughed. "You calculated it?"

"It is important to calculate things as important at this."

"What'd you think about Denée?"

I smiled. "I love her voice too. How was rehearsal?"

"Good. Lucas Steele was playing around, and hit the highest note I have ever heard come out of a human's mouth, male or female."

"Like in 'Letters'?"

"Worse." He said, laughing. "Now, why did you need me to come here?"

"Because Jazzy and I watched 'It', and now I'm scared."

"So, you feel less scared when I'm here?" He asked.

"Is that so hard to believe?"

"No, only I didn't know you got scared this bad."

"Well, I guess that's the new thing you learned about me today."

The whisper of a smile danced across his lips. "I remember when I told you that."

"So do I."

•••••

The day finally came. I drove to the studio I'd be performing at, singing along to 'Letters' the whole way.

Not only did I have Oak to blame for my breakdown over Great Comet, but I now also had him to blame for my obsession.

My phone buzzed.

Oak

«Good luck today. I love you»

«thank you, I'm about to go in. I love you too!»

I slipped my phone into my pocket and entered the building.

I met the production member at the front, and he led me into one of the studio rooms. He introduced himself as the original choreographer for Newsies, Christopher Gattelli.

I sang my song, a song that I had come to love and adore for years. I did my dance, a dance that I had recently learned, but it carried the same weight.

When I was done, Mr. Gattelli thanked me, and said that the team would get back to me by next week.

"Before I take off," He said as I slung my backpack over my shoulder. "I brought a cast member with me for you to get to know while we review your performance. He had to be in NYC for a little while anyway, but he agreed to hang out with you until you both fly to Chicago. He'll be in the lobby when you walk out."

I nodded. "Thank you, but I didn't get the part yet?"

He winked, patting my shoulder. "Oh, I was already pretty sure you'd get the part. Now all I have to go is get the others to agree, and I'm very good at that. I'll just tell them the truth."

"And what's that?" I asked.

"That they won't be disappointed."

I smiled. "Thank you, sir."

He nodded. "I look forward to seeing you in Chicago."

Once he'd left, I walked into the lobby, keeping my eye out for the cast member Mr. Gattelli had mentioned.

He wasn't hard to find, as he'd was only one person sitting in the lobby. He had fairly light skin, red hair, and looked about my age.

When he saw me, he stood and held out his hand.

I shook it.

"Are you the cast member they sent over?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yeah. You're the new addition?"

"Probably, according to Mr. Gattelli. My name's Jada Astor."

He smiled. "My name's Sky Flaherty."