Soloist #Wattys2015

Chapter Eight

When we arrived at the studio this morning, the appraisal results had been stuck on the mirror by the door by Molly, the office lady that always had sugar-free gingersnaps for us. Julia took one look and squealed.

"I go the Fairy Godmother!" My friend does something similar to a war dance as she celebrates.

"Which cast?" Her quiet partner, Daniel asks.

"Cast one, the first show!" Julia grabs him by the arm, pulling Daniel to join her in her mad dance.

Grinning at their antics, I clapped along until they ended. That was when I felt the tap on my shoulder.

"Well done, Andy." Casillith gave me a huge smile.

"You're Cinderella!" Mckayla tackles me in a hug and Casillith giggles as she joins me.

I rush to check out the cast list. Right there at the top of the paper was my name, Adrianne Harper. I let out a shriek – much like Julia's as I took it all in. Me! A teapot from 'Beauty and the Beast', a main character on opening night!

Scanning the rest of the sheet, I find that I'm Casillith's understudy for her show on day two and Mckayla had also gotten Cinderella for cast three. Somehow, the three of us had been casted for the same roles.

"So, who are your Princes?" Julia wiggles her eyebrows tiptoeing to look at the list. 

Elbowing my shy friend, I teased as I announced, "Casillith's got Lee." Casillith blushes scarlet.

"You've got Oliver La Morte, Mckayla." I informed the room, watching Mckayla's reaction.

I remembered Oliver – one of the dancers from Eli's year, the Italian that accompanied us on the field trip to the mall.

Taking in her blush, I whispered, "You like him?"

"Well, he does do those amazing jumps..." Swoons Casillith.

Madam Carolyn cuts short our conversation with a tight clap. Shame, I never got to see who my Prince was. I really hope it's Aellius.

"Dancers, you've all seen your casting. Now, you are required to report to your respective studios. If you have both a main role and an understudy part, go to the main role's studio because you are the same character in both roles. Now go!" She ordered.

Picking up my duffle, I grabbed Julia's hand and we rushed for studio three, anxious to meet the rest of the cast.

ϗ

Somewhere along the way, an arm wrapped itself around my waist, forcing me to release Julia. I watched helplessly as the Fairy Godmother bounds off. Eli carries me like a piece of luggage and my heart soars when he enters studio three. He's my Prince!

"Hey." I grinned as he put me down.

"Hello, Cinderella." He offered me his old track shoe.

Wrinkling my nose, I slapped it out of his grasp, wiping my hand on my chiffon wrap skirt. He chuckles, stripping off his track pants, leaving himself in the regulation black slacks and white shirt.

After tying up my hair, I retrieved my shoes and put them on. I was just warming up when the head choreographer himself walked into the room.

Richard Kensington walked with a lethal grace, his foreboding prowl turning the room silent. I held my breath, not daring to exhale until he took a seat on the chair at the centre of the studio. Even Aellius was tense.

"Children." He addressed us, a room of twelve to eighteen year-olds.

We were children to him; everyone was a child to him. His knowledge and creativity was uncontested by anyone in both the academy and company – not even Madame Carolyn could hold a candle to him.