The Three Errors

The Beginning

Rio de Janeiro was not my home. Everyone knew that, as they looked at me with their judgmental gaze, as if they had never seen a pale girl with pink hair and hazel eyes on the bus. But I didn't care about that because I was late for my final audition at university. The audition that could change my life, take me to Broadway where I would be the pianist and lead vocalist. Of course, all this if I arrived in time...

"Did you watch the news yesterday? Pedro Cabral rented an apartment in the most luxurious part of the city. It looks like he's coming from a business trip." An old woman sitting at the front of the bus gossiped with another.

"Swearaaaaa. You're kidding me. This one is so cute, I loved the series The Last of Us, I watched it with my granddaughter. Will he be in season 2 of God Save the King?"

"It's Pedro Cabral, you fool, it's not Pascal."

"Ah...damn"

Pedro Cabral... Yes... one of the richest and most powerful men on the planet... legend has it that he was born in Portugal but spent so many years in Brazil that we consider him one of our own... but what would he be doing in Rio de Janeiro?

Suddenly I started to hear very loud horns on the street... the cars were completely stopped, I didn't notice before because I was distracted thinking about the conversation between the two scoundrels. That was a bad sign... I wouldn't make it in time. I'm going to have to run.

"Oh boy! Open the back door, please!!! I have to leave!!!"'

"I can't stop here, girl, it's not a stop."

It was time to start the shack.

"THIS IS AN AGGRESSION MAN, YOU ARE KIDNAPPING ME HERE ON THE BUS, LET ME LEAVE IMMEDIATELY OR I WILL CALL THE POLICE"

"Ai tacrazy little girl, tabom tabom"

I got off the bus and started running like crazy, but even that wouldn't guarantee me getting to the audition on time. I've always been more into the arts, athletics was never my strong point...

Time break.

When I finally arrived I was sweating from head to toe, it was as if a typhoon had passed through me, but then I noticed a large mass of people leaving the audition room. No.... It can't be over... I soon ran to the door, opening it with a bang. But the jurors were already getting up from their seats and packing their things to leave.

"WAIT! I NEED THIS OPPORTUNITY! PLEASE LET ME ACT"

"Well... if you wanted to participate in the audition, you would have had to arrive earlier..." a teacher said, "Miss Rose is always late for my classes. But not even today, when we have a special guest here from the USA, did you have the decency to show up on time."

That witch of a teacher...

"No problem, we're still here." the judge spoke with a heavy American accent "Rose Silva Siqueira, I liked your spirit. I'll give you an opportunity..."

"REALLY? OH THANK YOU SIR..."

"Harvey Mc'Carter."

"Mr Mc'Carter... thank you very much, I'll start my audition then"
I sat down at the piano and started looking for the sheet music in my bag, but they were nowhere to be found...

OH NO, they stayed in the locker, but... I'm running out of time... if I take any longer I might lose my chance... I'll have to improvise.

So I let my fingers guide me and started playing my favorite song, Golden Hour by JVKE. As soon as I started playing it, I couldn't stop myself and ended up singing it too. From the look of the teacher, she looked like she wanted to kill me with her own hands... but I continued.

Once I finished, it was like waking up from a dream, which was interrupted by the teacher screaming.

"You KNOW this wasn't the song requested for this audition! It really sounds like you don't want to win a role in-"

However, she fell silent as soon as Mr Mc'Carter stood up, applauding enthusiastically.

"Bravoh, Bravoh! You're just what I was looking for... You're not afraid to defy the rules, and you have a very beautiful voice. And your piano skills... incredible. Well... for the sake of justice I can't give you the role on Broadway, it's already promised to Anastasia."

Anastasia, that bitch, it wasn't enough to steal my boyfriend, she also had to steal my dream of becoming a singer on Broadway.

"Well girl, since you're sooooo late the only place left is... let's see... - she said while leafing through her clipboard - it's substitute pianist at the Ballet Royal Original School, Mr. Jeremy is still recovering after the episode with ballet flats and alcohol."

Hmmm okay then... wait what???Suddenly I couldn't believe what was happening right in front of me, I was going to be placed as a substitute in a simple ballet school?!

"You will forgive me but there must be some mistake, Mr. Mc'Carter said that my place was on the Broadway stage and you are putting me in a second-rate ballet school, an imitation of the Royal Ballet School in London, in the role as a substitute pianist??? And my "very beautiful voice"?"

Mr. Mc'Carter felt embarrassed and slowly slipped out of the room, leaving me and that demon of a teacher to our privacy.

"Listen here you disgusting little brat, you should consider yourself lucky that we even offered you an opportunity. But you don't know what gratitude is, do you, you orphan!!"

FLASHBACK

"Mommy.... are you okay?"

Mom was lying in the hospital bed once again. Every day she was getting worse and the doctors couldn't explain why...

"Yes... daughter... come closer... mommy can't see you from so far away..."

I did as she asked, and she placed her fever-sweaty hand on my face.

"My daughter... I won't stay in this world much longer. But I just want you to always remember how special you are... and not just to me... to the whole world. You can change the world if you want.

PROMISE ME THAT! IT'S MY LAST WISH!"

"Mommy..." I couldn't hold back the tears any longer and started crying uncontrollably.

"PROMISE ME! THIS IS MY LAST WISH, DON'T DISAPPOINT MOM!"

"I PROMISE MOM!"

From the hospital corridor, the voice of one of my mother's friends sounded, who asked me to leave. I said goodbye to Mom with a hug, and when I turned to leave, she grabbed me by the arm and I approached her again, and she spoke in my ear so that only I could hear.

"One more thing my daughter... never, ever trust Portuguese people with browser names... It never ends well..."