The Secret Singer

Chapter 10

We enter the grand ballroom where girls from the high society are all tittering about in their designer clothes, talking about things that mean nothing. I look at Amy who looks just as gloomy as me at the prospect of having to go through these rite of passage with all these fake girls. Even gloomy, though, my best friend is looks dressed to kill in a flowy white sundress that's fitted in the bodice with gold gladiator sandals. We both put our hair into chignongs and painted our nails a "demure" pink.

We look around and spot a gorgeous, model-looking hispanic girl sitting at a table by herself with an angry look on her face. I watch as a brave blonde goes over to try and talk to her, and the girl just glares and the blonde scampers away.

Amy and I look at each other with identical smiles. Anyone who doesn't like these bimbos is someone we'd definitely like to know.

We walk over to her, and she glares at us in the same way. I smile and Amy snorts.

"Girl, please, I've lived with four older brothers. You glaring or grouching at me won't scare me." She says with a smirk.

The girl looks at us suspiciously. Then, out of nowhere, she smiles. Geez, when I try to smile with all my teeth like that I look like I'm some deranged psycho, but when she does it she looks angelic. She holds out her hand and says, "hi, I'm Jessica, but most people call me Jess. Sorry for the glare, but it keeps away the plastic ones."

We laugh and talk with her while waiting for the director. We learn that she's from Puerto Rico and she loves to model. Just as Amy and I fully introduce ourselves, a hush falls over the room, telling us the director is here.

The statuesque middle-aged woman goes to the podium with the grace of a model or athlete. She looks at us with contempt and begins to speak.

"Good morning ladies. My name is Mrs.Benson. As you all know, this is the first meeting for the dutiful debutantes. It is a big honor to be allowed entrance here, so I suggest you take this seriously. To begin, there'll be a group of high society gentlemen who've volunteered to be escorts during the duration of this ritual, coming in. One will be assigned to each of you. Now, I'll ask Mrs.Miller if she could please let the men in?"

A plump woman walks over to the french doors on the right side of the room to fetch the "men", and there's a flurry of girls pushing hemlines up and necklines down. Jess and Amy roll their eyes while I smirk at the pathetic view.

Then, a procession of handsome and wealthy looking guys our age in fitted tuxedos come through the doors. Both Amy and I sit up and gawk when we realize that among them are Collin and Noah. Jess seems to be drooling over a ripped, black guy walking with them that is almost devastatingly handsome. A few girls squeal when they see Noah and Collin, and the boys smirk in their direction.

"Settle down please," Mrs.Benson (or Cruella as I've decided to name her) says. "The gentlemen will choose themselves whom they'd like to work with. There will be music and appetizers now while we take a small break for you all to get to know each other and for the men to make their decision. So, socialize away!"

Immediately, a group of girls flock Noah and Collin, to the disappointment of the other guys. Jess, Amy, and I head to the appetizer table and converse a little. Soon enough, though, we're super bored and Amy convinces us to sneak into one of the soundproof dance rooms. We enter and see a spacious room surrounded in mirrors. Amy clasps her hands together in delight and takes off her sandals.

"Steph, can you pleeaassee sing something? I'm desperate to dance, and actually you guys should dance with me. It'll be so much more fun than being out there, don't you think?" Amy asks. She gives me her puppy eyes and I give in.