The Stranger

Chapter Twenty-Five

Two more chapters left!

+ Rachel +

Today is the last day Newsies will be in DC, so they will be on their way to Boston tomorrow. They'll only be here for a week and a half; however, I'll be in New York for the last half week they're here. I think I'll be given just enough time to catch up with the friends that I've missed. I also think that it is a short enough amount of time to ignore the people, more like person, I don't want to see. Though, right now he is far from my mind. Instead I'm thinking about everything I need to get my friends caught up about and all the stories I can't wait for them to tell me.

My thoughts of what college anecdotes I need to share is cut short by little Jazzy coming up to my table and sitting across from me. I love her so much, she's honestly become like a sister to me.

"Hey, Rachel," she smiles.

"Hey, Jazzy," I'm super excited because I have a very special surprise for her. "You won't believe what came in the mail for me today," I grin.

"I was just about to say the same thing!" She gasps. Well, I hope it's not the same thing I got for her. That would be awkward. "But you can go first."

"Okay," I smile, barely being able to contain my excitement. I pull an envelope out of my purse and slide it over to her. "Open it."

She slowly opens the envelope and my excitement grows, she is going to love this. She pulls out the two tickets and her eyes go wide. "No way!" She gasps. "Two tickets to American Ballet Theatre's Sleeping Beauty?" She grins from ear to ear.

"Yep, and there's even more," I add. "I was able to get them to let us be there for dress rehearsal and get a private lesson."

"You're kidding, right?" Her eyes go wide.

"Nope," I grin. "We'll head up to New York on the 1st, which is Wednesday, on Thursday we see the dress rehearsal and get the lesson, and on Friday we go to opening night," I explain.

"You're going to miss time with your Newsies friends though," she says.

"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, I wouldn't expect any of them to pass this up because I would be in town," I shrug. "Are you in?"

"Of course!" She smiles.

"Great, now what did you get in the mail?"

"Well, I didn't tell you about this but you know the Joffrey Ballet Company?" She asks.

"Of course, they're my dream company," I say.

"I sent in a video audition for their fall intensive," she says.

"And you got it?"

"Well, yes-"

"That's amazing Jazzy!" I say. "They're one of the best company's in the country."

"There's more," she says. "I had to send in multiple videos, one being a duet," she pauses.

"Go on," I say.

"I sent one of the pieces we did and they loved it."

"That's great," I smile.

"They want you on the company," she says and I'm taken aback.

"Are you serious?" I ask, stunned by her words.

The Joffrey Ballet Company wants me. I've been dreaming of that company since I was six and saw their performance of Cinderella. Sure, Chicago isn't preferable if I had to chose between there and New York. But I would gladly live in Chicago to be part of Joffrey.