Surfing the Sound Waves

*10* Applause - Lady Gaga

"I stand here waiting for you to bang the gong

To crash the critic saying, "Is it right or is it wrong?"

If only fame had an I.V., baby could I bear

Being away from you, I found the vein, put it in here

I live for the applause, applause, applause"

First solos and ensembles on Sunday nights from 6:00 to 9:00 was today. Personally, I'm not too excited to be at school on the weekends, but as long as it's only for three hours every Sunday just until the concert and there's no actual studying involved, I guess I could live with it.

When I walked into the auditorium at five minutes till six, almost everyone was already there. One of the only ones not there? My duet partner, of course. I sighed then headed to the back to sit with my friends who were conveniently clumped together. Heather, Grace, Regina, and I were in the cast, Lizzy was the student director, and Crystal and Annabeth were in the crew.

"So apparently my duet is going to be a solo act," I said sarcastically.

"Students, please come onto the stage so I can explain how all of this is going to work," Mr. Bergeron yelled up to us in audience.

We all got up and stepped onto the stage in a big pack. Standing there, I realized how many people were actually doing this.

"Everybody, this is Lizzy is you didn't already know," he said, gesturing to Lizzy, "she is our student director. What she says is law. Now, all performers may stay here with her, but everybody else please follow me so I can show you where everything is before I start working with the rehearsals."

They all filed backstage and we were left staring at Lizzy.

"Okay, so what we're planning is individual rehearsals until about two weeks until the performances start. This won't be a difference to the soloists, but for the duets and ensembles you won't practice your song together until then."

Then I felt two arms wrapped tightly around me from behind.

"Hey, what'd I miss?" the arms' low voice said from behind. Jack. I growled softly, but either he didn't hear me or didn't care, because he didn't take the hint and let go.

"No working in groups until two weeks before the performances," a guy answered.

"Sweet!" Jack exclaimed, shifting to just one arm draped over my shoulder, "Don't have to work with this bitching drama queen for the next few months!"

I could feel everybody staring at me, pitying me. That was it. That was the last straw.

I reached up and grabbed him arm off of my shoulder. I twisted it around and as he was wincing, I kicked his feet out from under him. He fell, landing with a loud thud face up.

He scowled at me, then yelled, "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!"

I smirked and replied, "Oh, that? That wasn't even that bad. Maybe you're the drama queen, huh?"

He jumped up and looked as if he was going to say something, but Lizzy cut him off.

"Hey, let's not kill your duet partners right now," she exclaimed, "we kind of need them for the show. But once we're done, Camara, murder that douche."

That surprised me, coming from Lizzy. Jack's jaw dropped and he glared angrily at her, but she just pushed her glasses up and smirked. I couldn't help but burst out laughing seeing this.

"So," Lizzy continued, "Mr. Bergeron will call everybody backstage one by one to rehearse, so until then you can all go back to your seats. You can leave after you're done rehearsing. Also, just so you know, just because you aren't working on your specific song with your group, doesn't mean you won't work with them for other things Mr. Bergeron might have you do."

"Seriously?" Jack exclaimed, still on the floor, "I got decked for nothing?"

I laughed and then we all went back to sit and I could tell that all of my friends we're pretty proud of me for doing that.

"Is he still staring at me?" I asked them, as I had my back to Jack and his friends.

"Yup," Regina replied, giggling.

One by one, they all got called back and then left, leaving me by myself. Of course they have to bring the duets back last, just make my life so much harder.

Finally I was brought back to rehearse. We went through the song a few times, and it was pretty obvious I needed coaching on hitting those high notes.

As I was leaving, Mr. Bergeron asked, "By the way, what was that huge crash I heard on the stage before rehearsals?"

"Oh, that was just me and Jack," I replied, and when I saw his confused face, I explained, "I kind of decked him because he was being a jerk."

"So you beat up your duet partner," Mr. Bergeron said, "the one that you'll be singing a sensitive love song with in a few months?"

I shrugged and he burst out laughing. In fact, he was still laughing when I left out the door, passing Jack on the way out and giving him a small wink.