Vienna entered the drama class with other students and saw the massive drama studio was transformed. Chairs were placed in pairs around the room and scripts were placed on each pair of chairs along with some costumes or rather pieces of costume.
As students entered the huge studio, the drama teacher instructed them "Find yourself a partner and sit down practicing. Auditions will start in an hour and then will continue through your personal study time. We have two year groups here today so try to get along with each other...." Of course, the instructions were written on the stage blackboard too. The students knew how auditions went by now.
Vienna walked to a far corner and took a seat on a chair watching how other students were finding their partners. She knew her partner was Tristan and he hadn't arrived yet since Vienna was quite early to lesson.
The drama studio got more and more crowded as two year groups joined in that audition lesson.
As predicted a big crowd of girls rushed to Viggo as he entered the studio. Viggo was quite popular to the dismay of many other boys. He just charmed his way through. Some people reckoned it was his uncle Angelo's genes mixed with his uncle Costanzo's. Of course Vincenzo made girls run a mile with his rude and offensive attitude. Vincenzo had now cornered Letizia into working with him since he had by the looks of it, the support of the drama teacher.
The drama teacher was walking around pairing people up if they weren't sure who they wanted to work with and Vincenzo had a way of words to convince teachers that he wished to volunteer as one of the star pupils to work with the new student by the looks of it. Letizia didn't look pleased at all as she sat down next to Vincenzo and picked up her script and sliding her chair away from him as he got on with reading his script with a smirk.
Viggo managed to walk away from the girls and slip away skillfully. He walked to Vienna and sat down next to her as he put the script on the chair to the floor "I am thinking of working with my sister this lesson, sorry." the girls quickly dispersed.
Vienna laughed "Viggo. You cant keep hiding from the girls by using me as an excuse."
Viggo shrugged "Why not? It works as a short time solution. What you say goes apparently anyways, Queen Vienna."
Vienna frowned "What does that mean?"
Viggo sighed "It means that the students are meant to treat you like a queen or they die. Tristan's last orders from yesterday that was spread by his people states that."
Vienna sighed in frustration "This is getting out of hand. So he has spread word that people must be nice to me."
Viggo spoke "Well, he has always done that but now its different. Everyone knows he has set his sights on you."
Vienna raised an eyebrow "I thought you didn't like him. What happened? Why are you so cool about this?"
Viggo looked away "I don't like the guy but I think you can make your own decisions and I am for now keeping out of this but you know you can count on me, if you ever want to get rid of him. If he ever bothers you, then tell me and Vincenzo. I know you will. You are a smart girl..."
Vienna pushed on "Something has happened. Your tone has changed. Why are you much ... different now?.... Oh, .... It's her. Isn't it? She is back.... What was your fight about with Trent? You know he doesn't even fancy her. Everyone else thinks you fought because she is our enemy and you don't want Trent on her corner but of course I know what's going on. You should relax. There is nothing going on between Trent and Angelia."
Viggo turned to vienna. His tone was harder now "Of course there is. They were flirting in broad day light."
Vienna got closer to Viggo and spoke in a hushed tone "Well,... I am not supposed to tell you this but .... he is trying to make Azurine jealous by going after Angelia..."
Viggo gasped in shock "What? That's impossible.... They were flirting."
Vienna shook her head " I overheard Angelia talking to Tanya about it in the girl's changing rooms after we had our sports session. I wasn't meant to hear their exchange. They thought no one was left but I was in one of the rooms. Angelia told her how desperately Trent is trying to get Azurine to go out with him but he is so proud to ask her out. So he is asking Angelia for help..."
Viggo wasn't happy "And she just let him touch her like that...."
It was Vienna's turn to frown "Like what? Don't be so conservative Viggo. Girls are allowed to hold hands with boys and it shouldn't mean more than what it is. They are friends. its not a crime to play around. There is nothing going on between them. Angelia wanted to help him and went along with it. I probably would do the same if I was best friends with a boy...."
Viggo was deep in thought "It can't be. That's too good to be true. So all of that was an act."
Vienna nodded sadly " So I guess now you see you have more in common with Trent than you think. You want Angelia and you cant have her. Trent wants Azurine and cant have her since she only sees you as worthy and Trent is to proud to ask her out and get a rejection. Angelia also was saying how Trent told her that they cant be hanging out too much and he cant try to make Azurine jealous using her since Tristan has ordered him to keep his distance to avoid a clash with Vincenzo since Angelia is an Andovini and we are enemies...."
Viggo was looking into distance as he spotted Trent staring at Azurine who was deep in discussion with the drama teacher, from across the room. He was sitting next Tanya who was from another Irish-American crime family. "Where was Angelia?" He thought to himself. But then he spotted her next to Edward Blake.
Vienna noticed Viggo staring at her "The teacher paired them up. Edward is not trying to steal her away.... But Viggo take my advice, don't do anything about her. I overheard her not being interested in going to the end of year prom and she didn't sound like she was even interested in boys. All she was talking about was how much she wants to concentrate on her studies and also how happy she is that her mother is recovering at home from her illness. There is no rush. Don't do anything you will regret."
Viggo wanted to respond but stopped himself as some students approached where they were sitting and sat down close to them. Of course seconds later they dispersed as they spotted Tristan walking towards them giving them a hard look.
Vienna whispered to Viggo "You should go too. Him and I are working on the script to audition together."
Tristan stood in front of Vienna and Viggo as he put his hands on his hips "Viggo. Off you go."
Viggo stood up "Sure, I was about to go. What's the rush."
Tristan stated "I will see you and Trent before training after school. Just don't come in my way for the rest of the day."
Viggo spoke in a mocking tone "Yes, Captain... As you wish."
Vienna smiled. Viggo was in a better mood now knowing Angelia was still single and available. She watched Viggo immediately being approached by Azurine who ever clung onto his arm. of course they had to become partners. Azurine was the director so what she said was the law. She was going to take part in choosing cast alongside the drama teacher but of course she had to audition also if she wanted to be in the play too. She shook her head as she saw her leading Viggo to a pair of seats to audition together and then spotted Trent giving them hard looks from a distance.
Tristan's voice brought her out of her thoughts "Are you ready for practice?"
Vienna turned to him. He was sitting next to her on a chair and flipping through the script he had picked up from the floor. Vienna nodded "Sure."
Tristan looked up into her eyes making her stop mid sentence. It was a strange feeling having his full attention on her. He had beautiful eyes, she thought to herself.... But of course this was the same pair of eyes that could be the scariest sight if he was mad at someone and he had his rage directed at whoever he was looking at. Of course then she was sure, the last thing on her mind could have been how beautiful his eyes were.
Tristan stated " Its an interesting script." He offered some pages of script to Vienna "Have a read and then we can go for audition."
Vienna took the scripts away and started reading but she could feel his eyes on her. He was taking in her form. She was just pure perfection to him. He just wished she was more comfortable with him. She seemed on edge. He wished she talked more.
Tristan sighed in frustration. He didn't like how she was so formal with him giving short answers and not holding his stare. He didn't like how he was a stranger to Vienna. Others mostly did not talk to him unless he addressed them first. People didn't talk to him unless they were ready for what came at them if he didn't like what he heard. Alot had changed now since he had confessed he loved her. He was certain Vienna wished none of this had happened. She made no effort to interact with him and it bothered him. She was his girl. She shouldn't have been so formal with him like how others were. Surely she wished that he didn't say anything when Blake asked her out.... His hands balled into fists as he thought of Edward. He would have done it again with no regrets. She was his. He was willing to wait as long as Vienna needed until she warmed upto him but damn right no one was allowed to ask her out ... He hadn't waited so long to be bested by Edward Blake or anyone else. He was going to fight hard for her.
Vienna was becoming more on edge as she was reading the script. Just her luck, the script was a complicated one that didn't help calm her nerves. Before she knew it, time came for auditions and as the top drama student she was asked to audition first. She picked up a pink hat from nearby to hopefully hide from Tristan's stare if it became too much. Tristan was quite an intense actor too just like herself.
Vienna and Tristan walked to the stage and the studio fell silent as all students paid attention to the act.
Vienna was first to act. She pretended to knock on a door and then Tristan pretended to open the door.
Vienna greeted " Hi... Darling. I am home."
Tristan pretended to shut the imaginary door and shouted " Where have you been?"
Vienna took a step backwards " Darling. I was just out shopping with Maggie."
Tristan took a step towards her and shouted " Don't lie to me. You have been cheating on me with that colleague of yours, Edward."
Vienna closed her eyes. It was coincidence the name matched. She opened her eyes and took another step backwards as she could see Tristan properly going into character. She gulped " He is nothing to me. There is only you."
Vienna closed her eyes shut. It was part of script he was meant to slap her.
Tristan felt offended "I won't hit you. Open your eyes."
Vienna opened her eyes and looked up.
Azurine stood up "Cut. That was fantastic. You two have the lead roles."
Tristan waved the script in the air " Azurine. I am not playing a wife beater nor would I want my on stage wife to be a cheater. Sort this out. Tell me who wrote this script."
Azurine smiled nervously " Sorry about that. We will change that. This may not even be part of the play."
Tristan asked with a slightly raised voice "Who wrote this?"
Azurine sighed " It was Edward Blake and I who wrote this one. Him and I are co script writers. Any other worries."
Tristan narrowed his eyes at Edward making him look away " Nothing you can fix." He then walked off the stage with Vienna's hand in his towards their seat to watch the next auditions. On his way he kicked behind Edward Blake's chair and made him fall off. He muttered as he walked past " Fix up your writing or I will help you fix it."