People were rushing in all different directions setting the stage and I looked to Lila for some source of comfort. She looked at me with wide eyes and a scared look on her face. Thank god Bonnie, Samantha, and Sadie greeted us within five minutes of being exposed to something so mind altering.
"So Keigan, you're coming with me and Lila you're off with Bonnie and Samantha," Sadie explained quickly while whizzing me away towards the orchestra. I look over my shoulder with a small smile at the overwhelmed expression on Lila's face as Bonnie and Samantha try to explain all the procedures for the dance routines and the set.
"You will not believe how many snobby rich girls can be present in one place," Sadie whispers as we approach the pit, and soon I am looking at sixty-five faces staring at me. Am I late? I looked at my watch and it read I was at least fifteen minutes early so I was somewhat confused.
"Sadie, why are they all staring at me?" I asked with growing curiosity as they began whispering amongst themselves.
"Uh, no reason. Don't worry about it, they're just those artistic people who try to ice competition. Yeah," she tried to convince me however, I didn't quite believe her. Then we heard the director enter and she patted my shoulder and rushed to her seat while I looked around like a lost puppy. Then I saw the violins and just sat in the only empty seat and pulled out my violin and tuned as quickly as possible. Soon, I heard the familiar tapping of a baton and looked into the eyes of the most intimidating man I had ever seen. His scowl seemed permanent and the unkempt eyebrows were not helping.
"Please know the privilege as well as honor you have been given. Any who take that for granted are most definitely not going to be here for very long."
Then I heard the rumor, and it would've seemed silly to even listen in, but it was about me.
"It's only a privilege as long as you don't threaten or sleep with the judges," a second violinist said while looking straight at me with a glare. What did she mean threaten? Or even sleep with? Sorting through this was distracting me enough, not to mention the five attractive guys rehearsing behind us. Then the director tapped the baton signaling instruments at the ready. Then he cues the third violins and I play the only way I know how. The boy next to me looks surprised. The second violinist is wide eyed and it seems the whole section is shocked. Then, I guess the seconds forgot to come in, so we were stopped.
"So the slut has talent," and since this came from our principal violin, everyone laughed. It hurt to know that's what everyone thought.
"Silence, all of you. This isn't a place to bully. This is a place for art. Anymore outbursts Miss Walters and you're gone. You may think as principals you're all safe or exempt from punishment, well consider this a wake up call."
I looked timidly around and I mostly got apologetic glances, I guess no one considered laughing at someone as bullying. Strange, and then I looked sideways at our principal, and her face of pure hate is what really threw me. I just wanted to break down right there. But then that's showing her weakness which I refuse to reveal so early in the game. We completed our rehearsal in complete silence since everyone was scared to say anything.
Then our conductor announced the end of practice and released us for lunch. I hurriedly oacked my violin and Sadie apparently knew how badly I just wanted to leave so she met me outside the pit. We walked over to the stage to find Bonnie, Samantha, and Lila while Sadie kept telling me how everyone was just being rude, and didn't know what they were talking about. But her comfort just wasn't translating to English in my brain, it sounded more like Japanese or something. When I looked up I saw One Direction dancing with them and then I saw Niall, and even though he wasn't looking at me I still had to smile at his energy he was having at a simple dress rehearsal.
Soon, the song ended and the choreographer called their break and soon we were enveloped in sweaty hugs froour friends. They looked exhausted with smirks for smiles from the heavy breathing.
"How was dancing with thirty-five dancers all trying to beat you out for the best spot?" Sadie asked laughing at their weary appearance,
"Brutal... long..." was all Bonnie could get out. Then we saw One Direction leave the stage and smile in our direction before heading to get their lunch. Oh man. That smile will forever be engrained in my mind.
"So who's up for eating outside?" Samantha grinned encouragingly. Then we all nodded with false seriousness before bolting out the same door the boys had just exited. Hopefully, this isn't perceived as crazy stalker status.