The next day there was a crowd gathered around the billboard and I made my way over with Kate who pushed through. The director had told us the names of those who made it to the main show would be on the sign and I had been so nervous all through the night hoping that my name would come up.
As we made it over I could see some of the students who had practised with us with tears and disappointment on their faces, my heart raced and I was sure Kate’s heart was racing too.
I closed my eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. I opened them to check if my name was part of the list, the first name I saw was Katherine’s. of course she would make it, she was good at dancing.
“Ivana, why don’t I see our name?” Kate said the words and fear struck me as I looked at her with a wide gaze, it seemed like my dreams were shattered right now and I felt tears fill my eyes.
“That is because you are looking at the wrong side.” I heard Katherine’s voice next to us and we both turned to her as she pointed below the board, at the fourth to last names were I and Kate’s names.
“We made it Kate!” I shouted and hugged Kate as we leapt for joy.
“As much as I don’t like you, I am glad you made it, the rejected candidate,” Katherine said the word and me and Kate shot her a glare.
“I am not a rejected Candidate.”
“Oops my mistake, you got accepted.” Katherine pointed at the board and smiled before leaving the crowd and I grit my teeth.
“She isn’t so bad though,” Kate told me and I turned to her.
“Still, she is annoying.”
“I agree with you.” We both looked at our name and jumped for joy again.
“Let’s head for practice then,” I told Kate and she nodded as we left the crowd heading to the practice room. “I am glad you made it Kate.”
“Not only did I make it to the main show, but you also did, we are going to win this Ivana and nothing will stop it.” She smiled at me and I nodded to her as we walked into the practice hall.
The crowd has reduced, I couldn’t see some of those mean girls, although they had been mean to me, I was not happy they were eliminated from the show.
We both sat down, I turned my head and saw Robin over there with Hinn Carlos and the other’s at their corner and I smiled at him, he smiled back. “I know you are in love but can you focus?” I turned in the direction of the person who had just spoken to see Ryan.
I exhaled sharply. “Must you sit somewhere else?” I asked him and he shook his head at me.
“I like sitting here.” He told me and I groaned, he was so annoying.
“Hi, Ryan.” I peeked out and waved at him with a smile and I shook my head when Ryan waved back at her, Kate’s face was flushed and I just don’t know why she likes this annoying person.
We turned when we heard the door open and the director walked in alongside Chloe, Ava and Henry, I could hear some whisper behind us and I turned around to know what they were all talking about, I caught glimpses of Katherine’s face and noticed the corner of her lips turned up, it was different from the looks she had when Ryan was first introduced to us and I turned to Ryan.
“Why?” He raised his brows as if knowing what my question would be. “She prefers him more than me,” Ryan told me as he leaned on his hand. “He was to be the main lead of the last show but left the school to attend to his sick mother who was on her death bed because of cancer, I heard she is dead now, we were all friends and I guess he would be the main lead of this show, just hope he doesn’t leave this time too because of some important matter.” He said it sarcastically
I held the space between my brow. Ryan knew how to end each talk with something annoying. I doubt he has a heart, he said it so commonly like Henry losing his mother wasn’t something sad. “You are frustrating Ryan.” I shook my head at him and he shrugged, this was the kind of person Robin feels okay when I talk to, he was going to give me a headache.
"I would like to say congratulations to you all," The director spoke in his usual deep voice. "For making it past the second round." He scanned the room and settled his eyes on me. "I'm surprised you made it."
I didn’t know if I should hold my head up high and tell him yes I did, but something about his words made some of the students snigger, making me wonder if I was a terrible dancer.
Yes, you are!
I heard a voice In my head answer and I gritted, lowering my gaze. The director was also annoying, but something about his words made my heart relieved. It was his idea for me to practice with Katherine, which means I was the centre of attention.
Even if I am not good at least some people see my potential and one of them is Robin.
"Director, what you did wasn't so fair either." A girl behind us told him and the director turned to her to explain. "We passed the audition, why was there a sub show to take some of us out too?" She asked and a lot of us looked at the director since we also wanted to know his reasons.
"Welcome to reality, this life is full of competitions, an agency can sign you out just to make someone better, so you all have to do not stop practising and working hard once you pass the first step, you need to keep pushing forward, that way you won't have to be eliminated."
What he said made sense but, still, this was supposed to be fun to us, but seeing Katherine seriousness and how a lot of people work hard in practice, I noticed this was just like examinations, you get tested, if you pass you get pushed to the next level, but if you fail you have to repeat the course.
I feel bad for those who didn't pass, just like the girl Ryan had told me about, just because she failed last time, she had to repeat this time, Katherine was not an exemption either.
This school was truly tough. I thought it was just an art school, but it wasn’t easy.
"I'm sure most of you know Henry, who is right here." The director said and they all chorus yes, I was surprised that most of them knew him and worst of it all Kate was among the many.
I turned to look at Kate and she leaned close to me and whispered. "I looked him up, he is the best male lead, this school is full of surprises, Ivana, you just don't know who will turn up next, they all seem like flower boys, first was Hinn Carlos, then Robin, after that was Ryan and now this guy." Kate grinned as she turned to look at me. "I so much love this school, unlike the one we attend back in that small town.:
I smiled, I was sure Kate was daydreaming about this Herny too. "And you always say I have imagination," I glanced over to Henry. "Are you crushing on him already?"
"Ryan is more handsome," Kate whispered to me as she peeked out at Ryan with a smile on her lips.
There she goes again in comparing looks, I turned to continue listening to what the director was saying, I was just so happy that I made this round.
"Is he going to be the male lead 9f this show?" Katherine asked the director and he turned to her.
"Yes, his performance got a pass and if you all don't know, he was one of the people that got signed with an agency after yesterday's show." Our jaws dropped as we looked at Henry who smiled.
"I am jealous." A few students said this, I didn't say it out loud but I really admired his moves on the show, he deserves the signing.
Now it doesn't matter if he dances and sings on stage on the main show, he was already going to make it to stardom just like Ryan.
I was also jealous, now I wonder who also got signed. The director was silent for a while and no one asked him who got signed too and he didn't say anything to us, of course, those that got signed knew themselves.
"You can go take your seat, Henry." The director told him and Henry walked over to sit next to me but Ryan sat between us and turned to Henry.
"Sitting next to her is my favourite spot." He told Henry who smiled, I wondered why Ryan was being unreasonable, but I got the answer when I glanced over at Robin to see the smiles on my face.
"Hi." Henry waved at me.
"Hi." I greeted him back with a smile and Ryan blocked our view of each other with his head as he turned to Henry and pointed towards the director mouthing to Henry to pay attention to him.
Henry did and Ryan turned to and grinned while I mouth crazy to him before turning to listen to what the director was saying.
"The show will be in two weeks." Our eyes dilated as there was little mumbling in the hall. "Why? Don't you all feel confident about it?" He looked at all of us.
"He is such a close director," Clara spoke up and I turned when I heard her voice, surprised she also made it here. I didn't take notice of her when I came in. "We have a lot to learn, we haven't all mastered act six."
I also nod in agreement with her since I have not mastered lots of acts of this show. I was also nervous I won't be able to practice more before the show, it should have been in a month.
"This is the reason you are all here, this show means a lot not only to this school but also to you all, you will all experience something different after it and I would want you all to give it your best." He looked at all of us. "Don't you feel confident?"
"We do sir." We all said in low voices.
"That is not the sound of people who want to make it to stardom." He said the word and asked up again. "Don't you all feel confident?"
"We do!" We all said aloud and a part of me felt calm after saying those words.
Katherine raised her hand and the director turned to her. "Yes, you have something to say, let’s hear it."
"Sir, who then is the female lead since we have the male lead already?" She asked and the director smiled as he scanned the room and settled his eyes on me and I blinked rapidly as his lips parted to answer her questions.
My heart raced as he looked into my eyes and I pursed my lips, is this what I think it is?